Gram's Place

There is a scholarship brewing over at Lysa TerKeurst's website. It's a scholarship for the She Speaks Conference in June I've been thinking about attending. I decided that it would be a very wise decision to try for this scholarship... since my husband has been on this blasted budget and faithfully adhering to Dave Ramsey lately. With a scholarship, I may be able to pursuade him that this is a necessary investment into our lives and ministry. A-hem! “Why I would like to go to the ‘ She Speaks’ Conference ” OR “Lord please make my Dull Dishwater blog stand out among the entries to win!”. This entry is the result of a big process! I wrote and re-wrote a bazillion times what I could/should/would say about why I want to go to the ‘ She Speaks’ Conference. I started to give my testimony about how I ended up where I am today in ministry, but it was just too. Stinking. Long. I would have bored you to death. Not that I still won’t. I then resorted to writing about all the b...

I was tagged for this meme from Ann so I thought I'd play along. Here are the rules: (1) Link to the person that tagged you. (I did above...so go and say hi to Ann) (2) Post the rules on your blog. (That's what this is) (3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. (5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website. Now the hard part. 6 non-important things/habits/quirks huh? I should ask my family because I can't remember them all. 1. I am crazy insane about my floor being clean. I tell people I don't care about it, and it's just not true. It's a wood floor - and it always looks smudgey or dusty to me and it makes me totally crazy inside so I have to sweep and mop it. Lately I have been busy and I haven't been able to clean it so I thought I was healed, and then this morning, I couldn't sleep cuz I had a lot on m...

The bad news I heard today on the radio on the way to work: you have to eat healthy 90% of the time. ugh. WHY ruin my day?

I thought it was something that rabid animals get. I didn't know this. distemper : to throw out of order I was in such a bad mood that I decided to stay home rathan than distemper the party I was invited to.

1. You know it's cold when you are at work for an hour and a half and you still haven't taken off your winter coat. 2. We have a "stinky" in our house. It's funny because it's the master bathroom. And we all thought it was "something" someone else did... until last night we realized it was sewer gas. Real smart eh? And yeah, we build houses for a living. 3. I impulse bought something today that I think I may forever regret. I'm embarassed to say what it is. 4. Shawn's birthday is in 2 weeks and I have no ideas of what to buy him. See, buying a gift for him is a real challenge. First you have to figure out what he would want. Then, you have to get it... but part of the gift for him is to pay the least possible price to get it. So, if he really wants it AND it's a STEAL, you have bought the right gift. But, there are so many rules to gift buying for him that I usually fail. I'd really like to succeed somehow. I was thinking a...

Although the upcoming 2 hour season premiere on January 31 of LOST is completely and fully on my mind right now, that is not what I am writing about tonight. Somehow I have lost my life journal and I can't find that thing anywhere! I was wondering where I could have put it. I have looked all over the place. Then I started thinking about when the last time I wrote in it was... not last night, I did the last part of Bible Study last night. Sunday night I read out of the Romans book. Saturday? Oh good grief. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to start another book because then I will find this one and it will be all out of order. I don't want to write on papers because then I will have to transfer and rewrite it all when I find this one. But, what if I never find it? what if it is lost forever? I feel like I have lost my keys or my checkbook. Something you REALLY need everyday and for the life of you, can't figure out when or where you last saw the thing....

There are two kinds of people in the world. List makers and non-list makers. Which are you? I am definately a list maker. I love lists. I love pens. I love paper. Sometimes I even make lists of lists! You know... a list of lists I need to make sure I make... grocery list, to-do list, packing list, work list, calendar list, honey-do list. I can't even make a list really without a list. That's just how I am. I was sitting at my desk and after a week away, I realized my "inbox" is a little overflowing. So, I added to my list "empty inbox". I just can't do it without it being on my list. So, when I got to that item on my list, I took all of the contents of my inbox and put it in one pile. Then, I took every piece of paper out of it and put them into "sub-piles".... invoices here, timecards there, receipts here, letters there, list items here (these are things I need to make a list of and do later). THEN, I RE-PILED them into one pile, ...

As I sit in the kitchen gazing out the window, the sun is shining and the snow is glistening. There are shadows cast over the snow from the trees and it appears to be a beautiful day. It's not. It happens to be -4 degrees. But, the weatherman is quick to point out that it feels like -22 with the slight wind blowing. Things are not always as they seem. Even though we just got back last night, my sister in law and her daughter came over to visit. It ended up that the 8 year old girls wanted a sleepover, and since we had no plans today, we obliged. They are both running around here this morning with super curly hair. One is natural curls, the other is from the curlers we put in last night. But, really, the curler curls look very natural. I know they aren't. Things are not always as they seem. I did some of my Romans Bible Study last night on the way home in the car. In three weeks time, I have been unable to peel myself away from Romans chapter 1 and 2. I have notes a...

We are home! The first thing I did was turn on my laptop and enjoy the benefit of amazingly fabulous wireless internet in my house. We left early this morning and after a brief 2 hour stop at the TJ Maxx store in one of the nearby cities, we made it home this evening to drifting snow and subzero temperatures. Everything is cancelled around here... which is sometimes such fun. No reason to go anywhere and nobody wondering why you aren't there. We ordered a pizza, and I'm going to spend the rest of the night reading a new book I've been waiting to start called "the Shack".

SWAG = Stuff We All Get Builder’s Expo was a hit! I’m almost embarrassed by the amount of stuff we brought back.

I figured out how to get wireless internet here. If you want to stay in the hotel room, you stand by the entrydoor, hold your laptop above your head with one hand, and click intermittently between networks to get one that will connect. It works! It’s a little hard to balance, but if that’s what it takes… We overslept this morning. We missed breakfast and had to go straight to meetings. Good thing I brought those pop tarts along from home. The girls stayed in the hotel room and did homework in the morning. I didn’t tell them the news that school was cancelled at home. They would have probably chosen not to do the homework after all. One meeting we went to was interesting for sure. It was on publicity. I found her tips of the trade quite useful. I am very proud of my husband and his father. They have built a good business. They are well-respected here among their peers. I often get pulled into “my world” when we are at home, and forget that they are the number one builder wi...

Well, it’s 10pm. We’re in our hotel room. I have to admit… this hotel is much much nicer than the one we stayed in last night… and for the same money. That is one of the benefits of a big business meeting. Good rates at great hotels. However, the wireless internet here is pretty much stinky. Really stinky. Okay… really really stinky. So, despite the indoor water park, condo“ish” room, arcades, starbucks (yes, this is a big bonus)… I still have to say one negative – sorry. I have tried various parts of the hotel room to acquire the wireless access. The sofa worked for a while, then quit… the bathroom worked once,… and now I’m sitting on the floor in front of the door… maybe if I stand on my head and just. try. to. hit.the.keys.with.my.toes….. nope. Here is a recap of the day. Our room is (as mentioned above) condo“ish”. I say that because although it is in the “condo” area, it is actually a room with two beds, a sleeper sofa, a mini microwave, and a tiny refrigerator tucked under the si...

We skipped town yesterday. We're on our way to some business meetings and we decided to go a day early and visit Lindsey at school. We had some stuff to deliver to her - her car for one thing. :) But then of course the other important things she left at Christmas break - her favorite shoes, her travel coffee mug... the important things she can't live without. So, we grabbed a hotel on the way and spent the night there. We made Lindsey pack a bag and stay with us for a quick getaway and fun snuggle with her little sisters. Seriously, I love hotelling - some people like camping, some people like travelling... I love hotelling. No cleaning, no cooking, housekeepers that bring you clean towels and take away the mess when you leave. I was born to hotel. There is nothing like it. (Well, the bed was a little lumpy but that's the only bad part). And I had to get up a hundred times in the night to adjust the heat on and off. That was bad too. And I really didn't sle...

On Wednesday nights, our Pastor is doing a series on the book of Romans. It started the beginning of January. Along with it, I am reading this book. John Stott is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Having never read anything by him except a few excerpts, I did a little bit of research. In 2005, he was honored by Time magazine as being one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World". You can read here about his conversion. I love this story. But, I have to warn you. It isn't anything exciting. It won't shock you. It's almost dull. But, to me, it shows an incredible power of God to slowly infiltrate our lives and change us from within. In August of 2007 John Stott preached his last sermon. He was entering retirement and moving to the south in England. I read that sermon here if you want to. I was completely intrigued by what someone like John Stott would want to say as his last words to the Christian world. It is humbling and beautiful...

I said a couple days ago that we got a package of yummy chocolates from germany. Julia really knows us well! I spoke too soon. We got two more yesterday. oh the bliss. toffifee, ferrero, giotto, milka,knusper kugeln, lindt, kinder schokolade, smarties (m&m filled hollow chocolate, ritter, and raffaello to die for.... I saved the best for last. Feodora Mocca's and Mocca's Orange. Now this may be a real problem for me. I may have to find out where and how I can buy this and make up an imaginary friend to buy it for, hide them, and eat them all myself in one full swoop. They are chocolate flavored with coffee. good chocolate. really really really really good chocolate. Let me see if I can describe. Pop it into your mouth like you would grab a chocolate chip out of the cabinet (you know, the stash you hide from your family). It starts with really good dark chocolate melting in your mouth. Then... wait... something else. coffee. you are in choco-coffee bliss. I don't think t...

We got a package from our "daughter" Julia who lives in Germany. Remember her ? We miss her so much! (if you are reading this Julia, we still miss you!!!!) She remembers our addiction to chocolate well... as this package was delivered... and then promptly hidden from everyone. :) She also sent some very cute robotic salt and pepper shakers that are addicting to "send" across the table in an effort to make them dance. And alas! Coffee! Thank you Julia (and Stefanie and Christian) for the gifts. I would much rather have you delivered to my door! Miss you and love you!

Christmas is over. It's official. Emily informed me on Dec. 28 that Christmas wasn't over until December was over. So, darling Em, I'm sad to say... Christmas is officially over. It's January now. I have proof. Exhibit A - Your dad and I have returned one college student to school. We drove 8 hours in the fog all night long, coming home at 4am to plop our sleepy bodies into our bed. Exhibit B - College student #2 had her friends from college come and visit as one last fun night before going back to school. We made a great dinner... and the best part is that she cleaned the entire house! (thanks Haleigh!) it's about time . Exhibit C - You have returned to school. it's about time. Exhibit D - I feel better. You know how I was sick the ENTIRE Christmas vacation? Well, now that I no longer have any days off work, I'm better! Isn't that GREAT? (grumble grumble) it's about time. Exhibit E - The decorations are down. Well, with the exception of the ...

Yes, my pen has returned. I am unsure who took it. But, I have my suspicions. Alas, it has returned, and as promised, without question as it occurred within 48 hours of it's departure. Yes, it is a lovely one. I actually have two. This one in a stunning amaranth purple... and another one in a classy charcoal / gray black. I am not sure if my pen addiction is normal or not. But, really, what is normal anyway?

Dear unknown pen pirate, I am sorry. You were probably unaware that the pen you ( perhaps accidentally) "acquired" was my favorite of all favorites. Undoubtably, you were unaware of the great significance of this particular quill. You surely had no knowledge that it is one-of-a-kind in my potpourri of utensils. Please let me inform you that the instrument now in your possession is of utmost value to me. I urge you to immediately reinstate this item to it's original place (my desk)... if done so within 48 hours, no questions will be asked, and no charges will be pressed. IF you choose to ignore this warning and urging to recompense, be assured that your conscience shall surely convict you immeasurably and may your mind be consumed and overcome with incomparable guilt! Sincerely, Devoted Pen Collector Extraordinaire

2007 is the year ... 1. I perfected the Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (can someone say butter and sugar?) 2. I added three (yes 3) tortilla soup recipes to my book! 3. Working more than ever, I added a whole new meaning to the words "Make Ahead" 4. Two Words: European Chocolate 5. Greek casserole disaster 6. first time ratatouille - :( blech. 7. introduced to Menu Plan Monday - started - then quit. 8. yummy yummy home grown popcorn. we may never go back to microwave 9. e-mealz.com saved my starving family 10. soup soup and more soup 11. can I just say one more time that I perfected the delicious Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls? 12. My Dad taught Haleigh the tricks of perfect french bread every. single. time. edited later: oh! I forgot! How could I forget??? I found more copy cat recipes and made Olive Garden Zuppe Toscana Soup, Olive Garden salad dressing, Carrabbas Bruschette,and Carlos O'Kelly's Chicken Picado, and Olive Garden Breadsticks (which are so simple you'd be shocke...