Get to Know You Question of the Week.

I must thank my daughter in law Faith for inspiring me with these questions. This week's question is..

List a few things that you cannot live without....

I cannot live without

1. The gospel of Jesus Christ
2. My family
3. Books
4. Paper and pens
5. Computer - often to help me with 1-4!!!
6. My car - too many errands!

My dear friend Georgia passed away

I had a very dear friend die early Monday morning after a 5 year bout with cancer. She was like a mom to me. She was a beautiful woman inside and out and brought much joy to everyone that knew her.

I was thinking about Georgia yesterday before the viewing and I realized that she never did anything small. She left a large footprint wherever she went. She played the piano with all her heart and soul. She loved the Lord and had a testimony that was larger than life itself. She loved bright colors especially orange with lime green and bright pink. She laughed. She loved. She gave. And despite being so grand, she was the most humble person I ever knew.

If I can "grow up" to be half the woman Georgia was then I will have achieved great heights.

I will sorely miss her presence here on earth. I already do.

Here is a poem that I wrote about her:

Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant

Stretching up towards the Son,

Understanding His pure love for you,

Reaching out to hold His hand,

Knowing He is there and watching.

Spreading your thoughtfulness and sincerity,

Providing love and compassion

To all those who know you,

Working ever towards being like Him.

Glowing with the Light of Christ,

Forever strong against the blowing winds,

Standing all amazed at the love He offers you

Knowing in your heart, never doubting that He does.

Standing out in any garden,

Growing beautiful as a daughter of Heavenly Father.

Loving and caring, grateful and humble. This is you.

My dear, sweet, friend, an orange lily in His garden.

Ice Skating!

We have found a homeschool group with lots of teenagers and went ice skating with them last week. It was a lot of fun and we hope to do it again soon!

Topsail Island - September 2009

Wow! What a wonderful trip. Ten whole days in paradise!!! I love vacations like this one because we do a lot without really doing much at all. What do I mean? Well, we walk, kayak, swim, play every day but we don't have to go anywhere to do it.

We are able to swim in the ocean only a few steps away from the cottage and kayak and swim in the sound right off the back deck!

We made sand castles and other sand creations.

We flew kites.

We stay at the south end of Topsail Island and can walk up to "the point" during low tides and walk right across to the sound.

Keith and I celebrated our 6th anniversary by going to Sears Landing and Grill for supper and getting grilled Mahi!

This year, I even got up early enough one morning to catch an incredible sunrise.

Nothing could be better than a trip to the beach! Now....to find a way to live there!

My daughter in law, posted this on her blog so I decided to answer the question:

What are some of your favorite things about Fall?

1. Watching the leaves change from lush green to warm reds, yellows, oranges, and browns.
2. Baking bread without the house getting too warm.
3. Opening up the windows and letting it be just a bit nippy when you go to bed
4. Pulling out the electric blanket.
5. Soup.
6. Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings.
7. State Fair - and the county fair, too.
8. Embarking on a new homeschool journey (ie, school year)
9. Hot apple cider.
10. Hot cocoa with mini marshmellows
11. Bonfires
12. Seeing Rebekah in a play.
13. Candy corn - I know, I know, gross, right? I love those things!
14. Snuggling

So, leave me a comment and tell me what's on your list!

Awesome Saturday!

Have you ever had one of those perfect days that you just didn't want to end? Well, I just had one on Saturday. Keith and I went to visit Kyle, Faith, Gena and Jaxson in SC. We got there around 10 and it was fun talking to everyone. Jaxson is such a character and says the funniest things and Gena is so sweet and loving. Such wonderful kids.

Faith kidnapped me soon after we got there. I had NO idea where we were going, but she was so excited. She kept teasing me that she was going to sell me into slavery and such. It was fun trying to guess where she was taking me. Well, you see, I had told her several weeks before that I had never been to a flea market. So, she took care of that - we spent several fun hours at the flea market! I tried on jewelry, oohed and ahhed over items old and new. I even bought a few Christmas presents!

Then we did a little shopping at the grocery store so that Kyle could make me his famous steak and baked potatoes. You just can't get a steak like that anywhere else in the world. I won't even buy a steak out anymore - I mean, why bother???? Keith also got the kids ice cream treats - yummy ice cream M&Ms on a stick!

While Kyle was cooking, I played on the Wii some. Keith and I did sword fighting. I won - well, actually, I beat the snot out of him. I obviously have some pent up anger! Then I played archery, canoeing, and bowling.

The food was excellent as always. I forgot to mention that while at the flea market we got a watermelon that was SO good and we got some skuppernong grapes (I know, I can't spell it and the spell check says I'm not close!). The grapes were quite tasty until we tasted some really huge ones at another vendor....oh well! So, I had been snacking on the grapes and watermelon and Faith's delicious cherry tomatoes. Talk about excellent. Then Kyle brought me my steak - perfectly cooked and seasoned just right. The potatoes are done like he did them when he was a chef at Squires Pub. Man alive, can that boy cook! Faith has a keeper!

After supper, we had to break out the Wii again, but this time we played Rock Band. Wow, was that ever fun. I tried the singing, guitar, AND drums. It isn't as easy as it looks! lol

Despite how poorly I did, it was a ton of fun and I hated that the night had to end. We have a 3 hour ride home, so we finally had to put down the drum sticks and head on out.

I smiled the whole way home and most of the next day, and have grinned over the day several times since. It is so wonderful to have a loving family.