Still loves chalk.

Still trying to remember the ingredients.

Works just great tho.

We need to try this at home.

All you need is a toilet paper tube, plaster of Paris, paint, water, and....

well...

still working on that.

*****

Emma is coming home tomorrow morning.

So. Happy.

This will be a weekend of Brats and Weinermobiles and Clydesdales.

I'll take my camera along for the fun.

Wishing you a lovely and joyous weekend!

Have tons of fun and add to the beauty!

Donna

Totes Adorbs.

translation.
Totally Adorable.

Get ready for the cute, people.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

Yes, I have forgiven Camilla.  And I even like her now.
Charles too.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

A great daddy and soccer player retires.
Well done you.

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I want this.

Source: dailymail.co.uk via Donna on Pinterest

This is Kate Upton.
I love this swimsuit.

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Source: trishsouth.com via Donna on Pinterest

Not only kittens and puppies are adorable.

*****


In which Katie and I have way too much fun watching Family Feud.







My laugh sounds very much like my Aunt Betty in this clip.
Isn't that cool...and eerie?

Love ya,
Donna

Don't Confuse Plaster of Paris with Plutonium

Today on the way to school Katie filled me in on their fun day in science class.
Yesterday they shot off their rockets.  Yup. All the children made rockets.
Some went very far, some only went a little way.

Then she told me they made chalk last week.
Chalk. Really?  Did it work?
How did you make that?

Katie said, " We mixed two things together..."
Long pause as she tries to remember what they used.

Ummm.

So I thought I'd help her remember.

"Did you use CARBON?"

"No."

"Did you use Hydrogen?"

"No."

"Did you use...."

"Oxygen....NO."

"I know.  Uranium!"

"NOOOOO!"

"PLUTONIUM!  Right???"

bwahahahaha

"No.  It was.....of Paris....something."

"OH!", I say, "Plaster of Paris."

"YES!  That's it."

"We mixed the Plaster of Paris with something else...."

"MAGNESIUM?"

"Oh mom."

Don't confuse life with God.

Every where we look we see suffering, we see pain.
Chaos.
Fear.
Loss.

It is hard to come to terms with it all.
When I hear people praising God for protecting them I can only cry for those who do not have that same joy.

I think about this a lot.

In Philip Yancey's book "Disappointment with God", he shares a story about a man who had just about everything go wrong.  His name was Douglas.  Douglas told Yancey he was not disappointed with God.  He said, :  "Don't confuse life with God."

How profound.

Yes. Life is painful and unfair and scary.
Oh man, is it unfair.

But Douglas is right...

Our trials on this earth do not diminish who God is.

In times like these, we need His great Love so we can pass it on and we
need the hope He offers.

Let us be sensitive and careful with our words when others suffer and grieve.
Not everyone is in the same place in their faith walk.
It can be jarring and confusing to hear 'jesus protected my family' to a person who just lost a child.
(It jars and confuses me.)

Be sensitive.
It's kinder.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Weekend Update

Things just pretty much revolve around Katie, don't cha know.
This weekend we played in the year end tournament.
We did not come in last.


        "We"
ha.  The team Katie plays on.



The weather was spectacular.




Making fine catches at first base.



On a walk with Gin-nay.

I love this dog more and more.
Katie says next year they will be the same age.

Both 14.

That's funny.


And there were church bells.



No, the game was not in London.
It was in Sun Prairie.

I don't know what they were announcing this time at 2:00 on a Sunday afternoon...
but they sure sound magnificent to me.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Whose blog is this anyway?

Yesterday I posted the quote from Max Lucado.
I didn't have a main reason for posting it, I was just looking thru my Pinterest pins from this week and there it was and I thought it was nice.

And then I mentioned the fellow (Doctor, Proof of Heaven) who had that near death experience.

Yesterday, after I posted, Melinda texted me to say her beloved Grandpa was
near death.

And I marveled at how God used my little typing fingers to say something that might be of support to my dear daughter in law.  (Her beloved grandpa Raymond died this morning)

This happens a lot around here.

Many times I am silly and full of entertainment news and frivolous fun...and well then...
be assured... it's me.

But on those times that something touches your heart or lifts your spirit...
that's God taking over the blog.

Cause I am just a girl.
A girl who loves you and
loves God
and
just
keeps
blogging.

Source: shop.cottonon.com via Donna on Pinterest

With love,
Donna

I just saw this picture this morning.
Isn't it sweet?




The Boucher boys
Part Two.




The Boucher boys
part one




Oh. I wish for Malachi and Asher to have as much fun as Patrick and Matthew.
And I wish for Melinda to have as much fun as I did.

Once you get over the birthing, no sleeping part...

It's gonna be great!


*****

Candice won American Idol.
Best Wishes!!!
Her voice is gorgeous.
May all her musical dreams come true.

(She tried out three times.  Simon told her 'I don't see a star, I see someone singing in restaurants and bars'.  Then she tried out last year and was cut early on.  She tried again this year.  Just three weeks ago she was in the bottom two.)

The little engine that could.

I like that.



*****




I made the buckeyes.
Or should I say, I fought the chocolate and the chocolate won.

What a mess.
What a hassle.

Why is chocolate so difficult?

Never.
Again.


The dark brown blobs have been delivered to the school.
They taste good.
They look ridiculous.

Thanks to my friends on FB who talked me down from the ledge and sent in
many good tips which helped me finish the dipping (ha) process.

Dipping.

Ha.


******

Source: pinstamatic.com via Donna on Pinterest

reminder.

I read a book and the author said he went to 'heaven'.
He said that he could hear and feel the prayers of people praying...
carrying him along.


Or something like that.


I like to think that is true.


****

Lots of love to all.
Donna

Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

The other night the light coming in the house was that greenish, pinkish, battle gray color.
I went out to try to take it's picture but wasn't having much luck.  It was still and quiet except for the birds.

Across town freakish winds (the rare heat burst) dropped out of the sky and blew power lines down and broke all sorts of things; 80 mile per hour winds.  Woosh.

While in our town.  Still.



You just never know what a day will bring.

Hang. On.

****

Oh. About American Idol.
Kree and Candice are really both beautiful women with beautiful voices.
Kree is country.
Candice is classic.

The song choices were not the best for me last night.
AND the songs written for the girls were horrible.  I hated them both.
Neither song will be a winner.  Did someone seriously think those were good....radio worthy songs.
Snooze-fest.
My favorite song of the night was sung by Candice.  It was the last song.
Now.  I don't see Candice becomming a big star.  Not like Kelly Clarkson.  Candice is quiet and humble.  She really fits the mold of perhaps Celiene or Whitney (not disco Whitney) or Jennifer Hudson but mostly Barbra Streisand.
So I can see Candice singing for movie soundtracks or in Vegas.  But I really don't think she has an acting bone in her bod....so no broadway.
Who will American pick....gosh..I do not know!!!
I voted for Candice because I loved her last song.
I do think Kree will have a record and I think she will be successful.

Around and around I go...



*****

Before and After fun.




The sun is shining thru the hole in Katie's ear.  That is not an earring.
eek.





Cropped and edited with MCP fusion actions.


*****

Thank you for praying for Katie Wagner.
Please say a prayer for Malachi today....and for Matthew and Melinda.


As 38 Special tells us....


Hold on loosely.
Don't let go.

Love,
Donna

volunteering and a fab new app

Teacher appreciation dinner is this Friday.
I signed up for three things.
I was assigned something entirely different.

Make truffles.

Don't they know I don't like trying new recipes under pressure.
In fact, they did not give me a recipe...the note said 'use your favorite truffle recipe'.
Do they know something I don't?

eek.

I thought I would just make Buckeyes.
They are truffle-y enough, right?

And just now I spotted this recipe on my pinterest page.
I had great success with the brisket I made from Smitten Kitchen's cookbook...

cross your fingers folks...
I'm going in.

Source: smittenkitchen.com via Donna on Pinterest

*****

Yesterday morning I saw the cutest lettering app on Instagram.  I have looked at others and found them uneasy to use and not cute.

This one is easy to use and cute.

It is by #beautifulmess.
It cost  .99¢





LOOK at what came in the mail yesterday!
Do you remember when I showed those pretty wash cloths a few weeks ago?
My friend, Kim, made this and sent it to me!
She was familiar with the crochet pattern and told me the most lovely story of making a blanket for her mom with this pattern.  It touched my heart.
And the pink and white is the most beautiful.

I asked and she said she would teach me to crochet.
I can not wait!

Isn't it lovely?

Thank you Kim!!


*****

Emma traveled all night to get to Omaha.  I can not wait to hear her stories and see more pictures.

The robins are singing.
The fan is blowing.


“The robin flew from his swinging spray of ivy on to the top of the wall and he opened his beak and sang a loud, lovely trill, merely to show off. Nothing in the world is quite as adorably lovely as a robin when he shows off - and they are nearly always doing it.”
~Secret Garden


Listen and hear,
Donna




UPDATE:

My sister Janet has asked me to ask you to pray for their friend Katie W.
Katie is a seventeen year old girl in Arizona who has been fighting a very aggressive cancer.
She has really fought bravely and for a long time...and now the cancer has come back and is in her spine and lungs.  She is a girl of great faith and wants to keep fighting.
Will you pray for her and her family?

Lord in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Yes. I did.

Yes.  I did get a few pictures with the baby.
Matthew took this.
Some of them are amusing.
All unflattering.
But I was there.
And that's all I remember.





I like this picture.
Asher if full of life and spunk.




See Baby Malachi




A few days later....


He sure has a cute voice :o)


Happy Tuesday!

Love
Donna

Link. Activism. Photos.

Happy Monday!

I wrote a fun new article for The Pioneer Woman that you might like to read.
It's about Moms in movies.
I think you will get a kick out of it.


Memorable Moms in the Movies


*****



Bonhoeffer
Chapters 11-16

This reading is heavy going but I'm afraid to skim too quickly.

In these chapters we see Hitler's tricky and quick rise to power.
He even fools the army into swearing to a new and strange oath.

Would you have continued to shop at Jewish stores?
Hitler instigated book burnings.  Does this make you feel different about this activity?
Do you think you would have left Germany?

In 1933 Hitler was already moving toward legalized murder of the disabled.  He thought they were a drain on Germany.
Can you see this happening in our land?


*****



I had a very nice mother's day.
I heard from all of the kids.
So that was super nice :o)




I had a good time using my lensbaby.




I took this picture out my bathroom window with my phone.
I just love bird photography and would like to get better at it.
This is my starting point.

Hello chubby cardinal.
(This guy was looking right at me.)


Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Remembering moms.

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Source: 2013yearoflettering.tumblr.com via Donna on Pinterest

Love. Always.
Donna

I had a dream

That came true.


I am the luckiest.
Donna

I love this dog.

I love this picture because;

1. Ginny's focus on that bit of food in Katie's hand is remarkable.
2. Her tail cracks me up.
3. She is so big.
4. Katie's leg mimics Ginny's tail.
5. Katie is unfazed.
6. Her hears are adorable.
7. Ginny's, not Katie's.


There are few pictures that have made me giggle and smile as much as this one has.


I love her, after all.

With love,
Ginny's mom and leader of the pack.


p.s.  Do you think I can remove that tag from the red pillow?

Instagram Round-up. Omaha Edition

While I was away my iphone was my friend.
I do not have a laptop so I use my phone to keep in touch with my family and fans.  hahahaha
I have no way to upload my Nikon pictures.
The Instagrams/iPhone pictures had to step up to the plate.

And I think they really did this time.
Melinda posted with the pictures I took in the room, right away.
It was wonderful to be able to share things, lickety-split.






The first morning Asher ate Goldfish and fruit snacks for breakfast.
The next morning I buckled down and made scrambled eggs and a bagel and a banana.







He was a sleepy dude.



My favorite of Malachi.



My favorite of Melinda.







Catching up on sleep and back to my responsibilities.

Driving Miss Katie.

Life is sweet.
Fleeting.
Precious.
Important.


The Important thing about life is.....



Encourage one another,
Donna

In which Malachi is born.

Even tho you know it's coming for nine months....
when babies come
it's always thrilling!




Off to see his little brother for the first time.




First look!
Beautiful boy.

8 lbs 13 oz.
21 1/2 inches long
May 3, 2013

Malachi Raymond Boucher





While Melinda recovers a little,
Matthew holds his second boy.

Asher and Malachi are almost exactly the age difference as Patrick and Matthew.
(four days off.)



Asher is fond of kissing...but not holding yet.




Is that a smile I see....
new baby dreams...









Malachi loves to suck and has taken to breastfeeding very well.
I think he is hungry again....
or it is just too cold to be outside
or his diaper is wet

oh my....
so begins the difficult, wondrous, first few months with an infant.

And a two year old.

How we do it?
With love and grace and hope and
very little sleep.

But we do it.

And it's so worth it.




Welcome sweet little baby.
I love you already.



The happiest days are when babies are born.


Love Donna