Remiss!

I have had so many things on my mind of late, I forgot completely about posting -and also, about reading posts on my reader as well! I really need to get some kind of meds -like the kind they give to kids with Attention Deficit -to help me keep on task and on target!

Okay -tonight I have to share two videos with you though! These were both taken at church this morning and are of our Children's Choir doing two numbers today. As you may recall, my granddaughter, Miss Maya, is in this choir and has been doing quite well with the group. (Kurtis is supposed to be in the choir but usually pays no attention to learning the songs, much less to the directives given by the lady from our church who is in charge of this group.)

The kids' songs this morning hold special significance for me though. First, since it was Pentecost Sunday, all the candle holders in the church -one at each row of pews -were in use and lit -very pretty, very special service in that aspect. And, the Children's Choir singing today was to be their last performance till the end of the summer so, since my daughter is planning to move the end of June or early in July, to the Harrisburg area, this might possibly be the last time EVER that Miss Maya will have a chance to sing with this group of kids and in our church here.

So, as much as I loved hearing and seeing these kids in action, enjoyed every minute of the times they have sung for a service at church, it really is a sad thing for me as I realize that next year, Maya will not be present with this group. Tough time accepting that aspect coming about in my life!

But anyway, the first song the kids did this morning was "Children of the Heavenly Father" and they sang it before the service started -so it was the prelude to worship today. Because the founders of our church were early settlers who immigrated here from Sweden back in the mid-to-late 1880s, we have always taken great pride in that part of our ancestry and as such, love to hear music that reflects our Swedish roots. And this song definitely is a favorite of just about everyone in our congregation who has Swedish ancestry!

The kids sang a couple verses in English and then also, sang the first verse over, not once, but twice in Swedish! I thought I did quite well this morning in that I didn't break out in tears as I often do when I hear this hymn, as I think it is so beautiful -lyrics and melody both -plus the fact that I learned the words to it from my Grandfather by the time I was 5-year-old. I knew all four verses by heart in English and the first verse, in Swedish. It was one of his favorite hymns and because I suppose that he was my favorite person, it easily became one of my favorites then too! Maya learned the Swedish verse by the time she too was five and I hope she retains this as one of her favorites all her life too!

So, here is their rendition this morning of this lovely hymn!

http://youtu.be/2725q0BKwfc

Later, in the service, the children sang another number. The second song -"A Place in the Choir" is quite a lively song and gave the kids a chance to really let it all out and revel in their music! I loved this number and especially watching Miss Maya as she turned into a bit of a "dancing queen" then for it! What a ham she can be at times! Actually, all the kids really give it their all, don't 'cha think?

http://youtu.be/dZ2jMq2NKEI

Last night, I had to bake something to take to services this morning for a treat to accompany the coffee time we always have after services have ended. I was debating what to fix but ended up making two items. One was a cake -the original recipe I received for this cake was titled "Chop Suey Cake" and I've never been able to figure out why or how it got that name! But a few years ago, I saw it on a recipe website where it was named "Swedish Nut Cake" and of course, with my Swedish ancestry being mentioned (plus the fact I love this cake) I decided to rename it for my use then as the Swedish name. The other item I made was from a mix that I thought was a cake mix but didn't realize until I started to mix it up that it was actually a muffin mix! The name of it -Cinnamon Twist Coffee Cake (I think that's what it was called anyway -don't have the box handy now to verify the name.) But anyway, I mixed it up according to the directions but added a can of apple pie filling to the batter and baked it!

Both items went over very well with the folks who stay for coffee and refreshments after church! The one with the apple pie filling went over exceedingly well with Miss Maya too, I might add! Just getting her to try something new can often be quite a chore but she tried a sample of it last night and came back asking for more so that serves as a good recommendation in my book!

Yesterday afternoon, I was at church to attend a special party for a very special pair of friends of mine!

Seems that yesterday just happened to be the 50th Anniversary of the marriage of my very good and long-time friend, Bridgett, and her husband, Ron! Bridgett and I have been friends from way back -like first grade and yes, that is a long, long time ago now -like over 60 years! Their two daughters, Pam and Penny, planned this gathering to honor their parents -family and friends -and it was really a very nice get-together!

 Here's Bridgett and Ron -alongside their younger daughter, Penny, as they entered into the church social hall to a big surprise get-together for them!

And, here's the happy celebrants at their own special table -flanked by their daughters -Penny on the left and Pam to their right.

They don't look any the worse for wear after 50 years of marriage, do they?

I've been busy otherwise this past week playing with yarns and crocheting dishcloths! I love the handmade crocheted dishcloths and have been experimenting with different patterns in making some of these items. That way, I can (hopefully) learn a few more crochet stitches and get a bit of general practice in too in the craft of crochet!

The joke of today though -I have to tell you about this one -started last night, late -around 11 p.m.when my son phoned me and during the conversation, he asked if I was going to be up for a while. Silly question for him to ask me, the original night hawk, ya know. Anyway, I told him yes and he said he was going to take a run down to the house to have a chance to talk to me for a little bit. I told him to dig out a pitcher and draw a pitcher of beer to bring with him because I was really thirsty and a good cold brew sure sounded like a good thirst-quencher to me.

He said he'd see if he could find something and would be down shortly.

Well, when he walked in, he was carrying a jug that had formerly held Arizona iced tea -a whole gallon jug that he'd filled with some of his good Yuengling Draft he runs on tap at his house. We had a couple glasses of beer together and he left around 2 a.m. and I put the jug in the fridge with about 1/3 of it still holding that good tasting stuff. He hadn't been able to locate a cap for it though so there it was, uncapped in the refrigerator.

Late this afternoon, Mandy was fixing a bite to eat for Maya, me and her herself, and she reached in the fridge and pulled out this jug. She was ready to pour some into a cup and remarked to me about there being no lid on this jug of Iced Tea. I glanced over just in time -before she poured some of the beer into Maya's glass and informed her that was beer in that container!

We got a good chuckle out of the whole thing though, especially since she had just fixed some scrambled eggs for Maya so the joke was that she almost gave her beer with her eggs -instead of the old line of "Egg in your beer" ya know!

See, I'm not the only one who does silly things around this place, am I?

And there you have it -a little glimpse into my life over this past weekend!

Tomorrow begins another week and with it, I will have Kurtis home all day tomorrow as he got sick this morning, just as Mandy was getting ready to leave to take the kids both out to church for Sunday School and practice for the children's choir performance this morning! Poor kid! Mandy had to run Maya out and drop her off, hurry back home so I could leave then to make it to church while she stayed home then with Kurtis. Because he was definitely not up to par all day, running a low grade fever, upset tummy and that stuff, Mandy decided she isn't sending him to school now tomorrow -or today as you read this. Miss Dawn, his TSS/therapist, will be spending the day here with him instead of at school.

So, considering that, I suppose I really should call it a night and get some sleep so I can be bright-eyed and bushy tailed to start the week ahead!

Yeah, right! Like that's gonna happen with me being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!