Ways to relax and reduce stress

I received this from a dear friend and at first glance you would think it was something for the kitchen! Instead it is a scalp massager! It is soooo cool. Increases blood circulation, relaxes stressed muscles, helps relieve aches and pains, provides deep relaxation and small enough to take with you anywhere. I can assure you that it works. I used in on LaVern's head and thought he was going to doze off! You actually get tingling sensations from your scalp to toes. I'm going to try it on my knee joints. I'm thinking that now that the "holidays" are over that some of you are stressed so maybe I'll blog on some ways to reduce the stress and relax. In the mean time, check out this gadjet!

Christmas Eve Greetings

Take Joy! Take Peace!

(Written by Fra Giovanni Giocondo on Christmas Eve, 1513)

I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep. There is nothing I can give you which you have not got; but there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take! No Heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven!

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in the present little instant. Take Peace!

The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. Take Joy!

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty.....that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it, that is all!

And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you; not quite as the world send greetings, but with profound esteem, and with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.

Lunear Eclipse

I heard on the news that like 1 million people would be looking at the eclipse and that got me to thinking. I wonder how many of my friends or family will get up to see it. Afterall, there hasn't been one since the 1600's. Okay, let's see. Possibly MS here in Iowa as she is a homeschool mom and I bet her kids would love it. My friend, Kim in Kansas would love to see it but she is not much of an early morning person. Maybe John and Carol. If we still lived in Kansas we might have gotten them together for an "eclipse viewing party". Now that would have been fun! My list is pretty thin. Did we get up to see it??? You betcha. I was up at 11:30 but it was about 1:30 AM before it was completely covered. There must have been a million stars out and it was just beautiful. Wouldn't have missed it!

The Christmas Story

'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed.
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with the baby on her lap.
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! returning just like He said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name.
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound.
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight.
Oh, if only we had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear,
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all!
-Author unknown

The Best Vacation Ever

On our way to town

Up to date clothes dryer

Maytag at it's best

Sewing

This is my niece who spent her vacation with us. I finally got some pictures posted for you. Sorry about the two you have to look at sideways. I'm at the library and just didn't get them all turned around. We had a great time with Stacy and hope she comes back next year. This time I will be alittle more prepared and have a few things planned out. She wants to go camping with us and we didn't get around to some of the sights in the area but our days were packed with fun just the same. She loved washing clothes in the wringer as much as I do. What a hoot!

It's cold here and kind of misty right now but we missed all the big snow. Northern Iowa received the brunt of that. I talked to an aunt that lives up there and they had 10 inches last weekend and were expecting as much as 6 more this weekend.

Must run........(just an update, I did NOT get the flu!!)

Green Eggs & Ham

The Ham

Reid's Nellie

Green Eggs

Upon finding the FIRST green egg you'd have thought she laid a golden egg!! I was so excited! ha ha Almost like coming down Christmas morning and finding out Santa had come. I immediately took a picture of it with the cell phone and sent it to Reid in Nebraska. He was as excited as I was. Nellie finally laid her first egg! She is such a pet and I spoil her with special treats which she now comes up on the deck for! Her eggs are either a light avocado green or a wonderful seafoam/blue egg. When the grandkids from Pella were here over Thanksgiving they saw the green eggs. Their responses: "Wow, now we can have green eggs and ham!". Another asked, "Do the green eggs taste like the brown ones?" Ah, the wonder of children.

3 strains of flu in Iowa

I'm too old to throwup, I'm too old to throwup. I'm still missing the flu but LaVern did not do the chant so he did NOT miss it. He DID throwup and spent alot of time in the bathroom. Bummer. I told him about the news of 3 strains of flu in Iowa and he just had the one. He didn't appear to see the humor in that. I'm still hopeful that I will not get it but.......(there's that negative word) I bought some 7-up today. I'm too old to throwup.

4th and final blog

We have been so busy and I am so far behind blogging. Before all the Thanksgiving stuff we got a call one night from my brother. My niece was suppose to be flying in to Des Moines and then my aunt from northern Iowa was picking her up and she was going up there for her week's vacation. She is a single, 27 year old city girl. This was during that terrible wind we had and my aunt did not want to drive. Sooooooooo.....could she come and spend a week with us? Of course, we would love to have her. The first day I showed her how to do the chores. Explained that you had to call the hens to the house and talk to them on the way. I think she thought I was alittle crazy and "she" wasn't going to do that but guess what? At the end of her stay she would call those hens and loved it when all 20 of them came running to her. She talked to them all the way to the hen house! She told us it was the best vacation she has ever had, next to Disney World. I told my brother with alittle more advance notice that next time I could beat out ole Disney!
I'll post pictures later as I must have them on the other camera and haven't downloaded them yet.

3rd new blog of 4

Granddaughter working on a sampler she was making for a school project.

This one loves to put puzzles together

Quilt shop in the country that we all went to.

Didn't get a picture of the grandson this time. Maybe because he ended up sick with the flu. I kept chanting: I'm too old to throwup, I'm too old to throwup.....(so far it's worked)!

He still had a couple good days. Despite the cold and wind they were still outdoors helping with chores and playing on the new rope swings. It was dark on the trip to our house and Gavin (6 yrs) suddenly exclaimed, "There's a shooting star!" His first ever that he had seen. He was sure excited. Abit later he announced, "There's one getting ready to go!" ha ha ha The things kids say. I had to call their dad while they were at our house. Brenna, the oldest, reported that dad told them to bring jackets as we heated with wood and it might be cold! I asked our son what the temperature was in his house. Confused he asked why and I told him it was 75 degrees in ours and the kids were kicking their blankets off at night!

Another blog

Our special tree and his hooked piece

Helping grandpa dig carrots

One serious rug hooker

Helping grandpa put up TWO rope swings

His chicken, Nellie (all grown up)

Once again you will have to scroll down and look at the other blogs. :(

We crammed alot of activities in the couple days that Reid was here. Took him to Kansas City on Wednesday and then drove to Pella, IA and picked up another 3 grandchildren. More blogs to come.

We had a full moon while Reid was here so every night he and I went for country walks. He thought that was so cool (and it literally was). The first night we were about 3/4 mile from home and there in the ditch was this little cedar tree, all alone. I have passed it a million times and never noticed it. So Reid and I went back to the house, got the car and a saw and HE cut down the tree. He dragged it in the house and in an excited voice said to grandpa, "Grandpa, we got the best Christmas tree ever and we didn't have to pay money for it!" Ahhhhh.....priceless moments. We decorated it the ole fashion way. He had never strung popcorn before and had a great time doing that. Then we sliced oranges and dried them in the woodstove oven. The next day we took alittle road trip as I had spied some bittersweet in a ditch while on a buggy trip. So that went in the tree. Made a rag garland and added that. Reid thought the orange slices looked like stain glass with the sun shining through them! Of course we had to have paper snowflakes and we both were laughing with each one. He hooked a tree and we framed it in a frame I found in the barn. Short visit but loads of memories. I love you, Reid and we miss you!

An 8 year old's Thanksgiving

Our 8 year old grandson, Reid spent a couple days with us right before Thanksgiving and he prepared the ENTIRE meal (with alittle help from grandma)

He set the table and wanted candlelight.

FIRST time ever using a paring knife!!

First time chopping nuts. So serious!

And he LOVES to cook!

The fresh turkey we had. It was so JUICY and yummy. Cooked it in the woodstove!!

He made two salads, peeled and mashed the potatoes and sweet potatoes. I showed him how to make gravy and dressing. It was a great Thanksgiving and one I will remember. Oh....I forgot his three layer pumpkin pie! I have three more turkeys. Plan to butcher and can them next week!