Christmas replay-part 2

Gifts, celebrating Jesus, family, games, good food, playing in the snow... yep, that about sums up our holiday winter season so far!

Christmas was a slow moving process of moving unrushed from our home, to my parents' and ending at my grandparents'. It was relaxing... yet full. 

Our 2010 year ended with a bang as my parents, brother and his roommate and my whole family took an adventure up to the mountains to hang with a sweet family who has 8, yes, count them, 8 snowmobiles and a huge tree surrounded meadow full of mounds and mounds of beautiful white snow.

Everyone went sledding, and not the old fashioned way of sledding mind you.  You know, where you fly down the hill in seconds and then trudge back up for the next half hour laboriously dragging your sled. No, we were spoiled. Snowmobiles would be constantly making rounds to pick up sledders at the bottom of the hill to bring them back up to the top. It became a race really. To see who would make it to the bottom first.  The snowmobile or the sled. Over and over again... oh, the bliss.

The men (and me) went snowmobile adventuring and I took a tumble off of the back of one and landed on my rear!  It still hurts.

But it was SO worth it.

Good memories made.

((yes, my dad is probably the only one from this area who wears shorts on Christmas day... I love him for it))

I absotively {{heart}} this time of year.

Random Thoughts Thursday

Well, if you've noticed I've been an MIA blogger a little lately, or the fact that I haven't posted a "new" picture in about 2 weeks, that would be because my camera has died... Yep. It's a goner. Lost it to a broken lens.  I've had my Kodak Z1285 Zoom for a couple of years now and it has served me well, may it rest in peace. Okay, so not blogging may have something to do with working 15 hours a week, homeschooling my 3 kids, keeping my other 2 entertained and all of that other stuff a mother and wife does...
But, yeah. One drop and WHAM, my camera received a fatal injury. *sigh  Don't you ever wish things were made the way they used to be? Strong, durable and outlasting the people who bought them?  Lasting in fact longer than you'd like them to for modern-in-style-gag-me-green's sake? Man, you don't see that much anymore.  I guess that's what we get for having the ease of 21st century technology. More fragility. People have become more fragile because of technology, too! We depend on it more and more every day. More often than not, I say "Phooey on technology"! 
Seriously.  Technology is such a catch 22 for me.  I don't want to live completely without it, but it sure does ruins a lot of "real"-ness. Let me explain what I mean and what my heart is saddened by:
Texting, Red Box, facebook, world wide web, email etc. simplify, yes completely "save" some of our lives for time and conversational means... but they also take away from "real" life. Face to face RELATIONAL moments in life. They make life easier. Yes. They make sure everyone knows what is going on in our lives and how we are feeling immediately. Yes, but sadly they take away that special human connection, dependency, closeness and contact that we ALL NEED.  I believe people need and should be inconvenienced a little to know the true meaning of comradeship, trusting solely in God for the means and the joy of being thrust into a completely blind situation, using people and those around you to navigate through... I'm not saying Texting, Red Box etc. is wrong... it just has it's uses and more than not, it's abuses.  Life moves forward. The world keeps on turning... our perception of God and His calling for a life set apart, in relation to life, metamorphoses to the changes physically around us... good or bad?  I don't know.
The holidays are over. The snow is starting to once again fall. Schooling my kids is my all-time priority. My camera fund, fueled by the tips I receive from work, is to the halfway point of finally being able to buy my dream camera and snap those precious moments once again.  Life is roaring on. I'm striving to live purposefully. Impart wisdom. Live unregrettably. Guiltless. Sacrificing my fickle feelings. Blessing others when I can.
Oh, my goodness... when I think about my life, circle of friends, family, church, husband and every other good thing around me, I feel overwhelmingly blessed. Blessed beyond what I deserve for sure. The least I can do is smile at everyone I pass.  Open the door for that burdened stranger. Listen to my child "read" that book to me. Sit still to cuddle with a sleepy baby when the sink is full to the brim with dirty dishes. And not because I have to, mind you, but because I am full. Completely and utterly full of the blessings bestowed on me by my Maker, to where it overflows on those around me!  I can only hope that the meager smile or "time of day" I give to those around me will in turn top off their cup of blessing and overflow onto someone else.
I love my job. I "love" coffee. God is good. No, make that GREAT! I love that I along with every other human being, I am not perfect because in confessing that, it makes myself more approachable and understood by others. I am really enjoying my new Ipad.... I love training my children. I love that my life challenges me. I love that I get that little bit of contact with people outside of my home because I get to have that split second of planting seeds into those souls that God has created and loves dearly.  It doesn't matter where you work, what you do or your GPA, you can ALWAYS bless. Whether with a smile, a little grace, patience, sacrifice, honesty or heroism... it will impact and make a difference.  Are you making a positive difference in those around you today?  Not just that little safe circle of people around you but those who require faith, trust and forgiveness to love? It's something to think about!
So much more I could say. Rant and rave about my children, the lights of my days and my greatest accomplishment and calling. Talk about divine appointments, the many science experiments cluttering up my kitchen counter which may or may not contain one or more or none of the following: Chicken bones, soil, roots and vinegar... The remnants of homemade Christmas in the form of color crayoned mistletoe hanging above my many archways. The beautiful friends who amaze me. The mouth-watering delicious talapia recipe I made last night. The fact that a professional personality test has labeled me as DD... more on that later.  My husband who completely completes me yet at times completely infuriates me.... but life calls. "Real" life. So I bid you adieu for tonight and many blessings for tomorrow...  may God guide your steps, guard your hearts and keep you from eating that delicious frosted doughnut that would completely spoil your New Year's resolution... *wink

Goodnight.