A Contest For You

PW is always having contests...and giveaways.  Here is a contest...but no giveaway.  I like to be original.

I'm looking for names for my new little (female) fur balls.  Because frankly, it's getting a little confusing with them both having the same name.  Fur Ball #1 and Fur Ball #2 isn't gonna cut it.

Fur Ball #1

(Can you even believe someone would abandon this cutie pie on the side of the road?)

Fur Ball #2 is camera shy...

...co-dependent

...and prefers my lap to any other place in the house.

I've already ruled out Road Kill and Coyote Bait, so you can cross those off the list.

Suggestions?

If there are no comments or suggestions, I'll assume I've completely lost all my millions of followers.  Because let's face it.  Who can NOT comment on these adorable fur balls?

Last Football Game of the Season

Thank goodness.  I froze my buns off at this one.

But Jacob scored 2 touchdowns, so it was worth the shivering.

Plus, I've learned to take action pictures on "Manual" without the blur.  Bonus!

So proud!

No TV crews or soundbites.  But I did overhear my daughter-in-law's comment to the league director.  "Those trophies are way too big.  That'll never fit in my trash can."

Pitch dark (except the field lights) and I took these with no flash.  I rock!

Lauren desperately wanted to go home with Nana.  So to compromise, I said she could ride in my car and I'd drop her off at her house.  On the ride home, she kept trying to convince me that she should go to my house.  As I was trying to explain why she couldn't, she interrupted me and said, "Nana!  You need to just CALM DOWN."

It's Crazy -- But I'm Not Complaining

Yesterday -- October 24 -- one week before Halloween -- 80+ degrees.

This calls for fishin' at the pond.

Yes.  Jacob is wearing ear protectors.

"Papa.  Can I throw him back in?"

"Yeah."

"Papa!  Can I throw him back in the water?"

"Yeah. Sure. Throw him in."

"PAPA! CAN I THROW HIM BACK IN THE WATER?!?!"

Yes, Jacob is wearing ear protectors.  And apparently they work very well.

The weather also calls for a swim.  But since the pool has been closed for a month, we'll settle for washing the 4-wheeler.

This is what my beautiful granddaughter looks like when she gets to my house:

Cute (clean) outfit.

Every hair in place.

Coordinating bow.

Matching watch.

But just give it a couple of hours:

Here's something else that's crazy.  And again...I'm not complaining.

This is the tomato that Jacob picked from our garden yesterday:

...from this plant:

Luvin' our Indian Summer.

Photo Workshop

In answer to my desperate plea for help in mastering my digital SLR, renowned photographer, Jenny, invited me to a photography workshop today.

I had to change batteries midway through 138 pictures...19 of which were a pumpkin on a white chair.

(I actually think Jenny took this picture.  Oh well.)

I'll probably dream about ISOs, Shutter Speeds, White Balance and Apertures.  But I now know how to take pictures in all lighting conditions without a flash!  Awesome.

My goal is to take better pictures of my grandkids.  All the other girls were in the early stages of starting their families and therefore very young, hip and adorable.  

I felt very matronly.  

But that's my excuse for not soaking up all the information from the git-go.  

After four hours of lecturing, finding the right buttons on our cameras and changing our settings, we had an hour to practice on two handsome 3-yr. olds.

This little guy was a pro.  

He went right to work, pretending we weren't even there.

The second model was a little more reluctant.  

But look at that cool cowlick!

Lovin' the lens.

Loosening up a bit.

One of my favorites.

Personal Best.

I'll post more on my Facebook page, along with my critique.  And I welcome yours.

A big "thank you" to Jenny and Ashley for your expertise, advice, tips and never-ending patience today.

And to Jenny for driving the carpool to Muskogee.  I'll drop a hint to Santa to put a GPS in your stocking.

Why Pray?

After re-reading my last post, I feel the need to redeem myself as a semi-intelligent, thoughtful, non-shallow person.

Here is where I am today, regarding my thoughts on intercessory prayer.  I'm aware of some opposing viewpoints and have tried to make sense of them.  But here's what I know today.

Genesis 20:17 - Abraham prayed for Abimelech = God healed him.

Genesis 25:21 - Isaac prayed because Rebekah was barren = Jacob & Esau.

Exodus 32:14 - "So the Lord changed his mind."

2 Kings 20:5 - God (to Hezekiah) - "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you."

Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything present your requests to God.

James 5:14,15 - Sick? Call elders to pray...the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.

3 John 1:2 - I pray that you may enjoy good health.

My friend, CB, had anal cancer and underwent treatment.  We prayed.  Her last PET scan was all clear.  Then "something" was found on her hip bone.  We prayed.  The biopsy was negative.

My friend, MN, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 2 weeks ago today.  He was rushed to the hospital two days later with kidney failure, suspicious spots on his lungs and lesions on nearly every bone in his body.  Sixty percent of his bone marrow is malignant.  I spent the night at St. Francis a week and a half ago.  We almost lost him.  We prayed.  Not just the talking kind of prayer.  The gut-wrenching, sobbing, pleading, nose-running, eye-swelling kind.  He came home from the hospital yesterday.  Doctors are amazed at his improvement.  Yes, I know it's not over.  This disease will likely kill him, if a bus doesn't run over him first.  But he has a little more time to spend with his wife, and experience the love of his church family.

Although I really believe...want to really believe...that prayer changes things, I battle the doubt.  When MN started showing signs of improvement, my first thought was, "maybe we blew everything out of proportion," "maybe he wasn't as bad as we thought he was,""maybe it was just the medication that made him not know where he was or who I was."  

Why wasn't my first thought, "Thank God!"?

I was THERE that Friday night that the doctors and nurses had "that look" in their eyes.  When his breathing was erratic.  When they transferred him to ICU.  I KNOW how bad he was.  

I also know that God has a better plan than any of us, and He doesn't always heal.  Because of the events in the Garden, death will get us all eventually, and quite often, it will be an illness.

Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing.  Why would we do that if it doesn't make a difference?  

I think it does.

Saturday Night Special

I rarely...I mean hardly ever....probably never...have blogged on a Saturday night.

I'm waiting for the Tylenol Arthritis and sleeping pill to kick in.

We waterproofed the deck and part of the fence today.  Only PART of the fence, because we ran out.  Which means we have more fun in store tomorrow.  We bought (or thought we bought) "Clear."  Which made the stains on my clothes and skin sort of puzzling.  Oh...um...it's "Natural."  Which means it's the same color as my age spots, making it extremely difficult to know if I'm totally cleaned up.

Jeremy and the kids were here most of the day.  The kids stayed pretty much occupied finding grub-infested acorns and making a whole tiny grub town on the front porch.  Grub houses and grub stores, grub beds and grub chairs -- made of sand, sticks and leaves. It's lovely.

We opted for KFC for dinner.  The kids chose drumsticks, but had some trouble figuring out how to eat them.  Jacob: "Does this got a bone?"  Ahhh.  Light bulb moment.  First time this 6- and 4-year old have ever eaten chicken off the bone.  What is this world coming to?

We invited the in-laws over to watch OU football.  Then discovered that we don't get Fox Sports.  So--we'll go to Jeremy's.  Oops, Jeremy doesn't get it either.  Stupid satellite.  I want my Cox TV.

The end.

Lauren's Birthday Party

or

It's Not Always About You.

Jacob's having a little trouble this year letting Lauren get all the attention.

The party's just getting started and he's already sulking because there are no boys to play with.

Now, how is that fair?

When yet another female party guest arrives, Jacob whines, "Oh, GREAT! Now there's FIVE girls!"

Trust me, kid, one day you'll say that with a different tone of voice, a smile on your face, and a skip in your step.  Well.  Maybe not that last one.  You'll be too macho for that.

In the meantime you'll just have to get over yourself and let your sister enjoy her day.

Which she obviously did.

And now that she's four, she's very mature.

And patient.

As she calmly waits for Uncle Jeff to put a straw in her Capri Sun.

While Papa Mike does the same for Maddie.

And waits....

Papa Mike is already done.

And waits...

Getting pretty thirsty now.

So you can just stuff your face with cupcakes, wear the obligatory "Hello Kitty" ring, and check out the laser gun that Aunt Jo got you because you're still slightly spoiled.

But nobody said you have to like it.

Fire Bug

If all the whining, nagging and pleading fails, just burn the place down.

Seriously...I was just trying to help.  Usually, my problem is getting the fire started.

Here's a list of things I KNOW, but didn't DO.

1.  Don't burn when it hasn't rained in the last 10 days.
2.  Always have water nearby.
3.  Carry a phone.

This "control burn" quickly became out of control.

Being the control freak that I am, I just KNEW I could handle this.  But when my lungs started burning, I decided to call for backup.

These boots may be made for walkin', but they're also good for runnin' -- 

to the house -- to call our trusty rural fire department. 

Meet Charlie and Kenneth.

I was literally (yes, Emily, I said "literally") sick to my stomach.

Not to mention my face was burnt, my toes were burnt, I think the lining of my lungs is burnt.

My iced water tastes burnt.

I kept hearing my self mumble, "I'm so sorry.  My husband's gonna kill me.  I'm so sorry."

But look, honey, we saved your deer feeder!

That oughtta be worth somethin', right?