This is what we woke up to this morning.

Well, kinda of. This was taken at seven. (I work up at five. I don't sleep much anymore.)
Not quite light yet.

Very, very blue Christmas.

This wind is suppose to pick up and I wanted you all to see the lovely skirts the trees are wearing today.





Did you watch The Biggest Loser last night?

What spectacular transformations!!! Remarkable!


Did anyone watch So you think you can dance?

Why is everyone's name spelled so weird?
Why hasn't anyone mentioned how much the Ryan, ballroom dancer looks like Hugh Jackman?
Is Jakob the best dancer you have ever seen?
I think his dancing is spellbinding!

Seems like they are cutting the season short? Are their ratings down?




One other thing I have notices this year. Jakob is very slim and seems quite small and he has lifted the women with amazing grace and ease. He really is amazing.







Katie is already out in the snow.
Gotta grab the camera!



Stay warm and safe everyone!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Patrick and I went to see a movie last weekend. It was called Everybody's Fine.



We love De Niro.
Beware: This movie is heartbreaking.

My eyes were red and my cheeks were flushed from all the crying.
But as we walked out the door and talked about it on the way home.
My dear husband explained, 'but you are missing the whole point of the movie.'

"What?" I sniffed and mumbled.


"Everybody's Fine." he said.


When we got home I gathered some old Christmas cards from a drawer in my bedroom.

I think you will like them.




I thought Christmas photos were new. But I was wrong.

My mother in law rocked the Christmas photos!

She even has on with all five kids at the altar at church. I wonder where that is? It is a great picture!

But look at my cute husband!!!

He is the smiley one on the left.





Oh my!!! What cute little guys!!!



Here is our first Christmas card picture that I can find. My head looks giant. What's with that?
This picture was taken with a little point and shoot on auto.

Patrick and I were not in the Christmas picture for a super long time after this.
We usually just took pictures of the children.
I do think people like to see every one, once in a while tho, don't you?




Oh my goodness. Look at happy Matthew.
These two were the very best brothers in the world.


Excuse me....where did I put the Kleenex?




This picture is to make my sister Sue cry at work.

Her youngest went off to school this year and it's been hard for her.

How completely adorable are her boys?? And those outfits!

They will all be together for Christmas and they just spent Thanksgiving together....so that is pretty great.

Sue, Patrick says, 'everybody's fine'.


I say,

Enjoy every moment. Be there. Love them. Spoil them. Teach them. Kiss Them. Feed Them.

What happens matters.



Encourage one another and be always coming home,
Donna

I will have you know that I tried this with Maggie the sassy cat.

And well. I didn't get the same response.

Do you think I should get started?

Really.

Do ya?

Twenty days is plenty. I should think.

I shall start with a list. It's a good way to start.
It works for Santa.





If you watched WGN as a child.

WATCH THAT VIDEO!

“Blast this Christmas music. It’s joyful and triumphant!”

Jim Carrey as the Grinch

I may love the kitch-y, nostalgic fun....

But this is what I believe in my heart;





written by Chris Rice.



Simple. Beautiful. True.


***

Emma wrote this morning with a prayer request.

She is feeling overwhelmed with her school load and work load.

I know she is not alone in this. Would you like to join me and pray for students all
over the world who are under a tremendous amount of pressure?

We can lift them up and they will get a boost from our prayers.
And then they will wonder how it happened, that they were able to do it all....
And we can smile and be glad cause we know that our prayers are always heard and that
prayer is a powerful thing.




Joyfully and Triumphantly Yours,
Donna

I am blessed.

My tour of duty with the DoT ended yesterday afternoon and as I drove into the hamlet known as Verona the snow was
falling. Hard.

No snow in Madison. Blizzard in Verona.

I pulled in the driveway and enjoyed the quite flakes.




Snow, when sitting in the house or on the slopes is heaven.
But it is a real devil when you are on the road.

Today I just need to make the trip to school twice and for that I am thankful.





Camera: Nikon D700
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/1.6
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 400

Katie dashed and darted and shoveled and slid.

It's sure nice to have a little girl around,
to shovel and be joyful.


*****


Do you like to ski?
Where is your favorite place to ski?
Emma just bought a snowboard. Have you tried that?
What is your favorite hot toddy?
I wonder if that is how you spell toddy.



Happy Snowy Friday!!!


SNOW

The fenceposts wear marshmallow hats
On a snowy day;
Bushes in their night gowns
Are kneeling down to pray-
And all the trees have silver skirts
And want to dance away.

~Dorothy Aldis



Encourage one another,
Donna

My senior picture.


My senior picture experience was totally different from Hannah's and most of the girl's nowadays.

I don't know if I walked or drove to school. I think I drove. I signed up for my senior picture that was to be taken right there at school. In the band room or the drivers ed lab or somewhere else that was equally dark and distant.

I was wearing a sweater I think I took out of Sue's drawer. My hair got wet on the way from the car to the school. My curls fell.
I sat down and had a very small number of pictures taken and I left.

I wasn't disappointed.





No bells and whistles.
Look here.
Smile.
Flash!

It was just the way it was in the 70's.

1975 to be precise.

When did it change?

I would love to see your senior pictures!
Post them on your blogs and leave a link to your site in my comments so we can come by and see the great scope and fun of high school pictures. If you wouldn't mind, share the year you graduated so we can see a timeline of how things have changed.


Sounds like fun to me!




After editing many pictures like this....


I had to break free and mess around.




This is edited with Leah's vintage.

( I love her hands in this picture :o)



This one: Totally Rads POS




And really. who wouldn't want to look back at high school and remember looking like this???

Bee-you-tee-full!


Don't forget to share your photos.

I wonder if they take senior portraits in France?


Encourage one another,
Donna

Sneak Peek for Lizzy.

and

My time with the DoT.





I have to keep today super short. So sorry.

This is my week for recess duty which means I am back and forth to Madison four times during the day.
And today is basketball practice.
More driving.

It is truly the most thankless job I have as a parent.

We all do it. We become the Dept of Transportation.

It's just one of the hard bits.

We all get thru it. Don't we?





I have been late in posting a Sneak Peek for Elizabeth. I had three big sessions and one small session in one week and that has buried me a bit.

But here are a few of your wonderful family, Lizzy. (I think of you as Lizzy cause Janet calls you that :o)









Even the dogs are looking fine :o)




He was so glad to be finished. He was the perfect young gentleman!







Isn't she lovely?


Can't wait for you to see your whole gallery. Your family's beauty and bond is so apparent!
I loved seeing how much you all care for one another.


Have a wonderful Wednesday!!!

Encourage one another,
Donna