busy bee?

i feel like i haven't stopped yet
like i was stuck in a twister
and haven't been able to find my way
out of it yet.
going around and around with barely time
to breathe.

family has been here from
oregon, arizona & california
which means we want to spend
as much time as we can with them.

we have had so much fun.
lot & lots of game playing this year.
which led to lots & lots of laughter!

game nights were a huge success,
& we made lots of wonderful memories!

one of the fun things this christmas
that made me smile;
my brother who after being
divorced for thirteen years,
proposed to his girlfriend!
& my two nieces were in on the proposal!

i am so happy for them all.

we still have one more weekend
left of busy fun.

and you?
did you enjoy yourself over the
christmas holiday?
were you like me and did you eat
your fair share of goodies?
were you able to make some great
memories to hide away in your heart?

what made you smile?
what made you happy?

smile

Buddy the Elf: I just like to smile! Smiling's my favorite. 

my husband and i were out yesterday

running last minute errands

and getting last minute groceries-

as we walked by a woman

sitting all by herself

i smiled at her

and she smiled right back.

a nice big smile.

my husband was walking behind me

and all he saw

was the woman smiling

and he said,

"do you know her?"

i said, "no but, i smiled at her anyway!"

we never know how our one

simple little smile

might affect someone's day

it is such an easy thing 

to give out

and could make the difference in someone's life.

will you join me?

will you share your amazing smile

today?

this christmas in all the hustle and bustle...

smile it does a body good! :)

shine your light
my friends!

seeing kindness

on monday,
my husband and our best friends
went to a fancy, schmancy movie theatre.

one where we watched the hobbit in 3D.

it was amazing!
i loved it.

i am a hobbit fan;
in fact, i had to read the book again
before we went to see it...
(which makes it the 4th time!)

after the movie the two couples
went our separate ways.
my husband wanted something to eat
besides candy & popcorn. (what?)

so we went to applebees.
as we were finishing up,
i heard this young couple behind us
with a tiny, itty bitty newborn.
he had returned to their table and said,
"our credit card was denied"
he went up to the waitress and asked
where the nearest atm was.
as the wife frantically counted her
cash while holding a newborn.

i whispered to my husband about
what was going on and said,
"maybe we should offer to pay"
which of course he agreed to do.
then, before we could do anything
the waitress walks over and says,
"don't worry about it. i've got it."

the couple thanked her and left.
my husband and i thought about this.
does she pay for that out of her own
salary, or does the restaurant?
we were not sure...
but, we were so impressed with the
gesture she offered.
we left her an extra $20.
on a napkin i wrote:
merry christmas to a very generous girl!

we hurried out before she saw it.
as we walked to the car
we both said, how amazing it felt to pay it forward!

we had witness kindness given
to that young couple with the crying infant!
it really reminded me that not only
this time of year, but all year round
there IS kindness out there.
it is not always ugly

there IS kindness out there
if you just look.

there IS beauty
if we take time to look.

merry christmas my friends.

happy. happy. joy. joy.

*updated to say:
i did not write this for any type
of pat on the back for us
but, to illustrate that there is kindness
in the world and not only the ugly
we see/hear on the news.

my nativity

a few years ago

as a christmas gift

my three daughters bought me

this willow tree nativity set.

it is on my shelf ALL year round

because first of all, i love it!

and secondly,

because i love jesus

and want to remember

what he did for us!

our sermon 

yesterday was about the christmas story

but, not the one you normally hear this

time of year

it was this:

This is the Christmas Story; that He humbled himself for us! Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

blessings this christmas,

melody

from our family to yours.

our whole family will not be able to celebrate christmas together this year.

i will miss hearing their voices & laughter fill my home...

but, i will treasure all the times we have had together;

all the love & memories.

last night as i lay in bed

i began to think of some of my christmases.

when i was growing up

we always got up early to get our stockings.

one year; 

the year i moved to washington state,

i was ten years old

my two brothers were 8 & 9.

this particular christmas eve 

my 9 year old brother went to bed with a flashlight-

at around 4 am maybe it was 5 am

my brother comes sneaking into my bedroom,

whispering my name...

melody, melody, melody!

off the three of us kids went, 

sneaking quietly down the stairs

to the front room.

the tree stood

all magical with it's lights all glowing

and the stockings hanging there...

bulging at the seams with gifts for us!

oh yes,

we snatched our stockings and began to giggle

with such excitement.

my parents

bless their hearts

wake up to watch us...

mom goes off to make some coffee

and dad sits there with that adorable smirky grin, on his face.

we tear open the stockings with only the anticipation

that a child can have!

yes. 

i remember this wonderful christmas morning.

there have been so many lovely christmas mornings since.

beautiful ones, 

with three sweet little girls

with long hair and big green eyes,

in their jammies

on christmas morning.

the joy that escaped their mouths

as they opened their gifts.

the laughter,

the giggles,

the wrapping paper thrown everywhere,

the 'just what i always wanted'

being said.

the wonder & pure joy

of a child

on this special morning

it is the kind of thing

to treasure.

we have had so very many wonderful

christmases-

 time spent together as a family.

i wrap each and every one of them

up tightly

and carry them in my heart.

one memory of a christmas morning with our sweet girls

that i remember;

we had always told our girls that they could get up as early as they wanted

to get their stockings but, they must wait for us to get up

to open any gifts under the tree.

now, most christmas mornings

i was up before the family

putting coffee on and getting ready for the excitement to follow.

but, on this one morning

as i lay there getting ready to get up...

i hear pitter patter of little feet.

someone is up & struggling to get down their stocking!

i get up and there on the floor is our 

middle daughter 

( the one who is a missionary now, in vienna)

she must have been around 8 years old at the time.

she is sitting on the floor beginning to open

her stocking.

what did i do?

i made coffee (just like my mom)

and we sat 

on the floor

in front of a warm furnace vent

as she began to open each and every gift.

the excitement and joy on her sweet face...

yes, i still remember it.

i treasure it.

 the years have quickly gone by;
in a blink of an eye.
our sweet family has grown-
two son in laws, and a future son in law
have joined our family!
i have also been blessed to 

spend christmas

with two sweet grandsons!

to be lucky enough.

blessed enough,

to watch christmas through their eyes.

oh, the joy.

this season; 

may you be filled with wonder.

with pure joy &

the sweetest of memories.

may you be filled with

love. laughter. family.

& the magic of christmas.

may you be blessed

and may you also be a blessing

monday with miss olive

hi every body!

how are you this monday?

i is fine.

this picture of me,

 was taken

 while i was staring at

our christmas tree!

i thinks

our tree is very pretty.

it has lots of twinkle lights on it

and shiny beads and glittery balls

hanging from the branches.

i really like to stare at it.

i think they put that tree

up just for me!

so i can stare at it !:)

sometimes when

i think 'they' are not looking... 

i quietly sneak up and stare real closely

at the glittery balls

&

i bat at them with my paw! 

ooooh, fun times!

i usually get caught though.

out comes the dreaded

squirty water gun.

i get squirted right in the face! 

eeeeeeeeeek. & hissssssss.

this is why i try to do it

when 'they' are not looking

and most of the time

i do not get caught! 

shhhhhhh.

i hope you are having a

good monday.

do you get in troubles

when you get close to your tree?

or do 'they' let you play 

and climb the tree?

i would love to do that

but, i really don't like 

the squirty water gun!

nope, not one teeny bit!

oh wells.

i will just go find 

some socks from the hamper

 to bat around instead. ;)

until next time;

this is olive

wishing you a good day

and merry cat-mas. :)

hope

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
  Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
  To Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him,
  The Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
  So good and kind.
source

one of my favorite ornaments on our tree.

offers Hope.

one of my favorite verses from the bible

offers Hope as well:

Jeremiah 29:11

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

my wish for you today:

that you would know and be confident in this;

there is hope & a future.

that no matter what you have done

or haven't done,

YOU are loved!

smile & shine your light today!

thrifty thursday!

and here we go a
post on what i have been wearing
at least one item in each photo has been thrifted
from either a consignment store or second hand stores. :)


so this is something i tried
this week with a new program
for my photos.

not sure what i think?
it is kind of fun to try
something new i guess.
what do you use to post
pictures and store pictures?

my friend and i have both
had google and picasa
tell us we are out of storage space
so i have been playing around with other
options. any suggestions?

blessings to you today!

i am also wishing my sweet little grandson
a happy birthday today.
he turned 4 and is in vienna, austria

christmas is the time

our tree 2012

christmas is a time,

christmas is a time,

christmas is a time

for love.

~~~~

when my girls were little

6 & not quite 4 

(before our youngest daughter was born)

they would sing this song

all day long. :)

~~~~~

and what we should me-member

in all the push -n-shove 

is chrisssssmas is a time for love. 

~~~~

when i hear this song

i think of of their

sweet little voices singing

and it is such an awesome memory!

may you remember

this season

that you are loved.

above all else,

you are loved!

the most precious sign

that we are loved?

that small gift that was given to us

in the manger.

He came to save us!

for this i am so thankful.

close up of our tree 2012

may you be blessed 

today-

linked: titus-2sday-

december one

via graphics fairy

today is the first day of december?

unbelievable how fast time goes by!

i read an amazing post today; 

kristen wrote about lowering expectations 

for this christmas.

so often, i have the expectation of having

the perfect holiday, the perfect vacation,

the perfect family, the perfect house,

the perfect outfit,

the perfect _____ you fill in the blank!

this year our middle daughter, son in law and our soon to be 

four year old grandson

 will be 

in another country as they serve as missionaries!

i have had a hard time

shopping for gifts.

because i will be sending them money instead of a gift...

(they are missionaries and can use financial gifts more than trinkets!)

our extended families are having parties early

and so the actual day 

will most likely be 

pretty low-keyed.

don't get me wrong,

we are planning to celebrate!

our youngest daughter is driving 12 hours to 

get home in time!!! :)

& we will have our oldest daughter & her sweet family here,

which means we will also witness the magic and excitement

of christmas through the

eyes of an adorable two year old!!

so,

i will try to leave that idea

of the perfect holiday,

perfect family,

the perfect christmas tree,

the perfectly decorated house

the perfect table 

filled 

with perfect food...

i will leave it all

behind.

i will concentrate on

being thankful for what

i have.

because if i really take the time

to look at all that i have

in my life 

and what is truly important...

then it is easy to say;

life is lovely

may you have a wonderful holiday season

and take time 

to count your blessings &

to name them one by one!

i wish you a

merry christmas!