We Just Got Home!

This past weekend, about 85 Close To My Heart scrapbookers got together at the historic Sauder Village Founder's Hall near Archbold, Ohio for some serious scrappin' time.

Ohioan friend Connie and I went very early for the Saturday sessions and left late enough for our coach to turn into a pumpkin. I enjoyed the heated seats in her pumpkin, 'cause the temperature was minus 7 degrees Saturday morning!

Here are my CTMH "grandma" Chris S. and "mom-upline" Deb B. wearing their smiles and their CTMH aprons, and also a view of a small section of the large Founder's Hall where we got to spread out our stuff.

I'm so happy to have been able to get 22 pages scrapbooked on Saturday! We took breaks for a delicious lunch and dinner and also for a relaxing massage. I especially enjoyed seeing the helpful demonstrations showing how to use the CTMH rub-ons, liquid applique, prisma glitter, and fun flock.

DH and I traveled almost 500 miles one way so I could participate in this event. We were also blessed to visit for a few days with my parents who live in the area.

We're most thankful for God's protection as we drove back yesterday and today. When we got into the Indianapolis area about 9 a.m. yesterday, we were in a total white-out blizzard. After sitting on the interstate 4 hours and finding out the state patrol had closed the highway for the rest of the day, we slowly made our way to the first exit and got to a motel where we stayed overnight. Today we had sunshine and dry highways for our travel. It is SO GOOD to be home!

A Good BBQ Day for the Penguins!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

As White As Snow

Snow continued to fall through the night in the St Louis area ... we have about 8 inches on top of ice now, and no one is going anywhere! Our area isn't as well prepared for winter storms as the Northern and Eastern friends are.

Thankfully, the sun has come out, making beautiful shadows across the yards. I got out early before the humans and animals made their tracks in the pristine landscape to get a few pix. As I stepped carefully, I remembered the Bible verses about our sins and how God reminded His people, as He does today, that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, He makes us "clean like the pure snow."

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

I'm very satisfied to stay inside, look out, and thank God for all His creation and for our Savior Jesus, and then pray that the sun melts this winter stuff!

As I write, two deer are playing tag in our backyard. I would too if I were a deer.

How about those natural scallops on our cedar fence behind the gardening/potting table? Scrapbookers see a variety of designs in nature!

God's Midwest Winter Weather

In just 24 hours, we've gone from beautiful sunsets & clear winter nights to ice and snow here in Missouri.

I love the glow of the city street lights a few miles away from our hilltop "perch."

But our night is looking much different tonight!

Snow is still falling, mixed with ice crystals ... the thermometer reads 10F ... winter has come to our area ... even the snowblower couldn't get the ice off the sidewalk and driveway today ...

I got some practice using the new camera during the night snowfall ... I set the ISO on these pix at 1600. It sure is fun to experiment!

Creator God, Your every detail of nature is awesome to see (and thank You for letting me see it from a warm home)!