This morning I fleetingly thought about all the things I NEED to do and then all the things I WANT to do. Sometimes these are two different lists!
Tuesday is the day I keep for ME!!!
And most weeks there is a long list of reasons telling me I should stay home and 'Get Things DONE!"
I turn a deaf ear and open up my laptop to check the movie times at the Starplex.
WHERE else can you go for a good movie for only fifty cents??
Then I call my friends to see what they want to see and check our schedule for the day.
I treasure my Tuesdays and am fiercely protective of them!!
I picked Ruth Ann up and we were off to the Union Gospel Mission thrift store as our first stop!
Meet my 'new' living room Christmas Tree!!!
Louis Dean and I were prepared to pay $200 for a larger nicer tree this year.
We didn't WANT to pay that much but that was the going price. We also didn't want a PRE lit one as once those lights go out - and sooner or later they WILL! - it is such a pain to cut OFF all those wires and bulbs!!!! I walked in and saw this nice tree with MOST of the 'prelit' lights already cut off!!!
I also like the 'feel' of the tree. Not papery or even plastic like. Hard to describe but the important thing is - I LIKE IT!!! Guess the price! $24.99!!! SOLD!!!
I called Louis Dean and he rallied himself and drove up in his truck to load it and take it HOME!
Now meet my dear sweet Ruth Ann (in the red) and my long time friend, Reaoma!
Reaoma was my dear next door neighbor for 17 years and I am her biggest admirer!
We saw Dolphin Tale 2 and loved it!! It featured the Clearwater Aquarium and Museum in Florida.
Ruth Ann's daughter lives there and Ruth Ann has spent a few years in Clearwater herself.
Louis Dean and I went down to visit a few years ago and enjoyed a trip to the Clearwater Beach.
We both liked the feeling that we had 'been there' as we watched the film.
Afterwards we took Reaoma home and then we headed to the Goodwill - just in case there were some treasures there with OUR name on them!
Part of my haul!!! I am going to use some red in our bedroom this year so the red scarf will go on my chest and the star tree topper will go on our bedroom tree. The coffee cup is a good one and I have washed it and it is all ready for in the morning! The ivy and grapevine wreathes (3 of them) will be 'new' to me in the spring!
We only buy glassware from Goodwill so when they break it is no big deal!
Let's just say Louis Dean has now broken enough that these will fit in our cupboard as replacements!
I would rather shop thrift stores than first class department stores any day!!
I always have - even back in the day when I was much wealthier than I am now!
I love the thrill of the hunt and I love that someone else may have already loved these same pieces.
I had a special guest at art class tonight!
Rayne (Summer's daughter) came for a watercolor project!
She makes me smile just to look at her picture!
Granddad stayed in the den! He was barking and coughing like crazy!!
These Texas allergies are HORRIBLE!!!
My Santa wall is up and I am loving it!
I admit it looks a bit strange to have Santas and Fall decor in the same room!
Back to the art table! Summer decided to do a bit of watercolor herself!
Rayne made book markers for her school teachers.
She is a sweetheart!
She loved the Santa wall, too!
I think that one is her favorite!
A little video of her......
Speaking of book markers.....
Tuesday Morning Ladies' Study at the Wissinoming Bible Fellowship Church in Philadelphia.
sent me this photo taken this morning in their Bible Study Class.
These ladies have been powerful prayer warriors since Amber was pregnant with the quadruplets!
Five lives hung in the balance for several months and we have these ladies - and untold others - to thank for the wonderful support and intersessory prayer in behalf of our family.
Thank you so much!! We are so grateful!
Where would any of us be without the prayers of others??
Sometimes we are at such a place in our lives that we are paralyzed and powerless to even pray for ourselves. I have been there. I have also FELT the power of OTHERS praying for me.
May God help me to pray it forward as others have prayed for me and mine!
What a bargain you got, Linda, at $24.99!!! Your photos are so beautiful and heartwarming. If your post doesn't get others into the Christmas spirit I don't know what will!
ReplyDeleteAww, Linda, thank you so much for your kind words. It is our priviledge to pray for you and your family. I feel as if you are a part of my extended family. And in a way, you are!
ReplyDeleteHow cute Rayne is! She just gets cuter all the time. I love her "cheers" with her mom.
Your Santa wall is beautiful!
Your Santa Wall totally fascinates me.
ReplyDeleteThat Christmas tree looks like a good one. Real trees that look like that one grow all around where we live. I love driving out to watch when it's time to harvest trees from the Christmas tree farms.
Some of my friends have felt this. They were totally exhausted and drained, they could not even pray anymore. But they could rely on us to pray FOR them and that got them through. I went to THREE Goodwills today!! Yes, I did! Your Santa wall is quite amazing!! Poor Louis Dean! Is he taking any meds?
ReplyDeleteIt's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...your Santa Wall is stunning. Today I did a "Wanda Day"...left Don home with Molly and just took off by myself. Heading north to where we used to live, and stopped at Ross for Less, then my old favorite thrift shop, visiting my dear friend Elizabeth in the rest home (96) stopped by my daughter Julie, and all four grandchildren were there. Usually they are off at work or college....A skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks and a trunk full of goodies from my shopping. It was a good day....wish I had a friend like you to share it with and a 50 cent movie. But I enjoyed my own company as I drove around. Fixed Don dinner, and I had a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream for my dinner.
ReplyDeleteYou find the best things! So happy you have your Tuesday movie days! What a sweet guest she is really growing up...what would we do without prayers just knowing others Are praying for you is such a relieve
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ReplyDeleteI really like your Santa wall , you have more energy than me to put those up and down every year( telling my age LOL)
I love going to a good thrift store also and we are limited on good ones for sure here in my town, I always like going into the city st Louis or Kansas City for good resale shops
since it is so much work to put up the Santa paintings they need to be up early to enjoy... they look great this year.. Rayne makes a great model, every bit as good as Vanna White is... she is so pretty... i think it is wonderful you do all these things you love to do with your friends. the tree is beyond amazing at that price. i like that type, it looks real, like i would have to touch it to check it... that just might be your best deal ever. i had a 2 foot prelit and i nearly had a nervous breakdown cutting off the lights when they quit.
ReplyDeleteOh I love seeing you 'Christmas'..... last night we were having coffee out and there were Christmas Carols.... Being from the south where Christmas is snow and cold and I just the Christmas and it's 81 outside:)))).... Special student for sure!! She is so cute.... Do you sell your Santa pictures?
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love that little Rayne. I bet she enjoyed being part of the art class. I think your Santa wall is adorable. I know you loved the prayer group ladies...I only know Kathy, she's a kind person with a big heart. You are so right, who of us would not want the prayers of others...we need them. Blessings for you and your family. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteI love your Santa wall. What a great idea! I love going to thrift stores too but don't take the time to go often enough. Prayer is powerful! Nancy
ReplyDeleteSanta wall is amazing! I love charity shops too, the thrill of the hunt gets me every time! X
ReplyDeleteWhat a bargain you found in that tree! I don't have the patience anymore to completely do a tree in lights so a pre-lit is a requirement. I do add some extras ~ different than the lights on the tree already. I'm just not feeling it but trying to get in the mood. Christmas was Abby's favorite holiday and it just isn't the same now.
ReplyDeleteTalking about prayers ~ what in the world would we do without our Lord in our lives? I hear of many people that don't believe and that is so foreign to me. :( I'm like you ~ have had times when I couldn't figure out how to pray but so many did so for me.
I'm so glad you hold Tuesdays for yourself! I've always had to have "me" time. Of course, I have a LOT of it now since retirement but that's ok...I also have family and good friends to share time with.
Your Santa wall is just beautiful! Did you paint all of them? I've always loved Santa faces ~ jolly, happy, jovial ~ whatever you want to call him. Miss Rayne is adorable! So glad she had a good time.
Hoping you are both feeling better as well as your Mom.
xo
Pat
Love your Santa wall, Linda! It's just adorable!
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