A few of my favorite things...

Ingredients for a Wonderful Birthday Weekend ---

Bubble wrap which was wrapped around THE most fantastic birthday present EVER!!!! More about that later......

The bubble wrap alone provided tons of fun.


Biggest fish ever caught by Lily Kate. She's holding up a worm. She didn't want to hold the fish. Well, of course..........duh..........worms are so much
less??? gross than a fish???? eeeewwwww


OKAY, let me explain this very, very sweeeeeet picture.
It's my birthday! Soooo, I go by Halfmann's to get MY very favorite pie -- chocolate cream.

Hey, I'm gonna share.

Also pick up a few crescents and a couple cream cheese brownies.
Just for good measure, ya know.

My mother sends home a huge box of sweet rolls, donuts and various
pastries from the bakery.

And we end up with chockit pie PLUS a ton (no pun intended) of other bakery
fun!

Notice the fresh fruit. We're not ALL bad.






Lily Kate and Pops taking Lady Bird out for a spin around the pen.


Just a few of my favorite things from the weekend.
Gwynie Pie

Oh LOOK !!! It's the lawn boy.

Naaaaaahhhhhhh........Not really. just kidding with ya.

We don't have a lawn boy. But then...you knew that.

AND that is NOT our yard.

I woke up this a.m. to the wonderful sounds of this tractor mowing the ballfield across the street in front of our house. It's a little community park that is maintained by the county. The workers were here in force weedeating, mowing and grooming the whole place.

It looks so good after they have been here. AND it smells fantastic !!!!

Freshly mowed grass........one of the best smells of summer.

Makes me want to go find my bottle of Coppertone.....another on the "best smells of summer" list.

I truly LOVE hearing the sound of a lawnmower though. It tells me ONE of my favorite times of year is here !!!

Spring! Followed by another favorite time of year.........SUMMER!!!!



Now ---- THIS ----- is our yard.

Lots of end of winter green out there.

It'll be tackled on Saturday. Wonder if a nice plate of cookies could bribe the man on the tractor to drive across the street
to "turn around" in my front yard????? hmmmmmm.................... Happy Spring everyone...........

Gwynie Pie

Snow Pictures

Just wanted to add a few more snow pictures since we have this so seldom.

Well -- seldom until this year. I heard the guys on The Weather Channel calling Texas "the new snow belt".

Crazy, I tell ya.

Snow Day

When we opened the front door this morning -- THIS is what greeted us.
















Looking out our front door onto the ballfield.


Wonderful! William is home today - he is giving the Lenten sermon tomorrow so he's busy finishing that.

I made a mean skillet of migas for breakfast -- possibly my favorite breakfast food. Yum! It was soooo good!'

Chicken Tortellini Soup for lunch today. We're going to try a new, super quick and easy biscuit recipe. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Happy Snow Day to us!

And happy Tuesday to you all!

Gwynie Pie

Happy Valentine's Day

I have wanted to make a candy Valentine's card
for William for a couple years
and time always just gets away from me
BUT
This year I did it!

I had to go to several stores -- Dollar Tree, a couple of conveniences stores, Walgreen's -- and finally came up with the candy I needed to "write" my story.

Here's what it says:

Baby - when we met 48 years ago we were just a couple of NERDS.
As time went by we became the THREE MUSKETEERS, minus 1.
Then we were blessed with 3 wonderful SUGAR BABIES!
and now we have a sweet (picture of grandaughter)and life is
GOOD AND PLENTY of room for more!
Sure -- it wasn't all SNICKERS and CHUCKLES.
We had some hard times and felt the CRUNCH.
But...the Lord always gave us EXTRA grace, EXTRA love, EXTRA forgiveness.
Why I wouldn't take 100,000 GRAND for what we have.
Not even ONE MILLION DOLLARS!! I SKOR-ed big when I got you!
And ya know what? We are still a couple of HOT TAMALES and
you are still my BIG HUNK.
I love you forever. g

I just attached the candy bars and gum to poster board with duct tape.

The hard part was spacing everything out so it would all fit on the page.

I had so much fun hunting down just the right candy and putting this all together.
AND William absolutely loved it.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day y'all.
Love ya,

Gwynie Pie

Ladybird and Friends

Blue, clear sky.

Wonderful, mild winter weather.

Great friends.

Good Sunday dinner comfort food.

A cooperative horse.

Happy kids.

What a GREAT day!!!

Ahhhh ~~~

Gwynie Pie

I have taken an "accidental" break from blogging for the past few weeks.

As I've mentioned, I have a part-time job now. Only --- I've been working

3+ days a week -- more than I had anticipated.

That's a good thing because it has

forced me to learn the job.

BUT -- it's taken a LOT out of me.

I've been so tired. Getting up at 5:30 each day,

trying to learn a very precise job

(lots of rules - no room for flub-ups).

And just the routine of getting everything

ready for the next day the night before

has been a challenge.

5:30 is NOT the time to be stumbling

around trying to decide what to wear

or what to take for lunch :)

Also -- there is much discouragement

to deal with.

I know I'm a smart woman,

with the ability to learn.

However.......

I have not exactly been

affirmed in this knowledge.

I end most days feeling defeated.

Embarassed.

With a gnawing in the pit of my stomach.

That "what did I do wrong today?" feeling.

Everyday brings something new --

and just when I thought I had learned

what I needed to get through the day.

Learning something new is just a challenge.

To anyone.

At any age.

At any season of life.

I've been frustrated with myself.

Cried many tears the past few weeks.

I just want this job to be a little easier

and clearer than it has been.

And I don't want to let anyone down --

not my employer.

not my family.

not my husband.

not myself.

I'm very humbled by the fact that

I'm just not very good at this.

This working out of the home.

I never have been very good at it.

And THAT'S the truth!

I'm good at many things.

Really good at some things.

Excellent at a few.

And that has always been OK with me.

I've just concentrated on those areas where

I am excellent.

And quite honestly --

those places where I DO excel .....

those are the "places of my heart"

those are THE most important to me.

My home.

My family.

My husband.

My God.

Sooooo --

I am frustrated.

embarassed.

discouraged.

AND I'm in complete and total admiration

of all those women who would

waaaaaay rather be at home

BUT

who go out into the big world

every day, to jobs

they may or may not love.

For so many, it is simply a matter

of having to work - financially speaking

- and not a matter of choice at all.

Well there you have it.

I've confessed my "secret".

Say a prayer for me, please?

I know this is about a whole lot more

than "just" a job.

There's much more going on here.

I just want to hang on

and answer the question

"What?"

Gwynie Pie

What if.....?

I've been thinking.....

What if....the next time I catch a glimpse of my face in the mirror.....
I say something kind to my reflection?

What if....when I see my familiar image, I look for something positive
instead of zero-ing in on the blemish, the wrinkle, the negative?

What if....when I finish brushing my teeth or
washing my face or
fixing my hair.....................what if instead of travelling down
the old familiar
"oh my good gosh, what has happened
to me (sob)?" road

What if.......................I just SMILED instead?
Wouldn't my reflection just SMILE right back at me?

And what if I said to myself---------- "Self, you are beautiful."

I'm just wondering. How would that change my day?
How would that affect my interaction with others?
How much more confident would I be to go out into the
world and BE?

I once heard a wise woman (my pastor's wife Cindy) say
"Don't ever say anything about yourself that God Himself wouldn't agree with."

That has stuck with me for a long time now. I haven't lived that way always (at all).
But ---- I know she was totally on the mark with her words.

So.....what if.....
we ALL said to ourselves ONLY what the LORD says about us.

He thinks we are beautiful.
He says we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
He Himself put us together just exactly as He wanted --- beautifully.


What if.....we believed it? and then ----

What if.....we live like we believe it? and then----

What would change in each of our worlds? and then---

What would change in the great BIG world?????


I sooooo want to find out! Do you?

Think about it ----

Gwynie Pie

Too busy! Too busy?

Is anyone else out there feeling like I've been feeling lately?

I've really been struggling.....

trying to keep up with everything

and yet...

not really wanting to do anything!

The JOY of life is dulled,

and the energy is drained,

and life has begun to feel like that movie

"Groundhog Day".

Do you know what I mean????

I have, for some months now,

felt all burnt out, empty,

lifeless.

And waaaaaay too consumed

with the Emergencies---

all the while I have let the

Important

fall to the wayside.

I have known exactly what the problem was --

because

I've walked this way before.

It's simple really.

I have "forgotten my first love".

I've become so busy

that I pushed my pursuit of the LORD

and his words

and spending time with Him --

I've pushed it right to, not the bottom,

of my list of "need to do"

BUT no longer at the top of my list

of "must do".

Knowing

confessing

repenting

changing course....

it should be the easiest thing in the world.

Why do I resist so?

In a word - Pride.

I always think I know better.

Until of course it's proven

that I do not

and

will not. ever.

And how He pursues me when I go off the rails....

it is quite amazing.

The sermon series at church has been

First Things First.

WOW!

Profound.

The first book I picked up

(of my 26 book goal for 2010)

is

The Magnificent Obsession

by Anne Graham Lotz.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Every word is as if it was written just for me

and for just this time of my life.

And every other thing I've listened to,

read, watched ---

has had the same message.

You'd think it was a conspiracy of some sort.

And of course, it IS.

The Word tells us that He desires to

spend time with us,

and that He will never allow us,

who know Him, to

slide backwards.....

He will always, always, always

pursue us

and bring us back.

He loves us.

How wonderful

amazing

glorious

comforting.

How are you doing on this 20th of January, 2010?

Gwynie Pie

Random thoughts on a very cold day

Every post deserves a picture, so as not to be boring, so here's my post picture for today.
Imagine me sitting right here
as close to this wonderful fire as I can get.

Ahhhhh -- that's nice. And yet, I'm still sooooo cold - brrrrr.
High today is below freezing, wind blowing. Low tonight somewhere around 12 !!!

HEY - I have a job. Yes, I'm going to work. Outside the home. I am the new postmaster relief
for one of the nearby small town post offices.
The opportunity to interview for the job just kind of came to me.
I'm a big believer in walking through an open door until it closes, sooooo -- now I have
a job, a very part-time job.

NOW that I have this job ---- I'm finding all sorts of projects I want to do here
at the house ---- and no time to do them of course .....cause I have a job. Ain't it the way?

I find that the absence of the Christmas decorations is SHOCKING to my system!
I love it for about a day.
Then I'm thinking "wonder what would look good right there?" and
am busy scouring through the closets and storage areas for something interesting
to go in that empty space.

Big football game tonight -- Texas vs. Alabama.
Being a true-maroon, die hard Texas A&M fan....
I don't have a dog in the fight. Don't care who wins. However ----
we will fix an enormous Sam's pepperoni pizza and
enjoy watching the game anyway.
Any excuse for a party.

Got my hair cut yesterday. An event for sure. I do that so rarely that it is quite the event
when it does happen.
AND something even more rare ---- I LOVE IT !!! Really, even the acid-test of looking
in the mirror first thing this morning???? Still love it. I'm thinking of calling the young
lady who cut it just to tell her that I love it.
I'll get a picture posted soon.
Truly - an amazing event.
Tell all your friends -- Gwyn Rosser got a haircut she loves. News at 10.

Well that's NOT all the "random thoughts" I can come up with, but I gotta go make a bed,
wash a dish, scrub a shower. Talk to y'all later.

Gwynie Pie

A 3-Yr. old's View of Christmas

We let Lily Kate loose with the camera Christmas Day.

She just wandered through the house snapping pictures that she found interesting.

They make me smile.


Hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Christmas. Ours was so good. All the kids were here for several days.

We ate really well. Watched Christmas movies. Visited and caught up with each other's lives.
Went to Christmas Eve service together. Laughed. A lot.

God is so good.

I pray your New Year is bright. What are your plans for New Year's Eve?? And....

What are your plans and goals for 2010?? It's a whole new year comin'.

A clean slate.

The possibilities are without limit.

I find that sooooo exciting. What about you?

Gwynie Pie

Snow - the kind you eat !

The kids will start coming in tomorrow evening. We are planning a wonderful 3, 4, 5 days together.

All of the meals are planned. But so far - NO baking has been done. None.

I need to get on it, I guess.


I did make a batch of "Snow" the other night. I was so hungry for something sweet. I saw it on someone's blog, it looked simple. It was delicious.

Popcorn, not buttered -- several cups
Melted white chocolate or white almond bark
1 cup pecans
1 cup craisins

Put popcorn, pecans and craisins on sheet pan. Drizzle white chocolate over everything. Let it set up completely. Keep in sealed carton or bag.

DEE - lish - us !!!
Try it -------

Gwynie Pie

Picnic

It has been a near perfect Saturday.

We slept late. 9:00!

And then sat by the fireplace, drank coffee with peppermint mocha creamer - mmmmm - and I made French toast with
powdered sugar and maple syrup for breakfast.

William worked burning off some dead weeds in the horse pen and repairing a porch screen door. I did dishes, made the bed and washed a couple loads of clothes.



Then this afternoon I threw a little picnic in a bag, made up 2 quarts of iced
tea - one sweet, one unsweet - betcha can't guess which one is mine :) '

William was easily convinced to take a break from the the screen repairing
and we drove down to the ranch.

We grabbed a grapevine wreath and a big red bow to tie on the main gate
for a "Merry Christmas" greeting to all who pass by.


Beautiful blue Texas sky. Only the sound of an occasional bird singing or fish jumping.

Lovely. Peaceful. Calm.

Thank you LORD for all our many blessings.



A whole day spent together.....definitely one of His blessings on us today.

Gwynie Pie

By the back door

At the back door of the house, I hung my Santa apron and hat.

And right below it in the corner....evidence that Santa decided to just take off his boots and
get comfy.

We're hoping this doesn't cause Lily Kate any distress. She's not a big fan of "Ho,ho,ho", as
she refers to Santa. She's already told her mama that he can leave presents on the porch,
but CAN NOT come in the house.

When I told Dana about the Santa clothes by the back door, she said "uh oh. Lily Kate may
decide that not only is Santa IN the house....but he's naked."




The back porch tree is another mesquite branch, set in an old bucket and strung
with white lights. It looks very festive at night.


Right as you walk in from the back door ---- the coffee/spiced tea/hot chocolate bar
and the peppermint tree.

Grab a cup and let's go sit by the fire,

Gwynie Pie

Welcome

Every year we "harvest" a couple of West Texas Christmas trees (bare mesquite trees). In years past, before we went artificial because of allergies to most real trees, our main tree in the living room would be one of these beauties. Usually spray painted white. And then decorated with tons of white lights and ornaments -- looks really nice.

This year we have one at the front door -- it sits in an old metal milk can wrapped with burlap. And then that all sits in my mother's old metal wagon.

I've had the scripture snowman sign for years. It always gets a special place.




Lovely old garden gate, given me by a sweet friend. Don't you love it?

Double grapevine wreath with a few real evergreen branches wired on and a big natural burlap bow.



















As is my "habit", I can't leave well enough alone.

So I "tweaked" the mantle just a bit and added two huge white serving platters. It added just that right something ????

Of course, the roaring fire pretty much says it all

"Welcome. Come on in here. Sit. What would you like to drink?
Coffee with eggnog creamer? or a cup of Sugar Cookie hot tea?
ummmmm --- okay, let's visit......................"

Gwynie Pie