Category Archives: Books/Magazines

7 Quick Takes: My Christmas Wishlist

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7 Quick Takes

Linking up with Mary Kate as well for her gift-giving link-up.

— 1 —

Gift cards from Barnes & Noble. I have a NOOK. I like to read. Enough said. 🙂 I’m also having to replace books which were damaged while they were being stored and it makes more sense to get them on my NOOK.

— 2 —

Gift cards for Kohl’s. I’m slowly having to replace out my wardrobe and I’m fond of the stuff at Kohl’s. I can try stuff on in-store and I’ve actually found clothes that I would wear when I’ve shopped there.

— 3 —

Peace on earth. A girl can dream, right?

— 4 —

A Kiva loan. Kiva loans allow you to loan money to entrepreneurs all over the world to help them become self-sufficient. I’ve made 17 loans and only $200 has been my own funds or new loans that people have given me as present. This means that those funds have been loaned out several times over and it’s honestly the highlight of my month to get an email saying that I have Kiva credit. I’ve made loans to 12 different countries on 3 continents and 16 of those 17 loans has been paid back or is in the process of being paid back. (One person did default and unfortunately that does happen on occasion.)

— 5 —

A Target gift card. Daniel needs some long-sleeved shirts and I’m a fan of Target’s clothes on him. I love the Circo and Cherokee brands and I find that they hold up to lots of abuse.

— 6 —

For Daniel to develop speech. He’s making so much progress right now in that area but it’s hard to be patient sometimes. I did get to see him say the letters in his name when I was dropping him off at school on Tuesday. When his ABA tutors have been working with him, they make him sound out words.

— 7 —

For Brett and Iris to have families adopt them. Do you see these lovely children?

L-R: Brett and Iris
BrettIris

Brett still needs a mama. Iris finally has a family committed to her and their dossier has been submitted to her country.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 9, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY December 9, 2013

Outside my window… dark and cold. It’s definitely winter here even if the solstice hasn’t happened yet. I’m watching the news and the hard freeze is scaring citrus growers in the area because the temperatures have been dipping into the 20’s at night.

I am thinking… about what needs to get done this week.

I am thankful… for my parents helping us to clean out the cat cave on Saturday.

In the kitchen… lasagna.

I am wearing… blue shirt and navy blue striped fleece pajama bottoms. I’m also under a comforter.

I am creating… entries and such for the blog.

I am going… to hope my bloodwork reaches my endocrinologist for my appointment on Thursday. It will be drawn tomorrow.

I am wondering… how to explain to someone that their attitude and words are driving people away from the Church because they act like such a scold.

I am reading… Mysteries of the Middle Ages: And the Beginning of the Modern World by Thomas Cahill. I find that the odd-numbered books in his “Hinges of History” series tend to be the good one which is kind of too bad because #6 is out and it’s partially about the Reformation.

I am hoping… Daniel goes down without a fight tonight. Jon is out of town and I’d like to be able to get him to bed so he won’t be grumpy tomorrow.

I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out tomorrow — hopefully, we all have a good time.

I am learning to pick my battles.

Around the house… my Roomba will get a workout tonight.

I am pondering… many things — it’s Advent after all.

A favorite quote for today… “If you are a preacher of mercy, do not preach an imaginary but the true mercy. If the mercy is true, you must therefore bear the true, not an imaginary sin. God does not save those who are only imaginary sinners. Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world. We will commit sins while we are here, for this life is not a place where justice resides. We, however, says Peter (2. Peter 3:13) are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth where justice will reign.” — Martin Luther

One of my favorite things… Daniel’s laugh.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ABA therapy Tuesday-Friday afternoons, bloodwork tomorrow morning, Ladies’ Night Out tomorrow night, Advent midweek worship on Wednesday, WIC and endocrinology appointments on Thursday morning, and thankfully nothing on Friday.

A peek into my day… Our Christmas picture for this year which was taken on my birthday in May.

This year's Christmas picture.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 1, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY December 1, 2013

Outside my window… dark now though it was sunny and in the 60’s earlier. It’s gotten cold lately and I’m loving it.

I am thinking… about what’s going to be coming up this week. For a change, my mornings are free of Daniel appointments.

I am thankful… for a good time with family this weekend.

In the kitchen… made lasagna from scratch today.

I am wearing… black shirt and blue striped fleece pajama bottoms.

I am creating… this entry and Christmas card mailing lists.

I am going… to try and knock out as much editing as possible tomorrow morning.

I am wondering… if my precious sweetling will go to bed on his own or if drastic measures will have to be taken.

I am reading… Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl by Susan McCorkindale. It’s about a New Jersey marketing director who moves to a 500 acre beef farm. It’s very typically “fish out of water” but it’s cute.

I am hoping… this new attempt at potty-training goes better.

I am looking forward to… my mani-pedi on Friday. I never dreamed I’d be saying this a year ago.

Around the house… laundry to be folded.

I am pondering… too many things.

A favorite quote for today… ??Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.?? – Benjamin Franklin

One of my favorite things… peppermint taffy.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ABA therapy for Daniel, mani-pedi and massage for me on Friday, and my parents coming up to help clean out Jon’s study on Saturday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: 7 Things About Me

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7 Quick Takes

I was at a funeral today and was gone for 12 hours straight. (Thank God I built a cushion of time into my plans because it took 4.5 hours to get from where I live to Aptos for the funeral because of traffic.) There’s been a meme going around Facebook where you like someone’s status and they give you a number. You then have to come up with that number of things about yourself that nobody supposedly knows. I’m exhausted from being on the road since 6:30 so I’ll just do 7 of these for my Quick Takes.

— 1 —

I have a serious fear of dogs. There was a dog in the neighborhood who used to try and attack everyone going by its house. Additionally, I hate the smell of dogs. Give me cats any day!

— 2 —

I love the smell of ground coffee but hate the taste. I can’t drink my coffee black. I also can’t do hot espresso like lattés because the hot milk irritates my lactose intolerance. I can do iced lattés made with whole milk and with a few pumps of vanilla syrup.

— 3 —

I took 8 years of piano lessons. I haven’t played actively since college and haven’t accompanied worship since seminary other than a couple Taizé pieces for the Maundy Thursday service at Jon’s first call in Minnesota.

— 4 —

I taught myself to read when I was 3. We had a word book and I somehow figured it all out. I used to read stuff to my preschool class.

— 5 —

I used to write “books” when I was 5 and 6 years old. My mom still has a few of them. They aren’t anything incredibly amazing — just simple little stories I could write with my spelling words.

— 6 —

I have no sense of rhythm. I’m not kidding. My piano teacher used to yell at me about it frequently. I can’t clap well to songs at all either.

— 7 —

My first vocal solo was part of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach. Technically, it was a trio with me singing soprano. I had a fear of singing solos and my teacher just randomly asked me to do it. Once I realized I could do it, I was somewhat unstoppable.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 17, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 17, 2013

Outside my window… dark. It’s 11:00 p.m. and I’m writing this to kick my brain into moving around the writer’s block with my NaNoWriMo piece.

I am thinking… about various things I need to do to some of my NaNoWriMo characters. I also need to kill a few donors off creatively.

I am thankful… for a good weekend with my parents and a good nap today.

In the kitchen… dishes. 🙁

I am wearing… plum colored t-shirt from Old Navy and my Left Behind shorts.

I am creating… a NaNoWriMo piece that might be worth publishing… eventually.

I am going… to meet with a woman interested in cleaning for me once or twice a week.

I am wondering… how to best write flashback scenes in… *drumroll* my NaNoWriMo piece.

I am reading… Pope Awesome and Other Stories by Cari Donaldson. Run not walk to get your copy! (Seriously, I love Cari to pieces even if she does have a strange interest in fisher cats.)

I am hoping… I make it to 34K words tonight.

I am looking forward to… seeing my evil twin and his wife at Thanksgiving.

I am learning that I cannot write scenes with dialogue well at all!

Around the house… cats being nocturnal.

I am pondering… the wonderfulness of rain possibly arriving on Tuesday.

A favorite quote for today… ??There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.?? – Maya Angelou

One of my favorite things… chilled Lipton Pure Leaf Raspberry Tea.

A few plans for the rest of the week: writing, ABA therapy for Daniel every day from Monday to possibly Saturday, massage on Friday, funeral for Gordon Smith on Thursday, and… yeah.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: October 20, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY October 20, 2013

Outside my window… sunny and in the low 80’s.

I am thinking… about NaNoWriMo and possibly making mine into a fundraiser.

I am thankful… for the chance to have ice cream last night. (It’s a rare treat for me.)

I am wearing… gray “Run for Hope” shirt and black shorts.

I am creating… NaNoWriMo plans and blog post skeletons for the week.

I am going… to focus on getting through this week with Jon gone. At least he’s only a couple hours away by car instead of across the country.

I am wondering… why drivers in Elk Grove and on CA-99 heading to Sacramento are of the opinion that my turn signal indicates that they should pull up alongside me and refuse to let me change lanes. Seriously y’all, it’s not a race.

I am reading… Pastorix by Nadia Bolz-Weber.

I am hoping… my nausea goes away because it has made today miserable.

I am looking forward to… my pedicure on Wednesday.

Around the house… vacuuming and mopping to do tomorrow while Daniel is at school.

I am pondering… various plot devices to use.

A favorite quote for today… “??…my idea of God is a not divine idea. It has to be shattered from time to time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence?..?? — C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

One of my favorite things… Daniel bringing me blocks and practicing saying words or letters with me. The hearing aids are helping.

A few plans for the rest of the week: ABA therapy every afternoon from Monday to Friday, pedicure on Wednesday, leading Bible study on Thursday, and massage on Friday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

52 Weeks of Blogging with a Purpose: The Meaning of Marriage

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This week’s topic: the meaning of marriage.

Yeah… here’s one of my wedding readings:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
–Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Now go see Becky and what everyone else thinks marriage means.