{ Tuesday Tidbits }

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East Tennessee weather is probably the most unpredictable anywhere in the United States.  This week's temps are like a roller coaster and then next week winter sets in with really cold temps, especially at night. But, Y'all.....

it's winter!!!

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The birdies have found the red barn feeder, but they're about to eat out of house and home.....

or house and barn!

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I'm on a cleaning frenzy -

it's sad to think about how two people can accumulate so much stuff, especially when one has difficulty throwing anything away.

(I won't name any names)

I've given away some things to Jess, but the den floor is full again of stuff that I just don't want/need any longer.  And, I haven't even watched that KonMari show on Netflix that everybody's talking about, or it could get worse.....

or better, depending on how you look at it!

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Do any of you set New Year's resolutions or goals? Or neither?  I don't do resolutions because my resolve usually dissolves in just a few weeks, but this year I am setting some goals. One is to HOPEfully FINALLY get my house in some kind of decent order. When I think about how neat and tidy the drawers and closets are that I've cleaned out so far it's like I'm able to breathe.  Clutter truly does clutter up the mind, too!  Another goal is to get back to eating better. I've lost a considerable amount of weight since my highest about 10 years ago, but have set a goal for myself to lose about 20 more.....

or maybe 10! Don't want to get too ambitious, you know!

😊

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Our girl sent me a text last evening asking if I had anything planned for this coming Thursday and I told her no, thinking she probably wanted me to keep the kiddos. Guess what she wanted?  To take me on a date, and she won't tell me where we're going, just told me to dress nice. I rarely get to go on dates, so Nannie is excited!

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She Shed update - 

sadly, no news to report, but Pappy is working on a couple of projects in our hall bath for me since it's too cold to work outside on the shed.

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If you saw my Facebook post about putting a Christmas tree back up and decorating it with snowmen and cardinals just for our second grandson - 

well, he loved it!

But with all the cleaning and organizing, I'm ready to take it back down and box it away for next year. I'm telling you all, this ain't like me at all, but I sincerely hope that I can keep it up!

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And, that's that about that, as my Mammie used to say.

HOPE your  Tuesday is terrific!

{ Tuesday Tidbits }

My first Tidbits of 2019.....

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We got a new bird feeder for Christmas and Pappy got the new shepherd's hook in the ground yesterday so we could hang the feeder (why is it one thing seems to always lead to another?).  The birdies seem to very much prefer the old one so I'm gonna switch out where they're hanging on the pole and probably empty the old one and force those birdies to choose the red barn!

😊

Google images

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I shared that my word for 2019 is JESUS, with a BIG emphasis on JOY and HOPE.  Not only the words keep showing up, but also the FEELINGS of both JOY and HOPE in my heart and both can ONLY come from JESUS!!!  How about you? Have you already seen evidence of the word you're focusing on come into play this past week?

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Y'all, it's the 8th day of January and it's 60 degrees in our neck of the woods as I'm typing this. 

This old gal needs sunshine and light in her life.....

and also SONshine and Light!

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Because of this gorgeous weather, I got outside a bunch yesterday.  

And, because of this crazy sciatica, I hurt a bunch yesterday, too.

😔😢

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I've been sharing a daily gratitude on the Friends of Breathing in Grace Facebook page each day and it makes me really look throughout my day for things to be so very thankful for.  I'd kinda gotten out of the habit of doing that and allowed "life" to get me down, but I've felt better this past week, looking for joy bombs each day, than I have in a very long time.

God is so very good, Y'all!

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We still have our icicle/snowflake lights on the front porch - yes, I'm one of THOSE people who keeps the decorations up longer than the first of the new year. I told Pappy yesterday that if it brings about the kind of weather we're having, I'll keep them up and lit all winter long! But, alas, I heard the word SNOW in the forecast for this weekend.  And, I'm not gonna lie. I do love me some snow!!!

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And, finally, just in case you need a confirmation of my craziness and a good laugh, here you go.....

You know the new roof over the back stoop I told Y'all we had built?  Well, we had an "incident" with it recently. I got home from church a couple of Sunday's ago and a squirrel was perched on the side of the house and as I went in the back door I discovered wood chippings on the porch. From what we can figure out, this might have been a Momma squirrel and she was building her nest in the opening above the porch ceiling. So, Pappy covered the opening, but this little creature was determined and started chewing the wood again. So we Googled "squirrel deterrent" and found out they don't like pepper and I remembered that I had pepper spray that I used to carry when I walked. I got the step stool, went out on the porch and sprayed where the squirrel had been chewing. In my determination to save our porch from destruction, I seemed to forget about this thing called gravity - so the overspray came down on top of me - and my head was skyward watching what I was doing - and let me just say that no matter how old a can of pepper spray is it's still mighty potent. Praise the Lord I had glasses on, but the spray still managed to get in my eyes, nose, and mouth - and hair and clothes.  You might be interested in knowing that soap and water and olive oil is good for the burning - just in case someone reading this doesn't have any more sense than I do - which I seriously doubt.

(too long of story shorter, the squirrel came back, chewing on the other side, so I boiled pepper in water and Pappy "painted" the boards with it and she disappeared. I tried to tell her that's what God made trees for)

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So, that's that about that, as my Mammie used to say!

HOPE everybody has a terrific Tuesday - 

and stay away from the pepper spray!

{ Tuesday Tidbits }

Can you even believe that Christmas is a week from today?

Me either!

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The young carpenter will be back this morning to hopefully finish up the cover over our back porch.

 Y'all, it looks like it should have been there all along!  

I'm so grateful God's allowed us to get this done.

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We're going to be spending time this afternoon with our Special Friends going to the Hatfield and McCoy dinner show - 

so excited!!!

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If you're looking for a short devotional and you have issues with "emotional strongholds" (or is that just me?), may I suggest "30 Days to Overcoming Emotional Strongholds", by Dr. Tony Evans. 

It's gonna take more than 30 days for me, but it's very good reading.

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My birthday is next month and my Keurig sounded like a wild animal in labor, so I splurged and got myself a combined Christmas/birthday gift - a new Keurig in the color "rhubarb". 

Our oldest grandson said he was glad I didn't get a black one, but chose a color - me, too!

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Y'all might have seen this on Facebook, but this is the ornament I made for our kiddos this year.....

times 4. I found the pattern at What Madeleine Loves and it's free. I had a really hard time figuring out how to display them but finally decided to buy round wooden disks (Hobby Lobby), painted them dark blue to represent the night sky and hot glued the ornaments to them. I wood burned our kiddos names and the year on the backs. I want to make our daughter - and myself one, too - but it'll have to wait until after Christmas. I'm blanket-stitched out right now!

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Do Y'all have birdfeeders?

We have two outside the window where our computer is and I enjoy watching the birdies oh, so much.  We only fill them with sunflower seeds, otherwise, we wind up with grass growing underneath the feeders - who knew?

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There's a precious 4-year old in our church who was recently diagnosed with leukemia and he's going through chemo treatments. Please pray for Holston and his family. I think I have problems and troubles until I hear about things like this and it truly puts things into perspective. There's power in prayer, Y'all, and I know this family would appreciate any and all prayers!

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I could write on and on, but.....

That's that about that as my Mammie used to say!

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Tuesday!

{ Tuesday Tidbits }

I'm sure Y'all wait with bated breath for what's happening in my life because it's so interesting so I won't keep you waiting one second longer!

😂

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Last Friday our neighbor had a tree cut and a huge limb landed on the shared fence between our backdoor neighbor/friend tearing down a section of the fence and knocking a hole in my she-shed.  The fellows cutting the tree went way above and beyond to fix my shed and the fence and one of the young men even blew the leaves out from around the shed and most of our backyard!  There REALLY are some honest folks left in this world!

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I know many of you don't like scents, but I've mentioned before how much I love diffusing essential oils. My current faves are clove, cinnamon, and orange. So Christmasy!

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So, this brown spot appeared on the side of my face and I immediately started regretting not using sunscreen this past summer when I spent hours in the sun and as I looked at the spot closer and scratched it with my fingernail it hurt and I remembered talking on the phone with it under my chin and my head cocked sideways and using the curling iron at the same time and no, I didn't put the caller on speaker because I kept thinking it wouldn't last much longer and now I have an even browner, uglier spot on my face and learned two things - don't talk on the phone and curl your hair at the same time and use sunscreen!!!

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We've had snow this week and it was beautiful!

There's just something so peaceful about a snowfall and how everything looks fresh and new covered all in white! 

(a sweet example of salvation)

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I love it when you  get a haircut and you know you did but it doesn't really look like you did because you have such a fantastic hairdresser and you get to spend time chatting with her because she's your friend, too, and then afterward you are driving along knowing it's freezing outside and the wind's blowing but you're toasty warm in your car listening to Christmas music and spending time ALONE!!!

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I haven't wrapped the first Christmas present, Y'all. 

I'm hoping to get started on that today. 

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I love this time of year so full of all things Christmasy. We went to a play a couple of weeks ago that all 4 of our grands were in (be still my heart) and this past Saturday evening was a girl's night out for my daughter, grand-daughter and me - we went to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I took Jess to see that when she was a little girl at the Bijou Theater in Knoxville. It was wonderful. If you haven't seen it, there are a few movies that are only around an hour long on You-Tube. It's really about the true meaning of CHRISTmas!!!

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And, I'll leave you with this because surely I'm not the only one......

Well, that's that about that as my Mammie used to say!  

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Tuesday!

{ Tuesday Tidbits }

A few things going on in my neck of the woods.....

Yesterday was an awesome day!

Wanna know why?

I worked outside!

I'd rather be outside working than indoors any old day. The weather was warm - a little too windy - but there were lots of leaves that needed to be mulched and blown and I took advantage of the warmer day and we got a lot accomplished!

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The porch cover is coming along.

I haven't taken any fotos, but I will soon.

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I came across this little owlie in a box of decorations that I hadn't opened in several years. I've had this owl since I was very young before we were even married. One of his little ear tufts is missing, and I'm pretty sure Jess tore/bit it off when she was little. He's faded and kinda nappy, but he's loved and found a place to perch on our tree.

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We got to see all 4 of our grand kiddos perform in The Christmas Carol this past Saturday night. Y'all, I can't even describe the joy and pride for these precious little souls. 

Be still my ♥ 

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Not a very clear foto, but look who's started sleeping in one of the chairs under the carport.....

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I'm pretty much finished decorating for Christmas, except for the lights we bought on sale last year that I wanted to put around our porch - we'll see if that happens since I'm old and tired.....

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Today is the 24th anniversary of going to heaven of one of the most important and loved people in my life.....

my Daddy.

April 13, 1928 - December 4, 1994

(Daddy and me - 1955)

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And, that's that about that as my Mammie used to say!

HOPE everybody has a Terrific Tuesday!

{ Tuesday Tidbits }

How do you like my little owlie with the thought cloud?  

Yes, I'm totally obsessed with owls and I refuse to apologize! 

😊

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Now, don't judge, but I already have my Christmas tree up. This is the earliest in 42 Christmases of marriage that I've put it up this early. When we first got married, Pappy wouldn't let me put it up until after his December 2nd birthday. But, I absolutely LOVE sitting with the tree lights on when I do my morning devotions or any other time of the day/evening/ night! This is something simple that makes my heart so very happy so he, maybe somewhat reluctantly, brought the tree up from the basement for me to put up and enjoy.

🎄

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Pappy and I have talked about the want/need of a cover over our back stoop. There is so much heat that hits that back door that it'll burn your hands to try to open the storm door during the summer heat. So, for our Christmas gift to each other, Pappy and a young man from our church are building the cover. I'll share pics when it's completed. It looks like it should have been there all along!

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Update on the she shed:

I've got nothing!

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My precious Aunt passed away about a week and a half ago. She had some health problems, but her passing was so unexpected. It broke my heart, as she was only 7 years older than me, closer to my age than my Moms'. Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers along with my Momma. She's heartbroken.

😢

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I've actually got a start on my Christmas shopping. 

I feel better when I can at least say that I've purchased a couple of things and have in mind what I want for some of the rest. A special "thank you" to my daughter and son-in-love for their help in letting me know what to get the kiddos.

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Do you diffuse essential oils?

My sister-in-love sells Young Living oils and I purchased Christmas Spirit from her yesterday. It's diffusing right now as I'm typing this and it smells so good.....

very orangey, cinnamony, spicy!

🍊

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It's supposed to be about 15 degrees cooler today than yesterday and so far I'm not seeing any sunshine. I NEED/CRAVE sunshine in my life, Y'all!

Can I get an Amen?

🌞

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Leaves!

I'm just gonna leave that word right there.

I'm pretty sure that's how I'll be spending my day tomorrow, mulching, raking, blowing.....

LEAVES!

🍁🍂🍁

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Can you believe THANKSgiving is day after tomorrow? 

How in the world can that even be? 

Wasn't Labor Day just last week? 

Time, please slow down.

🕘

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Do you have a designated dish that you usually take to family get-togethers? Pappy's family does. Each person pretty much brings the same thing year after year to the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. Mine are deviled eggs and green beans and cranberry sauce! Our pastor recently said something about deviled eggs that I thought was so funny, so if any of my family is reading this, please take note.....

"Deviled eggs mean love. 

If somebody takes the time to make deviled eggs for you, that means LOVE!"

♥😊♥

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That's that about that, as my Mammie used to say!

HOPE everybody has a terrific Tuesday!