Dream

I almost forgot to show you The Goat.


Isn't that a sweet face?

Heading over to The Burning Sage...tonight is our live music event...it's going to be lots of fun. There will be new artists performing and new merchandise too. We'd love to see you there. The festivities begin at 7 PM and will go until 10 PM.

The Llamas are still there too...want to see the favorite one?


And did I ever show you these?



Forgive me if I have already shown you...but it's always good to be told numerous times to "Believe in Love" and "Dream"...


I'm reading this book called Living the Creative Life by Rice Freeman-Zachery and she talks about playing, kids and adults alike...

This paragraph stood out to me...

Children who don't get to play as much as they need to never find out where their hearts and minds and passions lie. They end up with jobs they hate and lives that seem dim, wondering what's missing.

Isn't that so true?!

I encourage you to play today. Take time to do something you love and enjoy. Try something new. Skip. Jump rope. Color with a new box of colored pencils.

Dream.

Pioneer The Way

My dear friend, Jonathan Thulin, just recorded this video of a song he wrote...so proud of him!

On The Couch

Have you ever been away from your child, perhaps for a day at work or even longer...a couple of days...and when you come back, they're a little miffed?

Or when someone is getting ready to go out of town and you find yourself a little agitated with them for no good reason?

I used to pretend I was asleep to avoid saying good-bye to my dad before he'd leave for one of his work trips. It was just too painful. So I began pretending to be asleep in the car...I think I was around 5.

I don't remember feeling angry with my dad, but I know now that there is something that makes it just a teensy bit easier to say good-bye if you are angry with the person leaving.

Well, I feel like I'm pulling this stunt with my dog.

I'm angry at Alex all the time.

He can't do anything right.

He stinks.

He wants to lay on me. All the time.

When he barks, I just want to yell at him. .

Or maybe even give him a swift kick (albeit, gentle...sorta) in the backside...

He looks at me with his eyes pleading for my attention and I ignore him to do other very important things...

What is he doing to warrant all this anger?

I think he's gonna die.

When I wrote that I Wish I Was A Dog, I thought he was just being a little difficult about the cold. But throughout that week, he just got worse. In fact, it got pretty bad. He was a sick pup and I thought he wasn't going to be with us for long.

I canceled my plans and stayed on the couch for the day. I gave him a bath and wrapped him in a blanket and nestled him in the crook of my knees...that place that he loves so much. He soaked it up. I cried, already mourning the loss of my beloved dog.

The next morning, I went downstairs to fix breakfast and Alex followed me down. This was already different than it had been...I'd been coaxing him downstairs or having to carry him outside. This morning, though, he went out without nudging, came in and did his infamous twirl around move that steals my heart every time.

He was downright perky.

A few hours later, he barked like mad at the mailman and there I was...back to yelling at him.

As happy as I was to see the improvement, the damage was done, because now I can't stop seeing the end. He's having accidents frequently. He's moving slow one minute and energetic the next. After thirteen years together, I know that he is not himself.

And it makes me so very sad.

Fortunately, I'm finally recognizing my tendency toward hating good-byes and knowing that this feeling that I'm mistaking for anger is actually grief.

Yes, he really does stink, there's no sugar-coating that...and yes, it does annoy me when he is doing the obnoxious fill-in-the-blank...

But I'm going to be nice and love him, even when I think I want to kick his rear end.

We Have a Winner!

Drum roll please...

And the winner is...

Loren!!!!

Loren said...Loren the Lurker would LOVE to win the Lovely book so I won't Lie to myself any Longer. LOL Say that lots of times to your lovely self! lalalalaaaaa

Hahaha. Loren liked listing lotsa L's! Lucky Lady...

I wrote your names on little strips of paper. Nate had the honor of drawing the name out of a bowl. The suspense was thick in the kitchen. There was a hush in the air, a tense moment...and then, victory. A winner. Congratulations, Loren!!! :) And thanks to those of you who entered the drawing.

If you'd like to order the book, click here. You will be so glad you did...and when you do read it, come back over here and let us know what you think of the book.

Thank you, Susanna, for sharing your book with us. We heart you!

Oscar Academy

If you haven't already, gone on over and check out this post and leave a comment for a chance to receive the wonderful book, My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself by Susanna Foth Aughtmon. It's a wonderful book~ I'd love all of you to read it. I cannot wait to see who wins!

You have until 9 PM to comment for a chance to win. I'll post the winner tomorrow. Yay!

Did you know the Oscars were on last night? Did any of you watch?

I don't always watch the show. In fact, more often than not, I don't watch the Oscars. I have nothing against it, but to tell you the truth, I'd probably be happy just seeing the Pre-Show/Red Carpet thing if I'm going to watch at all. But this year I wanted to see it, the whole nine yards. Mid-afternoon, though, Nate and I realized that we hadn't seen a single one of the nominated films. Well, Nate did see Avatar...but I haven't seen any of them.

I take it back! I've seen Up! And LOVED it. (The first 10 minutes of that cartoon had me mesmerized and teary. Wonderful story.)

Anyway, back to yesterday...it just so happened, we were able to go out! Fun! We set out to go see one of the movies that we'd hopefully be watching about later that evening...

But the timing was all off and the only movie that was showing at that particular time was Shutter Island.


As someone who doesn't get to see the movies they want for all the Disney and child-friendly shows that are on continual play around here...and for someone who ends up reading or blogging now instead of seeing all the movies my little heart desires...I feel a little ill-equipped to give a good review on a movie anymore.

I LOVE MOVIES. All kinds. I really love good ones. But there's something about just the joy of seeing anything semi-grownup these days that makes me happy even if it's not the greatest movie ever.

Does anyone know what I mean?

So, that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Shutter Island. I think it might have actually been good, too. Not Oscar-worthy, but enjoyable and suspenseful...with horribly sad, awful parts. OK, enough about that one.

Greyley and Nama recorded the Oscars for us and it didn't really matter if we hadn't seen the movies or not. It was still fun to watch the show. And now I think I have a better idea of which movies to make time for...

I'm wondering if you, dear readers, have seen the movies nominated this year. If so, did you think the right movies, actors and directors won? And which movie (or two, if I'm lucky), should I make an effort to watch?

Enquiring minds want to know.

Free Giveaway!

My friend that I've never met in person, but have mad laughs with through emails and while reading her blog, has a new book out!

My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself written by Susanna Foth Aughtmon...

She has the best titles, doesn't she.

And look, here's a little peek of the cover.


You might remember, I gave away another one of her books~ All I Need Is Jesus & A Good Pair of Jeans...

My Bangs Look Good and Other Lies I Tell Myself is an encouraging, uplifting book that Susanna writes with humor and honesty. I feel so proud of her for writing this book. If you follow her blog, you know she has her hands full with motherhood and co-pastoring a home missions church. She admits things that we all feel, but don't have the courage to write about. Thanks for that, Sue Lo.

On the back cover of the book, it says,

Discover the real truth about yourself--and God. In a world full of half truths and outright lies, it's easy to fall victim to the Liar himself. We believe all sorts of lies about ourselves and God. Armed with razor-sharp wit and biblical truth, Susanna Foth Aughtmon reveals the honest truth about lies like -God is disappointed in me -God can't change me -God doesn't hear me -I need to be good so God will love me -I'm stuck in my present circumstances -I need to protect myself from getting hurt -and many more. If you have ever felt undervalued, overlooked, or not good enough for God's love, this book is for you.

Includes questions for group or individual study.

"Aughtmon delivers a hilariously raw, truthful, and poignant look at the real life of tired supergirls everywhere. My eyes were opened to all the lies I believe. I highly recommend this book."--Rene Gutteridge, author of Never the Bride

"I love this book! Aughtmon will have you laughing, then crying. With disarming honesty, she shows us how to get real with God so we can be healed by God."--Joanna Weaver, author, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

"I love the honesty, the wisdom, and the wit that left me rolling on the floor with laughter. Susanna Aughtmon is my new superhero."--Renee Riva, author, Saving Sailor and Taking Tuscany

"With refreshing honesty and laugh-out-loud humor, Susanna skillfully exposes the source of confusion and defeat in our lives, while identifying transforming truths that really do set us free. I wish I'd had this book in my library thirty years ago!"--Bonnie Northrop, founder, U COUNT Campaign

I would love for all of you to read this book and Susanna has been gracious to give one of my readers a FREE book! How sweet is that?!

I'll give you until Monday night at 9 PM to leave a comment on why you'd love to receive this book. I'll be drawing names so I won't feel compelled to choose myself who gets the prize...the winner will be announced on Tuesday morning.

For those of you who just can't wait to get the book~ order here. And you're going to need to click there for sure if you don't win the book.

Come on, say something. Lurkers, it's time you came out and comment. :)

West Virginia, Mountain Mama, Part 2

Well, I took many wonderful pictures on my trip, but at the risk of never being invited back, I decided I better not show them all. I was in the company of someone, I won't mention any names...rhymes with Genda...who is VERY particular about the outcome of their photographs...who gasps and denies every single one even if it is perfectly LOVELY...

Another...whose name rhymes with Slaren...will probably kill me too...but I had to at least show you a COUPLE more pictures from my trip...

Brenda's sister-in-law, Sl...uh, I mean, Karen just completed treatment for breast cancer last week. She's been through radiation and chemotherapy and has done it all with a positive, upbeat attitude like you would not believe. She is one of those people who encourages everyone ELSE when they're dealing with something so traumatic. I just love people like that. She is extra special.

We had some rejoicing to do and Greyley made a blanket to celebrate the occasion. Greyley loves it because it's pink, but we ALL also love it because of the beautiful thing it symbolizes...for Karen, we're praying that she's going to have a CLEAN bill of health to report to all her loved ones very soon.

Karen & Greyley


I thought if I could get away with ANY photos, it would be this one of Greyley and Brenda hugging one last time before we got on the plane.


These two hit it off~ like I KNEW they would. Greyley went to bed the night before we left, sad about leaving, woke up sad about leaving, and moped the whole day about leaving Brenda and Glen...

In fact...I took this picture to show her what a mopey girl she was being...hoping it would snap her out of it.


Is that not the most pitiful face you've ever seen? The one on the left looks a teensy bit pitiful too, now that you mention it...

Thank you, Matty & Jr (that's our names for Brenda & Glen, if you can't tell by now...) for every wonderful thing. You made us feel right at home and like part of the family. It was a time we'll cherish forever and we cannot wait~ Greyley said as soon as we got in the airport, "Can we go back? Right now? If we rent a car, we can beat Brenda home!"~ until we can see you again. Love you so much. XOXO