Taking a rare moment to wax political

First and foremost, let me begin by saying there is no way anyone can even comprehend the pain and suffering the families of the victims of Sandy Hook are enduring right now.  My heart and prayers go out to them.  I wish I could snap my fingers and fix it all; heal every hurt, wipe every tear, bring the lost ones back to life, but I can't do that.  All I can do is pray and sympathize.
With that being said, in the middle of all the high emotions felt through out the country, we have to really ask ourselves; " would more gun laws really have stopped this from happening?"  If we are honest, we have to realize that more guns laws like the current democratic proposal to reinstate the ban on assault weapons will do nothing to stop a criminal from obtaining a weapon.  First and foremost we have to realize this shooting took place in a state with very tight gun laws already in place.  Second, he didn't use assault weapons.  Do we really think that by passing stricter guns laws, a criminal will say "Darn, I was gonna buy a gun to rob that bank, but they have background checks so (sigh) I guess it is back to finding a job".  Really?  What do gun laws do but make it harder for law abiding citizens to obtain a gun for personal protection.  Now re-look at the Sandy Hook situation, or Colombine, the Virginia Tech shooting, or any other mass killing in recent history.  Instead of helpless people, give one of them a gun.  Could that Principle, trained in how to use a hand gun, which is kept locked up in her office for emergencies only, have used that gun to stop the killer in his tracks at the outset of this killing spree? Better yet, give each teacher the ability to have a conceal carry permit and the training to know what to do in these situations and how many lives would be saved?  We ask our teachers to work in a war zone, then provide them with no recourse to protect either their students or themselves.  If it is illegal for someone to own guns, then the only ones who will have them is the government and criminals.  I for one do not accept that scenario.
Ok, I'm done now.

Ever had one of those days?

In the past 3 months we have been beset with one financial set back (that's putting it mildly) after another.  Lets see, we had to replace our freezer, our dryer died and needs to be replaced, my stove has two settings, off and high,our heat pump is no longer heating cause the compressor is out and while that is supposedly covered under the warrantee , it will still be another $500 + dollars to repair.  In addition to that, the tub in the boys bathroom has a big crack in it, the dishwasher is leaking and has damaged the floor so that needs repairing.  Our dog, Mona, ate a swimming noodle and so the vet bill was ridiculous.  And finally Christmas is here and taxes are coming.  Oh and just for kicks lets throw in the fiscal cliff, a very real, very worrisome thing.  Won't get political though. Now, some of these things we have put on hold; the dryer(hanging clothes on the line), the tub (boys are using our shower for now), the stove (making do), the heat pump was converted back to the old system so we have heat for now, and we don't use the dishwasher. Our focus right now is to have enough in savings to cover the taxes we know are coming.  After that we can address these other things.
With all that being said, there are just some days when I just want to throw caution to the wind, fix everything at once, get me a used dryer, and stove, etc and then start to rebuild after that. I want to go to the store and buy...... convenience foods!  GASP!  I go into rebellion and want to buy store bought bread!  I want to buy Tide laundry soap and.....expensive shampoo, or pay to have my hair cut.  I tell myself I won't have a garden, or can, or anything else.  Then as my husband says, we come back to our senses; preferably before we spend a small fortune.  I know these things will wait.  We prioritize our  needs and are grateful for what we do have.   I am sure I will plant a garden this year.  I know I will can.  I know homemade bread is sooo good and convenience food is soooo not goo (for you).  But just for a bit I have a tissy.  Then I go back to sanity.
So in an attempt to return to sanity, I have to get up from here and take the peanuts out of the oven, get ready to go to the grocery store to get things for Christmas dinner as well as regular groceries, and maybe come home and hang out a few more loads of laundry while listening to Manheim Steamroller's Christmas CD.
Have a great day!

Things in full swing this week.

First and foremost it is Diva's birthday today.  Happy Birthday to you sweetie.  Now a wife and mother in her own right (giving us a second grandchild in July), it is wonderful to see her taking own the role with such passion.  Why she is canning, sewing, wanting to learn to crochet, garden, etc.  Ahhh the joys of having a child follow in your foot steps.  It is a thing of beauty!  She is a beautiful young woman.  Have you seen her? Well let me show you:

In other news, this week and next will be a flurry of activity because once the 15th comes all crafty gifting will stop or at least slow to a crawl.  Once I am working two jobs (just til the first of the year.  Uh specifically Jan 5th), things will be a little crazy.  I am planning on getting groceries a week earlier so I don't have to do that while I am working.  Homeschool will be about all I can handle. Well that and maybe a batch of cookies.  LOL  Gotta have those goodies (before Big Brother takes my sugar away).  On the list for this week is a gift for my sister,my niece, great niece, nephew and his wife, and my dad.  All of these I am hoping can be homemade gifts.  We will see what I can get done.  I also need(knead) to make bread.  We are almost out.  I might do that today for the rest of the week.  If I can get things caught up today I will have the next three days to sew.  That should be a good plan.  Second cup of coffee....hmmm maybe I need another pot.  Just sayin.  Caffeine by I.V would be nice.
Trying deer meat for the first time (in a long time for me.  I was a kid when last I had it).  We are having chili tonight and deer meat will be the ground meat of choice.  Little nervous cause I have never cooked deer meat.  I just ate it when mom cooked it.  My mom says it makes great chili.  So we shall see.  I have to say that gifted deer (thanks J.R) produced a lot of meat.  It is an awesome blessing.

So I know there is a lot of craziness this time of year, but I am planning on remembering why we celebrate.  In all the chaos, I remember a little child born conceived out of wedlock to a girl engaged to someone who was not the father of her child.  That is acceptable in today's society, but then, in that culture, that was a stoning offence.  Can you imagine the love and courage it took to bring that child into this world?  Joseph and Mary's love for each other, for God, and the unborn child as well as their obedience to God are all part of this story.  It is an amazing story on its own just because it was the birth of the Son of God, Savior of the world.  It is even more amazing when you see the act of worship two young people undertook to serve their Lord.  I am not worthy of the gift God gave(and still gives today), but I accept his grace happily.  God gives  His grace freely and without condition.  He only asks that you come to Him.