Missing Piece!

We finished this puzzle yesterday but one piece is missing and we’ve checked the floors and haven’t been able to come up with it. So frustrating.

If you find it, let me know. On the up side this was the first puzzle we’ve put together that was missing a piece. Hopefully it will be the last one we put together with a piece missing.

It was a good day to work on a puzzle since it rained all day and was gloomy outside. We took our car to the dealer and got a glitch fixed so we had to drive into town with two cars. It was too long of a fix to wait at the dealer. We came back home and while we waited we worked on the puzzle.

Just wanted to post a reminder that our Truth from A to Z Bible Verse Challenge will start back up on Thursday of this week. We will be on the letter O. Hope to see you then.

He’s Still Smiling…

Poor Ami!!

Ami our Amish snowman has fallen. The combination from the weight of the fresh snow that fell and then the rain and warmer days was too much for him. His nose is broken but he’s still smiling. We do love his attitude.

We have very icy conditions with the snow melt during the day and then freezing overnight. If I was 12 and had Ice Skates I’d give ice skating a try!

Here was the view on our way to church on Sunday morning.

Besides putting away the Christmas decor until next year things have been slow and lazy around here. There has been some puzzle progress. How are things in your neck of the woods?

My Times Are In Thy Hand ~ Hymn

My Times Are In Thy Hand

My times are in Thy hand;
My God, I wish them there;
My life, my friends, my soul I leave
Entirely to Thy care.

My times are in Thy hand;
Whatever they may be;
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
As best may seem to Thee.

My times are in Thy hand;
Why should I doubt or fear?
My Father’s hand will never cause
His child a needless tear.

My times are in Thy hand,
Jesus, the crucified!
Those hands my cruel sins had pierced
Are now my guard and guide.

My times are in Thy hand,
Jesus, my advocate:
Nor shall Thine hand be stretched in vain,
For me to supplicate.

My times are in Thy hand,
I’ll always trust in Thee;
And, after death, at Thy right hand
I shall forever be.

Words: William F. Lloyd, 1824.

The Wonderful Leftovers!

For the benefit of our family and my memory bank I’m posting several more photos of our family time over Christmas. Some of these are out of order and some repeats in collages…

Thank you to Laura for all the photos!!

On the day of our Coast kids’ departure we gathered for more last minute fun at Dan and Jamie’s with a great lunch of leftover Rib Roast, creamed corn, salads and other goodies. A great clean out the fridge meal!

Such great uncles and aunties.

The day after our Coast Kids journeyed home we had seven more inches of snow at our country bungalow (Wednesday December 30th). In the next several days the temps will be above freezing and we have some rain in the forecast so the snow will become a sloppy mess with puddles everywhere.

Here’s the latest puzzle we are working on and hope to get done before Russian Christmas which is January 7th! Perfect weather for puzzle time.

Goodbye 2020 Hello 2021!

С Новым годом

Greetings in Russian: Happy New Year: “С Новым годом, новым счастьем!” (Literal: “With the New Year, new happiness!” — this is the most common Russian greeting.)

Happy New Year Everyone!

Comments will be closed on this post today. Hope you have a relaxing day filled with good treats!

Before the New Year

I posted this collage of our daughter Katie on Facebook with this birthday message;

Happiest of Birthdays to our little girl who was a special surprise from God all those years ago in Ventura, California. Your dad and I are so thankful to God for His watch care over you and for the place He has brought you to in your life. We love our beautiful, smart, kind, precise, meticulous, precious girl! We pray that the Lord will guide you continually. From Spurgeon, “There are no dilemmas out of which you will not be delivered if you live near to God and your heart is kept warm with holy love. You will not go astray in the company of God.”

Sunday December 27th was our Katie’s birthday and it was a full day of fun in the snow and then a snowflake taco dinner party with Spice Applesauce birthday cake.

The kids spent the day at Dan and Jamie’s playing in the snow and the guys helped Dan get caught up on chopping wood for their fireplace.

Santa brought JJ a new battery powered tractor.

Some steamed frothy milk to warm up before naps.

And a great finale to the B-I-B-L-E…Bible!

Now for some cuddle winding down time to calm down for his nap…JJ’s not Joshua’s. 🙂

The older crew came back to our place to get ready for the Birthday party.

It was a snowflake table setting for our winter girl. Now here’s the funny story about the candles on the table. The center candle in the table setting was a battery operated candle. All eight of the other candle holders had votives in them that needed to be lit. I asked Dear to please light the candles on the table while I finished up the taco shells for dinner. I heard some belly laughter from the dining room when everyone realized Dear also tried to light the battery operated candle. That candle looks even more authentic now!

Cake first or presents first?

A delightful birthday from beginning to end! We love you Katie!

Praying that God will increase your love and devotion to Him in this next year!

Family Moments Hodgepodge

1. Tell us about your favorite moment or share one of the bright spots from the year we’re leaving behind.

My favorite moment was when our Colville kids decided enough was enough and we were allowed to hug our grandchildren again. Oh Happy Day!

2. What do you wish you’d known at the start of 2020? Elaborate.

I wish I’d known that travel would be so adversely affected because of the COVID. I wouldn’t have booked our flights to London and our lodging in Oxford. Then I wouldn’t have had to spend any time cancelling and wondering if we’d get our money back. Thankfully we were refunded for everything.

3. Best book you read this year? If you did not read any books this year, what’s the best thing you ate all year? We’ve all eaten, right?

Nonfiction: Besides the Bible which is by far the best, Only Jesus (What It Really Means To Be Saved) by John MacArthur

Fiction: All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

This was the only nonfiction book I read all year and it wasn’t until December that I read it!

4. The Pantone Colors of the year for 2021 are ultimate gray and illuminating yellow (a bright shade)…are you a fan? Would we find either of these colors in your home or wardrobe?

The ultimate gray could be found but I would not choose the illuminating yellow. We have some gray in our home and wardrobes but no illuminating yellow.

5. If you were/are making a list of 21 things to do/accomplish in 2021 what is one thing that would be on it?

Weeding out things that I don’t want to leave to our children to deal with is one of the 21 things to accomplish in 2021!

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Our family of 10 had a wonderful few days together over Christmas and we are so thankful for the relationship strengthening time we had!

Our 4 kids from the other side of the Cascade Mountain range left on Tuesday for home. We are thankful for how they honor us, their parents, and how they contribute to our family unity!

Addy asked our “Coast Kids”, “Why don’t you live here with us?” She loves spending time with her aunts and uncles. Addy had several deep questions during our times together. Out of the mouth of Babes…

Thank you Joyce From This Side of the Pond for your faithful weekly questions that add a midweek boost to our blogging!

Ami the Amish Snowman

Snow!

It started snowing Christmas night and into Boxing day morning. We got between 2 and 3 inches. We bundled up and went outside and tested the snow to see if it was snowman worthy. YES!

Josh had help rolling the snow into the 3 portions we wanted for the snowman. He was placed in the back yard so that we would be able to see him from the family room.

How’s this for a fashion statement. I still had my festive jammies on!

Here’s Josh with Ami the Amish Snowman!

All the helpers.

We think Ami is going to be around for a long time…

Yesterday we celebrated Katie on her birthday. We ate tacos at a snowflake table. That will be a separate post.

Our travelers leave on Tuesday before the next snowfall that is predicted for Wednesday. That one promises several inches of snow.

Knowing You, Jesus ~ Hymn

All I Once Held Dear…

Boxing Day 2020

We are all awake and Premier League Soccer is on the TV while Dear begins to make his Swedish Pancakes for us to enjoy for Boxing day breakfast. I can hear the false crowd noise while I create this post. All the photos are from Christmas Day 2020. Our Coast Kids arrived to our home shortly after noon and we enjoyed Dear’s Famous Tomato Rice Soup. Our Colville kids arrived to our home after the little ones woke up from their afternoon naps!