12/year - January

Barbara, over at Praying for Grace, had the wonderful idea to have a monthly photo diary for 2013.  Well, I think that's a splendid idea!  This blog needs something new and different.  So I went through my photos that I took in January and here it goes.

My husband's birthday

A picture of Yours Truly.  I downloaded Picasa this month and played around with editing and enhancing pictures.  What fun!  I also learned how to make my new banner at the top of my blog.

My poor little doggy getting a bath.

A mad cat when we put the dog's new sweater on him.

Pumpkin muffins that didn't turn out as well as I had hoped.  It was a new recipe - I don't think I will make these again.

My daughter and son-in-law goofing around at our house the other night.

And finally, the last remnants of Christmas.  My husband stocked up on candy canes when they were on sale right after Christmas.  He bought about 7 boxes.  We are slowing making our way through them.

Hopefully February will be a little more interesting!

Our new Archbishop!

We found out yesterday that Pope Benedict XVI has appointed the  

Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample

as the eleventh Archbishop of Portland in Oregon!

We are very excited about this news and look forward to meeting our new archbishop.

 

 

Catholic Sentinel Article 

 

Archbishop Vlazny: 'Our prayers have been answered'

 Statement from Archbishop John G. Vlazny on the naming of a new archbishop for Portland:

“It is with heartfelt appreciation to our heavenly Father and our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, that I welcome my successor, the eleventh archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland, the Most Rev. Alexander K. Sample, to the world of 'sprinkles and sunbreaks.' He comes well prepared to assume his new responsibilities as the chief pastor of this local church. For months now our people have been praying, 'Send us now a good shepherd after the heart of your Son to guard and guide your Church in western Oregon……Choose him for us, just as you have chosen us for him, that together we may serve you and love you.' Today our prayers have been answered. We rejoice and are glad! Michigan’s loss is Oregon’s gain. A new day of hope is dawning for us during this Year of Faith. May we seize the moment and grow stronger as children of God and disciples in mission together. God bless you, Archbishop Sample.  Ad multos annos!”   

Surrendering Our Hardness of Heart

The Lord wants all his beloved to have a chance to be converted, and this he has ratified by his almighty will.

Therefore let us comply with his magnificent and glorious purpose, and let us crave his mercy and loving kindness on bended knee, and turn to his compassion, after abandoning our vain efforts and our strife and the jealousy which but leads to death.  Let us fix our gaze upon those who have ministered so perfectly to his transcendent glory...

Let us, therefore,...be of a humble frame of mind, ridding ourselves of all arrogance and haughtiness, and foolishness and passion...

It is right and holy, therefore, brethren, that we should be submissive to God rather than follow those who through arrogance and insubordination are the ring-leaders in a quarrel fomented by detestable jealousy.  No ordinary harm, surely, but serious danger shall we incur if we recklessly yield to the caprices of men who plunge into strife and sedition to estrange us from the cause of right.  Let us be kind to one another in imitation of the compassion and goodness of our Maker.  For the Scripture says:  The kind shall inhabit the land, and the innocent shall be left in possession of it.   

 ~~ Saint Clement of Rome

~Magnificat Meditation of the Day, January 23, 2013~

Baking Boy

We are having our parish priest for dinner tomorrow night.

Boyson is making an apple pie for dessert!

From today's Magnificat ...

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, 

let us exercise them.  - Romans 12:6

Saturday morning . . .

Nothing quite says Saturday morning like a warm cinnamon roll!

Wordless Wednesday

 

I did it!

Check out my new banner! 

I did it!  

I am not sure this will be my final choice, but I finally figured out how to make a customized banner.

What do you think??

Simple Woman's Daybook - New Year Edition

FOR TODAY - January 10, 2013

Outside my window... It is cold today - about 38 degrees - not too rainy.  We even got a few peeks of sunshine.

I am thinking... that I will really enjoy my winter term class - "Business Editing - English for Careers."  All the grammar, punctuation, spelling, and usage is right up my alley.

I am thankful... for our new Ford Explorer.

In the kitchen... we had Baked Potato Soup leftovers for dinner. 

I am wearing... my black work out pants, a turquoise t-shirt and my black Columbia sweater.  My comfortable, relaxing around the house clothes.

I am creating... nothing.


I am wondering... if my husband will like his birthday gift.

I am going... to make an appointment to have the kids portraits taken.  We seemed to have missed having this done last year, so they are overdue.

I am reading... Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris.  I just started it.

I am hoping... that I can get back to blogging.  I was getting a weird message from Google about being out of storage space.  But my recent test post went through.  So I don't know what was going on, but I am hoping that I can move on.

I am looking forward to... reading the books on our book club book list.  Sounds like we have some good ones on there for the next few months.

Around the house... I re-arranged our photos and wall art in the living room last week.  It's amazing what a few simple changes can do.  It's like it breathed new life into that room.

One of my favorite things... my living room.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Just finishing up our school week. 

A peek into my day...

 For my husband when he gets home from work!

For more daybooks, go here.

Testing . . .

I am testing whether or not I can post pictures on my blog.  But I should be testing this wine and chocolate!