On Valentine’s day we had a surprise delivery of flowers from Josh and Laura. It was unexpected. We were thankful for the thoughtful gift. Addy and JJ came over in the afternoon for a movie and dinner while their folks enjoyed some time on their own. We watched Milo and Otis and then enjoyed tacos for dinner. JJ made guacamole out of the one avocado we had on hand. Ice Cream Cones for dessert and then we had some story time and just got started watching Davy Crockett and their folks came to pick them up.
Earlier in the day these photos were texted to the family.
Sending love across the miles!
Before Valentine’s day Katie and Laura met up for nail day getting ready with just the right color for Valentine’s day.
We are grateful for technology that allows us to see and enjoy what our loved ones are doing miles away and closer to home!
We had a nice dump of snow on Sunday. We couldn’t see our mountains and hills on the way to church.
After church the Grands had fun in the snow.
Don’t shake those limbs!
A targeted snow shower.
My Monday and Tuesday will be full of activity from morning to night as our church is having a Going Away plus 10 Year celebration for our Youth Pastor’s Family. I’m overseeing the food preparations for that event. My computer/blog time will be scarce over the next couple of days.
Happy President’s Day if you live in the states and if you live in Canada, Happy Family Day.
Hope you are having a lovely Friday and Valentine’s Day. This is my catch-up post for this past week and the month of February so far with photos I’ve taken and photos that were sent to me. Trader Joe’s tulips were too pretty to pass up last Friday and after pulling my Valentine’s Day bin down I found the sparkly hearts to add to the bouquet.
When we were at Costco a couple trips ago the adidas warm-up sets were $10 and a set in size 6 made it into our cart. JJ is growing right on schedule into size 6!
Basketball is going on this winter and Baba finally made it to a practice.
My sister and her hubby flew into Seattle to surprise a close friend who was turning 50 and they had a bonus visit with our West side kids. Makes me happy to see them all together. They had a great time and sent us photos to prove it!
The first puzzles of 2025 got started and finished in the last couple of weeks.
JJ and I finished this glow in the dark puzzle during our Monday afternoon time. Later when it got dark we checked to see if it was glowing and it was. Woohoo!
This farm seasons quilt puzzle was a fun one to do. I finished it earlier this week.
A few close-ups showing the 4 seasons.
Addy and JJ went to a birthday party at Flying Squirrel in Spokane a couple weeks ago and we were sent these photos.
Tonight Addy and JJ are being dropped off at Gramps and Baba’s for dinner and a movie. Their parents are going to have some uninterrupted time together for a few hours.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. May love fill your hearts and minds and actions!
1. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did your team win? What’s your favorite game day snack for whatever sport is happening?
We did watch the game and were so surprised at the blow-out. The Eagles played a great game. I’m glad the Chiefs finally got some good plays in. We really didn’t have a favorite team. For game day snacks I like Charcuterie with meats and cheeses and veggies with dips like artichoke and a baguette cut up in thin rounds and nuts and I could go on and on.
2. What’s your ‘superpower’?
Detective work is one of my super powers and along with that comes spotting danger. Those powers made me a real good Playground teacher.
Another super power, because I love to do it, is planning a trip.
3. Will you do anything special on Valentine’s Day? If so do share. Any thoughts on/about this particular holiday?
I’m thinking I’d like to do a chocolate fondue again.
Chocolate Hazelnut Fondue
1-1/2 cups half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped. (I used 2 bags of semisweet chocolate chips that I didn’t need to chop)
1/4 cup Frangelico liqueur (If you do not want to use this you can substitute 1/4 cup of strong brewed coffee)
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (as always you can omit the nuts if you’d prefer)
Method:
Place the half and half and heavy cream in a double boiler.
Heat the creams until they bubble.
Reduce the heat and gradually stir in the chocolate chips 1/2 cup at a time whisking while adding. When the chocolate is completely blended in, add the liqueur.
Keep warm and sprinkle with hazelnuts just before serving.
You can divide the chocolate into individual dipping bowls and serve with dipping fruit and other items or you can put the chocolate into a fondue pot at this time, too, to keep it warm.
Some dipping suggestions: cookies, biscotti, cubes of cake, dried apricots, pineapple, fresh berries, sliced pears, orange slices, and marshmallows.
This recipe easily served 8 people with leftovers. If you are serving a smaller group half the recipe.
I enjoy hosting a little Valentine dinner and decorating in pink, white and red for a change.
Share a favorite verse or quote relating to love.
1 John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loves us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
4. Are you a fan of the rom-com genre? If so what’s one of your favorites?
Not a fan of this genre in movies or books. Give me a good murder mystery with a faithful loving relationship in the plot line and I’ll be happy.
If you’re not a movie go-er then what about a book you love that features a great love story?
Going back to murder mysteries the relationship between Gamache and Reine-Marie in the Inspector Gamache series of murder mysteries is a great love story. Their relationship is loving, faithful and an everyday kind of relationship, not far fetched but inspirational.
How about a favorite love song?
This song about God’s love in sending Christ to save us is a current favorite.
On a more earthly note, from my high school days, I’ll go with Cherish by the Association. There were so many popular love songs in the 60’s.
I love good music sung by talented singers. Even if they sing something that isn’t necessarily classified a ‘love song’, it brings out the love in me. Andrea Bocelli can be singing anything and it sets a amazing mood. Nat King Cole is another singer who’s voice is ‘music to my ears’. Music is very key in my personal history. God has used it in powerful ways in my life.
5. Let’s get creative…write an acrostic using the word L-O-V-E.
Living in love
On the cusp of heaven
Visualizing with hope
Eternity
6. Insert your own random thought here.
My favorite Valentine’s! Photo from Valentine’s Day 2024.
I’m fighting between being trite or deep with this question. Have you read The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman?
I think Words of Affirmation speak love to me and Acts of Service.
Understanding God’s love for us is important in knowing how to express our love for others. God’s love is complex and perfect. It never compromises from the Truth of God’s Word.
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23
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2. Is love blind?
Simple answer, no. Complex answer, love sees, knows, confronts, forgives and lasts.
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—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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3. How do you remember Valentine’s Day as a kid? Do you have any special plans for the day this year?
Valentine’s day in the 50’s was one of my favorite days at school. I so enjoyed the bag or box of Valentines to open and enjoy.
We don’t have anything special planned for today except for giving Addy and JJ their Valentine gifts.
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4 Are you a fan of the movie genre known as ‘rom-com’? What’s your favorite (or one of your favorites)?
Not my favorite genre. In my not so humble opinion, bedroom scenes should not be broadcast on the screen. I can appreciate the romance in period pieces like Pride and Prejudice.
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5. What’s something you recently put your heart into?
Looking for a little something special for Addy and JJ for Valentine’s Day.
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6. Insert your own random thought here.
This is a ‘Valentine’s Day past’ table setting.
I put my heart into setting a themed table. I’m doing it less now but it still is enjoyable for me.
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Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
May you “know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
This was in my drafts from a few years ago and since Valentine’s Day is on Wednesday this is a good encouragement on how to love ‘One Another’.
I recommend this easy study to any of you to do at home or in a study group. Grab your concordances and search and find all the ways we are suppose to behave with one another. I’m including one great passage from Colossians that covers a few and suggestions for what to look for. Enjoy!
Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Here are some helpful descriptions of some of these virtues; (taken from The Reformation Bible, ESV, R.C. Sproul – general Editor)
Kindness: Readiness to do good, even when it may be undeserved (Rom 2:4; Titus 3:4).
Compassion: An emotional, caring relationship with those whose lives are hurt and broken (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Rom. 12:1).
Humility: A posture of lowliness and servanthood (Mark 10;45; Phil. 2:1-11).
Meekness: Or, “gentleness” in offering help, a non-coercive approach to encouraging change in others’ lives (Matt. 11:29; 2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 6:1; 2 Tim. 2:25).
Patience: Willingness to take the long view in face of human frailty (Rom. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:16).
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the “one anothers” to look for; love one another, serve one another, accept one another, forgive one another, comfort one another, encourage one another, care for one another.
Our Christian life is meant to be lived in community. What a good challenge it is to be encouraging to one another as we grow in community.
1. Something you’ve done recently that might be considered a labor of love?
There are lots of obvious things we do everyday that are more routine and learned like Dear making me coffee every morning or me washing his clothes.
One recent thing that isn’t routine is helping at a funeral. There are a lot of behind the scenes tasks that need to be done. If you’ve never been part of these tasks you wouldn’t know about what they involve. For the service you need a memorial table set up. You need to be around to receive any flowers that are delivered before the service. You need to pick up and make sure the sanctuary is clean after the service. When a meal is involved for the family there are preparing, setting up tables, setting out the food, and then waiting till all the eating and visiting is over to clean up. Washing up, drying up, taking tablecloths home to wash, breaking down tables and putting them away, folding chairs and putting them away. Just an average assessment of the hours it takes for volunteers to help in this way is 6-8 hours. I think that qualifies as a labor of love for the grieving family who need extra care and comfort at this time.
2. What’s one thing you love about being the age you are now?
Being at the age where grandchildren are a part of our lives.
3. What do you value more: careful planning or the freedom to be spontaneous? Elaborate.
My husband reminded me of all of our car purchases and how spontaneous they were. Yikes. No planning. Here’s how the ‘planning’ went; we need a car that will get us safely over the mountain passes, we like Toyotas, let’s look at Rav’s, the dealer has a couple good used ones on the lot. We pick one of the two. We drive away with it. All in one day with no serious planning and investigating, etc. etc.
For a trip with the two of us I’d say careful planning leads to more spontaneous freedom. If we know where we are going and where we are staying our brains are free to enjoy things along the way that haven’t been planned. Does that make sense? I can enjoy spontaneous freedom in small doses on major trips.
4. A home cooked meal or a fancy restaurant? pink or red? watch the sunrise or watch the sunset? wine and cheese or champagne and chocolate?
There’s a time and a place for all of these choices. We’ve enjoyed home cooked meals and meals at a fancy restaurant when the timing is right. Sometimes pink and sometimes red and sometimes the two together. Starting the day with the sunrise is amazing and rounding a corner to see the sunset is glorious. Let’s start off with a little wine and cheese and end the meal with a chocolate and champagne.
5. What’s your definition of romance? Are you a ‘romantic’?
Romance is more touchy feely and emotional to me and I’m not that. I do love deeply and my actions speak from that realm and not the romantic realm.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Even though I don’t count my self as a romantic, I do enjoy setting romantic tables.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 