12 inches wide!

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Leap Year on a Monday – well-doing men are.

Leap Year on Tuesday – handsome the men are.

Leap Year on Wednesday – true-hearted the men are.

Leap Year on Thursday – hard-working the men are.

Leap Year on Friday – careful the men are.

Leap Year on Saturday – obliging the men are.

Leap Year on Sunday – all men are good.

Olivia has allowed me to ‘test drive’ her grass from her newest products arriving at the Sophia Sarducci Shoppe this coming Monday, so I’ve made you a spring-y border. If you are a designer or a scrapper, you will definitely want to ‘pick’ a bunch of her fresh flower templates – a whole bouquet of spring for your layouts and projects. I’ll tell you more closer to Monday when they arrive in the shoppe, and perhaps I can even convince Olivia to make you a little something...

And speaking of arriving, welcome to our new Pastor Jim, and Elaine as they make Osoyoos their new home! We hope you enjoy living here and once the wood smoke wears off you will feel right at home.

Our friend Roger took the following photo of the recent lunar eclipse and has given permission for me to share it with you. Thank you Roger – great phototgraphy!

2008 lunar elclipse

Tomorrow is a special day for me. My friend Amy W. (ya, we ALL know and love our Amy) – well Amy is going to sponsor a child from Compassion. This is my last day to blog about Compassion for February, and Amy is my answer to prayer. That someone would be moved to sponsor a child of their own. I’m so eager to find out more about her chosen child and I’ll be praying for her. Thank you Amy for following your heart on this one. It’s going to be wonderful to compare stories – and perhaps we will have todesign a Compassion kit in the future? If you would like to know more about sponsoring a child for yourself, just click HERE.

SUCH a busy time of the year, and now the warring within me begins. To stay within and do my work, or be lured outside by spring in the air. I can SMELL spring in the air – and have been busy carting the blankets and pillows outside for a freshen up. Once in a while I take the clothes out of the closets in handfuls and just hang them outside for a few hours, makes the whole house smell renewed. A small thing I’ve learned though, make sure to SHAKE each item though, because sometimes bugs like to hitchhike in on them too!

Every valley drinks,

Every dell and hollow:

Where the kind rain sinks and sinks,

Green of spring will follow.

Yet a lapse of weeks

Buds will burst their edges,

Strip the wool-coats, glue-coats, streaks,

In the woods and hedges.

Christina Rossetti

I went to ‘the city’ with a friend on Monday, as she had a tooth pulled, poor thing, and while I waited for her I perused all the magazines in the waiting room and purged them of helpful links for you. Enjoy!

Are you a busy person who just never got around to learning the basics of cooking? We built startcooking.com just for you. You'll learn how to make quick and tasty meals, plus learn the basic cooking skills you'll need. Get ready to start cooking! Just click HERE to be taken to Start Cooking – a website which provides free, downloadable videos. Impressive. If you take a moment to fill out their survey, you will also be entered into a contest to win an ipod!

My friend Melanie just pointed out that these video cooking lessons might be a valuable tools for teaching English?

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Thinness at any cost? It’s really not necessary. Weight loss is not the only way to improve your health: managing your stress better, eating more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk products, walking a little more every day—all of these changes, even in the absence of weight loss, go a long way to improving your health.

Each week, the dieticians and fitness experts share a new pointer to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Check out this weeks theme: Think health rather than thinness. Just click HERE to be transported.

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For some girls in Southern Africa, getting their period means missing school for several days each month. That's because they don't have access to something many of us take for granted: feminine protection. Helping girls stay in school is critical. An education gives them a future. It helps build better lives - not just for them, but for their families and their communities.

This website will give you more information on what Tampax and Always are doing to help. More importantly, it will show you how you can get involved and truly help make a difference. There's no simple solution to the problems that girls in Southern Africa face. However, there are small steps each of us can take to help change things. Your purchase of Tampax or Always helps us donate $1.4 million through 2008 to the United Nations Association's HERO* campaign.

In 2008, for the first time, Canadians will have the opportunity to apply and potentially join other students as a Hero Youth Ambassador on a trip Summer 2008 to work together with African children living in communities affected by HIV/AIDS. Click HERE to find out how you can get involved.

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Leverage was developed to reduce the increasing hassles involved with managing gift cards and loyalty and rewards programs, and also to help consumers reduce the retail SPAM and clutter that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Unlike many other services that only do a fraction of what we do, it’s completely free. Creating an account takes less than one minute and gives you access to a wide-range of features.

You can:

Purchase gift cards from top retailers.

Earn interest on gift cards you register with Leverage
(if we are able to check the balance)

Swap gift cards for free

Manage gift card balances, frequent flyer miles and loyalty programs from one computer screen with no downloads needed

Receive targeted offers and savings from retailers based on gift cards you have, as well as your loyalty program and calendar info.

Maintain complete privacy of all personally identifiable information, so your safety is never in doubt.

Leverage is the start of a new relationship between shoppers and businesses that puts you in control. Do your wallet a favor and get organized with Leverage. Click HERE to find out more.

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Yes, You Can Wear That: How to Wear High Heels, White Pants, Strapless Dresses, and More

Real Simple asked women what items they would love to wear, but never thought they could. To find out how you too, can dress without revealing... just click HERE.

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I thought this following site was interesting – and timely now that spring is poking its head above the ground (yes, its official for if you visit my friend Becky’s blog you can see her sighting of the first crocus of the year, found right in her own back yard) The following site is the work of a fellow Canadian girl and is a treat for the eye as well as informational.

Click HERE to be taken to You Grow Girl

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Another gardening site which I read and enjoy is one which is written by a gardener in the north of Saskatchewan and features tomatoes and orchids in winter... yep, if you want to grow year round in those climes one must learn how to grow in-of-doors as well as out. You may even get glimpses of the ‘random lawnmower guy’ if you are fortunate.

Click HERE to be taken to Gardenista's website.

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And if your tastebuds are hungering for a new recipe website you may want to slip over HERE to the Smitten Kitchen website. With some mouth watering recipes and photos which will have you drooling, this site will keep you riveted to find out what’s next.

Click HERE to be taken to the Smitten Kitchen.

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And the next website is all about cupcakes – the blog writers Allison, Nichelle and Rachel collect all things cupcake from around the web and compiles them here for our enjoyment.

Click HERE to be taken to Cupcakes Take the Cake

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If you are a parent, and you like sharing and receiving wisdom from other parents, the following site is something you will find of interest. Who better to give advice than real, ‘hands on’ parents, anyways.

Click HERE to be taken to the Parent Hacks website.

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On a last note, I've had a few people request I continue on with the 'today in history' feature I used to have on my blog -how do you feel about this?

Lastly, I will leave you with some spiritual fodder to chew on today.

In refusing to be put out and annoyed, you are taking God's hand in yours. And once you feel God's hand, or the hand of anyone that loves good, in yours, let pity take the place of irritation, let silence take the place of a hasty answer.

~ written by Edward Wilson, in his diaries, as he accompanied Captain Scott on his Antarctic expeditions.

Resentment is racing your emotional motor...

it wastes valuable energy and gets you nowhere.

"See to it that no one misses the grace

of God and no bitter root grows up

to cause trouble and defile many."

Hebrews 12:15 NIV

download (link is for both)

She's 10 years old. She lives in Guatemala in a home with a dirt floor, wood walls and probably a sheet metal roof. Her diet most likely consists of corn, beans, vegetables and beef. No McDonalds... thats probably not a bad thing though. I wonder if she's ever had an ice cream?

Half of the adults in her community are unemployed but some work on plantations and earn the equivalent of $65 per month. Her community needs teachers, scholastic resources and recreational programs.

The small amount of money we send a month ($35 dollars) allows the staff of the student center in her community provide her with Bible teaching, retreats, camps, Vacation Bible School, medical checkups, antiparasite treatment, hygiene classes, recreational activities, and academic support.

Pretty amazing. I'm dedicated to sharing and promoting Brenda's story this month in the hopes someone out there will be inspired to sponsor a child as well. If you are visiting my blog for the first time, the link for the bloggers for Compassion - who recently took a trip to Uganda to visit the children is located on the right hand side of my blog... just click at the bottom of it where it says READ. VERY moving stuff, and you too, have the power to make this happen for some child who needs your help very much.

So, today's giveaways are for Brenda. If you would like to learn more about sponsoring a child through Compassion then just click HERE to find out how.


Some days are like that.

I could not resist this little cartoon from Dave Walker's site - he has some very amusing cartoons for your blog too. You can find his site by clicking HERE.

Do you find this too - some days its SO easy to blog, ideas and thoughts just fly from your fingers, then other days I feel dry as a soda cracker. Well, I took out a ton of magazines from the library (we can have 99 books out at one go, and I push the envelope on that sometimes...) So I 'biked' on the recumbent bike for an hour the other day and compiled the following links for you. I hope you enjoy, or find them of use. I will be back in a few days with another set (got to have a good sweat to work for them!)

If you live in Canada, and you wear contact lenses then you might want to trip over to COMPLETE COMFORT to download a FREE lenswear safety guide. They’ve also generously added a downloadable coupon for $2.00 off your next purchase. Just click HERE.

If you have a grade 12 child, or know of one, and live in Western Canada then you might want to check out Re/Max of Western Canada’s Quest for Excellence Bursary Program. Although there is only a short time left to submit an application (cut off date is March 7^th) its still might be worth it for the chance to win one of 24 $500.00 dollar bursaries. In order to qualify, the student must demonstrate their passion and dedication by writing a short essay on one of five chosen topics. To find out more just click HERE.

Ever since I read Camy Tang’s book Sushi for One, I’ve had a great hunger for Asian food. So if you like it as much as I do, you will want to scurry over to the Real Asian Made Simple website, where you can find all sorts of yummy recipes and ideas. While you’re there you can send a virtual fortune cookie or enter a contest for a trip to Thailand! (good for Canada and USA) Just click HERE.

And if you are feeling like doing some fun, crafty things for Easter, you might want to head over to Martha Stewart and sign up for her Living Easter Workshop – its FREE. Just click HERE to register.

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Snort!

This is what happens when my friend Olivia gets together with Miles and I... sheer silliness it is. Miles had a pest-critter for an Organic Farming project he's working on and then Olivia and I took it to the enth degree here. Olivia may work on a whole series of these little guys... And look for the Garden Flower Vector Templates coming up in a week at the Sophia Sarducci Shoppe.

Now, you will notice that Olivia has tucked HER terms of use in with this giveaway. There has been (so very sadly) piracy running rampant - so she's informed me that she will supply me with goodies for all, until it gets taken advantage of, so lets all be decent and if you care to share, have the respectability to send your friends here to download it for themselves, arrite?

Ok, so we are all making plans for the weekend. We might go for dinner. Might rent a movie. Well for sure we probably have some sort of entertainment and good food planned. And, if we added up what we plan to spend -why I just BET it is at least, or more than the cost of sponsoring a child from Compassion for a month. Let me assure you, you will get far more, and long lasting, satisfaction from taking care of a child for a month than anything you've got planned for yourself.

"There will always be poor people in the land.
Therefore I command you to
be openhanded toward your brothers
and toward the poor and needy in your land."

Deuteronomy 15:11

And we don't need 'commanding', right? Because this kind of satisfaction goes right down into your soul. I was SO moved by this blogger's journalling about what her sponsoring means to her. I fall far short of what she's doing, but at least I am doing something! Can I move you to help, too? I'm doing this as much for yourself as the children.

To find out more, visit COMPASSION

or if you are in Canada, you can visit COMPASSION CANADA

oooh... almost spring-like *sigh*

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Sigh. Olivia could not get into the Sophia Sarducci Blog this a.m. so she asked me to host this for you. This was created using Olivia's new Vector sets - you MUST slip over to see them, perfect if you are a designer or want super high quality tempLates as a digi-scrapper!

My last blog post was about love. Loving my husband. And loving on Valentines Day is great, but its just ‘good fun’ compared to the hard work sort of love that it takes to make a marriage strong.

Today, I’m going to blog about another part of love. I’m talking about compassion. That part of love which we’re moved to do beyond our own realm. Some people meet this love by doing missions – which takes a special sort of person. We’ve never been on a vacation to another country, (well the USA, but...) never mind a missions. Its just not happened yet for us, though we dream of doing this when we retire. God has a season for every thing in our lives – I’m sure our ‘mission season’ is coming.

At a time of our life when we were going through a financial devastation, compassion seized our hearts. My husband and I could not dream of traveling, though we longed to. We would have loved to do a missions, but it did not happen. Then, one day, while listening to KMBI (Moody Radio in Spokane, Wa) I found myself listening to a sponsor drive. Somehow it pierced me to my soul and when my husband came home I shared with him. Though it was not remotely in our budget at that time, he urged me to call and ‘adopt’ a child from Compassion International.

So, four years ago we adopted our little Brenda, from Guatemala. I can’t rightly describe to you the joy and delight that settled into me. She’s not here with us, but she is in our hearts every day. We write and receive letters and photos from our little friend. We’ve learned about her corner of the world and share some of what its like here. We send stickers and photos... and of course, prayers. Our small monthly sums allow her to attend a school and buy some supplies and personal hygiene products. We give a small amount extra for her birthday and for Christmas. Its amazing to know that for about the price of a cup of coffee a day, we are enabling our Brenda to do so much.

We have some financial responsibilities right now which will ease in the future, and as they do, we plan to ‘adopt’ more children.

One of the most powerful things my blog has done for me was enabled me to help another person adopt a Compassion Child. Back in October, 2006 I wrote that I was filling out my Christmas Card for Brenda (they must be sent to Compassion three months in advance in order to be delivered on time to the child) I mentioned that if people were starting to put together Christmas present lists, they might consider adopting a Compassion Child for someone – you know, that someone who has everything already? And one of my readers did just that. She wrote “Thanks, Barb, for sharing your beautiful elements with us, as well as your other tips and bits of wisdom. I think I will follow your gift suggestion for one of my daughters, who is childless.”

How cool is THAT?

So no matter if you may not even be able to do something yourself at this moment, spread the word! Someone out there may just be waiting for you to suggest it. Be used!

There are many ways to be involved – and the rewards are so great. Right now, Compassion is hosting a blog challenge. (I was totally not aware until my friend JanMary put me on to it – THANK YOU JM!) If you have just a few moments, then you should check out the Compassion Blog Tour to Uganda. Some dedicated bloggers are all in Uganda, witnessing the work of Compassion . Be prepared to be moved as you read how each person is being changed through this experience. You will get a wide range of blogging styles and journaling, all focussed on this rewarding and life-changing experience. I could not them without being touched by each story.

These are the bloggers who are taking part in the Uganda Trip:

· David Kuo blog

· A simple journey

· queen anne's lace

· Spence Smith

· Tom Emmons

· Shannon in Oklahoma

· FlowerDust

· BooMama

· The NEW ShaunGroves.com - Shlog

· Randy Elrod

· The Phil Files

· Doug Van Pelt

· Chris Elrod

· Ragamuffin Soul

· Compassion Blog

For photos from the trip go here

And... then you could go directly to the Compassion site to adopt your own child. Or perhaps to find information so a childless friend can adopt a child. Or, your church group can adopt a child. Or your workplace can adopt a child. Or your coffee group. Or...

Compassion Canada

Compassion USA

And Becky... YOU just adopted a child in Africa (then you got pregnant, go figure!) ... have you recieved your package? Photo? Do TELL!

I leave you with the following video of Carlos of Ragamuffin Soul blog to share his story of visiting an Aids Clinic/Villiage for the first time.

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I hope you enjoy this lovely photo frame which Olivia has blessed you with. She's such a Champ! She's feeling very generous as she is launching FOUR new element sets tomrrow at the Sophia Sarducci shoppe tomorrow. You will want to be checking these out if you are either a designer or just scrap for your own pleasure... because, Olivia is making her stuff available in Vector format, as well as all the .png formats too. Actually she's making them in so many formats her head is spinning. She's been getting plenty of good critque from her favorite designers, namely Sophia (boss AND freind), Amy W, and Kim B. She tells me that without them she would not have been able to do all this wonderful stuff. BE ON THE LOOKOUT TOMORROW at the Sophia Sarducci Store for Olivia's kits and also for another little freebie on the Sophia Sarducci blog perhaps???

I hope you all got a sore neck craning over my shoulder trying to peek into my husband’s undie drawer (ROTFL) Scram! I’m the only one who gets to look in there. Well, I will TELL YOU what was in there, at any rate. Buried within the layers of boxers and silkies were two huge bars of dark, dark luxury chocolate (hmm ok there is something a bit unnerving about chocolate in underwear, I admit) ... we won’t go there. There was also a gift certificate for music downloads at the itunes store! How cool is that? While these sweet gifts turn my heart into a hunka hunka burning love, his ‘hacking’ my blog was what really the most amazing thing he could have ever chosen to do for me. I never had a clue!

So how did I reciprocate?

CLICK TO SEE MUCH LARGER!
Kit - Love Actually by Franziska Altmann
Messy Glitter Alpha - by Carol Abram

Well, with no money, (self imposed savings plan) except for the ‘frift shop cash I cadge from the recesses of hunny’s pants pockets (got to get paid for the laundering service, right?) - this gal has become very imaginative and resourceful when it comes to gift-giving. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I have free-range to our bank account, but that would be the easy way out. My creative juices work best under (financial and otherwise) pressure. So I put my thinking cap on and sat and thought and thought. Then, I decided just what to do!

I created a SPA for my hunny, right in our own home. I researched what the classy spas offer and then set out to turn our guestroom into a dayspa.

I tried to think of all the touches. I set up

a massage table (bed with a crisp, white sheet),

plenty of fluffy white towels and facecloths

an electric crockpot filled with eucalyptus water and smooth river rocks (massage)

massage lotions

implements for a manicure & pedicure

home made blueberry/oatmeal/honey & nut facial masque

soft, plushy gorilla prezzie

foil wrapped chocolate (regifted from undie drawer buhahhaa)

hand painted valentines card

soft music piped in

a special chandelier for soft lighting

plenty of candles

hand painted watercolour sign on door saying ‘The Spa’

my own homemade decadent puff pastry dessert

and I dressed ‘all out’ for the occasion

What a hoot!

I spent three HOURS pampering my sweetie – and he took it all in like a little puppy getting patted. My hands felt like gnarled tree branches by the time I was done – used every towel there was, all the hand/feet crèmes and burned the candles down the the stubbs. But it was oh so worth it!

This is something anyone could do with a minimum of cost and a lot of imagination and to help you I’m giving the link to the website where I found the recipe for the facial masque. This site is a wealth of home spa recipes – many of them can be made using ingredients you have on hand.

Let me tell you, the blueberry masque I made for Miles looked and smelled so yummy I was tempted to lick his face – or eat the leftovers for breakfast. You can find your own delicious recipes HERE.

And no, I resisted licking my hunny’s face and instead enjoyed the dessert I whipped up. I made my second successful batch of puff pastry and filled it with a whip cream/cream cheese concoction. I layered it over that with a blueberry and lime filling, topped it with another heart pastry slab. Then I topped it all with our initials and swirlies made by piping melted chocolate from the snipped corner of a ziplock baggie. I put it first onto a sheet of plastic wrap which was stretched over a dinner plate. Then I chilled it in the fridge till they bits were firm enough to move onto the dessert. Mmmmm!

Now I mentioned to you in an earlier blog post, that my being so blessed and happy in marriage gives me a heart for those who we tend to forget on this ‘day of love’ I racked my brains as to what to do for the women in my circle of influence who are widows. I prayed about it. In the end, the answer was very simple. While I ran around like a chicken making all the preparations for my hunny’s BIG surprise, I phoned each of the ladies I know who are a widow. I opened my heart to them and told them I knew it must be a difficult day for them, and that I was thinking of them. I asked them if they wished to talk about their husbands, to share their memories. Several shared happy memories and even how they first met. Talk about being blessed back – I was in tears afterwards. You see, it does not take ‘doing’ something sometimes (especially if you are really busy) but just be obedient to pick up the phone or write a note of encouragement when God tugs your heart. I think that by being bold in those instances you allow people to open up, where they might not otherwise.

You always have time for that which you place first.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Matthew 6:33

Unless a life is lived for others, it is not worthwhile.

Mother Teresa

Things are poor substitutes for giving.

The only true giving is a portion of yourself.

“God has given each of you some special abilities;

be sure to use them to help each other,

passing on to others Gods many kinds of blessings.”

1 Peter 4:10

I will be blogging more on being a ‘giving’ person in the next blog post.

Ok, on to other things. I am very excited when I find a ‘good read’ book, aren’t you? Well I am blushing to tell you that my blogger friend Camy Tang is a published author, who I’d never read before. We had reciprocal blog links like forever, then when I switched from the OLD blogger to the NEW blogger (and thats a long sordid tale in itself – ‘nother time rant) well, somewhere during the move, I dropped Camy’s link off in cyberspace somewhere.

One day recently, my friend Becky and I were surfing the net and searching our public library for Christian books and who’s book should pop up, but Camy’s? An’ I sez, “ I’m linked to Camy” – NOT! Oops, so I went and added her back and ordered her book “Sushi for One”- sometimes romance needs a kick of wasabi. Its funny but when you just assume a link is there on your blog you don’t realize its gone till you ... look!

Well her book arrived at the library very quickly and I was excited to read it. Now both Becky and I (besides all the serious, learning type books) especially like to read and swap Christian Chic Lit type books, and this one is a wonderful read. Filled with humour and steeped in Chinese heritage, the story sweeps you into a fast paced, witty, and actually informative and sweet, modern-day love story.

Her main character, Lex, is a strong young woman who, because of a traumatic incident in her past, does not have the need/inclination/desire to be in a hurry to find a perfect mate. She’s created a checklist of biblical credentials she’s complied from Ephesians that any mate would have to live up to. Not that she’s really looking. But Lex belongs to a big, close-knit Chinese/American family – and the matriarch, Granny holds the means to fund Lex’s girls volleyball team – something dear to Lex’s heart. Granny’s stipulation to Lex receiving the money is that she turn up at a cousin’s wedding – with a REAL boyfriend.

What follows are Lex’s adventures as she searches for ‘Mr. Right’ – and fends off her brother’s ceasless stream of ‘friends’ who he hopes to set her up with (for his own sneaky reasons) I especially appreciated learning all about the Chinese foods and events, and Camy has thoughtfully included a glossary of terms in the back of these items.

I don’t want to give any more away, but be assured that this book is TOTALLY worth reading and buying for your collection. You can find Camy and even order her books by clicking HERE. And Becks, the book is just WAITING for you!

Well, I have bent your ear long enough for today. I am actually scrapping the rest of my big Valentines adventure to share with you over the next few days. Thank you for taking the time to drop in.

layout by blog reader KATE
Stitching by Natali (recolored)
Moon and Stars by ME

I love this pretty layout by you, Kate. I like white space in my layouts too. I mentioned to you I think your photo is a perfect candidate to actually cut and put her (how adorable its YOU) perched on my moon... how bout I RAK you and do that for you. I will leave you a PM at DST and we can connect on that. Thanks for sharing with us!

layout by RACHEL
Silver Alpha by Flergs
Moon and Stars by ME

Rachel, I could not agree more, the alpha goes PERFECT with the moon and stars... I thank you for showing me the moons and stars are perfect for sleep-time layouts. Thanks for sharing.

layout by ROSA
Kit - Old roses by Rosa
Cupid by ME

Rosa has the old roses kit available for download for free at her blog site HERE. I like your bold colors Rosa. VERY Valentine-y! Thank you for sharing too!

Please send me a link to your layouts using my elements, I love to feature you on my blog! (and to see how you use my elements, of course!)

Mr. Miles Has Hacked your Site

To my precious wife, Barb this valentines day...



I enjoy every moment with you as we fill our library of love in this earthly life. You are a spectacular woman and perfect mate. I love you forever and look forward to each and every day with you...

You may want to look in my underwear drawer for something special for your day...hehe

You are simply the best wife...to all your readers...I have her...the most amazing wife that honours me in every way, loves the Lord with all her heart, and makes me proud with all that she does.

Thank-you once again Barb for the beautiful person you are and for being my valentines forever...

Love..your Husband Hacker, Miles

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I hope you can find a use for this sweet little cupid. My friend Darlene who attends the Learning Centre asked her daughter Brianne for permission for me to morph her sweet baby girl into a cupid, and now I am sharing with you!

The rose will cease to blow,

The eagle turn to a dove,

The stream will cease to flow,

Ere I will cease to love.

The sun will cease to shine,

The world will cease to move,

The stars their light to resign,

Ere I will cease to love.

From a mid-nineteenth century valentine.

The violet loves a sunny bank,

The cowslip loves the lea,

Scarlett creeper loves the elm,

But I love – thee.

From Proposal by Bayard Taylor

And Song of Solomon is always SO amazing:

Song of Solomon 1:

1 Solomon's Song of Songs.

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.

3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the maidens love you!

I wish all of you a highly romantic and lovely Valentines day!

I have been all over the place this week – never a dull moment. I even created a new recipe to share, but forgot to take pictures of it – so will have to do that next time. Lets just tell you it involved rice wraps, which I've never used before – and they are tricky little things.

February brings the rain,

Thaws the frozen lake again.

The weather has been just ick, ick – though the sun did manage to shine a bit this afternoon. I've been watching a hawk the past few days. It seems he has a favorite telephone pole to 'dine' on, and he always seems to have something to eat. I was surprized to be able to get a clear enough photo to share, as he was very far away.

I've been making Valentines Day plans for my sweetie, so I don't have a lot to journal. Since I'm not a wealth of information today – I'll just leave you with a helpful link. Its called Magatopia, and its a site where you can read popular magazines online. Enjoy. - Just click HERE to be transported!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote for my insect photo to win the ipod nano? I'll think of you every time I listen to it... really!

Just click right on the picture where it says Vote for my Photo!

Vote for my Photo

Nummy Dinner!

@snapSeeker Photo Contests

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I hope you like today's freebie... I would say that my sweetie hung the moon and stars, but I know that God really did.

So sorry it's been a few days since I journalled. Well, not really sorry. It WAS our anniverary and all. Baby, it's ccccold outside but its warm in here! Tee hee!

Pam striking a 'skatr girl' pose on the frozen lake...

The lake that is not frozen any more, by the way. Well, it does kinda firm up at night, but in the daytime the sun comes out and it's melting away. I was about to hang up my skates anyways, what with all my bruises and blisters I incurred last time. My skating super highway I cleared on the lake has plumb melted away into oblivion. I wonder if that will be it for this year.

Making this brief as that durn Olivia keeps pestering me to help her with her software and learning. She owes me big-time... I will have to make her make you another cool giveaway soon. What do you think?

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Wow – time flies when you are ... happily married! Some red, red roses, dinner in, gifts exchanged and an evening of romance. Sigh. Pinch me, already! (and thank you Melanie for the beautiful personalized beeswax candles – how sweet of you)

Photo Cube I made for my HUNNY
using Amy W's LoveLetters Kit
and Kim B's Lovable Kit
(candles made by our friend Melanie O)

And there's always a flipside. Whenever I find myself deleriously happy/excited about something, my heart tugs to the other side. Single moms, broken and hurting people. I don't take my blessings lightly, or not pay attention to the fact they are indeed, blessings. My mind and heart are turned to those who don't have someone to share their day with, their hopes and dreams, who will be there to hold them when they're hurting or share their joys and accomplishments. You know, with Valentines day just around the corner, its time for you to think of those who are alone. You have a terrific opportunity to bring a little love into their lives.

1 Timothy 5:3

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

It is so little I can do!

It is so little I can say!

Nay, but what God demands of you

Is just that little:

HEAR – OBEY

- J.L.M.W.

Know a lonely widower? Know a single mom or dad? Why not pick just one, and make up something special to help them know they're not alone/forgotton or unappreciated. Just because a single mom doesn't have (or even want or need) a man in her life does not mean she would not like to recieve something pretty and frilly to make her feel beautiful. Or something sweet and scented. A single dad would probably appreciate a cassarole, movie night basket or restaurant coupons. What widower wouldn't like to be taken out for a coffee and prompted to share memories of their loved ones & their own Valentines memories.

The power of prayer.

Thank you for praying for my friend Patricia B. I got the urge to call the hospital to check on her condition last Sunday before church (you know, one of those God-nudges on your heart)... I was afraid perhaps it was too early to be bothering her, but then again you know if you don't obey your urge NOW you may forget later and the opportunity is gone?

I phone and discover that she's been discharged. See, Patricia had been using that 'special' room most hospitals have. The one thats stocked like a nice motel, complete with a visiting area and other warm touches. This gives dignity and the ability to entertain – because the underlying message is, “you don't have long.” So, when I called to find she'd been sent home, I was wondering?

I decided, even at the early hour to phone her home. I'm so glad I did. The difference in prognosis between my last posting and this one, is now Patricia may have MONTHS, not weeks – perhaps (according to the doctors) a year. Hmmm... I don't know about you, and I don't know how this happened but I consider it an answer to prayer – a miricle. I've just seen it too many times. I've allowed myself to believe in asking for the BIG things from God, and I've also seen them answered. Please continue to pray for my friend... I'm thinking this will be a powerful year in her life!

Hitherto have you asked nothing in My name:

ask, and ye shall receive,

that your joy may be full.

John 16:24

Prayer is the door to God's treasury,

Faith is the key that opens it.

I had a wonderful visit Saturday night with some freinds, celebrating the birthdays of a one year old (cute, cute, CUTE) baby girl, and her auntie – who's twenty something? The gathering had grown from a few people to a spontaneous party of a dozen or so. Everything from Granny age and on down. Fun was had by all.

There are three very brave (specks) people out in the middle!
not me... :|

The lake is still nice and frozey. It changes every so often – at this point its all splotchy with bare patches of ice, which look black, then patterns of white where the snow has drifted. I saw a couple skating out there today – and three kids the other day, way out in the middle. I dunno, I'm too chicken to go out there, though I've been assured it should be fairly safe. Last I looked thats about where the eagles were picking off the woodhens, and it was the last big hole to freeze over. Whenever I even think about skating out in the middle I can see myself breaking through and plunging into the icy depths.

I get out several times a week to skate. It will be a bit tricky now with the patches of snow – I might take a snow shovel with me the next time and at least make a clear stretch so I get a good workout. I'm pretty clumsy and I fall at least once each session. I'm still sporting a 6 inch diameter bruise on my elbow, and several on my hip and legs. Not too sexy for my romantic valentines night... LOL! And then I get carried away with my camera sometimes, taking macro shots, laying on the ice. I swear one day they will find me frozen to the ice by the front of my legs melting in.

And another very cool thing about the lake. Because it's frozen over it makes these incredibly wild sounds as it shifts to fit into the bowl we call Osoyoos Lake. It makes all these amazing sounds as the ice creaks and groans and protests as it shifts to fit. The sounds rumble and grind all through the night, sounding like some sort of waterbeast that can't find rest. Do the fish 'hear' the sounds – or do they just feel vibrations. Do fish even have ears?

zebra patterns on our ice!

I learned a neat trick last week that you might find helpful. If you find the text too big or small to read online, just hit ctrl+ or ctrl- this makes the text you're reading bigger or smaller, in increments. I use this all the time now.

I forgot to share a recipe with you last journal entry. I attempted the roast recipe a second time, this time not with a Prime Rib, but with a round roast – and it turned out wonderful. My hunny got that little boy/puppy eyes and used his softest little voice to ask me if I would make him some Yorkshire Pudding to go with it. (silly boy, I'd love to do it even without all the cuteness!) I think both of us have fond memories of Sunday Roasts with our families as children. I was a little timid to make them, as my Mother In Law makes some wicked-good ones! But, being that I had a recent success with the meat part of the meal I decided to take the leap.

Again, even though I have a ton of corking cookbooks, the lure of finding something exotic and new on the internet won out. Of course, one of my key criteria for a recipe is that it is the 'BIG E' as in EASY. I settled on one that has few ingredients and can be adjusted by volume. Really, by volume. I thought that would be handy and interesting. I don't remember the exact website I found the recipe at, but the measurements are this: 1 cup eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, salt. Really. I used this amount and it made enough for more than a dozen puddings. I will half the recipe next time. I've just never seen a recipe which goes by volume, have you? They turned out exceptional. The other key thing to do, as you will read, is to heat the oil to as hot as possible, without actually setting it on fire – a fine art.

lonely leaf on the lake

If you are looking for a GOOD movie with a GOOD message I would highly recommend the movie Midnight Clear. You can read a review and see the trailer here.

My handy link for today is Cool Printables which is a site that will give you lots of great links to printable things. Enjoy, just click here to be transported.

I will leave you with this touching video about Mr. Rogers as he makes a pitch to the senate to have his show approved to be aired. I don't know about you, but it chokes me up. His sweet and good demeanor caused me to ask if he was a Believer - that goodness shines thru (or at least it should!) I did some research and discovered that Mr. Rogers was an ordained Presbytarian minister.