Oink

We have a new decoration at our house.  A pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) has come to stay with us. An Essex Saddleback pig, to be exact.  Niiiiiiiice.  I like him.  Yes, we're going to call it a "him" pig.  Because I want to.  Now I've got to figure out a name for him.  I had the perfect name but he turns out to be the wrong breed so we'll keep looking.  Maybe we'll call him Mr. Hobbs.  Yeah, I like that.  Mr. Hobbs, it is.  Full name is Mr. Fisher Hobbs.

This pig's journey to our house is fun.  After years of going about life and seeing the various things people decorate their yards with I came to the conclusion that the only thing I'd really feel comfortable with in my yard was a cement pig.  Over the last several years I've made this comment a few times and I guess people were listening.  Last summer Brombeere happened to see one for sale at an antique shop.  So she got it.  It was pretty sad looking so she enlisted Erdbeere's help and snuck it to her while everybody but me was looking.  Erdbeere took it home, cleaned it up and painted it.  Then, when she came back up here for Christmas she brought it with and they put it under the tree.  Well, not actually under the tree, but behind my chair, which was right next to the tree.  And enough out of sight that I didn't even realize it was there until Christmas morning when a couple of the boys carried it out from behind the chair and gave it to me.  Pretty cool, uh?  So he sat in our living room for a few days so he could be admired.  Then the boys moved him outside.  Cool.   I like him.

A Lot of Stuff in Not Much Time

The holiday season this year stretched from just before Thanksgiving clear through to New Years. And a lot happened during that time.  Just before Thanksgiving our son, Stachelbeere came home from the Marshall Islands.  He'd been there serving a mission there and had finished.  Its so good to have him home.  He's changed so much, grown so much.  The beads he's wearing here are actually seashells, given to him by people he knew as he was leaving. 

When he came we had almost all the rest of the kids together as well.  All but one family was able to make it to the airport to see him in.  So once we had our missionary we went into town and had some lunch.  We make a big, noisy crowd.

They were probably glad to see us go from the restaurant, not that we were messy or a hassle, just a noisy crowd.  It was a good time.  Our daughter and her family, who live out west, were able to stay for a week so we had lots of good time with them.  One of the other kids lives near by with her family and brought her boys over to the house to make cookies.  That was fun.

Making cookies and watching little kids help in the kitchen is so entertaining.  They love it. They can be so messy.  During these holidays we actually had all four grandkids together for a day.  That was fun. 

Unfortunately, the week ended and Heidlebeere and her family had to go back home.  But it was okay because they were all coming back for Christmas!  The day before everyone else got here, Erdbeere and her husband came up.  This year she took a stab at making the traditional "candy cane" bread, a yummy treat we make every Christmas.  Turned out pretty good, I thought.

The next day Heidlebeere and her family, along with Moosebeere and his family arrived.  They actually ended up coming in on the same flight.  That was fun.

We're a great group to get together and play card games.  We have a pretty good selection at the house so we usually have a couple of them out.  Killer Bunnies is a favorite.  The Great Dalmudi is another. 

 Christmas was on Sunday this year so we didn't open presents until after we'd gone to church.  What a fun time it was to see everybody open their stuff.  Most of the grandkids are old enough to know what presents are about.  They're fun to watch.  It wasn't always the new presents that were the biggest hit, tho. 

In and around all the festivities Brombeere and I both managed to get sick, which was no fun.  But no one else seemed to have caught it so that turned out okay.  But in the end, because we were both getting over being sick, there were times when we were exhausted by everything going on.  Still we wouldn't trade a minute of it all.  Its so wonderful to have everyone here.  Its been a number of years since we have all been able to get together.  We were already talking about when and where the next time will be.  We'll have to follow up on that one.  It was such a wonderful time.

It was almost like heaven.

How it was

So I'm sitting here, minding my own business, when Himbeere holds out his finger and says, "Look at this".

I lean in close and look but I can't tell what it is. So I guess "dirt"? After all, his whole hand is pretty dirty.

He responds, "belly button lint".

All I can say is "Did I really want to know that?"

Sunday Scripture

13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.
14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

Alma 8:13-15

Times getting short!

This picture of my missionary was actually taken not too long after he arrived in country.  I've always liked it.  So far, of all his missionary pictures, I think this is my favorite.   Its hard to believe that he will becoming home in just over a month.  We got his final itinerary the other day.  Its exciting.  And an added bonus is all the family that will come when he gets home.  So far its looking like everyone but Moosberre and his family will be able to be here.  I'm looking forward to that.  Stachelbeere's plans are to work while he's here and then go to school in January.  He doesn't know yet if he's been accepted yet at his first choice.  His second choice says he's accepted if there's space (they won't know until closer) and his third choice has accepted him.  We'll have to see how that goes.  So should we start a big count-down?  Nah, we'll just patiently wait.  Maybe.

Sunday Scripture

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

A Rainy Day

Thursday we had a storm blow through that dropped some pretty heavy rain for a while. According to the weather almanac, about 2.75 inches in about 3 hours. But it was a warm, summer rain. So of course the kids had to go out and play in it. Actually, they went for walks. But we got this picture before they left. Needless to say, they were all pretty wet by the time they got home.

Camping!

We went camping this weekend at our favorite camp ground. Sissy camping (with water, electricity, showers, flushies, the whole nine-yards). Not roughing it but we like it. We got there, pitched the tent and then set about relaxing. The menus were all planned so that no cooking was involved.

Brombeere got the fire going - she's the best "boy scout" in our family. Then we set up the camp chairs and got out the marshmellows. Schwarzebeere made sure that we ended up with the mega-sized marshmellows.

Some of us are better at cookingmarshmellows than others. Brombeere's, of course, turned out near perfect.

Others prefer theirs a little more cooked.

It was a good time. Lots of relaxing got done. Being the first one awake in the morning means some very peaceful, quiet time. And, as usual, it rained. Fortunately, only a little. It was a good time.

Sunday Scripture

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Isaiah 30:18-21

How it Was

The other day my biggest grandson was over visiting with his Mom and little borther and as the afternoon was progressing somehow the topic of discussion turned to gardening. I turn to the little fella and asked, "Do you have a green thumb?"

He looked at me like I had suddenly sprouted a second head and said, "No! My thumb is pink!"

Me: "You know, your Mom has a green thumb."

He: "No she doesn't! Her thumb is pink, too!"

Me: "Your Mom is really good at gardening and making things grow in her garden. So we say she has a green thumb."

He: Her thumb is pink! Thumbs are pink, not green!"

We all had a good smile. He's a cutie.