Riverbend Ramblings

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~Riverbend Ramblings~
The days are long, but the years are short.
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Friday, January 31, 2014
Friday's Fave Five ~ 1.31.14

Here we are at the end of the first month of 2014. I hope the next eleven months don't go by as quickly as January has! I'm ready to link up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and share some good things from my week.
 
1. Each year we have a very special "big day" at our church. We invite as many folks as we can and have a huge party on the football field after church with games, inflatables, and free food for everyone. The goal of this big day is to get the gospel out to as many people as possible. We had good weather, terrific volunteers, many visitors, and everyone (especially all the children) had so much fun. We had 3,219 in attendance on Anniversary Sunday, and, best of all, over 300 people trusted Christ as their Saviour. I was busy running around most of the morning, so I had a chance to snap one quick picture. This is the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade children's church. I think there were over 325 kids in this class alone, and we had classes for every age group all around the property. I'm thankful for our church!
2. While most of the South experienced bitter cold and even snow this week in areas that rarely get any, we were spared freezing temperatures here in central Florida. I read so many reports of people in Georgia, Alabama, and other states being stranded away from home and of children stuck on buses or in school buildings due to the weather. I cannot imagine how scary that would be. I'm glad that I have a warm house and a cozy bed to sleep in tonight.
 
3. Hope's basketball team won a game this week, and Hope scored two points! Her team is made up of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who were all first-time basketball players this year. A couple of months ago, the girls didn't know one end of the court from the other, but they have worked hard and have improved tremendously. Their coach has to be one of the most patient men on the planet. He had to start from scratch teaching them the basics, so he deserves a lot of credit for what the girls have accomplished. They have two games left, and then the season will be over.
4. All four of the kids made the Honor Roll at school. Bryn, Hope, and Shay all made straight A's, and Case had all A's and B's. We don't expect our kids to have perfect grades, but we do expect them to do their best. God blessed them all with good brains, and I'm glad they're using them.
 
5. Steven and I had a chance to visit several antique stores in a small town a little over an hour from where we live. As always, I was on the prowl for vintage Pyrex. Several stores had pieces that caught my eye, but the prices were ridiculous. I about fell over when I spotted an Ivy Chip & Dip set (with the holder) from 1964. It was the first chip & dip promotional set that I had come across. Ivy is not one of my favorite Pyrex patterns, but I think it looks pretty on the Cinderella bowls. The price was reasonable, but Steven had to talk me into buying it because it was still rather expensive. The vendor ended up giving us a ten percent discount, so I walked out the door with rare set to add to my collection and a smile on my face.
 
 

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Written at Friday, January 31, 2014 by Paula.
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Friday, January 17, 2014
Friday's Fave Five ~ 1.17.14
I'm linking up with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to share five favorites from this week. You can join us!
1. My son, Case, turned 14 this week. In the last few months he has really hit a growing spurt and is starting to look more like a young man and less like a boy. We took him out to eat at his favorite steakhouse for his birthday. He ordered a huge ribeye (since we only let him do that on his birthday) and ate the whole thing. I love my boy!
2. My mom's birthday is the same day as Case's. My mom is a wonderful lady, and I'm thankful for the love and support she has unconditionally given me my entire life. She's a terrific grandma, too!
 
3. Steven and I enjoyed a breakfast date and visited a few antique stores. We have fun searching for treasures together.
 
4. Hope and Case both had basketball games this week, and Case's team scored a victory. They have a young team and a first-year coach, so every win means a lot to them.
 
5. I started exercising regularly and changed the way I eat back in September. In the last four months, I've lost 15 pounds, and my PBF (percent body fat) is down 7%. I'm pretty much right where I need to be with my weight now, and I think I'm in the best shape I've been in since high school. Those 6 a.m. workouts are rough but so worth the effort.
 
 

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Written at Friday, January 17, 2014 by Paula.
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Friday, January 03, 2014
Friday's Fave Five ~ 1.3.14
One of my goals for 2014 is to be a better blogger, and I'm going to try my best to link up weekly with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and share some of my favorite moments. It's also a great opportunity for me to count my many blessings. You're invited to join us! You can find out all the details here.

 
1. A silly sighting. While walking through the grocery store one day, I spotted Mr. and Mrs. Claus. They apparently decided that they wanted to spend the rest of the winter in Florida instead of back at the North Pole. Santa looks worn out from making all those Christmas deliveries, doesn't he?
2. Some good friends of ours that live in Georgia were here visiting their family for the holidays, and we were able to get together with them one night. Curly Girl (on the right) had fun catching up with her buddy, Miss M.
3. We took a day trip to visit my dad, enjoyed driving through rural Florida, and stopped by a few antique stores on the way back home. Although there was heavy post-holiday traffic on the Interstate, we didn't come across any accidents or major backups. I'm thankful for safety on the road.
 
4. We rang in the new year at our church's watch night service. Each year on New Year's Eve we have a special time of food, fellowship, and testimonies. And, for once, we can honestly say that the church service lasted until midnight.
 
5. I think the best part of the week was just relaxing at home. The kids have been out of school for the last two weeks, and it's been so nice to have a break from the busyness of their normal routine. They have been able to sleep in every day, and I haven't felt like I'm running a taxi service. I love my kiddos! Here's a recent picture of them.
Case, Hope, Bryn, & Shay
 

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Written at Friday, January 03, 2014 by Paula.
11 comments