Help

If you can, please visit the Red Cross to give whatever you are able to spare to help those in need. The death toll in the tsunami's wake is now beyond what my heart and mind can fathom.

Please remember to mention those in need in your prayers.

Little Dancers

Found some time this month to see my favorite ballerina

She's having fun in the class

Now her little sisters can hardly wait for their turn


O.k. I know it has been ages since I sat down to chart on my progress through this life. Those of you sending e-mails requesting funeral information may stop doing so. While there isn't much evidence to support it, I am indeed alive and mostly well.

I just survived my first holiday season in retail. Those who know the dangers already feel my pain, and the rest of you I will spare the horrors. Fortunately most of our clientele are super. Not much to complain about other than being phenomenally tired.

We are now in the middle of our busiest time. Only once a year does our best selling product go on sale. This means that contrary to every other retailer, January is our biggest month. I expect to be tired for a while yet.

I will try to post a year in review on Saturday. Check back then.

Let your love be known

Last week was my father's birthday. I called to give my wishes and sing a song. It's just something we do in my family no matter how old you become. This year when I turned 43 my parents called and sang to me. It's a silly but important ritual to the day.

Rituals can be comforting. While all the world is changing around us it is good to have some things that will always be the same. The ritual itself is not anything special, what's special is the love that accompanies it. I don't place much importance on the tradition, I do on the love it shows.

Too many times with our family and friends we forget to let them know we care for them. We assume they know we cherish them. If there is only one thing I have learned in my life it is to let those you care about know how much you do care for them.

Tonight I spent some time with my favorite songbirds. I told them a story of a girl who would always let those close to her know she loved them. The story explained all those she loved were happy to know of her love, and the happiness it brought her. We talked about the many ways to show and to tell loved ones they are loved. I used the example of calling my dad last week to sing a song over the phone. This led to them wanting to do the same. Daddy wasn't answering the phone just then so we did the next best thing and you can find it in the entry below.

Sing a song of birthdays

Can't wait

Looking forward to seeing them and their big sister tomorrow night for dinner.


After having a difficult week working and looking for work, dinner with friends tomorrow night sounds like a great idea. Add having 2 flat tires at the beach yesterday and it sounds even better.

Work tonight was good. Gift wrap wonderland has come to visit and the buyer really outdid herself this year. I used to love visiting the store when the wonderland was in place. It's just as much fun working in it.

Photo op part 2

Here's the other half of the dynamic duo

they can be a fun and busy handful

So although you leave them feeling tired, it's a good feeling.

Wanted to be sure to give the partners in crime equal time.

Spent the whole day in space planning. I really need to come up with a new word for tired. What I am now goes way beyond exhaustion.

Fortunately I have the day off tomorrow. I plan to make it to church and then to do nothing else. Hope your day goes well for you.

Photo op

Here's half of the dynamic duo I spent most of the day with

We had great fun outside

Got tired enough for a good long nap.


Check back later for pictures of the other half. She and her older sister did leave songs below.

Everybody wants to sing

Big sister wants to sing too

Beautiful music

Tonight I spent time with my favorite little girls again. We started with a fun and interesting dinner. Good food and varied conversation. We then played quite a bit with lots of imagination and energy. Moved from that to bath time in the kitchen sink.

Julia seems convinced that any night I am here calls for special tubbies in the sink. All goes well but it is getting harder and harder to get five year old big sis in and out of the sink. We may have to abandon that soon.

Julia is singing often these days. The last time I was over, she sang to my mom on the phone. She wanted to sing on the phone again so I had her share the soundbite below with you. Hope you enjoy it.

Getting ready to face a big week. I have something scheduled for work every day for the next 8 days. Tiring but necessary to meet budget demands and to be able to purchase groceries. God provided well this week with coupons and a kind friend who bought me dinner at church on Wed. It has been an amazing year and I am humbled by how good God has been to me.

Hope this next week is a great one in your life too.