I know I am so late but better late than never.  I've had this idea but today, Christmas Eve, is the first day I've been able to follow through with my idea.  It's only partly the way I've envisioned it.  Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Both John and Isaac like to play chess.  They like to play each other.  Every now and then Isaac can beat John and sometimes in just a few moves.  This last weekend they were both playing chess.  John has an online chess site that allows them to play other people and then they email the moves of their game and analyse it with some other chess software.  All in the name of learning.  Well this weekend I walked into the kitchen and Isaac was playing chess on my computer.  Moving onto the family room I noticed John playing chess on his computer.  I hear from the kitchen, "Dad, do you want to take back that move?"  "Yeah, will you let me?" John replied from the family room.  They were online playing each other!  It isn't like we don't have 5 chess boards around the house. This age is so techy.  Apparently it was more fun to play on the computer.  They did have their other program analyse that game so I kind of understand, but seriously.

Last weekend we had some guests in our home and she brought her Golden Retriever.  Cami was so much fun and the kids loved her.  Amanda worked with Lona on having Cami sit, walk and heel.  Lona was in 7th heaven and was really excited.  When Amanda and Cami left, we had no dog again.  We looked through Craig's list and the Bellingham Hearld.  John wanted a mutt.  He has always had a mutt never a purebred.  We found a Golden Retriever/Black Lab mix puppy.  I wanted a girl.  John didn't care.  So we picked him up.  His name is Skagit.  Around 5pm we decided to head to Oak Harbor.  So we rushed through dinner, dropped our visiting friends off at their house and headed to Widbey Island.  The only thing we told Lona was that we were going on a drive for about 3 hours.  I brought a  box with some old towels and a bowl for water.  After crossing the bridge we pulled over for the kids to run across in the dark.  They were gone for about 5 minutes.  Job was FREAKED out!  Too scary he said.  Shortly, we were pulled over by a highway patrolman for having only one headlight.  We couldn't get the window rolled down and then we rolled down the wrong window and then fumbled with our driver's licence.  I'm sitting there with a huge box on my lap and he asks me what are we doing on the island.  I had to tell him that we were on our way to get a Christmas present.  He was laughing the whole time.  I love it when someone who pulls you over has a great attitude.  We just need to get our headlight fixed, pronto.  Well we picked out a puppy and he's going to be larger than John would like but he is a combination of two breeds that we like.  So last night we had to stop at Walmart to purchase chew toys, puppy food, and a little colar (it's camoflage).  But no crate.  We will have a crate very soon.  He spent the night in the bathtub in a box, well he was supposed to anyhow.  John got up at 1:30 to take him outside to go potty.  At 6:30 I took him out - nothing and then at 7:00 am too.  Finally something.  I did have to clean up the tub from an accident but tonight it will be different.  I've been reading all sorts of stuff and I think a crate is the way to go.  I am hoping that we don't have to get up with him too much in the morning.  Right now we have about 4 experts on training.  Yikes.

For the past few years our family has volunteered to wrap presents and fill food boxes for an organization.  This year was no different.  Yesterday we showed up to wrap presents.  Lona took the wrapped presents and put them in a pile.  Each present had a name and a family number.  Then the boys took the presents and matched the family number to taped numbers on the floor.  When all the presents were wrapped and sorted then they were placed in large plastic bags with the family number on them.  Some one complied the list of families.  Called the families to see who and how many people were in their family and what each person wanted and the sizes they wear.  Then another group of people donated the items or went shopping.  Still another person purchased and assembled 70 bikes, pumped up the tires, and made sure each bike had a helmet.  This is a large scale effort.  Then someone contacted a grocery store and bought cases and cases of food, toiletries, and laundry cleaners.  Then the food had to be delivered and unloaded.  Next the boxes needed to be assembled and labels and placed out.  Emails were sent out and volunteers were needed to place the food in the boxes.  Each family was allocated 5 large boxes.  When the volunteers showed up they choose a pallet of food.  On the pallets were listed how much of that item were to be placed in each family box.  After the food was sorted then each box had to have someone go through it and redistribute the food so that the light items were not squashed by the heavy items or that one side of the box wasn't heavier than the other, or even so that someone could lift the boxes.  Too many canned goods in one box becomes too heavy to lift.  Next, each bag of presents had to be placed with the correct family boxes.  The last part of the operation is to deliver everything.  People volunteer their trucks, show up early in the morning and load the presents, bikes, and boxes of food.  They then grab eggs, bread and turkeys for each family they deliver to.   We feel so blessed to be a part of this organization.  This year we are serving 266 families.  Last year a gentleman called 5 different places trying to get a hold of the organization so he could say thank you.  You see we don't just send food but also toothpaste, laundry detergent, deoderant, and dish soap among other things.  This gentlemen hadn't had toothpaste for 3 months.  He was so excited about receiving things he considered a luxury that we take for granted.  Another woman called because the paramedics wanted her to go to the hospital but she couldn't miss her delivery.  She couldn't make it through the winter without it.  These are the stories that make these volunteers want to put this time and effort into this.  It isn't please bring some cans from home and we'll provide a meal to 10 families.  It's we'll provide staples for a few weeks or longer.  I feel blessed beyond belief and hope to be able to be a blessing to others.  I want my children to see that we need to think of others and to "serve one another". I'm not sure but there may have been a time when as a child we were on the receiving end of help.  This is a way to give back and teach.

At one time I would run out and buy all sorts of wrapping paper.  Then I discovered bags and would use bags because they could be reused and I started collecting bags whenever I received one.  And finally I saw how a gal wrapped her presents with kraft paper.  It was simple and beautiful. Now all of our presents are wrapped with kraft paper.  In fact sometimes when we receive a package in the mail the company will use brown paper as stuffing instead of peanuts.  I feel as though I scored because not only do I get the item but also free wrapping paper.  I also cut apart brown paper bags and wrap presents in there.  I tie a ribbon on, make a home-made tag and it feels like a vintage type present.  This allows me to be a little crafty during a busy season.
So easy that Lona can do it without direction.

Great Joy:  My son Isaac was baptized this last Sunday.  He leaned over to me one day during church and said that he wanted to be baptized.  "Go talk to the Pastor after service."  I replied.  He did and then met with the Pastor later on during the week.    We talked to the paster and he said that Isaac needed to be baptized so a week later he took the plunge sort to speak.  He was infront of church, answered the questions, and professed a faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior and the saving work that Jesus did on the cross for his sins. He was baptized.  I almost started crying.  I grabbed my camera and snapped away.  His little tumbs up sign even though the water was cold.  All of that I documented with my camera.  I was/am so proud and pleased about the step that he took. 
Now the great sadness.  All the pictures I took I accidently erased from my camera.  I had wanted to delete one photo and the folder was highlighted instead and now are gone.  I sat in shock and tried to get them back but they are completely gone.  So what you see with this post is what you get.

I am trying to figure out a new lok for the blog.  I see all these cute backgrounds and would liek to change this but there are some problems.  Right now I can't access the navigation bar and am afraid I won't be able to post.  I am so non technical.  I like the new background but have lost some of my info.  It will be back, but later when I have time.