Day 162.  I love comfort food.  Home made bread, warm soup, and yes caramel popcorn.  These are just some foods that I think of as comfort.  It doesn't matter what kind of day you have had, a good helping of your favorite food makes everything better.  I love getting the cans of popcorn that have three different flavors in them.  I like to mix the flavors some but the kids think that it's wrong to mix them.  Still, it's funny to see which flavor is gone first.  Usually it's  the cheese flavor.  I know everyone has their own favorite foods and flavors.  What about churches?  Do people go to church where they feel comfortable?  Church isn't supposed to make you feel comfortable.  It is supposed to help you grow.  If you are comfortable you will stay right where you are, because growth isn't comfortable.     

Day 161.  Oh the things you do for your kids.  Now that Matthew is attending Texas Tech University, we have to cheer for them.  We usually do anyway, but now it's more personal.  And he doesn't even play ball.  He can't go to the games wearing his OU hoodie, though.  When Texas Tech plays Oklahoma then we are on opposite sides.  There is only so much you will do for them.  It's all in good fun.  We are watching the Meineke bowl tonight, yelling for Texas Tech, and having fun doing it.  What would church be like if we would worship with as much passion as we watch football?  If someone stood up and yelled AMEN like we yell TOUCHDOWN, it might start a revival or just scare every one to death.  Maybe someone should try it.  

Day 160.  Here they are.  My new tires, well one of them anyway.  Nothing special to any one but me.  They aren't over sized or specialized.  They are just tires, and I like them.  The fact that I like them and I am satisfied with them make them that much better.  Maybe that's why God puts up with people.  I don't have to be smarter or better than anyone else, He likes me and that is what matters.  To some people, life is one big competition.  They always have to compare who they are and what they have with people around them.  I learned a long time ago that it doesn't matter how much you have, someone else has more.  And, it doesn't matter how big and tough you are, there is always someone bigger and tougher.  Trying to keep up with those around you will cause you more stress than you might realize.  In the bible Paul said that he had learned to be content with little or with much.  I think the most compared things in the world are children.  Whose is smarter or more talented, which one is better looking or more athletic.  As if our children don't have enough to live up to.  Kids are people, and people are all different.  They have different abilities and different potential.  So, if I brag on my kids, I'm not saying they are better than some one else.  I'm just bragging.  If I brag on what God has done for me, I'm not saying he likes me better than he likes others.  I'm just bragging on what he does, and he does a lot.  The snow that we got on Christmas is almost gone, except in the parking lots.  But, it sure was fun to drive through the parking lots today and not worry about losing traction.  Did I mention that I like my tires.

Day 159.  Well as you can see, or not see, there isn't a picture here.  I did take a few pictures but I really didn't like any of them.  So, I thought I would wait and try tomorrow, but tomorrow kept turning into another day.  I will get back to the pictures, but for now, I need to get caught up on the blog.  Christmas has been great.  We have the greatest kids ever.  It didn't matter what they got, or didn't get, they were happy and even excited for everything.  We didn't have a big pile of presents for each kid.  They just got a few things each.  Like every one else these days it seems there are more bills than income, but once again God provided for everything.  We are so blessed.  Not only just for Christmas but a last minute gift to us made it possible to get new tires on the jeep.  Merry Christmas to me.  Stacy said each kid gave me a tire.  Wasn't that nice of them?  I brined a turkey and roasted it for lunch.  Every one had at least one thing for lunch that they had specifically asked for except Maggie.  All she asked for was dinner rolls and we forgot to set them out to rise.  So we cooked them for supper. It turned out alright. Now its back to the office and on to new years.  What will the new year bring?  It will be good.

Day 153.  The kids were playing around today and said they hoped that if the world ends tomorrow they hope it happens before school.  Stacy told them that it wouldn't happen until after two and then the school would have to go into lock down and they would be stuck there until late.  They did not think that was funny.  We went to see a movie tonight.  We don't get to do that very often.  It was a nice evening.  I love that my family gets along.  I hear families fussing and fighting all the time.  I'm not talking about just not getting along.  I'm talking about calling the police on family members and having them arrested, falsely accusing each other of serious crimes, and, totally refusing to be associated with close relatives.  Thank you Jesus for a family that loves each other. 

Day 152. More dirt, more wind, and then it snowed.  That's right, it snowed.  The day started out with the wind coming out of the south west.  It started gusting up to about 60 mph and kicked up dirt and anything else that wasn't tied down.  And we weren't as bad as a little further south.  But, about three o'clock the wind changed directions and came out of the north.  The temperature dropped about 20 degrees and by three fifteen there were a few snow flakes, and a little later it was snowing so bad that Maggie was hoping, and praying, for enough snow that school would be cancelled on Thursday.  It only snowed enough to get the dirt out of the air, and that was good.  The wind didn't stop until almost midnight.  We had our annual church Christmas banquet but the weather didn't keep every one away.  A lot of work went into making this a great event.  We had a really good turn out and the food was wonderful.  We have an awesome bunch of people.  On another note.  As I was choosing a photo for today, I hit auto correct to see what the computer would do with it.  It corrected the sky to blue and took out all of the haze.  It made it look like it was a beautiful day.  Don't you wish that some days you had an auto correct button.

Day 151.  Tonight was Annie's school program.  She is not lacking in the drama genes.  She loves to perform.  Here she is being one of Santa's helpers singing, "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town".  She loves the part that says, "you better watch out," that's why the finger is pointing and shaking.  She got to pass out candy canes too.  So, it's Tuesday, tomorrow night is the Church Christmas banquet.  Matthew should get to come home for the banquet, and stay for a little while.  Hopefully, he will hear about a job tomorrow.  I know that will make him feel better, and us to.  We signed the lease for his apartment today locking in the rate for another year.  So it should be a pretty good Christmas.  Not much in the way of presents, but we will be together and that will be good.

Day 150.  I seem to be having more fun creating different effects than actually finding shots.  That and I can't seem to find time to go out looking for shots.  It is fun to see what I can come up with though.  Like a time warp through Christmas.  By now you know that I like to remember past Christmases, but I wonder what future Christmases will be like.  That is if we make it past the Mayan end of the world this year.  What will future Christmases be like.  As technology increases, what will be the latest gadgets that all the kids want.  Maybe one day we will gather around holographic trees.  We won't even have to decorate a tree.  We already sit around fake fire places.  Whatever the future is like, I'm sure we will adjust and enjoy it.

Day 149.  We had the children's Christmas program Sunday morning.  It went very well.  All the kids did a great job.  It is funny to watch the children and see which ones seem to take to the stage naturally and which ones struggle being in front of a crowd.  Like I said, all the kids did great, but I am a parent to three of them, so those are the ones I will brag on the most.  For some reason all of my children have a flair for drama.  Dugan says he doesn't like to be in front of a crowd, but put him on the stage and he can really act it up.  But no one can put it on like Maggie.  She has a great ability to memorize lines, and she isn't afraid to really put some flair into it.  She was toned down for the Christmas program, which worked out well.  When she was in kindergarten, her class did a program about the three little pigs.  Her teacher came to us later and told us that when Maggie wins her first Academy award she hopes that Maggie will remember her.  I don't push that dream too much.  If she decides to be something besides an actor, well that will be just fine.  Whatever they decide to do, they have what it takes to succeed. 

Day 148.  I wasn't really expecting to have my picture back on here so soon, but we took some family pics today.  Matthew wasn't able to be here for them.  We waited until now so he could be here but something came up.  It was hard on Stacy to have family pictures without Matthew, so she asked me to insert his head from another picture.  She wanted it to look like I inserted it, so it would be kind of funny.  Well, it definitely looks funny.  I don't think we will use it for cards though.  We do miss him at home, but I'm glad he has his own life.  When Matthew was about three years old, we got a puppy from the local shelter.  Matthew named him Poogiebo, remember he was three.  We called him Bo.  Bo was a mixed breed but he was a natural herder, and he was always herding Matthew.  It was very funny.  I trained Bo to find Matthew when he was hiding.  I would hide Matthew somewhere and then tell the dog to find him.  Bo always found him.  I guess I just wanted to know that if Matthew ever wandered off, we could find him.  He never did wander off, but we were ready if he did.  It was hard at first to not know where he was or what he was doing when he first went to college.  Now, days go by before we hear from him.  After three days we get a little anxious and have to call or text him.  What can I say, letting go is a process.

Day 147.  It actually rained today.  Not a lot, but it was rain.  It has been months since we have seen drop of rain.  The river is dry, the lakes are dry, and I heard some ranchers this morning talking about their wells going dry.  It seems we may be headed to another dust bowl, or perhaps becoming a desert.  We will pray for more rain, enough rain to replenish this thirsty land.  I guess I'm looking for something to ease the sorrow of this day.  Today, Friday 12/14/12, a man walked into an elementary school in Connecticut and killed 26 people.  Twenty of them were children.  As more of the story comes out, it only gets worse.  I can not imagine the hurt that those parents and families are going through tonight.  If this country ever needed another spiritual outpouring, it is now.  Lord send the rain, or better yet, come quickly.


Day 146.  I was thinking about this blog the other day and realized that if I didn't have any pictures of myself then I wouldn't see how I have changed in a year.  I don't really like taking my own picture but I do want to know how this year has changed me.  So here I am, and every once in a while I will add another.  I went to get my hair cut a few days ago and the girl commented on how much gray I was getting.  I guess that is one way I will be changing this year.  This is my week to write the ministers article for the newspaper.  I found that it was easier to do than usual.  I wrote it like I write on this blog except it was quite a bit longer.  I didn't try to be all scholarly and religious, I just wrote what I was thinking.  So, that is another way I seem to be changing, and it's only been five months.  What else will this year bring.

Day 145.  I can't seem to be completely still when I take pictures, so, I decided to use that to my advantage.  I purposely slow down the shutter and move the lens in different patterns just to see what I get.  What may seem like a botched picture is actually done on purpose, and turns out pretty cool.  The problem is picking which one to post.  Now, I have to get caught up on posting, I'm a few days behind.  This is for Wednesday, 12/12/12.  There is a lot of hype over the date, but really it is just another day.

Day 144.  I know, this isn't a Christmas picture.  It isn't even a current picture.  It was taken in February at a men's retreat.  We had a blast.  I was reminded of the trip a couple of times in the last few days.  I don't know if I will get to go this year.  The guys that went with me won't be able to go.  It may just be a couple of us going, but if I can get a couple to go then we will.  Back to Christmas, this is shaping up to be such a busy week.  Can someone tell me why school teachers give out so much home work right before Christmas break?  Don't they plan for this?  They know it's coming up, and yet, there are two projects and two essays due.  And, they were just handed out a few days ago.  When you put that on top of the band concerts and choir concerts the kids don't have time to breathe much less attend after school activities.  I think they could have been working on some of this a month ago instead of watching movies in class.  Just my opinion.  I don't think class time should be used for movies any way.  That's my rant for the day.  By the way, the cheese cake on Monday night was awesome.  Again, my opinion.  But hey, it's my blog.

Day143.  More lights.  What can I say, it's Christmas.  When Christmas is over I won't have lights to take pictures of so I am taking advantage of them now.  Life is like that.  We take advantage of what is before us.  If I know what is coming up, then I plan on how to take advantage of that.  Like new years or valentines day.  How about the end of the world?  I haven't started hoarding supplies or built a special shelter.  But, I have made arrangements for what I consider to be the end.  When this age is over, and it will be someday, all of the hoarding and prepping won't save you.  Only one thing can save you on that day.  And that is faith in Jesus Christ.  There is never a bad time to turn to Christ, but what a special time this would be.  As we celebrate His birth, we also celebrate our birth in Him.  Christ is no myth.  Santa Clause is the myth, the legend.  Jesus is the truth, the way, and the life. 

Day 142.  It's raining light.  Not really, but it was snowing earlier.  Well, it was blowing a little snow though the area.    I'm psyching myself up for cold weather.  I used to tolerate the cold better than I do now.  Some people tell me it is because I'm getting older, but that's not it.  I just like warmer weather and I am not ready to give it up this year.  But, I do like the lights.  How many lights can you put on a single Christmas tree?  Several years ago I worked at a Sears store in the Christmas shoppe.  I got the task of decorating the trees that were on display.  We would wrap 15 to 16 strings of lights on each tree, and then put all the ornaments on.  We had a list of everything that went on a tree and we had to make sure it would all go on.  It never failed that there would be people who would buy the trees already decorated.  I couldn't believe how much they were willing to spend.  For years after that I would have to decorate my tree the same way.  Now we have a pre lit tree and I let the kids put most of the ornaments on.  I like this way better.  I have so many cool memories of Christmases past, I'm sure every one does, and it is fun to remember them.  And, it is just as fun making new ones.

Day 141.  I made this today.  It's for a Christmas party Monday night.  I just hope I can stay out of it until then.  It is  a chocolate truffle covered New York style cheesecake.  Just in case some one doesn't like cheesecake we will have another dessert.  There will also be chocolate truffles to eat as well.  Stacy gets to do the dinner, I just did the dessert.  I did it today so it will be nice and chilled, plus there won't be much of a chance to get it done after today.  I'll let you know Monday night how it tastes.

Day 140.  Here it is.  The science teacher told Maggie that it is ok to use the rat trap for her project.  Check out the size difference between the two.  The object is to use the trap to power the car to go 10 meters, and hopefully have the fastest time doing it.  For some reason both of these veer to the right, but the big one does go the 10 meters.  Just hope she gets a good grade.  It was fun building them and testing them.  As soon as I got finished with Maggie then I helped Annie with her project.  My part wasn't hard.  Dugan actually did a lot of the work.  It looks really good.  It is a diorama depicting the American Indians that lived in Pueblos.  And we actually had time to go to the church so they could practice the Christmas program.  It has been a very productive day.  In a few weeks I will be looking for something to do.  But, I guess that's life.

Day 139.  Jr. High is such an adventure, for parents.  This week we are making mousetrap cars.  This is the first prototype that Maggie and I built.  Once we get it finished then I will help Dugan with his.  He doesn't want his to look like hers.  I forgot how fun 8th grade science is.  In the mean time I get to help Annie make an Indian pueblo in a shoe box.  I don't mind, because I think these things are fun.  Stacy helps them with Math, Speech, and English.  What do kids do when their parents don't or won't help with school work.  I'm glad we are able to help.  It keeps us all connected.  I don't know everything that my kids get into, but I know most of it, and they aren't afraid to talk to us.  So, I will continue to help with science projects and band trips, or what ever it takes.  Children are a blessing from the Lord, and blessed is the man whose quiver is full.  I am blessed and I know it.

Day 138.   Since I don't paint, I thought that it would be fun to take a picture of a bowl of fruit.  So I did.  Tangerines, apples, and bananas, oh my.  The bowl is an Hazel Atlas depression glass batter bowl.  I didn't know that when I got it out of the cabinet.  I just knew that it belonged to my Granny.  After closer inspection I saw the Hazel Atlas symbol on the bottom and started searching the web.  It is amazing what you can find out with just a little investigation.  The bowl works well for the picture.  As I was transferring the pictures from my camera to the computer, Dugan asked me "Dad, when you were you young, did you ever think about being a professional photographer?"  I said no, and he asked why.  I had to think about it.  I don't know why.  I've always liked to take pictures.  I never considered it as an option though.  I do know that God has always had a plan for me, and now it includes taking pictures.  I am far from being a professional, but with some help and a lot of encouragement from family and a great teacher, I am getting better.  Maybe someday God's plan will lead me to learn painting, then I will paint a bowl of fruit.  And I will use the same bowl.   

Day 137.  What a way to travel.  This wagon came through town earlier this year going north, now he was coming back going south.  Everywhere he stops people come to him, take pictures of the wagon, bring food, or just talk.  Where ever he goes he has something to say, a message to get out.  Can you guess what it is?  I haven't seen him out on the corners shouting at the passers by, or calling people over to him.  He just passes through with his message printed on the side of his wagon.  If you want to talk to him, ok, if you don't that's ok too.  He stays a few days and then slowly and quietly leaves, spreading his message at the next town.  I know his message, but what is his mission?  I would need to ask him about that, but for me it is two fold.  The first is to preach to people that Jesus saves, and the second is to remind Christians that we all have a mission. 

Day 136.  I was looking at some pictures from earlier this year.  It was barely six months ago when my family got to go spend a week in Florida.  We had a wonderful time.  What I noticed the most is the difference in my children.  They have grown so much this last six months.  Annie is no longer a little kid, she has become a preteen. Dugan and Maggie both  look more like adults than children.  All these changes are making this a very special Christmas.  Our family is moving into a new dimension.  Leaving the little kid world behind and moving ahead, preparing for life as almost adults.  I say almost adults because I'm not sure I have made adult status yet, so I cant expect my kids to be there.  Although I have noticed a few more gray hairs showing up.  They are supposed to indicate wisdom and maturity, right?

Day 135.  Ok, one more decoration.  This is one of our favorites.  How could we forget it?  Stacy found it in a closet with some blankets.  It is a little snow globe shaped like a Christmas tree with an LED light in the bottom.  The light changes colors as the glitter swirls around.  It is mesmerizing to watch.  Sometimes it is simple little things that impress us the most.  We make life too complicated to enjoy.  I remember a time when a stick and a rock, or a tin can, kept us entertained for hours.  When we would spend time with our grandparents we would have dirt clod fights.  That is just what it sounds like.  You divide into teams and throw dirt clods at each other.  In case you don't know, a dirt clod is a clump of dirt that is packed together, like a snow ball except it's dirt.  What is complicated about that?  Plus, it was free and didn't take batteries or have to plug in.  I love it when my kids take their nerf guns outside and just play.  You just can't beat the simple things.

Day 134.  Dugan mowed the yard for the last time this year, I think.  It shouldn't need to be mowed again.  It isn't growing now, but it did need to be cleaned up.  It looks nice now and the girls want me to put up Christmas lights.  That will have to wait until Monday.  I have the lights, but I don't have clips and I really don't want to use staples.  I will do something though.  I drove around a little tonight and saw the other houses with lights.  Some decorate for the nativity and some for the festivity.  I just like the lights and all the decorations.  I know why I celebrate Christmas, and it isn't about the decorations, they just make it prettier.

Day 133.  Today I had lunch by myself so I went to the park and sat at one of the picnic tables.  The park was pretty empty of people, but there were a lot of birds.  I sat there listening to the birds making racket and finding which ones were making which noise.  Then I realized I was being watched as well.  He sat on that branch and kept an eye on me.  He knew every time I moved.  I began to think of him as the park sentinel, keeping an eye on everything under his charge.  He was doing a good job.  When I approached to take his picture, he didn't budge.  He just kept watching me.  I wonder what he thought of my camera lens staring back at him.  He never left his post, he just kept watching.  It doesn't matter where I go, there is always someone watching over me.  "For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know, he watches me."

Day 132.  Life is easier if you think of it as a journey and not a predicament.  Life is a journey that God has set us on and every event is another step in that journey.  Some steps are rocky and others are easily marked, but every step leads to the next.  So, I just keep on stepping because I know that God has a plan for my journey.  He promised that His plans are not to harm me but to prosper me and give me hope and a future.  What a great journey.

Day 131.  Maggie is such a good sport.  She will do just about anything for me to take a picture.  Even crawl under the Christmas tree.  She is such a pretty young lady, inside and out.  On another note, I found out this week that my sister and her family are in a tv commercial.  Then last night I was watching tv and there they were.  So, I watched the same show tonight to see if they would show it again and they did, twice.  How cool is that?  I think it is very cool.  It is a cleartalk wireless commercial and it comes on during the Jimmy Kimmel show.  I recorded it tonight so I can show Stacy and the kids.  Way to go Mitchells, you guys rock.

Day 130.  One more decoration to show, just because.  I got this little tree for Stacy several years ago.  It is a lot like one at her grandparent's house that she grew up with.  It's a cool little tree that is lit by a single bulb in the base and has little light shaped pegs that fit into the holes and the light shines through them.  Stacy loved putting the pegs in every Christmas.  It was such a neat memory for her that I looked for one of these trees for our house.  Target started carrying them and I surprised her with it.  I don't know if they still have them or not, but, this one is helping our kids make memories.  They are very careful with it and love to set it up, so, the tradition comes full circle.  

Day 129.  It really hasn't been cold yet but it will get there.  When I was little I didn't want snow at Christmas because we usually got a toy that had to go outside, and it wasn't a sled, plus we would get too loud to stay inside.  The older I get, the more I appreciate my parents.  I don't like cold weather but I do like snow, so, if it is going to get cold then I think it should snow.  The weather doesn't care what I think.  It will do what it does and I will adjust and live with it, and be happy to be alive.  

Day 128.  Today I wanted to show off some of Stacy's handiwork. All of our stockings are handmade and stitched by her.  They are counted cross stitch patterns.  Mine wasn't too bad, but look on down at Annie's, the entire front is covered with stitches.  It took her several years to complete all of them.  It was pretty funny looking over the years when some of them were done and others weren't so we used plane stockings, and had some stitched and some not.  They all served their purpose so it was ok, it just looked kind of funny.  She started working on a tree skirt several years ago, but stopped to complete the stockings, and we have a quilted tree skirt, anyway.  Maybe someday she will work on it again, but it's ok if she doesn't, I like the quilted one.  So, we have personalized ornaments and stockings, and we have a collection of Nativity scenes,( see day 18).  I guess we have our own Christmas traditions that we are passing down to our kids.  When the kids grow up and have their own families they will start their own traditions.  I'm still not sure if Stacy and I will allow them to take their ornaments and stockings.  I will cross that bridge when I get to it. 

Day 127.  Thanksgiving is over and now we look toward Christmas.  We put up our tree today, and it looks pretty good.  We don't put tinsil or garland on it anymore, just our ornaments.  Every year we each get to pick out a new ornament.  They are dated and our name is written on it.  That makes the ornaments to special to cover up.  We are at the point that if we put garland on the tree it will cover up ornaments and no one wants theirs covered.  So, we leave it off.  It makes the tree look bare until you notice how many ornaments are really there.  I used to make the family wait for a week or two after Thanksgiving to put the tree up.  Then we would leave it up until after New Years.  Now, because the kids do a lot of the work, we put it up sooner and it comes down before New Years.  I like it better this way.  I love Christmas and the lights and all, but I also love when the house gets back to normal, and we can get back to a routine.  Honestly I never thought I would say that, but I have grown accustomed to having a routine.  Not for me, but the kids do better on a routine.  When they do better, I do better.  Yep, it's all for the kids.

Day 126.  Before lunch yesterday, we were outside playing with the dogs.  Brody loves Dugan, and Dugan loves him, too.  We were commenting on how long Brody's tongue is, and there it was.  By the way, Brody is the dog.  I couldn't see if any of the pictures I took were in focus or not.  Today I got new glasses and I get to look at all the pictures I took.  I thought this picture was great.  So, here I am catching up on my blog, wearing my new glasses.  Merry Christmas to me.  Actually, that's all I want this year.  To be able to see my family up close and in focus.

Day 125.  What a gorgeous day.  Thanksgiving day and it's 74 degrees outside.  After a great lunch most every one needs a walk.  Usually I help Stacy with the dishes while the others take a walk.  This year Matthew agreed to help with the dishes and I went on the walk.  What a great bunch to walk with.  We had five dogs along with us too.  The best part is that after the walk we go back, the dishes are done, and we get to go home and take a nap.  Because, after the nap, the Christmas shopping begins.  Well, at least for some.

Day 124.  If you remember back at day 100 I lost my glasses.  I got out my old pair and have been using them sense.  Today as we were shopping my glasses weren't fitting right so I was adjusting them and they broke.  Now I can't see to read, or blog.  All of my life I haven't needed glasses at all, until about 4 years ago.  Now it seems that I depend on them everyday, and what may not seem like a big change in my eyesight really affects the way I see and feel.  I am writing this a few days late because I couldn't see to do it, but, I will catch up to that.  All my life I have heard that you don't know what you have until it's gone.  If you don't understand that, just wait.  There are some things I pray that I never have to find out what it's like to be without. 

Day 123.  I can't believe these trees are still changing.  When so many trees are already bare these are still holding on.  It won't be too long now until they are red and then finally they will lose their leaves also.  When every thing seems to be dormant and lifeless there is still life waiting to spring up.  It' like the resurrection.  Just when the world thought that Jesus was dead, God raised him up to life.  Hold on, spring is coming.

Day 122.  I can't believe it is almost Christmas.  It is not Thanksgiving yet but the city has already lighted/lit up the street decorations.  Tomorrow night is supposed to be the official time to light them up.  Most of the decorations are candy canes or bells or trees, but their are two toy soldiers.  One on the east end of town and one on the west end.  This one is at our street, the east side of town.  Last year the light crew messed up and put him on the other side of the street.  We were pretty upset, and Annie was afraid that we wouldn't know where our street was.  This year they got it right.  It's nice to know that he will be standing guard once again where we sill see him every night.  

Day 121.  We had our Thanksgiving lunch at church today, and it was good.  The food was good, and the fellowship was great.  Then, we went to the community service tonight.  It was a great day and I'm going to leave it at that.

Day 120.  Saturday is a good day, a busy day.  At the end of the day I look back and realize I don't have a picture.  I had plans for one, but it didn't pan out.  I guess from now on I should really have a back up plan.  I take pictures that I think will be pretty good only to get them on the computer and find out they are out of focus or just plain blurry.  Needless to say, somedays are very frustrating.  Then you find that you took a really great picture, so you keep going.  This isn't that shot.  But, it was fun.

Day 119.  Yeah, we did it finally.  We made popcorn balls tonight.  They are so addictive.  I probably won't go to sleep for a while.  We use an old recipe that Stacy's Mimi passed down.  It uses white Karo syrup and butter and vanilla.   I don't know why we only make them around Halloween and Thanksgiving, except that it is for my own good.  Making popcorn balls has become a fall tradition for our family, and one I look forward to and hope will keep going.  Some traditions die because they are no longer relative to the family and some traditions continue because they bring the family closer together.  This one definitely brings us closer.  

Day 118.  The twins were both inducted into the Junior National Honor Society tonight.  It was pretty cool.  There are over 350 students in the eighth grade at their school and tonight there was 57 inducted.  That's pretty good I think.  They are in a good class.  I love that.  We have prayed for this all of their lives and God has been so gracious.  They will have good friends for life now and that is priceless.

Day 117.  A couple of years ago, I got into some carving classes at the local art center.  The goal was to get good enough to carve on a walking stick.  The instructor was pretty good and made it look easy.  I finished two faces before my schedule wouldn't allow me to keep attending.  It was a lot of fun and I met some good people.  I didn't have the right tools so I had to borrow some, and that's not fun.  Anyway, it's seems to be getting harder to find things to take pictures of.  I really need to get out to the park or someplace besides home or the church.  But that is where I am everyday, home and the church.  These last couple of days I haven't been motivated to take a picture, but, Stacy won't let me quit.  I am glad for that, because I do want to finish this project.  Only 248 days to go.

Day 116.  This is actually from Saturday.  Dugan played in the All Region Band and they did so great.  He is also pretty good at tennis, and getting better.  I hope all my kids realize that they can do anything if they really try, and I love watching them try.  Dugan wasn't sure he wanted to try out for the All Region Band.  He had some good encouragment that helped him decide.  When it was over he was so glad he did.  Life is to full of regrets over things we didn't do.  I'm glad this experience will never be a regret for him.  And next year will be even better.

Day 115.  The next time I move, if there is a next time, I will have a check list for things to look out for.  One of those things is to see what kind of trees are in the yard.  Almost all trees make a mess in the fall with leaves and in the spring with blossoms.  But, we have sticks in our yard all year round.  The very large globe willow is constantly dropping them.  Most are small, but there is quite a few that are pretty large. So, quiet often we go pick them up, especially after a windy day.  Saturday was very windy and the yard was full of branches.  Maggie helped me pick them up and take them off.  I wonder if Jesus gets as tired of cleaning me up as I do cleaning up those sticks.  I'm glad his patience is great.

Day 114.  It is Veterans Day.  We had a great service this morning honoring our veterans and encouraging patriotism.  The uniforms we displayed were from guys that go or have gone to our church.  It was very cool to see the different style uniform from different wars.  There was a time, about 30 years ago, that I felt that the veterans hospital was only a place for soldiers to go to die.  The one time I went there was not a good experience.  I have been back several times since and wow what a change.  It is an up to date facility and they take very good care of our service men and women.  I am so pleased to be able to say that.  Because, our veterans deserve the best. 

Day 113.  I know that the dust bowl days were worse than this, but I didn't experience those days.  I did experience this, today.  The dirt gets in your mouth and eyes, nothing can keep it out.  I opened the door and I could feel the dirt blowing in.  I was afraid that if I took a picture no one would be able to tell what it was.  So, I waited for a vehicle to either drive out of it or into it.  Now you can see it.  What you can't see is the building and the windmills that are just past where the truck is.  They are completely blocked out by the dirt.  If we don't get rain soon, and a lot of it, the dust bowl won't be such a distant memory,  Lord we need rain, not a sprinkle, not a rain that comes fast and hard and leaves the same way.  We need a ground soaking, lake filling, aquifer replenishing, rain.  Could you send it very soon, thank you.

Day 112.  My girls.  Annie is not really scared, she is trying to keep her eyes open from the flash.  She has the hardest time with that.  I know that everybody says this but my girls ARE the best.  If I told you about them as individuals this post would be so long no one would read it.  So I'll try to keep it short. They all have the same quirky sense of humor, that I love, and an over developed sense of loyalty, that I depend on, and a desperate need to follow the rules.  They all have strong personalities that make them awesome friends, and great leaders.  But, to me they are My Girls, and I love them so much.

Day 111.  Tonight I was at a place where I got to see the sunset.  Usually I only get to see it rise.  There I was out with the family and I looked up and there was this really cool sunset.  I got up and went to get a better perspective.  Stacy told me later that Annie asked her where I was going, and she replied, "he has his camera and he saw something, that's what he does."  I had to laugh, because it's true.  There isn't to many times that we go somewhere and I don't have my camera with me.  If I'm not taking my camera I make sure that Stacy has her small one in her purse, just in case.  I am realizing more and more every day that it is very easy to overlook so many of God's blessings in my life.  From the colors in the sunset to the beauty and uniqueness in our family.  We are so blessed.  I may not catch all of them, probably not most, but I want to be sure and find as many as possible.  I will never run out of things to praise God for. 

Day 110.  Went to watch a JV football game tonight.  The little boy here is not yet two.  He really likes Dugan, almost as much as he likes his own big brother.  His brother was playing in the game so he was content to sit in Dugan's lap.  When Dugan was small he would somehow find the one person in a room who had had a bad day or was struggling with life, and he would go to that person and just sit beside them.  Of course they would start talking to him and by the time we left Dugan would have somehow managed to make the person laugh and feel better.  He still has that gift, but being a teenager, he doesn't use it so much anymore.  It is hard for a young man to have so much compassion and empathy for others and yet still be considered masculine.  But, he does it well. 

Day 109.  Early in our marriage we made a trip over to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  While we were walking around just looking in the shops and having a nice time, I found a little bowl.  It was about the size of a cereal bowl.  It was made by a Navajo Indian lady who was well known for her pottery.  The store wanted over $300.00 for that little bowl.  I turned redneck on the shop owner and told her that I could make a bowl like that out of the mud in my back yard.  Actually, I just told Stacy that, and then we left the store pretty quick.  Just shopping around we found out that the Navajo Indian art was more popular and also more well known, so it was expensive.  But, if you could find some Arapaho Indian art pieces it wasn't too bad.  Guess who made this vase.  Yes, it is by an Arapaho artist.  I bought it for about fifteen dollars.  I like it just as much if not more than that little bowl.  I understand that the worth of an item depends largely on who made it.  What I don't understand is who sets these prices.  I should be worth a fortune, because I was made by a master craftsman.  As a matter of fact, He is still perfecting his work in me.  But, who of us was not created by the same craftsman.  God does not make mistakes and He values each of us enough to pay the ultimate price to make sure we can be with him forever.

Day 108.  I really like this little band of ponies out on the plains.  They are actually starting to pose for me.  I have to stop on the side of the highway and get out to take their picture but I think it is worth it.  The cars and trucks passing by don't seem to mind, they don't even slow down.  It is amazing how much of life just passes us by.  "Stop and smell the roses", "Wake up and smell the coffee".  We want to slow down and experience the small but important things in life, but, there is too  much going on.  If I slow down I can't get everything done.  There is more to life than just getting things done.  When we lived in Alabama the people there described it as being in the middle of the road all day.  Sometimes you do need to slow down and enjoy the journey.  We used to tease my brother that he never tasted any of his food.  He just swallowed it so fast that he couldn't even tell what it was.  So, I take the time to get off the road every once in a while and let the world pass on by.  When I get to the end of my life I want to be able to look back and say, "Man, that was good." 

Day 107.  This picture was actually taken in March of 2011.  But it is one of my favorites that I have ever taken.  On Sundays I don't always have time to take a picture, so I picked this one instead.  The fog was so thick that day, that the turbines just appeared up in the air.  I know some people don't like the fog.  They think it is creepy.  I, however, love the fog.  I think it is so cool how things just come out of nowhere.  Miracles just appearing.  Yes, I like the fog.