Winter at last!

A winter storm warning was issued for the area in which we found ourselves this past Thursday until Friday morning.  We saw/heard the prediction and wondered, would it actually do anything?  Up to that point, it seemed that winter had not been spotted with the naked eye anywhere in our approximate vicinity.  Snow was a distant memory, a figment of the meteorologists' imagination, a form of precipitation that only fell in more northerly areas.  We heard the children talk excitedly about sledding and snowmen and hoped that they would not be disappointed.  We made it to our lunch appointment with no sign of falling flakes.  In the middle of our meal, someone announced, "It's snowing."  Everyone at the table turned to look out the window.  Indeed, the report was accurate.  We finished our delicious meal and visited.  All the while, the snow was falling.  Before long, it was decided that we should head on to our next lodging before things got "too bad."  What we would later discover (too late) was that it was already "too bad."  My friend, Sharon R., and I spent the next hour and 45 minutes driving at a snail's pace to our "supper and the night" destination.  (The trip wasn't supposed to take that long!)  Every five miles or so, I would hop out of the car to de-ice the windshield wipers so I would be able to see for a couple of minutes.  Then we would drive again until it would get so bad I couldn't tell where the road was anymore.  Each time I got out of the car, I would hope that whoever came up behind me would see our car in time to get stopped before plowing into us.  Not the most comfortable feeling in the world!  Anyway, we'll cut the drama short and just say that we were relieved to make it safely to our home for the night.  The winter storm predictors had it right this time!

Journey & Kaden

Fleece meets Journey's puppy dog, Katarina Chaser

The carrots Journey plans to use for her snowman's nose when the promised snow finally arrives

Playing "Ants in the Can"

Journey's happy dance when she gets one in

Kamela, Journey and Fleece

A precious little bundle

The many faces of Kaden:

Making music

All bundled up

and ready to head to school

while little brother takes his morning nap

Quincy Special Meeting

• God loves His work.  He never grows disinterested in it.
• God is capable of making us what He wants us to be for all eternity.

Making memories with special friends

My friend, Emily H. helps a neighbor with horse chores every day.  I decided to go along with her to the barn to "help".  Here are a few pictures taken in the horse barn.

Watch out for flying manure!

 Back at home, I get a shot of Bruce's latest (?) project - a copper owl.  (I took this picture especially for you, Lainers Susie!)

 After supper we get geared up to bottle feed calves out in the barn.

 They're cute little buggers!

Apparently Emily and Ryan didn't get enough supper?

A little music

Ever tuning

Sounds good!

A lovely time was had at the Helmreich household.  We hope to do it again sometime!

In which I gain a new little friend

Cheese personified

What a cutie!

Giving hugs before we say good-bye

A real nut case

If you ever visit a certain home in Litchfield, you may spend part of your time playing detective.  There is a nut hidden in one of three rooms in the house.  If you find it, you get to re-hide it.  I wasn't a very good sleuth, but I did manage to find it once, gaining control of it long enough to stage a few photos.  Can you find the nut?

This is where it was when I found it.

Guess what it is #12

Haven't done one of these in a while so will give you a chance to "play" again if you're interested.

#1

 #2

 #3

 #4

 #5

 #6

O'Fallon Special Meeting

• Wherever the will of God leads us, we will be happy.
• Like Jesus in the garden, when our plea is to do the will of the Father, we will receive strength.
• Jesus didn't make it through life by determination; He made it all the way by depending on His Father.
• From the beginning, God has spoken to mankind through His creation.  That voice has never stopped speaking.
• The fear of the Lord is clean because it will always move us to do what is right.
• Days may go by in which no ship sails by the lighthouse, but the light always stays on.
• The Lord deals with us because He sees that there's hope.
• We can see the ugly results of sin.  Do we recognize its subtle beginnings?
• Being willing to take the lowly place will solve a lot of problems.
• A day in which we don't meet with God is a wasted day, no matter what else we may accomplish.
• We want thankfulness to be our daily testimony even if we never utter a word.

Bloomin' Beautiful

Who am I???

Special Meeting rounds have only begun, and already I am having difficulties.  The other night I was signing a guest book.  I glanced up for a minute, and when I looked back at the page, I had to laugh.  I had written "Karmen LiaBraaten".  I've written the wrong date before, but I think that was the first time I had written the wrong name!

A toothsome concoction

Perhaps that's a phrase from Anne of Green Gables?  Anyway, I think it fits this lovely dessert we had the other night.

(I had ice cream on mine, but this picture turned out better.)  

:-)

East Alton Special Meeting

• We all need encouragement.
• It's easier to obey when we have a sincere love.
• We want to labor to have confidence in God's word so we can have an influence of peace.
• Being obedient to God brings wonderful results.

A little dead time

On Wednesday, Sharon R. and I had a little time to kill, so we headed to the cemetery in Bethalto, IL.  There was a lovely little pond with ducks and swans that we parked beside.  I took a little walk, and Sharon got ready for the Special Meeting that night in the car.  (She got ready in the car; the Special Meeting was not in the car.  Just to clarify.)  After my walk, I decided to sit on one of the little benches by the pond.  After I had been there not so very long, a little birdie above me decided to use me as a rest stop.  Needless to say, I was not at all impressed.  I joined Sharon in the car for the rest of our stay in the cemetery.  :-)

Another tea party

On Tuesday, three of us sister workers had lunch out with one of our friends in a lovely little tea room in Jacksonville.  I had a delicious "South of the Border" wrap and a cup of soup.  What we did not have was tea.  So we made some of that when we got back to our friend's home.  And not just any old tea.  We had tea imported straight from Greece.  Put a little flower in your boiling water and sip away.  It was delicious!

The kitchen in this home was last updated in the 1950s, and I found it quite fascinating!