Kaput!

It's been a week.  A whole 7 days since we last spoke.  Know why?  Our trusty computer died.  It was like it suffered a heart attack.  After all, it was ancient for a computer - 7 human years old.  Isn't that like 70 computer years or something?  Anyway, one day, just working away, humming it's tune, it went black.  And refused to turn back on.  So we prayed, begged, and threatened to replace it.  We called Carl the Computer King.  No good, it was finished.  Toast.  Kaput.

Let me tell you, we are computer dependent in this house.  It's ridiculous.  Our computer died, so our first thought was to go online and shop for a new one...except the computer was dead!  It was so strange on our forced computer fast.  In fact, we realized how much we relied on this little machine.  So this weekend we went on a computer shopping adventure.  The new one has all the bells and whistles that are apparently standard now, but we didn't have before, like a built in camera and microphone for video chats.  And it's fast.  We didn't know our old one was slow until we saw the speed new ones have.  But the best part of all?  IT TURNS ON.

So, we're back at this blog thing - for at least another 7 years!

God's Good Grace

It is encouraging to me when others share big and small evidences of God's grace.  To give God the glory and in hopes of being encouraging, I want to share with you a recent big gift of God's grace. 

 

 

In a few weeks, I am going to start a temporary assignment in Portland.  I'm excited to see my brother, sister-in-law, and my nephew.  And the project for work is going to be something entirely new.  I've been praying for a way to help my brother and his family, and for motivation to work for the glory of God, and check out how God graciously answered both those prayers at once!  His plans are much better than all the ways I dreamed up to make that happen. 

Paul writes about the grace of God to the Corinthians, "Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.  For he says, 'In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

God's grace is good.

Ladies Night!

And the feeling's right, oh yeah, it's ladies night!  Gotta love a little Kool & the Gang stuck in your head.  This Tuesday was the first night of a new Men's ministry at church, so I invited all the women I know in Cheney over for some feminine fun.  We had some snacks, fellowship, and made some pretty flowers.

I read about them at SimplyVintageGirl when I googled "how to make flower hair clips" and thought it would be fun to try it.  Because even women like to play with fire (especially Katniss).  Everyone made such great hair clips; I can't believe I didn't take a photo of everyone's creations!  But trust me, they will be wearing the classiest flowers in their hair. 

I can think of so many things that could be dressed up with these flowers - napkin rings, pinned to a purse, instead of a bow on a gift, on a scarf, magnets, the list is just beginning.  I must be excited for spring!

Salsa!

We did it - we went salsa dancing.  We think we have moves like Jagger.  While we weren't the worst in the room, we weren't much better.  Here is salsa dancing in a nutshell: quick-quick-slooow, sway your hips, quick-quick-slooow, sway your hips.  Despite our lack of groove, this was one of the most fun dates we've been on in a while.  Here are five reasons why salsa dancing was great:

• Everyone looked like a dork.  We laughed a lot and it was fun.
• We got to hold each other close - salsa is really close.
• It's more affordable than a movie - and burned way more calories.
• Elsa got to wear heels and a twirly dress.
• We got to sway our hips to conga drums.

The dance floor was dark with some rockin' lights so sadly no pictures of our moves.  But it's safe to say, we're going to need more practice!

PS...if you're in Spokane and want to go, we went to Simply Dance Studio.  They know how to move!

Git 'R Done

Well, we're one month into 2012, and I'm finally starting in on that to do list.  Better late than never, right?  Actually, I am starting what I'm going to call the Git 'R Done list.  It's a little redneck, but I do live in Eastern Washington after all.

I have all sorts of things that I have planned to do, but I haven't done them yet.  Not big things like go around the world in a hot air balloon or scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef or stand on the north pole.  Little things that I already have at home, probably taking up space in the office.  Or projects that I've started, but I haven't completed.  So here goes!

The first project had to be something I can accomplish simply, only because I want to check something off my list.  You know, a small victory to start things off.  So here it is:

I know, it's a window.  I got it months ago...in November... intending to turn it into a picture frame hanging above the dresser in our bedroom.  And three months later, it's time for it to finally hang on the wall! 

Now this is a pretty heavy frame that was going to need some hanging hardware and careful planning in order for me to hang it without help.  After clearing off the dresser, I set the frame on top to visualize where it was going to hang.  And guess what?  I liked how it looked leaning on the wall sitting on the dresser.  So, after adding some candles and wedding photos, I just checked the first item off theGit 'R Done list!

The Big Apple

This week at my office, we are starting our Bloomsday training gala.  Our goal is for the combined office to run and walk 2,576 miles - the distance from Spokane to New York City.  January 30 is the first day, so to kick off the "trip" to the Big Apple, we decided to put an apple on everyone's desk.  I whipped up these flags to jazz up each apple so no one thought we confused them for a teacher.  I think these would be cute as party favors in the fall!

I started by making a quick document with a NYC graphic and a little saying.  After printing a couple sheets, I cut them into little strips and cut triangles out of the ends for full banner effect.  For a little depth, I cut red delicious paper strips about the same width, but half as long.  Then, of course, I gathered toothpicks, double sided tape, and some apples!

Assembly was so easy, Granny Smith could do it blindfolded (okay, I'm done with the apple references).  Layer white paper, strip of tape across the center, red paper a little off the center line, toothpick in the center, and fold it all in half like a flag sandwich.  Repeat 23 more times.  The finished product:

So after apple assembly, the scrumptious little fruits were put on everyone's desk.  Now, doesn't it just make you want to start logging the miles to get to the Big Apple?

Flurries and Flowers

It snowed here this past week.  A better way to describe it would be it snow-stormed.  After a week of clouds and snow, Sunday's beautiful sunshine felt like the first day of spring.  So, naturally when I was at the grocery store and saw primroses on special, I picked up a few to bring the sunshine indoors.  I had the perfect vase/planters/candle holders for these pretty little flowers to make a centerpiece on our dining room table, so I picked up six different colors and headed home to re-pot.

These drab white vases have been sitting on the back shelf in hiding. No doubt, flowers are what these vases were meant to show off!

Look how much sunnier it is already!  It may be gray outside, but here, spring has sprung.  A simple change, but every time I look at these bursts of color, my attitude improves.  I am reminded of the Jesus' words: "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Luke 12:27)  These flowers are my cheery reminder each morning that I need not toil or spin or worry, but trust the promises of God!