Barb’s Blog » Archive for December 2008
Christmas Presents 2008: Words Spoken from a Mother’s Heart
One of the best presents I got this year came in a little card from my mom. Even when my daughter Laura read it she said, “Wow, Yaya, it was like it was just written for Mama.” I suppose growing up, I always baffled my poor mother, and I know she worried a lot about me. There were times I gave her good reason to worry. I don’t think she realized how much she taught me, I … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Eve 2008
Christmas Eve, to me, has always been a very special night of the holiday. As a child, it was filled with anticipation and magic. My parents and sister were great at convincing me that Santa was near. We left cookies for Santa, and I do believe Linda even made noises upstairs to convince me to hurry to bed. As a teen, I recall the TV on with choirs, mom’s cooking in the kitchen, and Dad fiddling with … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Cam’s Dutch Christmas
I know I am slow in regards to updating about our holidays, but…gee, it’s the holidays. On Christmas Eve day, Laura was scheduled to babysit Cameron (Chrissy’s grandson), and with Petra and Leoni here from Holland, they couldn’t resist to add some Dutch flavor to Cam’s Christmas by giving him a bandana held together with a little wooden shoe! So cute! … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Hillary Conflict
Hillary Clinton while U.S. Senator and while running for president, didn’t disclose the list of donors to her husband’s library, around 500 million dollars worth of donations. Now that she has been asked by Obama to be Secretary of State, was asked for a full disclosure. For the life of me, I can’t see that she has performed unbiased as Senator, and I think it also raises questions as to how Obama thought her to be an unbiased Secretary of State: The royal family of Saudi Arabia gave the Clinton facility in Little Rock about $10 to 25 million. Several foreign governments gave at least $1 million, including the Middle Eastern nations of Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the governments of Taiwan and Brunei. A handful of Middle Eastern business executives and … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Christmas Presents 2008: Australia Package, part IV
John sent Mom an original calendar, a blue fairy wren figure. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Presents 2008: Australia Package, part III
Knowing I love all music, John sent me Together in Concert: John Farnham & Tom Jones I have to admit, I don’t think I would have bought it for myself, but while listening to it, I really enjoyed it. Very upbeat and fun. Track Listings 1. Mama Told Me Not To Come 2. 200 Pounds Of Heavenly Joy 3. Man Of The Hour 4. What Am I Living For 5. It’s Not Unusual 6. Burn For You 7. Playing To Win 8. My Yiddishe Momme 9. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
UAW Gets Bailout AND Gets to Keep their Luxury Retreat
If the American people don’t learn their lesson soon and wake up and realize that our government and big business are one and the same, and vote these kinds of people out pronto, it will plain be too late. They will turn off the latest “reality show” they were heavy into and a new reality will hit them – that life as they once knew it is over. We will all be flat broke bailing out the latest entity with their hands out at a very high price to us all. So Bush signs for a bailout of the Autoworkers , but they get to keep their $6 Million Golf Course for Members at a $33 Million Lakeside Retreat. Why isn’t anyone insisting these things get sold off before any help at all … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Wisconsin Christmas Presents??
Ok, it’s been a few weeks since Enric, Miranda, and Silas left… …but I’ve been wondering if they didn’t leave us a little something extra for Christmas? I’ve spotted a few of these little fellas… … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Presents 2008: Australia Package, part II
After John’s recent trip here and noting that Uggs of Australia are made in China, he decided to send Laura uggs made in Australia, which she loves. After John watched Miquel’s enthusiasm for our local football team, the Ravens, he sent Miquel an official shirt of Perth’s soccer team, the Perth Glory. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Presents 2008: Australia Package, part I
Well Australia didn’t come here for Christmas, but presents did! One, preparing us for our visit out there, along with a little dingo. Australia’s Dangerous Creatures for Dummies Another, a little koala for our Christmas Tree (more later) … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Presents 2008: Brian’s PhotoVerse
Surprises can really happen anytime, when they happen at the Holidays, and with the most thoughtful of gestures, it can really touch you. I am really touched. Over the years, Unique Exposures got a new member who’s photography I have enjoyed, but when he started to send a weekly photo with Bible Verses to my inbox, I was truly impressed and told him so. I mentioned to him that the work deserved to be shown to others … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Presents 2008: 18-50mm F2.8 Lens!
John, I think a tad frustrated with the lack of wide angle (making up my rather small lens collection), sent me an early Christmas present that I am still getting over the shock of his generous and thoughtful gift. I put it on right away and have started already filling up my hard drive with photos taken with the new lens. It works great with my Canon 40D and I am enjoying the width to my images … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Christmas Presents 2008: Birch Framed
It’s not even Christmas yet, and alread I am feeling the blessings of the season through gifts, and as usual I like to share with them to my blog readers. My very FIRST present this year was from Enric and Miranda. They noticed my reaction to the lovely birch trees in their area of Wisconsin. I was smitten with the white trunks and branches, even stopping in the road to take photos of them. What a … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Decorating Cookies
We have Petra and Leoni here from Holland for the holidays. After a few days of some solid Christmas shopping, we finally had time to settle down, go to church for the cantata and break out the sugar cookies to decorate with Jenny helping us. We decorated mom’s sugar cookies… In fact, we decorated a LOT of cookies. We all had fun. We had one casualty. I accidently decapiated a snowman. Dr. Laura Lopez (has a nice sound to it, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Canon
This is one of my favorite Christmas songs, and incidentally the ring tone (When I can find it) for my cell phone. … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Bonuses
Well if Congress can get its raise I suppose bank executives can have their end of year bonuses. As far as I am concerned both sides deserve each other. What isn’t deserved is the average American taxpayer paying for it all – ask the waitress who spends 12 hours a day on her feet what HER bonus is…paying more taxes to keep Congress and banks happy? The thing is, these aren’t banks that are rolling in dough, these are banks that had their hands out in the recent government bailout. To me that means, they don’t HAVE the money for bonuses. So where did the money come from? Goldman-Sachs got $10 billion in Government bailout, announced Tuesday that it handed out $10.93 billion in benefits, bonuses, and compensation for the year. I am no … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Congress gets a raise
In spite of jobs lost, companies closing, economy falling apart around them, Congress will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries. “As lawmakers make a big show of forcing auto executives to accept just $1 a year in salary, they are quietly raiding the vault for their own personal gain,” said Daniel O’Connell, chairman of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a non-partisan group. “This money would be much better spent helping the millions of seniors who are living below the poverty line and struggling to keep their heat on this winter.” … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Apples of Gold
I received what I guess is my first Christmas present this year. It’s a book called Apples of Gold by Dr. John R. Rice, it’s filled with wonderful poems. The one I opened up to reminded me how Satan is our accuser, quick to demand our punishment, and how Jesus is our Advocate. Here is “My Advocate” I sinned, and straightway, post-haste, Satan flew Before the presence of the Most-High God, And made a railing accusation there. He said, This soul, this thing of clay and sod, Has sinned. Tis true that he has named thy Name, But I demand his death, for Thou has said, The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Shall not Thy sentence be fulfilled? Is justice dead? Send now this wretched sinner to his doom. What other thing can righteous ruler do? And thus he did accuse … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Our President Can Duck!
I am too young to remember when Kennedy was shot, but I do remember when Ronald Reagan was shot. I was glued to the TV while we waited to hear his fate. I will never forget as they wheeled him to surgery that it was reported he apologetically told his wife Nancy, "I forgot to duck." I am not sure if Bush knew right away what was being thrown at him, but he sure did dodge out of the way quickly from Muntadhar al-Zeidi’s shoe. Now the media, Bush-haters, and much of the world is treating this as a comedy, but there is a serious side they are missing, I feel. First of all, thanks to Bush and our military, dissent is actually ALLOWED now in Iraq. (I don’t think Saddam allowed it at all). … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Fun Digeridoo!
Our holidays with Enric, Miranda, and Silas took on an Aussie flavor, when Enric took the challenge of playing the digeridoo John sent to Miquel some Christmases ago. Enric had so much fun with it, I almost hated to see him leave it behind…. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Missed Shots
In my rounds of Christmas shopping, I saw in the frame and art department this quote from Wayne Gretzky: “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.” It really spoke to me. To me it said, if you’re not trying or doing it, you’re missing out. Some more quotes by Wayne Gretzky: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” “Procrastination is one of the most … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
My Little Raven’s Fans
While Enric, Miranda, and Silas were here, we got to have some fun watching the Raven’s Game. Most dressed up for the occasion! Silas started the spirit off with bell ringing… My sons… Wish they could do this more often! Laura, poses with her brothers. Miranda dons a hat and joins in with Silas The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Redskins 24-10! … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Moon in Perigee
When the moon gets closest to the earth in it’s elliptical orbit, it’s called Perigee. Tonight, Friday the 12th of December 2008, the Moon will not only be in perigee but will be closer to Earth than it has been in 15 years. If the weather allows then witnesses will see the brightest and biggest full moon of the year. In fact it will appear to be about 14% larger and 30% brighter. Tides will also be … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
650 to 52
Scientific meetings are now being dominated by a growing number of skeptical scientists in regards to man made global warming. Over 650 dissenting scientists are more than 12 times the number of UN scientists (52) who authored the media hyped IPCC 2007 Summary for Policymakers. What some are saying… “I am a skeptic…Global warming has become a new religion.” – Nobel Prize Winner for Physics, Ivar Giaever. “Since I am no longer affiliated with any organization nor receiving any funding, I can speak quite frankly….As a scientist I remain skeptical.” - Atmospheric Scientist Dr. Joanne Simpson, the first woman in the world to receive a PhD in meteorology and formerly of NASA who has authored more than 190 studies and has been called “among the most preeminent scientists of the last 100 years.” … Read entire article »
Filed under: News Items
Early Christmas Presents
While Enric, Miranda, and Silas were here we couldn’t resist to have an early Christmas. After all, it’s a season, not just a day to me. … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Family Portraits
Basically, the following is how NOT to photograph your family’s Christmas portrait. Silas was so wiggly! … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Two Kinds of Fields
Inside our Church Bulletin today… By A. W. Tozer Ther are two kinds of ground; fallow ground, and ground that has been broken up by the plow. The fallow field is smug, contented, protected from the shock of the plow and the agitation of the harrow. Such a field, as it lies year after year, becomes a familiar landmark to the crow and the blue jay… Safe and undisturbed, it sprawls lazily in the sunshine, the picture of sleepy contentment. But it is paying a terrible price for its tranquility: Never does it see the miracle of growth; never does it feel the motions of mounting life nor see the wonders of bursting seed nor the beauty of ripening grain. Fruit … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Haircut
Mommy and Daddy decided it was time for Silas to have a little haircut. Daddy starts Silas isn’t so sure about this…he wants to wiggle. Mommy reassures Silas … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
A Visit to La Tasca
As an extra pre Christmas treat, I took everyone to La Tasca, located in Baltimore’s inner harbor. Around the holidays, my children grew up enjoying tapas, and I wanted to continue the tradition since we were all together. Silas was seated and looked ready for some different things to enjoy. He started it off with his very first lemon! Enric and Miranda look over the menu… Miranda decided on a mini Paella Valenciana and Brocheta de Gambas y Vieiras. Enric opted for … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
Mr. South
It’s different growing up being best friends with the preacher’s kid. I mean, she could tell you a nighttime story that could scare you to death, and then point out all the verses in the Bible why I shouldn’t be afraid. This, one of my best friends lost her dad last night. He just wasn’t my best friend’s dad. I grew up with her family and her father was our pastor. He helped lead me to the Lord, he baptized me, and he could create the best and most fun Vacation Bible schools ever. The South’s are like an extended family, more than friends. I know Mr. South suffered for some time now, but I am thankful to remember him with his smiling and happy face at the pulpit, leading us children in … Read entire article »
Filed under: Personal
Christmas Comes Early!
As a Christmas present to my mom, my children, and myself, I flew Enric, Miranda, and Silas in from Wisconsin to visit us! Silas is getting so big! Enric tinkered around the house and car to check things out that aren’t working 100% or at all. Miranda and Silas … Read entire article »
Filed under: General
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