The Invisible Woman

I love this one! To all my favorite mommies...



H/t Barbara at Mommy Life

Western Spaghetti

This was fun! Another hit with my boys.



H/t Jennifer's Favorite Links

Chess

From Peer Gynt, In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg

My boys loved this one!!



Found at Barbara's Stray Thoughts.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm.....

Really?....


ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Well maybe...but what about this one and that one?

I'll Take That

You Are Easter

You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person. Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched. You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly. For you, every day is a new chance - no matter what happened yesterday. What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations. At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out. On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone

What Holiday Are You?

Wow!

Two years, 618 published posts, I won't tell you how many unpublished drafts and countless ideas and questions scribbled on scraps of paper. And I almost missed it, myself even though I had the little button on the sidebar. But one sweet comment reminded me what today was.

So, I'm still a bit winded and addle-pated. I couldn't think of anything exciting. I'll bake a cake tomorrow and you can all come visit. Right? What time should I expect you? Coffee or tea?

Thank you to everyone who has left a comment or e-mailed me. This bloggy thing is really pretty neat. It's been a wonderful two years. I've learned so much from all of you. Looking forward to more.

In Him,

Julie

Winter Reading Challenge

Robin of My Two Blessings is hostessing the Winter Reading Challenge. I'm hoping that it's not too late to join in. I'm just now feeling the fog start to lift and am ready to read again.

Robin's challenge is easy for someone to participate in.

"The rules are very flexible:

1) Choose any number of books you would like to read and post them on your blog.

2) They can be fiction and/or nonfiction including e-books and audiobooks

3) They can overlap with other challenges.

4) Sign up on Mr. Linky. I'm still trying to figure out Mr. Linky so will let you guys post your links yourselves when you have your lists ready.

5) In a few days, I set up a link where you can post links to your book reviews"

I think I can handle that!!

The books I've put on my list for this winter are:

1....And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santemeyer I've read this book more than once before, but it is one of my favorites and it has been a few years. I'm looking forward to revisiting the wonderful ladies of Waynesboro.

2. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon Apparently I have a lot of catching up to do in Mitford! I loved getting to know these people.

3. Grim Tuesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2) by Garth Nix I didn't think I would read the second installation after the first, but have changed my mind. This is a Young Adult book.

4. I Am Mordred: A Tale of Camelot by Nancy Springer Another Young Adult selection that I'm checking out to see if it is something I would like my oldest to read.

5. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin I really enjoyed A Wizard of Earthsea and have started this already.

6. Voyager by Diana Gabaldon It's been a long time since I visited Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser. It's time to go back.

7. Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller I've read this before and wanted to read it again for the Fall Into Reading Challenge, but didn't fit it in. I think it will be a good way to start the year.

8. When Mothers Pray by Cheri Fuller What more needs to be said?

9. The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey My oldest has read this series and started to read it outloud to his brother (I was eavesdropping.) I think I'll check into it further.

10. The Restless Sea (Morland Dynasty) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles It's been a while since I've picked up a Morland Dynasty book. This is book number 27 of 31 (so far). This has been a fabulous series. I highly recommend it.

11. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë My neice is receiving this for Christmas from us, I read it eons ago, I'd like to read it again.

12. Eragon by Christopher Paolini I've had best of intentions to read this book for quite a while, quite a while, actually. And since two sequels are out now would be a good time.

13. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper Always wanted to read this. Wish me luck.

14. I am already editing!! I forgot that I received Magi by Daniel L. Gilbert from a sweet friend and am going to be reading that right away. I was so surprised by this gift--it came with perfect timing.

I'll post updates here on Joyful Days, but will post full reviews on my Reviews & Recipes blog.

Visit Robin and see who else is reading in the Winter Reading Challenge.

Christmas Spirit

Ever the encourager, Kim at mom-musings gifted me with a Christmas award:


Thanks, Kim! Sorry it's taken me so long to post this, but I'm finally feeling a little better tonight so I thought while the boys (all three of them! LOL!) are occupied, since there is no company (I was blessed by visits from both my father and my sister and her children) and since we have nowhere to go, I could visit my much neglected blog and hopefully my bloggy friends.

So, what are the rules?

The rules:
The rules for this meme are very simple. Good manners dictate thanking (and linking to) the person who gave you the award. Then simply list five things you love about Christmas and pay the meme forward by tagging as many people as you'd like to. To keep the Christmas spirit flowing, be a good sport and tag at least one person.


Five things I love about Christmas? This Christmas, I will have to say, did not turn out how I had envisioned in my rose-colored imagination. No one plans on being sick before, let alone on a holiday--especially when that "one" is the Mommy-person. I got a slow start in the first place and then kicked up the pace a little and went on a decorating binge. But (she says with quite a whiny whine) I had soooooooooo much more planned to do, so much more to bake, special menus to make, cards to send, books to read, songs to sing, people to see, places to go, blog friends to visit, posts to post, sigh ...

And I don't think those all where what God had in mind. I'm not saying He made me have pneumonia, but He can use everything for His glory. And a few days ago I had to come to terms with what was essential for this particular Christmas. And that helped narrow down the choices. So five things that I've loved about this very different Christmas? They are:

1. God. Sounds kind of cliché and trite, but it is true. He met me in everything I purposed to Him. Everywhere I made an effort to seek Him, He was there. Whether I was in church, with my family, exhausted and lying in bed--He was there. Christmas is about God and His great love for us. Let the commercialism and retailers and those who would deny Him protest--it won't change the truth: Christmas is about God, YHVH, the Great I AM's love for His wayward children.

2. My family. My guys make it all fun. My husband really took over so much for me this year. My boys just love anything anyone does to make things more festive. Spending time with my father and my sister and her children just blessed me and reminded me that to slow down and enjoy the moments.

3. Church. No matter your denomination, I bet you love to go to church during Christmas to sing and praise the LORD with other believers--other members of Our Father's vast and diverse family. I bet you love to hear the Gospel message of how the Father sent His Only Son to our world as a tiny infant, a child born not it a palace, but a smelly stable. I bet you love to hear the message of LOVE. I know I do.

The one thing I had asked for this year was to go to Midnight Mass again, just like last year (probably not what the doctor ordered--but my heart was crying for it). We went and it was wonderful. I am always amazed at how moved I am to hear the Christmas hymns, to hear the Word, to come to worship the One.

4. Surprises. Christmas is always about surprises. From the first surprise that God would send His Son as an infant, to the surprises of today. Maybe a family member got to come home, maybe you got something you really wanted, maybe it was the surprise of giving a gift to someone and you could tell you had blessed them and they were thrilled.

I had so many surprises this year--really good and sweet surprises. I have to tell you I ended up crying quite a lot--happy tears mind you. But crying leads to coughing, so I coughed a lot too. But the surprises were worth it. Someone gifted my children in an unexpected way. Someone delivered a beautiful dinner on a night I had company and hadn't had the energy to put anything together. Surprises are a wonderful part of Christmas.

5. Lights. I'm trying to imagine Christmas without light. If you didn't notice in my decorating--I like lights. I'm not sure that it always works, but I hope that with the lights we remember the Light of the World.

Now I am supposed to pass this on, and so to everyone who commented on my posts through Advent to Christmas (and if you comment on this one too!), I'd like to share this award with you. I wasn't sure where Christmas this year was going, and your sweet comments, e-mails and encouragement blessed me more than you will know.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your days have been merry and your families blessed with joy.

Julie

Merry Christmas! Welcome LORD Jesus!

Lyrics and music by Chris Rice

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting

Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home
Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence

Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy

Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Merry Christmas

You Can Say "Merry Christmas" in 12 Languages

You can say "Merry Christmas" in: English Spanish Japanese French German Italian Swedish Portuguese Greek Hawaiian Latin Esperanto

How Many Languages Can You Say "Merry Christmas" In?