tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81564152206234493802012-01-28T12:55:42.249-08:00Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.comBlogger13641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-28854414454894718512012-01-27T09:01:00.001-08:002012-01-27T10:52:31.820-08:00

Needing inspiration today, I'm using a favorite slice-of-life meme from a blog called The Simple Woman's Daybook. Outside my window...It's rainy and grey, or is that grainy and rey? My head is as foggy as the mist that hovers over the earth this morning.I am thinking...about all the things I want to improve-- internally, externally, maternally, you name it. If it's got a "nally" at the end

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-66410208872569766832012-01-26T08:46:00.000-08:002012-01-26T10:57:57.219-08:00

Originally intending this to be a Thursday Thirteen post, I decided to cut off my racing thoughts at seven items. You're welcome. Our son's upcoming wedding is front-and-center on my mind these days.1. I meant to include this photo in my post about his fiancee's bridal shower. To the guests he was publicly addressing, Ben said, "It's always been my dream that the first woman I kiss would be my

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-54077743671397223232012-01-25T05:14:00.000-08:002012-01-25T05:14:00.546-08:00

What time is it? It's Hodgepodge time! Let's kick off with a question about patriots (with a lowercase p). Thanks to Joyce for coming up with these virtual conversation starters week after week. Somehow I think that if we ever meet, we will feel as if we already know each other--and still have plenty to talk about.1. The NFL playoffs were held this past weekend and this year's Superbowl lineup

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-11097448104135272022012-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:002012-01-24T20:43:58.079-08:00

What do you get when you cross a thin layer of snow and ice,icky rain and old windshield wipers, too little sleep the night before, followed by too much coffee the morning of, fur-lined snow boots and daringly high heels, pinkcarnations and baby's breath, toll booths that could bankrupt a Rockefeller, fifty women dressed in pink and black, one really tall dimple-faced guy in a Ravens polo, a

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-19425471154296738862012-01-20T06:52:00.001-08:002012-01-20T13:30:34.903-08:00

Writing for two memes today, just to be efficient. Or would that be "wordy" and not really efficient?Five minutes of nonstop writing. Ready, get set, go!This morning I was taking my boy to school and got to the usual intersection where I make a left turn, with a green arrow. I clearly have the right of way, opposing traffic must wait. They, by law, MUST wait, but twice in the past month or so, a

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-15223754206907396892012-01-17T21:12:00.000-08:002012-01-18T11:34:30.340-08:00

Here's this week's Hodgepodge.1. A new Miss America was crowned on Saturday night-did you watch? If you were a contestant what would your talent be?I did not watch it. Usually I like to catch some of it, but I have strong opinions about what parts of it should be nixed (starting with the swimsuit competition). If I were a contestant, my talent would be sticking my foot in my mouth. I can do it

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-5521599137348656722012-01-17T03:35:00.000-08:002012-01-17T06:41:28.322-08:00

They wasted no time in showing hospitality after moving in.What a joy to get a text from Dee that very night to come over the following day. The occasion? The NFL play-off game between our Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans. While I'm a big fan of the home team, my greatest thrill was being among Ben's first party guests. I never expected that to happen so soon. I thought for sure he'd want

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-47289660739065564222012-01-16T08:24:00.000-08:002012-01-16T14:34:40.231-08:00

Call it grace or else I'm just getting crusty in middle age, but I didn't cry. I didn't cry when he was packing. I didn't cry when we were loading the truck. I didn't cry when we unloading the truck. I didn't cry when, with permission from his bride-to-be, I was arranging things in their new kitchen. I didn't cry as we drove away, nor when I came home and walked into his empty room . What is

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-18793673094651607292012-01-14T16:17:00.000-08:002012-01-14T17:35:17.524-08:00

When our fridge died a couple weeks ago, and my handy hubby couldn't fix it, we were left with two options: spend $500 to have it repaired, or buy a new one.It was a no-brainer.After a few hours of shopping, we concluded that this one at Sears on clearance for half price would be best for us. It's an LG French-Door Bottom-Freezer style. I love the way it opens so wide to make room for large

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-40330011318975155392012-01-13T13:48:00.000-08:002012-01-13T14:52:20.061-08:00

I'll say it right off the bat. I could use a hug. Not a virtual one, but a real live one. The past two weeks have been one adrenaline rush after another, positively and negatively. I've been riding an escalator up and down since Sunday, and there are more rides in sight.Down: Last week--fridge diedUp: This past Monday morning-- got new fridgeDown: Monday night --my husband fainted and knocked 2

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-83682195190912112942012-01-12T16:48:00.000-08:002012-01-13T15:11:48.839-08:00

Graduation Day came at last and our daughter was at the top of her class with a GPA of 4.0. Who could be more ready to graduate than the graduate herself? Who could be more proud of their daughter? (And more eager to be finished with tuition payments!)Each grad was allotted just four tickets to the ceremony. Her older brother had to attend premarital counseling with his bride in NJ. Her youngest

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-67937357781645326842012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:002012-01-10T21:00:47.457-08:00

My answers will be brief this week, if you can believe that. I'm tired and I'll explain why in another post if I'm not too tired. It's been three high-adrenaline days here, and I feel the crash coming on as I type. I will blog when I can about Sarah's graduation, our new fridge, and my husband's medical emergency. But since that emergency has repercussions (ie follow up care is needed before he

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-47265418872740838592012-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:002012-01-08T15:48:06.040-08:00

Marti tagged me in a post on her blog. This is a fun way to get acquainted, so won't you please play along? 1. Post these rules.2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.3. Answer the ques­tions the tag­ger set for you in their post.4. Cre­ate 11 new ques­tions for the peo­ple you tag to answer.5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.6. No stuff in the tag­ging

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-1426026866472263302012-01-07T03:36:00.000-08:002012-01-07T12:51:27.870-08:00

Here are some good blog posts I came across today. All three have something in common: they are written with bold honesty by people who love their families.1. A husband who buys clothes for his wife (because she doesn't buy much for herself) was appalled at the few choices available that were modest enough for his valuable spouse. I always appreciate a man's point of view on this topic of

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-85477879811719604322012-01-06T07:32:00.000-08:002012-01-06T08:43:43.374-08:00

Our firstborn is about to be married, and of course as a mom, I've spent a lot of time trying to remember the past 23--almost 24--years of his life which have sped by. Ben wasborn with a passion to succeed, to get ahead, to accomplish more than the average Joe. (No offense intended if you're Joe or love a Joe.) In fact, he was even born "ahead of the game." The day after my baby shower, three

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-6290458212648941802012-01-05T03:18:00.000-08:002012-01-05T03:18:00.603-08:00

Why hadn't I thought of this before? Some people are geniuses, and some people (like me) steal their great ideas. Here is what my friend Briana wrote in response to her husband's fantastic idea for setting reasonable goals. ( I would personally insert "wife" where she has "mom," and "marriage" instead of parenting, since I find it the more challenging endeavor, but I empathize with her and

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-6256805418069992882012-01-04T00:44:00.000-08:002012-01-04T06:53:59.082-08:00

The first Hodgepodge of 2012 has been ushered in. If you are looking for writing prompts on your blog, jump in today. She is on Volume 60 (which, given there are 7 questions per week, means that's 420 questions asked in just over a year). Plus the little bonus of sharing your own random thoughts at the end. Joyce aptly notes that's "a lot of random." I like the randomness of the questions

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-77099908810783892212012-01-03T09:25:00.002-08:002012-01-03T10:01:43.496-08:00

Mother-of-the-Groom. That's a mouthful to say. It's also my title for awhile, and I like it. If you've been reading my blog, you know that our son is getting married in March to a lovely young lady. It's the first wedding for me as the mother of one getting married, and I am so glad I get to ease into it as the mother of the groom, not of the bride.The time has come for me to get serious about

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-62968515734266618082011-12-29T16:09:00.000-08:002011-12-30T21:40:17.507-08:00

I don't remember exactly whose blogI was on when I read the post "Good Enough Christmas," but it meant more to me than any other post this year. I needed it. The truth that, no matter how things pan out that aren't as I picture them in my ideal "mind's eye," and in spite of my best-laid plans and hopes for a Hallmark holiday, it's good enough.In fact, adopting this mindset was so helpful I was

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-90596719122024853132011-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-27T22:32:54.220-08:00

Here it is, the last Hodgepodge of 2011. This is my most favorite meme to participate in, and as long as Joyce continues to ask questions, I plan to continue answering them. Hope you enjoy your stay here for the duration of this little "interview" between virtual friends.1. Share something you loved about your Christmas Day.Can I share two somethings? Sure, it's my blog. :)One: having all four

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-78070114457171452202011-12-21T20:54:00.000-08:002011-12-21T21:22:32.648-08:00

Also known as the illuminated text, this art form was popular between 400 and 600 AD in the Roman Empire. Painted on vellum, the most common examples featured a single large initial letter, sometimes two-thirds the height of the paper or stone canvas. Borders were ornate and often repetitious. The illustrations of the text helped the common illiterate peasants to get the gist of the words by

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-52260673464749573312011-12-21T20:18:00.000-08:002011-12-22T06:05:36.693-08:00

My fifth and sixth graders havebeen studying the Byzantine periodin their history class, so I came up withan art project to go along with it.We talked about artists working with what is available to them at the time.Paint has not always been readily available, but every culture has found a way to paint with natural ingredients.Paint has to have three things: a solvent, a pigment, and a binder.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-35823201746310362912011-12-21T17:22:00.000-08:002011-12-21T20:18:46.041-08:00

1. Having just recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon, I found this adorable little dessert called Santa hats. I knew I had to give them a try. Thinking the little kids at the party would like toassemble them , I took the strawberries, brownies, and icing tube separate. Unfortunately, the kids weren't strong enough to squeeze the icing out. I barely was, so my results weren't nearly

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-572347621293554692011-12-21T17:09:00.000-08:002011-12-21T20:05:34.225-08:00

Wishing a merry Christmas to Joyce, the creator and loyal hostess of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Can you believe this is the penultimate Wednesday of the year? (I love the word "penultimate." It sounds so much more posh than second-to-the-last, don't you agree?)Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open Hodgepodge. Thanks for being the workhorse of this "sleigh," Joyce! (Sometimes your

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-16340657371008499792011-12-20T17:33:00.000-08:002011-12-20T19:40:42.865-08:00

Thanks to my daughter, son, and son's girlfriend, our kitchen produced many yummerful cookies. My favorites are the strawberry-blackberry thumbprints. Second favorite: peanut butter blossoms (which do not photograph well up close. They look like nipples. Just sayin'.) The fudge crinkles are delish. And see the cute little red and green things? They are simple: one little pretzel, a Hershey Kiss

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-35126415112503125362011-12-19T15:57:00.000-08:002011-12-19T17:04:23.543-08:00

Our daughter invited us to a parents' luncheon at her university, an occasion to honor the December graduates of the College of Education. We were pleased to be asked, and had looked forward to everything she was excited about, or what she envisioned: a sit-down luncheon, a slideshow with a couple pictures of herself in her placement schools, and the chance to introduce us to the professors she

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-25482371315600008752011-12-16T20:49:00.001-08:002011-12-16T21:25:31.460-08:00

Quiz time. Look at the photo and guess what it is. a. deformed leg lamps, minus shades and shoesb. twin edible models of Floridac. a pair of challah bread loavesIf you said "c," you win. This was my maiden attempt to make challah (pronounced holla, as in "holla when you need dinna, shweethott." The bread machine did the kneading, and I did the braiding. Despite my effforts to make three uniform

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-72082126639950895782011-12-15T16:43:00.000-08:002011-12-15T19:47:45.473-08:00

I actually received this scrapbook from my friend Barb for my birthday in August.I've been meaning to photograph it for quite some time. Barb and I have been friendssince 1974. We met in the third grade when our family moved from Missouri to Kansas.We did everything together, noble and ignoble.We lost touch during our teens, but reconnected when my secondborn was a baby. Through every life

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-6594937670597618012011-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:002011-12-13T21:23:49.862-08:00

Hey, Christmas comes around about as fast as the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Let's head to the North Pole for some questions. On second thought, let's get the questions from my friend Joyce who lives north of here, but not THAT far north! After your mouse-drawn sleigh has stopped at my blog, why not giddy-up on over and read others' answers? Better yet, jump on board and write your own:) It's fun.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-34956396677813802652011-12-12T07:56:00.000-08:002011-12-12T08:31:47.282-08:00

Happy belated anniversary to my baby sister. She's been married for 8 years.She was my flowergirl when she was 7, and dreamed of her own Christmas wedding ever after. So she went with the last day of November when the church was decked out much like mine, but chose not to do the stress of the week of Christmas like I did. She is smarter than I am, by a long shot.Today is the Parents' Luncheon

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-35436015688001033022011-12-10T06:13:00.000-08:002011-12-10T06:35:57.205-08:00

Once in a while I "alight" on an idea that really works. I wanted a cheap, compact way of storing tree lights that made unrolling them the next year easy.I had no empty paper towel rolls. Toilet paper rolls are too small and rather disgusting, if you ask me.Wrapping lights onto cardboard squares cut from boxes had always ended in a tangled mess, so I definitely wanted the cylindrical shape.You

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-39144295249200769972011-12-09T07:43:00.000-08:002011-12-09T09:07:06.200-08:00

I made a fresh wreath this year, determined to be super frugal about the decorations. Besides, the fragrance when opening the front door is wonderful.To make this wreath, I used only what I had on hand: greens cut off the bottom of the Christmas tree, a cranberry garland, some sassy ribbon, a silk bird, a floral foam disc from the dollar store, and a magic paper clip. Okay, so it's not magic, but

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-41237045195494532412011-12-07T03:11:00.000-08:002011-12-07T14:46:24.581-08:00

The Hodgepodge Party continues, thanks to Joyce! Like a Marine, semper fi!1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay?Yes, I'll be hosting a house guest, but I hesitate to call her one. She is hardly a guest anymore.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-23265739185079138832011-12-03T17:51:00.000-08:002011-12-07T07:49:44.796-08:00

Our church hosts an annual Ladies' Christmas Breakfast the first Saturday in December. For me, it's the way the Christmas season starts. Our breakfast includes about 30 tables, some round and some rectangular, each one uniquely decorated by a different woman with her own ideas and dishes.The women decorate the day before between 8:30 am and 8:00 pm. I like to go around 6:30 in the evening

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-3676740879100102502011-12-02T07:44:00.001-08:002011-12-02T08:27:11.183-08:00

Yesterday I had a scary episode of getting very, very lost on my way home to and from the dentist's office. It was neither a new dentist nor a new route. I've been going to him for 20 years, and at least 40 times in the past 12 years since we moved to the adjacent county. The place is only 35 minutes from home, but I was coming from my son's school, so add eight. These are highways I know well,

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-62837573896302669162011-12-01T04:44:00.000-08:002011-12-01T04:44:00.180-08:00

I am not typically a doom-and-gloomer, nor am I a Pollyanna type. I think I'm somewhere in the middle, with a decided lean toward the brighter outlook of the future. I might be like that because I grew up around people who thought the world was going to end in their lifetime. The things they said scared me at first, and because those things didn't happen, I started to not believe that Jesus

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-56750530993672483182011-11-30T00:01:00.000-08:002011-11-30T20:47:04.845-08:00

1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!)Yes, most years I do send Christmas cards--about 25-30, and receive about that many. I tape them to the back of the front door, as pictured halfway down this post.I used to include our family Christmas Chronicle which journaled our year in (lame)

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-16778169435752762442011-11-29T04:33:00.000-08:002011-11-29T19:34:41.284-08:00

Mama started with a story of when she was 18. "I was helping a blind lady, and when I lifted her to her feet, she said, 'You're a hefty girl, aren't you? Is that why you're not married yet?" Stunned by the lady's rudeness but still composed, my mom replied, "Well, I'm not THAT hefty, and no, I have my reasons. For one, I'm only 18, and for another, I'm in nursing school, and for another I

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-50404828441150921192011-11-28T10:48:00.000-08:002011-11-28T11:28:02.095-08:00

A close-up of the floral arrangement we put at my parents' table. I could hardly take my eyes off it. (Note to self: it was made by Dee's Florist in Aberdeen.)My parents met while at KU, and have been avid Jayhawks fans ever since. Mama set up this vignette next to the Welcome table. Love it! (I think I've mentioned a time or two that my dad tutored the late great basketball star, Wilt

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-61063492804669466072011-11-27T14:10:00.000-08:002011-11-27T19:09:51.047-08:00

Meanwhile Jill finished traying some snacks with a friend I hadn't seen since a teenager. Earlier that morning Gail came to my parents' church--the first time she'd been to church since her husband died in January. She had cried through most of the service, remembering the man who lost his life to Lou Gehrig's disease. Being around us, she said, was very comforting. She absolutely loves my

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-252614714584826562011-11-26T20:07:00.000-08:002011-11-26T22:29:41.526-08:00

My three sisters and I started planning in earnest for this party back in July, with input from my parents. They told us the essential thing that would make the event special: having all four daughters home to celebrate with them. They also wanted friends, neighbors, and congregants, but mainly they wanted their girls in Maryland.So the two from out of state booked their flights for a long

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-28266255917839153922011-11-25T17:22:00.000-08:002011-11-25T17:29:21.006-08:00

One of my favorite things to do is set a pretty table. For me it's the best part of party prep--picking a theme, colors, dishes, napkins, glasses, cups, centerpiece, silverware. In recent years I've simplified my assortment of dishes. I have eight bright white dinner plates and eight avocado green salad plates. Both sets are stoneware. I have found that to be sufficient both for everyday use

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-20241719133964817082011-11-24T19:22:00.000-08:002011-11-24T22:08:10.556-08:00

The day started well despite what the night before had dumped.I knew it would be a good day when the first kitchen towel I pulled out actually matched the day of the week. My Grandma Mayme embroidered this set that reminds me of the tune, "This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes....so early Monday morning," and so on. I just love how cheerful they are. And how they

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-77785723520937577352011-11-24T18:38:00.001-08:002011-11-26T19:21:02.009-08:00

On Wednesday night I put a pie in the ovenIt's hubby's favorite and a way I show lovin'.I set the timer and then shut the doorWhile Sarah took a mop to the kitchen floor.A half hour later, I went to check progressBut the pie slipped and dumped quite a mess."Oh, no-no-no-NO! Gooey coconut pasteAll over the door and racks, what a waste!Determined to salvage at least part of the pieI gingerly slid

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-57815940188174761022011-11-22T08:25:00.000-08:002011-11-23T06:36:35.626-08:00

Joyce has put out quite a spread of questions. for this Thanksgiving edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Hope you enjoy the feast of answers. 1. Let's start with something controversial...dressing or stuffing? What's it called at your house and what's included in your recipe...cornbread? oysters? sausage? chestnuts?We call it stuffing, but growing up it was dressing because my folks are

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-9226185701594404632011-11-21T15:52:00.000-08:002011-11-22T22:57:11.047-08:00

This is the story of my Operation Shoebox this year (AKA Operation Christmas Child through the ministry of Samaritan's Purse).I chose to pack a box for a boy aged 5-9 and bought everything early (that is, between July and October). Go me. I nearly broke my arm patting myself on the back for not procrastinating. Such events are cause for celebration, ya know.The only thing left to do (after

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-91813352849798445692011-11-20T10:13:00.000-08:002011-11-20T20:00:42.418-08:00

Paul and I joined forces in the kitchen today to whip up a Chinese lunch. The result was so tasty I just have to write it down for future reference. And of course, you must serve it over RICE because Baltimore's main man, RAY RICE (Ravens' running back) is the one to watch for Sunday football viewing pleasure.5 thin chicken breasts (skinless, boneless, cut into strips1 tsp minced garlica few

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-1763846777938070142011-11-19T10:59:00.000-08:002011-11-20T10:45:43.360-08:00

Just got back from the grocery expedition, which in this house is sometimes a divide-and-conquer mission. I went to a food warehouse called Chesapeake Quality Traders for meats, bulk veggies, restaurant quality soups, bread, Naked smoothies ($1 apiece) and frozen pizzas. Meanwhile two other family members took their beloved father-daughter road trip to PA for drinks and breakfast items and

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-54295045323181499742011-11-17T08:22:00.000-08:002011-11-17T08:34:32.259-08:00

Up: Joel loves school and is diligent in his work. Down? He's had to miss two days because of early pneumonia.Up: Sarah is getting a new (to her) car today. Down: because her convertible is no longer practical and is costing more to repair.Up: Steve has gained compassion for students who study really hard but still don't grasp the material in a class. Down: His GPA. Up: Ben's spirits because he's

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-85181278446088577292011-11-16T04:00:00.000-08:002011-11-16T06:31:03.229-08:00

Joyce's Wednesday Hodgepodge just celebrated its first birthday three weeks ago (or anniversary?). I think this is about my 40th week participating. Crazy, huh? I thought so, too. Bon anniversaire! (That's French for "happy birthday" but it looks like "something anniversary" in English, so we'll hodgepodge the languages today, how about that?1. What song reminds you of a specific time in your

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-84484227095102727812011-11-15T04:24:00.000-08:002011-11-15T04:24:01.212-08:00

As I said on my Facebook, I am thankful today for ambulation. That's the ability to walk. Today is 70 degrees and sunny, so I "ambled with elation" up hill and down, admiring the variety of leaves on the ground.Then it started.One pun after another in my head that seemed to have no "stop" button in sight. Their roots go deep.Acorny j'oak that no one would laugh at. (Maybe the dog wood.)

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-22704224816604199172011-11-13T19:00:00.000-08:002011-11-13T22:29:30.619-08:00

This past weekend my daughter and I drove to New Jersey to meet up with our son and his fiancee' and her mom for a multi-purpose weekend:1. to taste-test the food at the restaurant where we will have our rehearsal dinner2. to scope out the wedding and reception venue3. to see Deirdra's dress (Be still my heart! Heart-stopping gorgeous!) and to get Sarah's bridesmaid's dress ordered4. to go to

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-81436707891788653192011-11-11T09:50:00.000-08:002011-11-11T10:27:09.090-08:00

Today I'm linking up again with Lisa Jo for Five Minute Friday. The idea is to write, write, write for five minutes, without editing, backtracking, or overthinking.--------------Unexpected is a word I should not use if I claim to believe God is who He says he is and will answer prayer. No, I should not be surprised or shocked when He does what He promises. But yet, I can remember umpteen times

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-66344507531447639232011-11-09T16:36:00.000-08:002011-11-09T17:40:16.462-08:00

Opposites attract, as we all know, and so you can probably guess how many words my hubby uses in a day compared to how many I use. For every thimble that he could fill with words, I could fill a well. So I thought it'd be a fun (or more aptly, painstaking) thing for me to practice answering a Hodgepodge as if I were him. Actually, I've already messed up because he wouldn't preface the Hodgepodge

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-90889030378068529202011-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:002011-11-09T07:15:42.327-08:00

Once again, here come some great questions from Joyce. I find myself wondering if she spends all week coming up with her Wednesday wizardry. I hope you enjoy reading my answers as much as I enjoy writing them. Link up this week, won't you? This is one fun meme.1. Of all the tools and gadgets you own which do you most enjoy using? Wow, I love a lot of tools and gadgets, ranging from

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-80328446522140065482011-11-07T08:41:00.000-08:002011-11-07T09:10:08.243-08:00

Last night I watched a TV show wherein the people are real, telling their true stories of their life-after-death experiences. One man had drowned in a pool at age 12, while horsing around with his friends, I think. He tells of the bright light he saw, light particles that seemed to penetrate his soul. He used the word "soul" instead of body. How intriguing . He went on to describe the place and

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-14275031836728236002011-11-05T17:26:00.000-07:002011-11-05T18:04:27.520-07:00

Outside my window... cold darkness which hides the beauty of earlier today, a kaleidoscope of golds, reds, oranges, greens, and browns.I am thinking... I would like to go with my sister to her church again tomorrow. They will celebrate their first Sunday in the new building. But I'm not sure.I am thankful for... skin that is thick enough to cover all our organs. I was wondering yesterday what

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-10672393497200336292011-11-04T14:18:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:25:09.322-07:00

This afternoon I wrote a post that I have since decided to retract. It kind of poked fun at my own distantly-related redneck kin, though I only ever met them once and I'm sure they don't give a rodent's backside about me or even remember my name. It was a long time ago in a place far, far away where I met my redneck relatives at a family reunion. I am positive no extended family members from way

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-24699126529878767422011-11-03T03:48:00.000-07:002011-11-04T08:23:26.173-07:00

As best we could recall, it had been 30 years since my sisters and I had all four bedded down under our parents' roof at the same time. Rachel went off to college in 1981, and she was the first to leave home, followed by me in 1983, then Andrea in 1985. Jill commuted from home to college, and didn't leave the nest until she was married in 2003. (She is 14 years my junior, hence the big gap in

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-60014728430635449312011-11-02T04:02:00.000-07:002011-11-02T04:02:00.506-07:00

1. Who taught you how to cook?I have learned to cook from many sources. . My mom taught me what is probably the most important lesson and that is, "If you're going to have to cook for yourself and others for the rest of your life, you might as well learn to enjoy it." She enjoyed cooking, although she wasn't particularly creative and never "gourmet." But she taught me the basics (not that I was

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-58797149094163785742011-11-01T04:30:00.000-07:002011-10-31T21:03:43.495-07:00

If memory serves me, my wisdom took a flying leap out of a high tower the day I agreed to take on the visual display portion of the party.My sister Rachel actually did the lion's (lioness's?) share of making collages from pictures the other three girls sent her. She took advantage of Walgreen's online photo software and did a great job. (Those shots later.) Meanwhile I said, "Sure, I can handle

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-75474685872169820132011-10-31T20:42:00.000-07:002011-10-31T21:06:25.977-07:00

Our 9 year-old didn't want to go trick-or-treating this year. The reason, he said, is "Kids get all kooked up on sugar and then the adults can't take that." He couldn't think of a costume, and I wasn't gonna push it. It's okay. We have a had an extroardinarily busy couple of weeks anyway.What's more, he developed a migraine in school after eating M&Ms.Sarah was disappointed not to have a

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-17253939699069464912011-10-31T10:06:00.000-07:002011-10-31T17:47:09.152-07:00

Well, it's over. It's over and it was wonderful. The big 50th wedding anniversary bash that has consumed my every waking (and sometimes sleeping) hours, has come and gone . It was beautiful, everything my parents hoped for and then some. ("Some" surprises, too, like SNOW. In October, in Maryland, where pumpkins are supposed to be orange, not white!)I will have pictures up soon. Right now I am

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-43905450443429686992011-10-27T03:11:00.000-07:002011-10-26T20:27:18.120-07:00

This recipe was sure a hit with my family of six. I bought the beef already in cubes ("in-cube-ated?) which--believe it or not--happened to be cheaper than buying it whole. Works for me! I put this meal together in literally SIX minutes because I had to run out the door at 3:30.The meat takes three hours to cook at 250 degrees. I used a Dutch oven and covered it. It was ready and "

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-40804640113113256352011-10-26T07:07:00.000-07:002011-10-26T07:36:32.481-07:00

I'm gonna make this short (believe it or not). It's Joyce's 50th edition of the Hodgepodge. Not sure what edition I joined in on, but I have enjoyed it every week since. This is the year for jubilee, I guess, with all these "Fiftieth" celebrations--my hubby's big 5-Oh, my friend Laurie's big 50th, my parents' anniversary, and the 50 things I should be doing today instead of doing this post!1.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-89612919661224060632011-10-23T23:55:00.000-07:002011-10-24T00:16:15.871-07:00

Come November I would like to "turn over a new leaf" or two. Since I tend to go from the pits to the moon when I think of making changes, I had better set realistic goals.So, here goes.1. Walk 26.2 miles in November .That's what one of my friends is running in a single day (yes, the Marine Corps marathon) so I think I can walk 26.2 in a single month. Considering I haven't done much in the

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-15597483514048456292011-10-22T13:15:00.001-07:002011-10-22T15:23:25.188-07:00

I was a bit too busy on Wednesday to post ,but I hate to miss a Hodgepodge. I assume the questions don't expire. 1. How do you typically react in a sudden, extreme, pressure-filled crisis? Would we want you nearby in an emergency?I have reacted "all over the map" in emergencies. Typically if I'm solely responsible for getting help, I can do it calmly on the outside while freaking out on the

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-76224215818116575322011-10-21T17:21:00.000-07:002011-10-22T13:06:54.577-07:00

Thank you to those who have been reading along (and praying) about the plans my sisters and I have for hosting a big Golden Anniversary party for my parents. I would like to tell you specific ways that God has shown His grace when I've been tempted to "freak out" or "lose it" when I'm really in the mire of details. 1. My sisters have willingly taken on responsibilities that they're good at.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-19736045849512271142011-10-18T03:55:00.000-07:002011-10-18T03:55:00.111-07:00

More lists here, folks, to bring some semblance of order and brevity to the page. Not that it's a promise; I said "semblance."This is a gratitude list. I'm grateful for:1. Memories like this one. My grandpa lived on a farm in Kansas, and it was the highlight of our lives to spend time there. It was like a slice of heaven to me, watching him with his cows. He was gentle and knowledgeable, and his

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-901672839382334252011-10-17T04:46:00.000-07:002011-10-17T07:43:35.878-07:00

I'm going to be a whirling dervish the next couple of weeks. Who knows if I'll be able to post ,let alone comment on any blogs. I'm staying sane by the grace of God, and one of the graces is the wonderful four-letter word "list."While I'm in List Mode, here's 13 things going on in my mind, world, and heart, in random order.1. My son Ben is the typical groom-to-be. Details are not important. Since

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-65626920664605985082011-10-13T18:25:00.000-07:002011-10-13T18:44:22.264-07:00

I don't remember this incident at all. My mom must have thought it was darling towatch my older sister Rachel wrap my leg in an ace bandage. I was accident-prone.The worst accidents happened on my bike. I remember the #1 rule was "no riding barefoot." All my friends rode barefoot, but my mom was afraid we'd get our toes caught in the spokes. I thought she was being overprotective, of course.

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-61824318872316786852011-10-12T04:44:00.000-07:002011-10-12T04:44:00.142-07:00

1. Have you ever been 'asked' to report for jury duty? Were you chosen to serve? If not, were you happy or disappointed?Yes, I've been asked a few times, but no, I have never served. The first few times I got out of it because I was nursing babies. The next few times I was homeschooling. The last time I was pleasantly excused because I was going to be in Kansas during the trial, so I called as

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-64412564809260009162011-10-11T11:45:00.000-07:002011-10-11T11:55:00.400-07:00

I took this shot of my parents, probably 12-13 years ago when we were passing the camera around on the lawn at their old place. Mama had taken a look at Daddy and noticed a hair or two out of place. He pulled out his trusty comb, handed it to her, and said, "Make me handsome, Brenda."She replied, "Well, God made you handsome, honey, but I am keeping you that way!"

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-91751242732760599642011-10-10T04:26:00.000-07:002011-10-10T04:26:00.125-07:00

Fall, 1993I remember this day. Paul and I took the kids to my sister Andrea's house. (Pronounced "AHN-drea, not "ANN-drea.") She and Trip were living in a little stone cottage atop a hill on a beautiful horse farm in Darlington. The property overlooked the Susquehanna River. I think Andrea's rent was in exchange for her work mucking stalls, a job which meant she was surrounded by the majestic

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-37121800629674070672011-10-09T17:18:00.000-07:002011-10-09T19:14:43.359-07:00

I love this picture. It's my parents, my older sister Rachel, and me in 1966. (Since I was born in August of '65, and I'm shirtless in this shot, it must be summer of '66. ) Look what a cute baby I was! Soft and chunky, that's me-- always and forever, I guess.I'm loving the dress my mom's wearing. So feminine and comfy. My dad's glasses and skinny legs kill me. I am struck by the obvious

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-77735011936831426212011-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:002011-10-07T08:22:53.350-07:00

Last night I was putting my nine year old to bed. Soon he will find he feels too old to snuggle, but for the time I have left, I enjoy the ritual of reading aloud, exchanging back-scratches, talking about anything and everything, and sometimes helping him master a memory verse.What's been especially sweet about his attendance at this new Christian school is that he has begun to sing again. And

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-6592391467946246062011-10-04T19:08:00.000-07:002011-10-04T21:13:27.398-07:00

The Hodgepodge came to my lodge again, thanks to Joyce and the worldwide web. Here's this week's Q&A. I hope your life is richer after reading my post, but please don't hold me hostage if it isn't. OH, and please join in today if all you've done thus far is read. It's a lot of fun to see who says what about random topics.1. What's your favorite meal to serve on a chilly autumn evening? Chicken

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-71219813892031058112011-10-04T18:19:00.001-07:002011-10-04T19:00:53.974-07:00

A local Christian radio station has started "GratiTuesdays" and ask listeners to call in and give thanks for something. I have several things today to mention, which I will simply put in bold letters. We took two of our sons to Johns Hopkins Hospital for echocardiograms and genetic consultation beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 12:30. (After that we grabbed lunch, tok our eldest down to his

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-88959772649887212742011-10-03T07:38:00.000-07:002011-10-03T07:52:38.482-07:00

Haven't we all pondered a bit about the insect commonly called "daddy longlegs"? I know I have. In the Midwest they were called "grand-daddy longlegs" but by the time I got to Maryland, these creatures had had their names shortened by a generation. But their legs remained as long.I saw a video clip this morning in which this foreign guy goes on and on (and ON) about the creation and naming of

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-14894460375517999062011-10-01T11:31:00.000-07:002011-10-01T19:48:02.520-07:00

I'm in the mood to try a few new recipes. Many of the following come from Pam Smith's The Good Life cookbook, which is one of my favorites. Fresh, wholesome ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and plenty of sauces and dressings from scratch which I love. (I don't like bottled ones as a general rule.) Full-color photos on every other page just make me drool. They also make me want to go

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-88438790349180372022011-09-30T11:33:00.000-07:002011-09-30T16:01:42.480-07:00

------------Even though going to and from my son's school every day takes effort, time, and gas, so far I have found it to be a source of pleasure and bonding. Yes, I could carpool with someone else, but since my hindsight as a mother of 20-somethings shows that some of our best talks happened on the road, I consider it an investment in a relationship.Anyhoo, yesterday I was once again touched

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-44770688189400501832011-09-28T00:00:00.000-07:002011-09-27T22:09:07.544-07:00

Linking up today with Joyce for the Wednesday Hodgepodge. 1. It is officially fall here in North America...I realize not everyone who participates in the Hodgepodge lives in North America but if you do, what's your favorite memory of Summer 2011? If you're not in North America, what's your favorite memory of the season just ending on your side of the world?You'd think it would have to do with a

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-53699547248043427812011-09-25T13:00:00.000-07:002011-09-26T11:10:11.738-07:00

I read this parable by Mark Driscoll after reading a Haitian missionary's response to it. The missionary's name is Heather and I follow her blog, though I don't know her personally. Her family sees the poverty in Haiti close-up every single day. She was revolted by his post. I have read the parable now three times. On first reading, I sided with Heather. I agreed that it seems self-indulgent

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-7600298017595718012011-09-22T10:50:00.000-07:002011-09-23T08:58:52.901-07:00

I'm "only" 46, which is on the young side of the average age for menopause. (Research of the formal and informal types I've done suggest the "normal" age is 51.) I don't know for sure what I'm going through, but this I do know. I am crying way too often. I have fits of anger. Little things get blown out of proportion easily in my head, and I'm just not in a slump or a funk or having a bad few

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-27929567125210483092011-09-21T08:52:00.000-07:002011-09-21T10:13:01.774-07:00

Many of Joyce's Hodgepodge questions this week contain the letter "C," which I'm not sure was planned, but my eyes zoomed in on them like a kid watching "The Electric Company." Who remembers that show? Each episode was brought to you by a different letter. Anyway, let's "C" her questions and my answers about chili, colors, crafts, and a cliche' or two. 1. Do you like chili? Red or

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-57274671791089752762011-09-19T08:27:00.000-07:002011-09-19T10:24:28.888-07:00

More things are swirling around in my heart and mind than I have time to blog about. They don't need separate posts, anyway. Some would say they need don't any posts, they just need to be dealt with. "Why talk when you can work?" he says. But I say, "I work better when I talk or after I talk. " Plus, I'm old enough to know some things ain't gonna change, like my need for expressing myself in

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-66150970732310091352011-09-14T03:11:00.000-07:002011-09-14T07:44:40.102-07:00

Wow, it's Wednesday again already. How'd that happen? Time for my favorite meme, the Hodgepodge hosted by Joyce. Why not link up and let us know YOUR answers to these thought-provoking questions? 1. What do you do at the first sign of a cold? Will you get a flu shot this year?I usually don't realize I have a cold till it's full-blown. And then I whine and moan like I'm going go give birth to

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-89215330641080932312011-09-12T18:27:00.000-07:002011-09-12T19:49:30.017-07:00

Houston, we have a problem. I need my eyes checked. If I can't tell the picture is blurry until I upload it??? It's a sign of age, I guess. And aging is what I've been doing a lot of lately.My kids made my actual birthday lovely. My kids and their significant others, shall we say. Now that my future daughter-in-law has snuggled deep into our hearts, she has inherited the "woman's job" of picking

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-47885827706583958032011-09-09T18:45:00.000-07:002011-09-09T18:52:33.907-07:00

I wish I could talk about it, but I can't. Let's just say I'm grieving but no one has died. I'm grieving the loss of something I wish I had , a few somethings actually. All I feel is a crushing sadness, like a slab of cement sitting on my chest. Will it ever lift? Will I rise again? Will I experience what some other people take for granted, in a good way? How long, O Lord? How long? Can I

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-58966827672300966902011-09-07T02:43:00.000-07:002011-09-07T11:08:06.177-07:00

Well, I meant to go back and edit this before publishing, but I hit "schedule" for 4-something-a.m. so that early birds on the East Coast could read it at 7-something. But I went to bed at 10-something with my last thought being, "Oh, well. I'm too tired to get back on and fix it. Probably haven't forgotten anything too important for it. Hope it makes sense and doesn't offend or embarrass me."

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-52821253938819021372011-09-02T12:41:00.000-07:002011-09-02T20:35:06.088-07:00

Just a few odds 'n ends to blog about today. 1. I borrowed this cartoon from another blog. It made me honk like a goose. 2. Not sure why Blogger isn't making this picture "large" when I ask, but you can upsize it several times by hitting "Control +++". Joel drew it two days ago. Reilly was holding a tennis ball in his mouth while he posed. He inherited artistic

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-57746073059493988902011-08-31T07:29:00.000-07:002011-08-31T09:08:31.838-07:00

A quick Hodgepodge for me this week, if you know me. Thanks for thought-provoking questions again, Joyce. 1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or are we just more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day? The danger preceded 2001 by about 6000 years. I'm not sure exactly when Cain killed Abel, but that was the first act

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-76731123165809063862011-08-30T06:54:00.000-07:002011-08-31T06:46:42.859-07:00

The tree that made me nervous. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Hurricane Irene posed a bigger threat than she actually delivered to our neck of the woods. (My husband thinks the government hypes it so that we will become more dependent on them. Obama, did you notice, was making sure we knew he'd do a better job with

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-20283475714659390802011-08-27T06:52:00.001-07:002011-08-27T07:03:45.891-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday and it was lovely. I'll blog about it later. Most of the day I was prepping for Hurricane Irene. I don'[t think it will have a great effect, and I'm tempted to be one of the wait-and-see people, but I keep thinking of the proverbs which say things, essentially like "a lazy man sees a lion in the streets and says there's a lion in the street!' (but does nothing about it)

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-39147481552323724722011-08-25T18:49:00.000-07:002011-08-26T07:44:45.291-07:00

It happened on Tuesday, August 23, just two days ago. My nine-year-old son and I were standing in the foyer of our house at about 1:55 pm. He was holding his piano lesson books, and I was holding the keys and my purse. We were arguing about piano books. I thought he only had been given two and he was insisting on three. It was only his second lesson, and since the first one was here, we had

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-54188277425403032242011-08-24T05:54:00.000-07:002011-08-25T07:23:50.249-07:00

Welcome to this week's spicy, dicey Hodgepodge questions from Joyce. 1. What is something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? Crooked-hanging pictures and curtains. In order for me to really relax, they have to be at a certain height, centered, and be both straight and plumb. Our first house was a darling old 1930's duplex with "great bones" and "character" as they say in the biz, but

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-4350389167110226082011-08-23T04:26:00.000-07:002011-08-23T05:39:37.263-07:00

My son said to his fiancee, "You are the only one I'd get out on the dance floor for." Here's a look at the two of them having fun at her friend's wedding this past weekend. Aren't they cute? And so in love I can hardly stand it. :) Dee will be my second daughter in the spring. Can't wait. They have found their soulmates in each other. Ben is so happy, and he makes her smile wide when

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-63083642773745036722011-08-22T07:15:00.001-07:002011-08-22T10:11:11.133-07:00

Much has transpired since Thursday of last week. I got a call from the principal of my youngest child's new school. (The school is brand new, opening in just over two weeks! It's a Christian school we are really excited about.) Before you start thinking it's bad news to get a call from the principal's office before the first day of school, let me explain. It's not about my child. The

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-66493948993810000682011-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:002011-08-19T06:43:21.404-07:00

It was just the five of us for this photo shoot. I really wish the whole gang could've been there. But alas, I am thankful we had a vacation and were able to take most of our kids and a special someone. I feel truly blessed to be able to get away to the beach almost every year. Living this close to the ocean is nothing short of glorious; after a week of sand, surf, and sun, my soul, mind, and

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8156415220623449380.post-23566791790575236682011-08-18T06:48:00.000-07:002011-08-18T07:47:45.418-07:00

Almost every year for about 15 years, our family has participated in this meaningful outreach. It's the official kick-off to Christmas in my heart, and it usually starts in August. (The only thing I do early for Christmas, honestly.) It starts when the back-to-school sales hit because that's when I start putting pens, paper pads, crayons, pencils, a sharpener, an eraser--into a shoebox, the

Zoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07119513647613843627noreply@blogger.com0