I’m hoping to be the Little Engine who could

My kids always loved this book when they were little.

The story of the little engine has been told and retold many times. The underlying theme however is the same - a stranded train is unable to find an engine willing to take it on over difficult terrain to its destination. Only the little blue engine is willing to try, and while repeating the mantra "I think I can, I think I can" overcomes a seemingly impossible task.

“As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing out bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

My seemingly impossible task is to get a handle on my health, by that I mean lose weight and be healthier. I want to live long to enjoy my grandkids and not worry about my weight. I am trying to study and ask questions and learn about doing it in a way that is a lifestyle change not a fad diet. Last year I lost 30 pounds on a fad diet and gained almost all of it back.

Can you say frustrating!!!!!!

My husband says it will be really hard for a lady who loves to cook, who loves to entertain, who loves trying new recipes and cooking great food- so now my focus must change to great healthy food and better choices. In other words teaching an old dog new tricks.

I think I can… I think I can!

I found this site Eat Better America and I am determined to get healthified!!!!

Maree has been an inspiration- she lost over 60 pounds and is willing to help me along and spur me to Live Strong!

I think I can… I think I can!

Hopefully attitude is part of the equation and I will have a good one after all …

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.Philipians 4:12-13

Pray for me and if you want to join me or encourage me as we start this New Year, let me know!

I think I can, I think I can!

I have a long way to go and a lot of old habits to change.

I don’t way to stay stranded – I need to climb this hill and praise GOD on the other side when I’m saying …

I thought I could, I thought I could!

Remember me in prayer- send me any helps or pointers- walk beside me and lift me up if I fall!

Be blessed!

 

Christmas was Awesome!

I loved my Christmas day-it was family, food, fun filled and it was blessed.

It had grand children…

 

It had 4 generations…

It had lots of presents…

It had lots of good food-again no pictures of food-we get to eating when that happens.

It especially had lots of love and memories…

It had a little chaos with 24 plus opening gifts and all in one place…

Nanny and Poppy were there with all 4 children and their families. We truly believe in the reason for the season and we were thankful for a good family day.We ended the day playing games and singing. What could be better than that?

It didn’t matter what the gifts were –there were thoughtful ones and we even played Dirty Santa with the grown-ups but nobody really got dirty and everyone was happy.

I’m especially happy to have Bama Princess home-

She got a day after Christmas surprise we hope will work out okay- a young man who was driving fast and texting, hit and probably totaled her little red Beetle . Thankfully she wasn’t in it or getting out of it-it was in front of her brother’s house. A car can be replaced but my baby cannot, so all is well .

Christmas is definitely a special day- we think of it as Jesus Birthday and we are thankful we have Him in our hearts and homes. It makes special times more special.

Hope your Christmas was blessed!

Be blessed as we have this last week of 2008.

Girlfriends... Watch this video

I have to tell you that I am very blessed to have a group of friends that we have been together since high school. They are like family and we have been through good, bad, unspeakable and wonderfully meaningful together and I wouldn't trade a thing for their friendship. I love you grils if you're reading this....

When I got this video in an email it made me cry-imagine that- I thought of how blessed I am in friendship-even now in the blog realm. I thought I must share this video with all of you- so go down and turn off my music and take 5 to watch this -I wish I had wrote it -but I definitely relate....

Making Christmas Happen

Do most of us think that every present must be bought and every card written, along with every cookie baked for Christmas to happen? I pondered this question and I remember sharing this story with a friend who was facing serious surgery recently…

I don’t remember exactly what year it was, but the night before Thanksgiving I met a sweet friend at church to decorate the sanctuary with the visual for the Lottie Moon Christmas offering – my friend had made three crosses from railroad ties, she had bore holes in them to place big Christmas lights through so that we could turn on  a bulb for every hundred dollars of offering. We were getting the crosses out of the back of the truck-two were 6 feet tall and the middle one was 8 feet tall. (Of course the base had to be big enough to hold them up stably)We had each taken a cross in and I went back to get the big one and as I pulled it out of the truck it knocked me down from the weight and I could barely pull it by myself – Myra came out to help me and said you should not have tried to carry that alone –I said tomorrow I will feel it cos it had really jolted me- I said something like wow how hard it must have been for Jesus to go a long way carrying a big heavy cross.

The next day as I drove to my SIL house for Thanksgiving Dinner I thought I was having a heart attack-I felt a fiery heat go though my upper body and down my arm and then excruciating pain that would not subside- long story short –it took them almost two weeks to decide that I had completely ruptured a disc in my neck – probably from my cross carrying and the very next morning I was in surgery. Because I had been in so much pain I had not made one preparation for Christmas – not one. Upon leaving the hospital they said I could not ride in a car for one month-do to the work they had done on my neck.

More long story short- that was the sweetest Christmas time I have ever had- I felt the love of kindnesses of so many-I had a beautiful tree some one else decorated, presents that were all bought by family and friends, cooking every day, more poinsettas than I could imagine, baked gifts everywhere, people who came to clean, cook, shop or just visit, carolers many times. I did not get into the hustle and bustle- I was still and I experienced Christmas.

I experienced true love in action  which is what Christmas is all about really – the greatest gift we ever received  was the gift of a baby and that gift just kept on giving all because of love. I remind myself at Christmas that love in action is the best gift and if I don’t bake those cookies or haven’t wrapped every present to the hilt, the most important thing is remembering the reason for the season and LOVE!

Wouldn’t this Christmas be a great one if this is the year we forgave someone for something we’ve hung onto for way to long, because of LOVE.

Wouldn’t this Christmas be a great one if we spent a little more time spending time with loved ones and maybe even included someone who doesn’t have the blessings we have, because of LOVE.

Wouldn’t this Christmas be a great one if we remembered those less fortunate than us and gave to them generously, because of LOVE.

Wouldn’t this be a great Christmas if we just loved because God first loved us so much that He gave his only begotten son….

Just some thoughts, because I found myself worrying about what I haven’t done instead of enjoying what I have done~even more what God has done for ME.

Merry Christmas-God loves you!

Be Blessed!

Important stuff this week

This week flew by-but it was a good week. My Daddy is doing better but he still needs your prayers. I think he’s more than a little down from all this –so pray for his spirit to be lifted! Thanks!

I got an award recently and never acknowledged or spread it…Sweet Maree gave it to me and it is special.

The award is a fine one because it focuses not on the glory and fanfare of blogging, but in the PROXIMITY to one another through this online-world (kind of a Six Degrees of Separation sort of thing).

The meaning of this award...
This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I would like to share it with Valerie who started me at blogging. She is my friend and Sista in real life.

The other 7 I’d like to give it to are:

Dana

Debbie

Barbie

Jennifer

Charlene

Sue

Brandi

All of these ladies are from my real life-many of them have joined me on this good experience and we do go out and find others then we spread the circle even more.

I’m thankful they read me and give me great things to read as they share themselves.

Maree found me on one of my favorite spots –LeAnn’s .

If you haven’t found your way to them-you should!! They inspire me and I look forward to their every post!

Now, more from my week…

Tuesday was a busy day-it looked something like this

I got to be Santa for the sweet Red Hat Ladies-I love them- they have a lot of fun and we have grown from about 5 or 6 to 27 at this luncheon.

Tuesday night the Homemakers came to my house –it was a COLD and rainy night so I fixed a pot of Taco soup and we made Fruit baskets for shut ins.

They sure were beautiful and full of goodies –I hope they brighten the people we make them for. The ladies gave me a sweet gift –they say it looks like me-a sweet porcelain Angel for my collection…

Wednesday was little Ryder’s birthday and I already shared that with you, but wait surely you wouldn’t mind one or two more of the 65 pictures I took that night…

For the rest of my week, add a couple of Christmas parties and a dinner and some shopping with my hubby. The grandgirls spent the night last night and tonight we have the children’s musical at church.

As my sweet blog friend Brenda would say…

It’s all good!!!!!!!

Be blessed!

My Ryder Boy turned ONE!

Yesterday December 10th, was a big day for us.Sweet Ryder boy turned one. Oh how I love him!

Chase fixed a wonderful dinner of steak fajita’s and as usual no pictures of the great food  I was too busy chowing. He is a great cook-like a gourmet chef really. I am very proud of him. He also worked very hard making Ryder’s first birthday cake –it was a masterpiece – take a look…

Be sure and click on it to make it bigger and look at the detail. Ryder loves Diego and Chase spent like two days making all the little animal heads- the chocolate animals, the green chocolate trees. I wish pictures would do it justice but they don’t.

He also made him one to tear into –but he didn’t tear too much- he didn’t like getting dirty.

one more look at the fancy cake…

Next came bath time-Ryder loves baths.

He did not understand the tear open your packages yet, but his sweet cousins Emma and Anna were very willing to help.

He loved his Elmo.

The party was fun for all-it was all family. Bubby (Chase)and Ashley have a sweet home, and we all enjoyed being with Ryder on his special day.

Ryder boy, just like your daddy before you , you are my special boy. My only little boy. Daddy was my only boy in between two girls and you’ll be surrounded by three sweet girls –for now. But you will always be special to this Meme who loves you and prays for you and longs to teach about Jesus. You are my precious little boo.

Happy birthday to Ryder!

Be blessed!

I love this time of year

My Sunday school class got me this Willow Tree~ I’m wishing for the creche and  the tin stars that go with it-DH are you  listening?

I love this Nativity set- My Mom made it and painted it for me in 1992-when she gave it to me I cried. Then when I went home I prayed for someone to come over and see it on my mantel, soon the doorbell rang and yes I did,  I invited the UPS man to come in and lay his eyes on the prettiest most meaningful gift of a beautiful Nativity scene. I think he thought I had a few screws missing, but I was so proud and I had prayed for someone to come see it. I wasn’t specific and he was someone.

Guess who she is- the very first BARBIE  ever –born the same year as me 1959. I didn’t have her, I was just a baby but I did love playing with Barbie’s when I was growing up. I still love playing with Barbie-she is the best of friends!!!!

This picture is of Emma getting a kiss from Santa –her first year of life. It was a billboard in my town advertising for her grandpa’s radio station. It’s such a sweet picture- babies are great gifts. Ryder will be one Wednesday and I will have a new little baby Abby Lynn before I know it!!

These are three little glow light decorations that sing –they have Emma, Anna and Ryder written on them. I’ll need another one next year!! I’ll have 4 lil angels then- whoo my cup runneth over!!!!!!

Right inside my Front door is the Reason for the Season!Happy Birthday Jesus. When I worked at the elementary school I made a bulletin board out of gift wrap squares and had squares by teachers of what they wanted  for Christmas  and I had a big square that said “Happy Birthday Jesus” in the middle- a very small child one day said you can get in big trouble for that. I said tell them I’m in the red brick building in room 8 and they can come get me. The very idea- I’m sure they heard that from their parents.

My little tree in the great room has every ornament my kids made me, special ones my friends gave me, some my Mom made me and it is very special to me- underneath it is a picture of two of my best presents ever!

I'll post pictures of my tree later- just wanted to share a little of my Christmas with ya. I'm trying to slow down and enjoy the Season.

I wish for time with all the people I love, fun moments, a nap or two, maybe some snow. Warm cups of hot chocolate and great conversations. Maybe some new board games to play. Grandchild time. Oh yeah -some Christmas cookies. Old traditions like Birthday Party for Jesus- maybe some church friends for brunch.

I don't really need more stuff- we all have too much stuff! I'm going for quality and meaning!

I pray for blessings for all of you~ my blog friends and I thank you for reading me and allowing me to share your thoughts, lives and families. I hope to meet more of you in 2009-Good Lord willing,  there are a few  who it would tickle me pink to meet ya. I'm hoping!!!!

Go find yourself a cup of Boiled custard and put on some Christmas music and count your blessings. I do-if your reading this your one of mine!

Be blessed!

My SSS came on a good day

The day was Saturday- I was a little bummed and worried about my Daddy-he was in the hospital having difficulty breathing and feeling pretty bad. I am a Daddy’s girl! He’s out by the way and I appreciate anyone who prayed for him. He has been Diagnosed with COPD- which is a little scary to us. He still is under the weather, but so glad to be home.

Back to my SSS gift~ I can share these with you…

I looked out the front door to see about the weather and there sat my package. I couldn’t wait to see what My Secret Santa sent me. I opened the box and my first clue was my Secret Santa sure can wrap. Check it out_

The bow and the little Merry Holiday tag were beautiful and I will probably put them on my tree to remember every year.

First I opened my card and it was my first Christmas card of the year.

Next I ripped that paper with gusto and I got my next clue …My Secret Santa has wonderful taste and wears great, expensive shoes…

Yep, the shoe box said Coach and it was some cute little flats, size 8. I told ya- good shoes!

Then I opened the box and found my FAVORITE

and my signature smell…

a gift bag full of Warm Vanilla Sugar from Bath and Body Works.

I honestly love it and I have a few people that when they hug me –they breathe in and say yep that’s the Lorie smell.

I wear it always and I have it in my plugs, so I guess it is just a part of me and  a lovely bag of it was a great gift and a sweet pick me up on my gloomy Saturday.

Thank you Secret Santa- you have not only great shoes but you read something I love and you sent me a sweet gift bag full. Oh yeah and you wrap beautifully and you are thoughtful. I hope your Secret Santa is good to you too!   To see other SSS check Georgie out!

Thanks so much and Be Blessed!

Warm Vanilla Sugar Lovin’

I did not write this, but it's how I feel...

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging. Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.They, too, will get old.I know I am sometimes forgetful.But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed and so many have died before their hair could turn silver. As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.I've even earned the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it.
Be patient with me friends, I have MEMES to do and a package to share and Christmas pictures to post -I've been a little preoccupied-My Daddy-"Poppy" is still in the hospital and that is important to this Daddy's girl. Keep him in your prayers, that he will get better at breathing on his own.
Be blessed!