Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  It's the wonderful day of the week where we can take a pause and look for the blessings in our busy week, then taking the next step of being grateful for them.  Please join in with us!

~ concrete out and taken away ~  my big garden project this year was to remove the concrete hunks that I had as a front garden border and put in the nice bricks.  The concrete came out easier than expected and the job was done in no time.  Hubby hauled it to the top of the drivewary out of the way for me saving me that hard work.   Big bonus: one of my dayhome parents even hauled it away for me as he could use it for something to do with his dugout on the acreage.

~ new stone border in ~  Saturday morning the weather turned cool with predictions of rain.  It made the hard work of putting in the new stones for the border so much easier than having to do it in the heat.  I got it all done just before the first raindrops started to fall.  I love how it turned out.  It matches the round front flower bed and looks so much nicer that chunks of broken concrete!  

~ no floods, no water in the house, fire bans lifted ~  speaking of rain, boy did it ever!  Four days straight!  It had been so dry before.  Our city already had a couple major coulee fires this year and we were already in a fire ban.  The rain wet it all good and deep so now that is lifted.  And I am so thankful that with all that rain, though the river is high it hasn't flooded and no water seeped into the house.

~ lupins a blooming ~ after a few years of my lupins working on getting established this is their year!  They are showing off splendidly.  It makes me happy raising the curtains each morning and seeing them in all their glory. 

~ visit from son ~  my son came for a visit this weekend.  Though the rain prevented us from doing the sorts of stuff we would have liked, like hiking and bike riding, the time spent together was enjoyable.  We did a little shopping, watched a movie, cooked a nice Sunday lunch and just enjoyed having him home.  Two weekends in a row having one and another of the grown kids home makes this Mama's heart happy and thankful.

What were your favorite blessings from your last week?

Friday's Fave Five #892

Hello everyone!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  It's time to look back on the week and find some things that made our days uplifting showing the hand of God in our lives.  They could be small things, they could be huge happenings but in our day to day lives they were something that made us smile.  They were a blessing.  Please join with us as we intentional train our eyes to look for God's blessings and be thankful for them.

~ waking up to sunshine after a week of gray and cold ~  the last week had been so gray and chilly that predictions of a warmer week were very welcome.  Well a warmer week we did get.  We went straight into summer weather with temps in the high 20's (C).  That's in the 80's F!    Crazy whiplash weather.  But we're taking it!

~ lunch with youngest and friend ~  my youngest was in town on the weekend to celebrate her friend's birthday.  When she asked if they could visit on Sunday of course I said yes.  It's a blessing that my grown adult kids want to come by and we had a nice lunch with bbq'd burgers.

~ river bottom walk to pelicans ~ after lunch we all went to the River Bottom and took the trail to the weir to see the pelicans.  There were soooo many this year!  I could sit there for hours and just watch them.  They are the original synchronized swimmers and it's so fascinating to watch how a group of them will, right on cue, all duck their heads under to fish and then all come up together.  God's creation is amazing.  I actually caught a picture for the first time of one in flight.

this was just a handful of them out on the river that day

fishing!

~ flowers planted ~ finally with the heat moving in I was able to plant all my flowers out.  I usually do it by the May long weekend, which for us is the 3rd weekend but it was so cold with the nights hitting freezing temps.  But it's all done now and the heat should get them growing.

~ tonight's sunset ~  absolutely stunning!  The color was so intense.  This was straight out of the camera, no filter, no edits.  God is an artist and I'm so thankful for eyes to take it all in!

What were five of your blessings you are thankful for this week?

Friday's Fave Five #891

Welcome once again to Friday's Fave Five.  Time for another edition of Friday's Fave Five.  Are you ready to push pause on the busy and take a few moments to just look back on the week and find those things that were a blessing to you?  Sometimes it comes easy and sometimes it is a struggle to either want to do it, make the time to do it or to find blessings in a tough week.  But the more we practice keeping our eyes open for blessings in the hard, in the mundane and in the busy the more natural it will become to find them.  Please join us as we develop the habit of looking for blessings and then being grateful and thankful for them.

~ annual flower shopping ~ every year my sister and I take an afternoon and go and get our flowers.  We both look forward to this day.  We also both always say we're gonna be restrained this year and we always end up going overboard when we see all the beautiful plants and flowers.  It's a fun time we spend together doing something we both love.

~ found treats ~  the other day I was digging through a storage cupboard and I came across a bag of locally made caramels that I forgot I had stashed there a couple months ago.  It was a nice surprise and they were just as soft and tasty as if I just bought them. 

~  long weekend ~ Monday was a stat holiday here in Canada so I had the day off.  Who doesn't love a long weekend?  It was so nice to have that extra day.  Even though the weather was on the cold side so we didn't do any bike riding we did manage to get some shorter walks in and enjoyed being able to relax.  We watched "Song Sung Blue" on Pr!me.  If you like Neil Diamond songs and like a good love story you'd probably enjoy this movie based on a true story. Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson did a great job doing their own vocals.

~ another workshop accomplished ~ got another workshop knocked off my training plan for this year.  I'm required to do 6 a year and I think I have one left.  It's always good to get these things done before summer comes along.

~ neck and back massager ~ we have this massager and lately I have been putting it to good use.  I have issues with knots building around my left shoulder blade and along the top of my shoulder and this really helps.  Though it really gets in there and I have to be careful not to apply too much pressure or use it for too long in one sitting, which feels good at the time but can leave me sore into the next day, I have learned to go easy with it to get the most benefits.  Thankful I have it on hand as I can't drop the money on a massage therapist as often as I happen to need one.  This helps out in between my monthly visits.

What were your favorite blessings this week?

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!