Saturday crafting

K and I have been working on a wreath and just finished it. I had this plain vine wreath that I got at a craft store a few years back. Every winter it's been whispering to me from the closet - "Remember you were going to make me into something beautiful?"

We added some pine that we cut off one of our trees and some pinecones. Also found some fake berries, etc. at the dollar store.

Yes, I know - the white pinecone at 9:30 sticks out like a sore thumb. Oh, well. It was part of a decoration from the dollar store.

Now - where to hang it . . .

We made Puppy Chow!

No, not the canine variety, but the yummy peanut butter/chocolate snack that does kind of resemble dog food! For the past few years during the pre-Christmas season, the local IGA has put out a stack of Puppy Chow recipes next to all the ingredients needed. This year I thought I'd give it a try. Here's the recipe:

1 box Crispix cereal
1 package chocolate chips
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups icing sugar

Melt chocolate chips, margarine and peanut butter. Pour over cereal in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the icing sugar into a large brown pager bag and add the cereal. Fold the bag to seal and shake well to coat evenly. Spread on waxed paper to cool and dry.

Sounds easy enough, and it was. K helped me and even A had to give the bag a few shakes. Kind of weird to use a paper bag, but it worked! The icing sugar only seeped out a little during shaking. It's really quite a yummy treat. And of course, if you eat it on the weekend, the calories don't count. ;o) Right?

For J

Ugh - I have really been lax with posting lately! I've been wanting to post some pics of J since she had her 17th birthday the end of October. Yes, she's SEVENTEEN! (gasp! . . .we JUST brought her home from the hospital, didn't we?)

There are next to no pictures here of when she was a toddler - I'll have to dig deeper to find them! I know I took lots!

Here we go:



Bathtime in the kitchen in our apartment in Winnipeg . . .





Visit from Dad & Brenda . . .




Kindergarten . . .




First Grade . . .




Third or fourth grade (don't remember!) . . .




With A R during a visit to Minnesota . . .




With K in their matching dresses that I made them . . .




Ninth birthday . . .




Tenth birthday with K in front, C in back, and A on the right . . .




I don't know what grade this is!(but I'm guessing 5th?) . . .




J helping work on the piano. This is the piano that I learned to play on (somewhat!) when I was a kid. Dad and one of my stepbrothers brought it up to us from Minnesota. We refinished it and then had a piano technician do some work on it, but we did as much as we could ourselves. This step is replacing the stirrups (I think that's what they're called - little straps). We discovered that it was easiest for J to do this part since she had such small nimble fingers. She did a great job. Thanks, J! . . .




On a trip in the van somewhere . . .




J riding a friend's horse, Blackjack (BJ) at 4H. Funny, but we now have BJ in our corral keeping Prince company. He's on loan.




7th or 8th Grade . . .




Graduation photo for junior high . . .




Ninth Grade . . .




Tenth Grade . . .




Eleventh Grade . . .




Twelfth Grade . . .




Where has the time gone? Whoooooosh! We recently found her grad gown - had a fun time shopping in bridal shops in downtown Winnipeg (well, I had a fun day - I didn't have to change a gazillion times!) Now she's got her eye on a car she likes. Today she borrowed our car to go to Winnipeg on her own (with a friend - A) to go to the orthodontist. Soon she gets her braces off. She's pondering her future after high school - considering working a year, and then maybe training in nursing or paramedics or wherever the Lord leads her.

We love you J!

Love,
Mom

More Zimbabwe News

Just got another message from Fiona in Zimbabwe. The "new owners" of their land (those who just moved onto it) have stolen their tractors, put new signs up on the property, dividing it into three. Thirty squatters were on their land, threatening with axes. Fiona's father in law was able to get one policeman to come out, but he was powerless against such a show of force. Under duress her husband agreed to let them plough up 10 hectares, even though he is protected by a court order against the squatters. This will have to go to court again, which could cost them up to 3 thousand dollars US funds. Court costs are going to eat up all the profit from the crop they just planted. Inflation is crazy there. $1 USD = 642,371,437,695,221,000 Zimbabwean Dollars - it's the worst currency in the world.

They are hoping for no more drama this week.

Months ago when they saw this coming they wanted to get travel documents so that they had the option to leave the country, but the government stopped issuing them, leaving them without that option.

So far . . .

. . . Fiona and her family continue to be safe. She appreciates prayer - her words:

"Please pray for us , we know and believe all your prayers not just lift us up but they really help ."

They are getting very little sleep. Legally they have title to their land, but the police will not be coming to help them.

Inflation in Zimbabwe is unbelievable - people are mostly using foreign currencies now or just trading goods. If they get Zimbabwe money they have to spend it quickly before it loses value. I cannot imagine.

Urgent Prayer Request

For the past year or so I have been in contact with a homeschooling mom from Zimbabwe. We met through a Yahoo homeschool group we both were members of. Anyway - the situation is dire there, and my Zimbabwe friend fears for the lives of her family. They farm, and there have been people coming onto their property, demanding their land and threatening them. Yesterday a group of seven youth came and moved into a vacant house on their property, said they were going to kill her husband and deal with her and the kids in the morning. Her husband raced into town to contact the police. She's under immense stress and is asking for prayer. So please pray for Fiona and Hannes and their children. Pray for Zimbabwe. You can check out the Zimbabwe news at:

www.zimbabwesituation.com

Psalm 138

I will praise Thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.

I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth; for Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name.

In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of Thy mouth.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.

Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of Thine Own hands.