A Winter's Morning Mist

Well, I woke up this morning and first thing looking out the window--I saw this bare tree and FOG--It looked so dreamy--I popped on some shoes and a jacket and went out in my pj's to take pictures--I don't know why I messed with the date thing but some of my favorites have a date stuck on them--then I realized I should take it off. These were taken within minutes of eachother--but I guess the morning light was changing--because they all look different. I did not change any settings on the camera that I know of--but I might have--I am still learning. the last ones I took (there are more I didn't post) have a white "jet" streak across the sky--

The day turned out to be very clear and bright--beautiful!

Krue--a happy boy

Krue was smiling at his mama--Boy do I need practice with the camera--for a while--there will be more pictures of Krue--than Bright--She is always on the move and is a blur of the back of her head--most of the time--
 

Christmas time

Bright was getting a little sleepy on Christmas--Time to go home and take a nap--Cute little backpack--gift from Aunt Hannah.

Krue also packed up to go-- 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

phooey

I just typed an entry and lost it--I tried to post too many pictures--

I got carried away--


because---

I tried to upload about 6 pictures at once----

because-----


My dear and generous and thoughtful children--Hannah, Patrick, Jared, Jack, Stacey, Linnea and dearest husband Jason----

gave me a sweet, and cute and hip digital camera--a RED Casio Exilim--

MY VERY OWN CAMERA!!! WOOHOO. FUN CITY!!
The last camera I personally owned was a 110 in college--It bit the dust decades ago.--and Jason and I had a few years use of a 35 mm in the 80's Since then--we have always used disposable or borrowed Jared's or Linnea's.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

There'll be no stopping me now!!!

Well--I guess there will be "stopping Me" I have tried 3 more times to post A picture and cant--

stay tuned!!!

More Krue

only pictures I have--2 more from my camera phone--I don't think I have any of a very young Jason but I'll check around--for those who requested it:)

sweet boy

This isn't the greatest picture--took it with my camera phone today--kind of distorted--but just look how cute he is--and how big his eyes open-
And let me just say--well--I am probably biased--
Didn't get to see Bright today--she was whooping it up with her other grandma--Martha.

"Babies Holding Babies"

I got the title from Linnea--I don't think any comment is needed-- enjoy!!

Like Father, Like Son!

Jack is about a month older than Krue in this picture--but when I pulled it up--it surprised me --the similarities.

And we all thought the mold was broken when Jack was made!!
Later, it will be fun to compare at the same age and pose--This Grandma stuff is great!

And Now...we pause for this commercial..

I have found these to be very handy--they really do clean things up nicely--But even I was amazed when in desparation (It was probably Sunday Dress Shirts need ironing!)and no gloppy iron off cleaner in the house for a really burned on yukky mess--I pulled out one of these babies, wet it and WOW--with a little rubbing--most of the burned on goo came right off my old iron (Non-stick plate)--So now I use it on my new iron (Polished steel plate) as soon as it gets just a little stuff burned on--It is great!!-make sure you wipe off any residue--

WOW--has it been 2.5 months??

OKAY--
I do not have my own camera so without pictures--posting doesn't seem as much fun. Ashley is right--I am way behind.

NEW GRANDSON!!
Krue Graham Martyn Shelton
7.5 lbs.
21.5 inches
Born October 2, 2006 at 9:22 pm.

Healthy and very peaceful--he likes to rest. Sister Bright loves him--
This is one horrible picture I took on my phone yesterday [I kept missing her kissing him:( ]--I tried to fix it up a little on photoshop. Let's just say all you photographers in the family didn't get your talent from the Smedberg side:)

One mo' time--lets try this

http://streaming3.vidilife.com/vidilife/video/2006/1/19/269125/380766.wmv" watch this
okay--after several tries I found a way to share this with you--and I think it is worth 3 min of your time--and I had never heard the whole thing before--it is an old song Enjoy!



(Thank you--Search engine!)

oops--forgot to attach this

it doesn't work--it was a video clip--Is there a way to do that??

Ahhh--Here I am!

For anybody who is curious--We had been using blogger for over a year--then 3 weeks ago--our "filter" blocked us from creating new posts and commenting--although we could still view posts. So--many e-mails and finally a phone call later--I think we have it in control.

Linnea and Hannah were also blocked from posting.

I don't know if this will work--but I have always heard the chorus to this song--but a friend sent this complete version--and it IS WORTH 3 minutes of your time.--if it works--if it doesn't I may e-mail it to you:)

Love to all my loved ones--
cindy

Can you say, "Not enough sleep?"

always had a weakness for staying up past my bedtime--and I have suspected for years that more rest would do me wonders in the short term memory and focus factor;;;and decision making..

BUT TODAY I MUST SAY "i have GOT to get more sleep!!!"

At one store today--signing for my credit receipt--I began to write B---instead of my name
In my mind--I was thinking of my password to the computer...

Then I get home--and go to check my e-mail and the computer is waiting for my password-- and I type---

MY ZIP CODE!!!

O Happy Day!

I am still getting organized--

A friend sent me these today--
At some point we will post more.

The Lord was very gracious to us --He provided good friends that were so needed to have this lovely day.

a post deserved

I was going to leave a comment on my last post--but no! This deserves its own post

THANK YOU SUE HARR FOR 6 (yes 6!!!) hours of sifting through my odds and ends of lists and helping to consolidate and organize today.

And thank you Melanie Schrodt for calling to encourage me this morning--praying for our day--telling me to eat breakfast and to be quiet and listen to Sue Harr!!

musings--before the PANIC

I cannot believe it has been over 2 weeks since I added to this--Where does the time go!!?

OKAY--the thing is--I will never change--I accept that now--I will forever be a world class procrastinator--

Just so you know--

That's all I'm saying!

Well--no--I will also say:
It is time to get off my "rusty dusty" (my mother's expression). She would say--"You'd better get off your rusty dusty and get busy"

She would also say:
"Cindy, you sure are good at making a mess--but you're not good at cleaning up afterward!"

just breaking the monotony

I am way too distracted to post--but don't want to leave this idle for too long. How boring that would be!
I've been looking through old photos--
Jared was actually born with a rough red spot on the side of his hand --so it was a very ingrained habit:)--never did suck his thumb--and Jack loved those 2 fingers.

? for Laura and Ashley

I have noticed in your pictures--and with other mothers to be--a trend these days---

so I have a question--

Does any young pregnant woman wear "maternity" clothes any more?

I have noticed very little in the stores and the "famous" people in the news don't seem to wear them either. (oops--except for maternity evening gowns at the RED Carpet affairs)
When I was young and poor----It was a treat to have someone give you a maternity top or dress--so you'd have something to wear.
No point to my asking -- just curious.

Some of them were ridiculous looking --very poofy--and todays clothes are so roomy and stretchy--so I can see the point of just ditching them altogether.

"Really Weary of Pink"????

Ha
I just noticed that was what I wrote a LONG time ago--the last entry.

I have a camelia bush in the back yard that has the prettiest pink flowers as you can see--and the bulbs from Lindy that I planted about 3 months late in January--actually did burst forth about 7 daffodils--could only bring myself to pick 3.



So--here is this pretty arrangement--and WOW--it looks so appealing. Now I'm thinking that would be great in our bedroom--yellow and pink. Keep in mind I have never been a yellow person--and I have emerald green carpeting--so I don't know--have to be a pretty docile yellow--
I have been mulling over colors for the bedroom for 3+ years--walls are still white.

nothin else to say--it is WAY past my bedtime--

new color

I am not crazy about any of the template choices--BUT

I was really weary of the pink!

Uruguay

I have no idea where that Uruguay came from --I wouldn't do it--and the last post wouldn't let me leave a comment on my own post either.--Something fishy here. Last night and today--The SAME Word for Verification was there for all 5 or 6 tries--

Augh!!--I just tried to post a comment on THIS one--same word for verification as on the other post--and it still won't register a comment---Something seems to be stuck

Back for a 3rd edit:
I just checked on another site that has word verification--SAME WORD and it won't register my post--I guess if I turn off the thing it'll work

No SQUEAKY clean

Let me say--I was assured it was safe--it was full of minerals--everyone had it in the whole town--and the people with wells even had it--unless they dug two wells and went really deep with one. They had that brown water for YEARS--generations even.
Some people did buy drinking water--but we didn't. A glass full did not have much noticeable color. But your white wash could get brown streaks.

It was very soft water-- it was great for soft hair and skin-- It was just hard to tell when all the soap was rinsed--no "squeaky" clean.

Blue is for Boys...

I was looking for a devotional book on Handel's Messiah--because it has a cd in it with the Hallelujah chorus and...--anyway--I found an envelope of pictures at the bottom on the cabinet I was looking into--poor photography--very poor--but the pictures were mostly from our years in Edwards,--Mississippi almost 20 years ago.

We lived in a manse--a parsonage--a church owned preacher house. We lived there for 5 years--at our first church Jason pastored. The second bathroom was a mess--as you see--but the deacons did fix it up before we left. I have mentioned to a few people about the water in Edwards--lots of lignite or iron or something--said to be safe (I drank it:) needed lots of clorox in white wash loads--Made your skin and hair really soft and slippery--hard to "feel" rinsed off. I have said--a bath tub full looked like ice tea--southern tea, strong--or maybe even coca cola.

Well--here it is--only a few inches deep in this bath--
This was the blue bathroom between our room and the boys bedroom. There was a bathroom with a lot of brown in it in the main hall--which Hannah--and later Linnea used. Hence--Jack's oft repeated observation..

"BLUE IS FOR BOYS---





BROWN IS FOR GIRLS"

I was always confused about the "brown", I always expected him to say "pink" but just a few years ago Hannah reminded me about the brown bathroom--that girl is so smart.

Coming up empty

If anyone is interested...
I remember clearly having a thought late in the day 2 days ago that "This would be a good thing to post!!!"
"First chance tomorrow I will do a new post."
Unfortunately, I cannot remember clearly (or even cloudy) what it was.
Not a clue.
Just thought I'd mention it.

10 DAYS!!!!

How in the world can 10 days have gone by since the last time I posted--
Unbelievable--
I have no cute pictures or anything profound to share today---

Just thought I'd ask--Has anyone ever read any books by Walter Trobisch? I know of 3 he wrote--I read them in high school and a few times since--Short simple good books on relationships--I highly recommend them.

I believe he was acquainted with JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis--but my memory may be whacky--I think he is german. His books are not fiction.

Well--that's it for today--

FINISHED--part deux

(See comments under 1st post)

HA!
It would have been hard to keep going without really knowing and liking the story from the movie and musical.--The book is better--Fleshes out the characters more, but has SO MUCH HISTORICAL BACKGROUND --French clergy--Waterloo--Church history of a certain order of nuns--Paris Sewers--Revolts, etc. etc. etc.(as the King of Siam would say)
and lengthy descriptions Waterloo--Convent life of above --Paris sewers--The distinction between an insurrection and an emeute (You'll have to read the book to find out!!!!)hahahahaha(some of these expansions are 40 or more pages long)
AND French stuff (whole phrases and songs)not translated--

which drove me crazy
but I was too lazy

to go get my FRENCH ENGLISH DICTIONARY and translate for 20 minutes every 2 pages.
Some of the french seemed superfluous like the Tom Bombadil songs in Lord of the Rings--but in some contexts I thought it might say something of what was in a characters heart--and thought--so it really peeved me alot. (DO I sound bitter?)

(I may get around to translating--maybe on the computer--
the last french
on the last page
--It probably is important :>)

Actually--I was glad I read it--it is a great story--and great discipline for my scattered brain.

I just reread this post and I think I just wrote a book report!

Finished--1432 PAGES

Les Miserables
on Saturday, February 11, 2006

started it sometime last fall--glad I read it--but will never read the whole thing again.
Ask Me Why--Don't get me started:)

While I think of it...

Thinking about Mrs. DLO Farr reminds me of a story that made a lasting impression on me.
One of Mrs. DLO's good friends at Edwards was Mrs. Boyd Hooker. Both had been married, then widowed, and I believe neither had had children of their own. Mrs. Boyd entertained herself at home playing rousing hymns on her piano and crocheting. Around the age of 90--during our time at Edwards--Mrs. Boyd Hooker died. The visitation was at her home (the casket was there too). The church women had a bounty of great food.

At this visitation her nephew told this story. (The movie "Steel Magnolias" had just come out--I think.)
Lamar Hooker said that his aunt Boyd certainly was a steel magnolia. During one of Lamar's boyhood visits to his aunt--Boyd had bats in her attic. To be rid of them, she fixed a bucket of strong ammonia water--went up there while they were sleeping in the day--and pulled down those bats one by one and drowned them!

Mississippi Trivia

No picture today--I wish I had one of a dear little old lady.

I have 2 great-nieces due to be born late spring and there has been some lively discussion of names.
For the past week I have been thinking of a lady in our first church in Edwards: Mrs. DLO Farr. We always called her Mrs. DLO (pronounced Miz DLO). She was in her late 80's when we first went to Edwards Presbyterian. When Jason would go to visit her he would take Hannah or another offspring and she would give them tea or coke in a little juice size cocacola glass and sugar cookies. She was not even 5 feet tall--
Her given name was DLO. Capital D, Capital L, Capital O.
She once told us of the origin of her unusual name. She was named after a relative--maybe an aunt or great aunt--This relative been the last in a long line of children born and the parents had used up all the names of family, etc. The baby girl was so precious to her parents that her father chose the name--Dear Little One--DLO--and that was her name.
Isn't that sweet:) I love that.
The trivia part comes with a "fact" I have not this week been able to verify online--that this very same ancestor gave her name to a town in Mississippi, as I was told years ago. There IS a town, D'lo, Mississippi. And on checking--from the late 1800's to the first half of the 1900's--the census records have about 20+ "Dlo's" born in various towns in Mississippi.
This is a random post--but--there you have it.

MY SISTER

My Sister Candy





When we were younger, my sister, Candy , and I did not look or act too much alike.--We never shared the same friends--even in high school. We are less than 2 years apart in age--so although I never wondered at it then--seeing the relationships of the different sets of sisters in our church--I see now that it could have been different.
Since High school I have seen very little of my sister--In a good year maybe 2 weeks--in a sad year--not at all. She has lived in Mexico for 25 years or so, as a missionary. For the first 20 years we really didn't have e-mail or phone connections.
So I find it kind of funny for my children to say how Candy and I are 2 peas in a pod--we laugh alike--at the same things--talk alike--make the same faces in reaction to things. Some differences remain. She is still neat; I am still messy. She is straight blonde ; I am curly brunette. She is petite; I am--well--I'm not petite! My reason for this reflection is...
In the past couple of years, thanks to AIM, we have been amused when one of us says,
"Wait--I need to go check on dinner--I'm making spaghetti"
"Really? we're having spaghetti too!?"
Another time it may be the same dessert or kind of cookies.
This weekend Candy said (From Durango Mexico)--"I need to go fill holes to get ready to paint--I hope the color is ok--It is called 'suede' "
"Is that from WalMart?" I said
"Yes, I got it in El Paso"
"My front room is painted "suede" from Wal-Mart!"

Not very exciting--but I got a tickle from it--and felt like sharing:-)

Betty Jeanne

As I was writing the last post--I had a sudden inclination to write about my mother, Jeanne. Saturday was the 20th anniversary(Is that what you call it?) of her death. She was 61--I was 28. Is it because of the nice round number of 20 that my mind seems to think of her more--and my heart to miss her--after such a long time? Is it because so much transition is bubbling in our home that I would like her to be here--her memory added to mine--"How did you..? What was...? Did I... ?"
She was born in 1924--into a somewhat poor family--the 4th of 5 children. This is the only childhood picture I have of my mom. She is 3 here.--It would be another year before the youngest, Gladys, would make her appearance.


At 17.

My mother worked full time and lived with her mom, helping to pay the bills --and then married my dad when she was 29.












My mother and me--1957.

She was a great cook, a seamstress, an organized housekeeper--and worked full-time outside our home for most of my life. I rarely saw her messy--she wore stockings and a dress on picnics!

This is the closest to my age that I can find a picture--1971--my mom would have been 47--I am 48. I remember she was always so much older than most of my friend's moms--but she looked so young--and she was very smart.

also--this was the year my parents divorced.

This must have been late 1983--2 years before she died. She moved to Mississippi with us in 1981 and eventually lived with us for about 2 years.

She was a cheerful, positive woman--and a great help to me as a young mother. And a loving grandma, too.

Now that my children are just about all in adulthood--I have a greater appreciation for her encouragement. Was it hard for her to keep her opinions to herself? Did she wince as I fumbled along in my parenting, etc?

I've had 20 years without her and I want to tell anyone who reads this--to those who never knew her--I just want to say--The Lord blessed me with such a good mom--and I probably didn't tell her that often enough.

A New Year

Happy new year--

I have no fun pictures to post--my one resolution is to quit nickel and diming all my money away and save for a camera of my own--I think posts are a little more fun with pictures--unless you are a gifted writer like Sienna, Ashley, Sue or Suzanne, and others-
The reason for this post--and there is a reason--
I find it a little disappointing to click down my list of websites of the people I know and see no new entries, sometimes days in a row--Thank you Suzanne for your postings of the weekend!!SO in case anyone shares this deflated feeling I thought I should put SOMETHING--ANYTHING on mine today.

I brought down from the attic 2 large empty boxes for ornaments--that's about it--
I hope to start in earnest tomorrow to get going on the undecorating.