Friday's Fave Five #890

Hi everyone!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  Please join in as we look back over the week and  look for blessings in our lives, things that made us smile, uplifted us, helped us to take another step.  They may be big or they may be small, they may have big impact or just be something that may have slipped by had you not paused to think about it.  Whatever they are they are helping us to cultivate a grateful attitude.

~ new water bottle ~ my massage therapist is always telling me I need to drink more water.  She can tell my muscles are lacking enough hydration.  But I find it hard to just chug water all day long.  In an effort to motivate myself I splurged on a really nice water bottle to help motivate me and help me to notice it sitting there patiently waiting for me to pick it up and drink from it.  So far it's worked fairly well.  It's a 4 cup size and I've been drinking it most of it daily since I bought.  Yes, I know the recommendation is 8 cups but I figure 4 is better than what I was doing before.  I find adding lemon or lime slices really helps too.

~ Mother's Day ~ Though none of my kid's were able to be here on actual Mother's Day, I'm grateful we were all able to meet up a couple of weeks ago.  On Mother's Day I got phone calls and txts which were a blessing.  Along with gift cards to buy my bedding out plants and Hubby bought me our traditional Mother's Day lunch and took me to get the stone border I wanted for the front flower bed.  So all in all I'd say it was a lovely Mother's Day.    

~baby shower ~  this week our ladie's bible study group went to the home of our youngest member who had just had a beautiful baby boy.  I won't go into details because it's not my story to tell, but the safe and healthy arrival of this little one was a miracle to celebrate.  We spent a lovely couple of hours sharing gifts with the very happy Mom and getting all the cuddles with the little one we wanted.  Our group is mostly "mature" ladies so full grandma mode was presenting itself.  At the end we prayed over them and blessed them as Mom and babe will now be attending the young mom's group.  

~ movie night ~ Saturday night I was on my own and I could hardly wait to curl up with Neflix's movie adaptation of Remarkably Bright Creatures.  I listened to the audiobook last year and loved it and couldn't wait to see it.  I heard the author was quite involved with the movie and it showed.  Though things had to be left out as is the usual with adaptations, I thought they did a lovely version.  Sally Field was wonderful as the main character.  And just like the book it made me cry.  

~ easier work week ~ most days this week I've only had 3 or 4 kids instead of the usual 6.  Though I mostly prefer when they are all here the bit of a break was nice.  

What were blessings in your life this week that you are grateful for?

• ‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say.
• — Alice Walker

The Defector by Chris Hadfield ~ Book Review

In 1973, a Soviet fighter plane along with it's pilot disappears over Tel Aviv during the Yom Kippur war. Kaz Zemeckis, NASA Flight Controller and former test pilot, on holiday with his girlfriend sees the plane racing by and finds himself very quickly in the middle the mystery.  As it becomes apparent that the Soviet pilot faked the crash and is wanting to defect, the military leaders are split in their opinion. The Russian pilot is very willing to give up the highly guarded secrets to the supersonic jet in order to get his freedom.  Some see it as a victory and others are wary and suspicious.  It is up to Kaz and a handful of others to determine which it is.  

Like the first book in the series, The Apollo Murders, this book is filled with lots of action and suspense.  The first book was set in space while this one deals with the military and test pilot world and the setting is the Cold War rather than space race of the 60's but it carries through with the same main character/hero.  There is just enough references and details from the first to make the story flow if you haven't read the first one.   Chris Hadfield's background as a test pilot himself comes through in his descriptions of aircraft and the military world.  I myself find that interesting but those sections can probably be skimmed if the reader is just there for the thrill ride of the story itself.  The story holds plenty of tension throughout as the layers reveal themselves.  The only thing I feel I must mention to those sensitive to it is an instance of what I would define as animal abuse.  It is easily picked up in the story as a whole chapter is written in the perspective of the animal.  I found it very unsettling and it bothered me for some time afterwards and I question whether it was necessary to carry the story forward.  Skip that chapter is you are sensitive to animals suffering.  Because of that I didn't give it top rating even though it is a great story with edge of your seat action beginning to end.  I can see these being made into movies or tv series at some point.

Rating:  9/10

Friday's Fave Five #889

Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  Another busy week at the Living to Tell household.  So I am extra thankful to once again take an intentional pause and look for my blessings from God this week.  So thankful for this little community that brings back our focus to the good things God brings us each week.

~ date night ~ Friday night Hubby and I headed to our favorite Indian restaurant for a night just to spend with each other.  With how busy it's been it was such a blessing to have this time just to ourselves.  We laughed and talked and reconnected over delicious food.  I'm thankful we can get out just the two of us and enjoy an evening away from the house.  Although we usually do takeout on Friday nights, getting away from the house and all it's to do lists and daily stresses of both of us having work from home businesses, really does help us to relax and let go of those things for a few hours and just focus on us.  So thankful we are able to this once in awhile.

~ hour of prayer ~  Wednesday was the Operation Christmas Child International Day of Prayer.  It was a blessing to meet with other Connect volunteers from my region of Alberta, North West Territories and Yukon and spend and hour praising God for what he did through the Shoebox gifts last year and praying for the upcoming year.  It is so exciting to be part of something so huge and worldwide that God is doing.

~ conference credit for work ~ for work, I have to do 6 workshops, educational opportunities or self care kind of things a year.  When my consultant at the agency I'm contracted with heard I had attended the conference last weekend she said she would credit that towards my goal.  I'm so thankful that I have an agency that is supportive of volunteer events and what is important to their educators.  

~ surprise Amaz*n delivery ~ Saturday a package arrived and neither Hubby or could remember ordering anything.  Turns out it was a Mother's Day gift from my youngest daughter.  She actually mixed up the Sundays, but that didn't matter to me.  Made it more of a surprise.  She got me this adorable solar light turtle for my deck.  Can't wait to put it out with the planters.  

~ trip pictures ~ speaking of youngest daughter, she is on a little mini vacation to Niagra Falls this week and I get daily pictures sent to me.  I so appreciate that all my kids think of me when they are on holidays somewhere.  I love looking at their adventures through their pictures and I live vicariously through them.  I am blessed that my adult children know that I enjoy them sharing their lives with me and are willing to indulge me by sending the pictures.

What have been your favorite blessings this last week?

Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!  Hope you have a beautiful day!

Friday's Fave Five #887

Happy first day of May and welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  It's been a busy week so it's especially needful for me to take an intentional pause on all that busyness and take note of the blessings God has brought my way this week.  Won't you join with me and keep on developing our hearts of gratitude and thankfulness by sharing five of your favorite blessings this week?

~ OCC conference ~  this past Saturday I got to attend my first Connect Volunteers conference for Operation Christmas Child.  I attended online with my regional manager and other Connect volunteers from Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories.  It was a time to reconnect with other Connect leaders, meet the new team members, celebrate what God did last year and learn what new things are coming.  We ended with a great time of prayer together.  What a great way to spend a very blizzardy Saturday.  

~ day trip to Calgary ~ we were actually going to spend the weekend in Calgary so I could join in the conference in person at the Samaritan's Purse headquarters but the weather put a kabosh on those plans.  But we still really wanted to try and make a day trip at least because our oldest was there visiting her siblings.  It didn't look like the weather was going to cooperate for Sunday either with the weather channel changing their predictions hourly.  But mid-morning there started to be a little break in the clouds here and there and the predictions started to level out so we took a chance.  We ended up having a lovely, though short visit.  Did a little shopping and then went out for dinner before we had a nice drive home.  Thankful we were gifted the day to see our kids.

~ chocolate chai ice cream ~ one of my favorites from the little local ice cream shoppe near my house.  I had bought a pint in December when they bring back favorites each day for 23 days.  I finally opened it up and enjoyed a scoop or two this week.  Enjoyed every bite as who knows when and if it will come around again.

~ gorgeous sunshine and warm weather ~ after the cold, wet weekend it was so nice to get beautiful, warm sunshine the last few days.  We've been outside soaking it up, listening to the spring birds singing their song and working off our pent up energy.   Thankful for warm spring days.

~ Hubby's computer knowledge ~  I'm very thankful for Hubby's computer knowledge as yesterday I picked up a virus.  Ugh.  Computer stuff stresses me right out.  But he knew enough to be able to try a few things and thank God, the scans he knew to run and the files he knew to get rid of did the trick.  I so do not know what I'm doing when it comes to those things.  But all is well now.

What were your favorite blessings this week?

• “Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment that causes peace.” ― Todd Stocker

Have a great weekend!

Friday's Fave Five #886

Hi everyone!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  This is our time to take a look back over the week and take note of the blessings that came our way sharing 5 of them.  They can be big  or small, found in good or hard times.  It is an intentional exercise to help us to be thankful and to notice those good gifts that God gives, things that make this life of ours good or things that lift us when it's been tough.  Please join us!

~ long live the tulips ~ I am so happy to report an update on the tulips.  If you don't know what I mean you can check out the last post.  The splash of lemon juice tip was the gift that keeps on giving.  The tulips have looked great all week.  They opened slowly and really nicely. 

 And just to make me even happier, it has been a week and not a droopy one in sight.  They are still standing just as upright and tall as the day I bought them home.  The pic below was taken yesterday.   The flower shop lady sharing her secret with me was a real blessing.  As are beautiful flowers gracing my table and lasting so long!  

~ 1st BBQ of the season ~ Sunday turned out to be a day nice enough to fire up the grill.  Hubby had used a gift card to a butcher shop and bought some nice steaks.  And miracle of miracles I did a great job of getting them cooked just right to how we like them.  Now I don't know about you but the first steak grill of the season is usually touch and go.  I either get it undercooked or overcooked until I get back on a roll with it.  But Sunday's grill went just right.  Enjoying a great meal with Hubby on a quiet Sunday afternoon is a wonderful blessing.

~ x-rays & tests accomplished quickly and smoothly ~ having a child care in my home can make it really difficult to get away to do things like take care of one's health.  Most providers/educators usually feel guilty for having to take time away knowing we are putting family's out as they need to cover that time we close for appointments.  But I needed some x-rays done and the radiology clinic I go to was so accomodating in lining up my tests to be done as quick as possible and very first thing in the morning rather than in the middle of the day sometime which would result in me having to close for 1/2 a day.  I was open at 9 a.m. so parents didn't have to miss a lot of work.  All the techs were awesome and the everything went somoothly.  

~ coffee ~  I do love my coffee but I was especially grateful the morning of the radiology appointments as I had to be at the clinic at the bright and early time of 7:15.  Now I usually start work at 7:30 but on a normal day I ease into the day slowly.  But with the early appointments I had to hit the floor running.  Coffee sure tasted good as the day wore on and the rushed start was catching up with me.

~ more things for the donation box ~ on the weekend I was able to get to some clothing purging.  All in all I got over a dozen items added to the donation box and started a box to take to a consignment store.  Glad that is off my plate and soon the box will be out of the house.  

What are the things you are thankful for this week?

“It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich!”  

–Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Keep Calm and Tulip On

Bye, bye sad little tulips that didn't open

Round 2....Looking much better!  

As I thought C*stco took the other ones back, no problem.  Hubby decided he wanted to not take a chance on another bunch from there in case they were the same batch and wanted to try the other grocery store nearby, so that is what we did.  The floral attendant told us that tulips don't like flower food that you usually get with cut flowers and to add a splash of lemon juice instead.  So that is what I did and so far, so good.  I 💖 tulips!

The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan ~ Book Review

When Emma was thirteen, she was apprenticed to the village baker because she had some baking skills. Working alongside him still at the age of 22, she has learned and became skilled herself.  But when Germany soldiers come and force her beloved mentor to wear the yellow star, life as she knew it changes.  Powerless to help her friend she can only watch as one day they take him away.  Now as the German's hear rumors of ally invasion, her small of town of Normandy is being overtaken with more and more troops.  Emma is forced to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. An exact ration of flour is given her to perform her task.  As Emma watches her neighbors suffer from starvation while she makes baguettes for the enemy, she fights back by slowly introducing ground straw into the flour so she can bake two extra loaves and share them with the villagers.  Slowly she builds a network of trading that keeps them alive.  While Emma feeds their bodies she struggles to keep hope that the whispered invasion of Allies will really happen.

Enjoyed this WWII story from the perspective of a young girl who reaches deep within herself to find the courage to help her neighbors right under the noses of the occupying troops. Through the perspective of her and the villagers the author takes you into the town of Normandy as anticipation of being rescued spreads.  The characters are wonderful and you are drawn into their stories of survival.  The author did a wonderful job in capturing the people of Normandy's everyday survival, courage and helping each other under the watchful eyes of the Nazi troops.  While I've read lots of stories of WWII with lots of upfront heroes such as spies, soldiers, and/or resistance groups this was the first I read of the heroism of those helping their neighbor to survive by taking on acts of quiet courage whilst living in fear on a daily basis. The main character is a flawed hero within her own story and it lends a credibility and realness to the compelling story.  

I gave it a 8.5/10

Friday's Fave Five *885

Happy Friday everyone!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five. I don't know about you but I'm ready to look for some favorite blessings, and it won't be the weather on this list!  We had another snow storm blow through yesterday!  It plunged our temps down to -7*C (19*F).  Whoever is singing "Let it Snow" please just stop!  Spring needs to stick around already!  But ranting about the weather is not what we are here for.  We are here to look for blessings from the past week and be building a life of gratefulness.  So pressing on to the good!

~ tulips ~ Hubby blessed me with cut tulips last week when we ran into a certain warehouse store   that we all know for a few things.  He knows they are my favorite.  Alas, the sad little bunch is going back for an exchange.  They never opened up and just dried up in spite of me doing everything I knew to do.   This has never happened to me with tulips before.  Good thing they came from C*stc0 that takes returns pretty much no matter what.  I just want a bunch that will do what they are supposed to but the blessings is Hubby's thoughtfulness!

~ new spring  jacket ~ while at the aforementioned store, I snagged a great deal on a spring jacket that I was in need of.  I had been striking out at other stores that I usually shop at.  Nobody had exactly what I was looking for.  What a blessing to come across it quite by accident and on sale for a great deal.

~ new snack ~ Hubby found this great snack on a recent grocery shopping trip:  Nothing but organic coconut cut into thin strips.  They are so good and an easy healthy treat. Just like fresh coconut without the hassle.   Now if they would just make a chocolate dipped version!  

~ reconnecting with old friends ~  Friday afternoon we got a phone call from an old friend that they were in town for the weekend and wondered if we might have supper with them.  This couple were very close friends of ours.  He and Hubby grew up together, we went to the same church as young adults, we were Godparents to their oldest two girls, our girls were friends growing up too and he and Hubby had a side business together for awhile.  They moved away for his work and we haven't seen them in many, many years.  What a fun evening catching up with them.  It was like they never left.  Conversation and laughter just flowed.  So thankful they got in touch and we were able to spend time together.  

~ fresh haircut and color ~ my last haircut wasn't my favorite and I was very ready for my appointment this week.  I had her take it back a bit shorter in the back and it feels so much better.  I'm a long hair wannabe but can never handle it when it gets past a certain point.  Thankful I have a good stylist who gets me.  

What are your blessings from the past week?

• “The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.” 
• — Norman Vincent Peale