"Coffee and Dog Hair...

Yes, here's the funny mug I had wanted and got! Here's a link, they seem to be selling out on many sites. I should get a commission! Everyone keeps asking about them. Chimpfeet.com is where I got it, but they don't have it anymore. Partysgalore.com has sold out. Here's the link for Sleepyheads.com.

I didn't know there's a whole line of products touting the good of dog hair! Glad someone's getting rich on that little bit of farce! Here are a few:

"Cereal's better with dog hair" for your morning bowl of nutrition!

There's a website about dog hair uses: Here's my favorite

"Save dog hair and use as a coffee filter" May I ask why????

How about this one? Knitting with Dog Hair! Why not use the hair from the pet you love rather than a sheep you haven't met? Puhlease! Guess it's better than using the hair on hubby's back!

Check out B.A. Barker (get it?) for absolutely any object you can imagine, designed with and for dogs!

What is this world going to?

Cookies for Christmas

I am just learning to love and appreciate traditions. It seems every year I like to try something new and my kids bring me back to, "can't we do what we did last year?" It seems to be a touchstone in their lives, a security. The whole world around them is changing but our family will stay safe and secure.

Here's one of our traditions, baking cookies. Yes it is a lot of work, especially those stupid frosting bags with the little tips. Whose idea was that? I think it's the cans next year! But the cookies are pretty and it's the fun of getting together. Riiighhhht.
Baking with the Dunhams
Chris is asking Alex to step aside so he can show her how the master does it. Princess Master?

Sam and Alex, with lovely pot hats!

Baking with the Rays

Nana Shepherd and Emma dipping Buckeyes
Gingerbread House
Lessons from big brother

21 Years Fly By

December 27, 1987 at 4 pm at the First Baptist Church of Scottsdale

Susan Ellen and Charles Derrick wed

It was the first time that I know of in our church history, that 2 families were joined. Two families that had grown up in the church.

Pastor Brouwer was amazing. Watching the video tonight, hearing his words again, the first thing that popped into my head was that his prayer was answered. And is still being answered. That we would serve God in all we do. That God would make us the wife/husband and mother/father He would want us to be. Ones that would give Him glory in all we do. I know we fall short of the mark, but it truly is our goal.

Mark Zeeman and Julia Winterberg (Hamilton) on the piano and organ gave us chills. Sacred, powerful music. Processing in to Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee, with a key change every verse, had everyone's hearts pounding!

My cousin Vicki singing Friends for Life and Julianne singing Community Song. Then they sang together: Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us for our benediction/recessional.

My dad's final words in the video were, "the wedding was terrific and we expect the marriage to be even more so, but longer!"

And off to St. Bart's. I'm still hoping to go back there.

Father God, thank You for this man that I will spend the rest of my life with. You knew what You were doing when you brought us together. May we always keep you first, eachother second and these gifts from You third.

Our life poem: "Grow old with me, the best is yet to be. The last of life for which the first was made" Browning

Unplugged

I can't believe it!! This is the first time I have been able to log on to my blog since the 5th. But instead of getting frustrated, well I did that too, I looked at it like I was being unplugged, cut off, having a little break from the web. In a good way. Hopefully I got a little more done that I needed to and wasn't distracted to see what so and so was up to or to see who had left a comment. We will be getting high speed internet this weekend. They said that there has been a lot more demand in our area and when we moved up here, broadband was the only option.

So, I'll be back.....more to come
But here's a funny "12 Days of Christmas"... I love accapella, and this is from my dad's alma mater, Indiana University in Bloomington.

'Tis the Season

I know, where have I been? Well, I'm not going to go into the last 3 weeks with detail. I'll try to 'sum up' as Indigo Montoya would do. (Princess Bride for those of you out of touch!)

After arriving home, it's like we went into warp speed. Starting school up, back into choirs and worship team. Then I got sick and that went around and still is. Our immunes were down I suppose.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Derrick is the king of brining a turkey!! So juicy.

My nephew Jake surprised our folks and flew in.

Derrick's aunt and uncle were here from South Carolina. It was a great time of talking and eating and playing games. Uncle Joe learned 4 Square. He's a good sport!

But I was sick that weekend and it was so hard to decorate like we traditionally do. But we did it.

Then we had 3 INCHES of rain!! As you know, in the desert, it turns into washes. The ground being too hard to soak it up. We have no curbs and lots of washes running through our development.

Add to that a broken water heater to replace and 2 roof leaks. Yippee.

Emma danced at the Veteran's Home, we saw Annie with lots of our friends in it, and then A Christmas Carol. Aah, culture!


Seeing my friend Pam who moved to Tennessee last summer, was a highlight for me. I have missed hanging out together until 2 in the morning. I sure hope she didn't get sick from me as she is touring with her Christmas Concert.

Lifelong friends of our family, the Olsons, my folks and us. (Next year Morelocks!)

Another highlight, which we do every year, is the Northern Arizona University Christmas Dinner/ Concert. We had to go on a Thursday this year but it was so phenomenal. I am always amazed at how they can do as well or better as the previous year. It is a wonderful mixture of sacred, jazzy, classical choral music. To see all those young people memorizing hours of music just blows me away. It's always beautiful way to start the HOLYdays.
The last song they sing is John Rutter's Candlelight Carol and the words are so powerful. But my favorite part is being reminded that GOD became MAN in the form of a tiny, helpless babe.

Find Him at Bethlehem laid in a manger
Christ our Redeember asleep in the hay
Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation
A child and his mother that first Christmas day.

There is peace at the cradle, and peace at the foot of Jesus. Don't stray from that Holy place.

If people insist on saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, gently remind them, yes these are "holy-days". That's where the word came from!
May you make your season HOLY.