"Two Things" and Wreaths Across America

Last week's Two Things challenge was "hold and value" I decided to post this picture for the challenge (be sure to click on the picture to get a bigger version- you can see it a lot better):



I love the line of rough looking Vietnam Veteran motorcycle riders standing at attention as the color guard goes by, holding on to freedom by having fought for it in a very real way, and reminding us all to value it and hold on to it with all our might.

This picture is from the Wreaths Across America ceremony The Guitar Picker was in on Saturday.

Wreaths Across America was started by Morrill Worcester - President of Worcester Wreath Company explains his desire to develop the Wreaths Across America project:

"Our goal is to expand the recognition of those who serve our country, both past, present, and future, as well as their families who deserve our support. Without the sacrifices of our veterans, there would be no opportunity to enjoy the freedoms, the life we live today."

He wanted to do something special for our veterans after 9/11. He started by placing wreaths on graves at Arlington National Cemetery, and it has spread across the country to veteran's cemeteries all over. You can read more about it here:

Wreaths Across America

Here are a few more pictures from the ceremony:













Included in The Guitar Picker's speech was this quote from Ronald Regan:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

Hope

1 Corinthians 13:12
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

What an exciting thought, to "know even as also I am known". Imagine, knowing God like He knows me! Is that even POSSIBLE?! Wait and see!

Yzma Baby

Because I absolutely ADORE "The Emperor's New Groove" and make it a point to quote it whenever possible...

Light Blogging

Add me to the ranks of People Who Have a LOT on Their Plates and expect light blogging for the next month.

Maintenance Monday fell by the wayside this week, and I haven't done Two Things for a couple of weeks. I decided it was Not Sane to beat myself up over not getting to my blog posts, so I decided to just be upfront about how flaky I'm going to be about posting for the next several weeks. If you are one of the 6 people who regularly read this blog, I LOVE you, so I don't want you to waste your net time waiting for my page to load just so you can give a few pink flies to my starving frog because there is no new post.

I'll be here, just not every day.

Merry Christmas!

Simplify

Here's a wonderful blog post about simplifying Christmas.

We just don't need so much STUFF! We are drowning in it. And I LOVE her take on gift cards. I refuse to participate in gift card exchanges. A gift should be thoughtful, not just a money exchange.

And for good measure, here's a good one about hospitality.

Gaming Night

Last night The Guitar Picker and I went to a family gaming night in Sierra Vista. It turned out to be sort of a game STORE (these guys) that had all these wonderful games for sale that we got to play with for 4 hours.

We spent about an hour playing this:

It was really fun. It was easy enough to learn that even little kids could do it, but interesting enough for 3 adults and one teen to have fun trying to beat each other. And I WON. *grins*

We spent the rest of the night playing Shadows over Camelot:



This was so fun! It took a while to set up and figure out the rules, but once we got through that it moved pretty fast. Five of us played, and what was cool is that it was us against the game. We had to work together to finish quests before the game won. Unfortunately, one player at the beginning of the game gets dealt a "traitor" card, and he works AGAINST the rest of us with the game to try to sabotage our efforts.

There wasn't a very big turnout. I actually think The Guitar Picker and I were the only ones there that weren't already connected with the gaming group, but we had a lot of fun, and I hope there will be more people there next month.

Thanksgiving

This is the Thanksgiving Post that's probably only interesting to family or the guests that were actually there.

We had lots of meat (there seems to be a turkey missing):

I had to make bags to cook the meat in because when you cook it in a big pot underground, it all falls off the bone. If you don't have one of these roller cutters and a mat, GET ONE! They are wonderful!

Cooked to perfection in the ground:

Here's the feast:

Don't forget pie!

The second shift cleaning crew (nothing like a houseful of kids to do the cleanup after the adults have done all the cooking!):

We killed a LOT of clay pigeons. See all the shell casings? Pay no attention to that pile of horse poo:

Time to get ready for Christmas!