Currently Reading, Listening and Watching

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller • I haven't finished yet, but I really cannot say anything about this book. You must read it yourself.


Lay Em Down by Need to Breathe • I first heard this song sung by a young(ish) man in our Bible study group after our Wednesday night discussion/meeting... and rather liked it. Need to Breathe does a very nice job and all, but there is always a part of me that longs for that simple hand clapping rhythm and the single baritone voice of that Wednesday night.


Random Harvest • This movie is unexpected. In many ways. And I would say... worth watching for that very reason!

Joys at Week 38

• The fact that it is week 38 ^_^

• On the odd chance I should catch sight of my feet I ignore my enormous ankles and admire my hubby's pedicurist skills... oh yes... he's amazing!

• A kick and a punch (though small can be slightly painful at times) let me know my little man is doing well.

• An enormous box of wildly colorful and delightful flowers from my mum!

• Packages full of goodies from all over the country... (I AM getting totally spoiled by the way ^_~)

• Sitting down/resting any time at all and not feeling a bit guilty.

• Little (and big) reminders of two lives soon changed by another i.e. a crib, a carseat (in MY car, peoples!!), an [already] orphan sock that fits nicely on Michael's big toe, those kicks and punches i mentioned earlier (imagine them aimed at YOUR bladder, ribs, or already bruised/loved tummy... *little sniffle of self pity*), a full set of drawers all his own (also such a reminder of how blessed we are, since we have bought very little and been given much!!), my own closet of lovely clothes has been narrowed down to a small drawers worth of things I can actually wear... etc, etc..

• My sister (the first of our March visitors) arrives in exactly a week! (color me ecstatic!!)

• The fact that our little man has a first name!... I'm sure you'd like to know and I'd like to tell you, but take comfort... you'll know it after he does! *grin*

• In my already narrowed closet, the clothes i can wear are narrowed even more because of the fact that although I have aprons and love to wear them, pregnancy makes them slip my mind and [almost] all my maternity shirts have stains at exactly counter/belly button level. Pretty classy folks... let me tell ya! (This counts as a joy, because I laugh about it!)

• The fact that my man puts my shoes on for me. (God gives grace.. I like to be so self sufficient, that absolutely not being able to do these things is very humbling and gives me more chances to appreciate and praise my wonderful wonderful husband who is so willing to serve!)

• My Michael. Who spells joy (and love, and blessing, and encouragement and everything) to me every day.

• Lotion! (Enough said.)

• The fact that although my body is a little more sluggish (I actually remind myself rather a lot of a beached whale... Michael doesn't like this comparison, but I think it fits!), my mind is as crazy as ever and I revel in it's pregnant absurdity through dreams, thoughts, doodles, plans, etc, etc..


Thought: etcetera comes in handy *grin*

Drink: water

Sound: rain pouring from the eaves outside my window

Feeling: pressure in an interesting area of my insides... and a growing pain in my lower back the longer i sit here... hair as it twirls between my fingers... hungry

A banana covered in peanut butter to the rescue!

Good Morning, World!

Abi

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My "ankles" are the size of tree trunks.

It's been a very long (and very blessed) day!

Hubby is now massaging aforementioned tree trunks.

And I am blessed again.

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February 2010 Artwork (So far...)

*heart*

Happy St. Valentines Day!

Abi

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Books

The lofty bookshelves sag
Under thousands of sleeping souls
Silence, hopeful -
Everytime I open a book, a soul is awakened.

Xi Chuan, "Books"


FYI: I read/listened to more books the first month of this year than I did all last year!

Not sure if I should be proud of January or ashamed of 2009.

O_o

Abi

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"Doing Nothing"

I think it's pretty safe to assume that for most of us, at some point in our childhood we had such a good time doing something (however mundane) that for the rest of our childhood and maybe the rest of our lives we are trying to recreate a part of that good/fun/exciting feeling we had while doing that certain activity...

Mine probably doesn't look like much to most people. I just remember one day my brother Michael and I (presumably after we had finished school for the day) decided to "do nothing"... which basically involved us talking (probably about the condition of our tree forts, or our next lego project, etc...) and walking around the poking things with sticks.

We certainly were not deprived children and did many wonderful and exciting things throughout the years at home, but I remember poignantly this "doing nothing"... we even discussed it after we were "done" doing it and realized what a good time we had had and sometimes we would even go out saying we were going to "do nothing" again, but somehow... it wasn't the same...

and may never be.

Wha?!

Wife, Mate, Mother, Me! • By Gayle Roper

Our proverbial (Proverbs 31) woman found her balance. Through her beautiful example we can begin to find ours.

• We are women - different but equal.
• We are wives - submissive but powerful.
• We are mothers - overwhelmed but ever hopeful.
• We are ourselves - bound but free.
• We are God's - sinners but forgiven children.

It's all in the balance.
______________________

AMEN!

I was greatly encouraged by this book. I recommend it to women at any stage in life.

Peace and love to you all!

Abi

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A Fun Week

Art class tomorrow!

Abi

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A Different Feel

Something a little different. though I seem to be stuck on trees ^_^

Love Tree

My Colors Awoke

*happiness*

Another Day

• Leftover chicken chili happens. Even better than the first time.

• New music fills my ears...

• 48º and rising. Will take a walk later.

• Got to see my man this morning, after he left for work! He accidentally left his tools in the back of my car so I had to take them to him. I like when this happens :-)

• I bought a potentially very ugly skirt this morning...

• Laundry WILL happen today. *determined*

• Also bought four skeins of yarn... I guess I plan on staying out of trouble...

• Baby K is active as ever.... but why always as soon as I get into bed?? *tired mommy*

• Received the gift of a fifty (or so) year old set of oil paints! O_o

Ok... laundry and Monsieur le Comte here I come!

peace and love.

Abi

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Random Collection

Musing

It is a beastly hour to be awake.

I am awake because I fell asleep last night, and woke up this morning thinking about style. Personal style.

and then the thought came.. do I have such a thing? What is "My Style"...

colorful, yes.

old fashioned, perhaps.

a little weird, definitely.

international, yes.


...and then another thought came.... does this style show itself in my art. Do i have a definite style.

sadly, i think not.

possibly a little more comes across in my photography, because of what I choose to photograph. but painting/drawing/design-wise... I do whatever I want...

Is that my style?

What do you think? - Comments and Critiques welcome!

Abi

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Productiveness

I had fun today... amazing what can happen with brand new colored pencils from my man and books on CD galore!

Abi

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pain.

• When pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than courage and the least tincture of the love of God more than all. - C.S. Lewis

Paint.

Celtic symbol for "life".

Artist's hands...

Hello world

A mornings worth of paint...

A tree... of sorts

Currently Listening, Reading and Watching

Christmas Cheers by Straight No Chaser • An Acapella men's group that put their own twist on some original carols, and have added a few of their own. Michael and I both enjoy this album very much... especially their version of "The 12 Days of Christmas". We recommend.


Flower Confidential - The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful in the Business of Flowers by Amy Stewart • Ok people.... I might be showing a little too much geekness for you... this book is ALL about flowers... I love it! The first chapter about breeding the Star Gazer lily actually had me laughing out loud... (I guess that could be counted a credit for the writer)!


Miracle on 34th Street • Michael hasn't ever seen this version. My family watched it every year at Christmas. Always a classic!

I *heart* that man ------------>

and he *heart*s me.

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Thoughts... I Think

• Why is it that without fail the best ideas/thoughts/inspirations you have in a day come to you as soon as your head hits the pillow at night? And always leave before morning..?

• I'm now fairly certain that Baby K. is using my bladder as a squeeze toy/trampoline. Good times...

• Thift stores are the best thing ever... and yesterday being the best day in thrift store history (for moi anyway). I will probably be posting at least one picture of my favorite find: a good quality leather bag, with a cross symbol on the front for $1.99! Not to mention hugely flared green pants ($3.29), a couple books I needed to buy anyway ($0.99 each) and a glass to replace one that I broke yesterday morning ($0.59)... and a few other various and assorted goodies that I cannot mention here for fear of ruining someone's Christmas present! ^_^

• Speaking of Christmas... I need some music! Pandora is wonderful this time of year. I think my "Carpenter's Christmas" radio station is almost perfect with all the trimming I have done to it... lots of Bing Crosby, Josh Groban, Nat King Cole, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Andy Williams, Percy Faith, and of course, The Carpenters!

• The other thing about Christmas this year is that it is not quite what I imagined it would be (as far as decor in my home goes)... we had a bit of a mishap over Thanksgiving... A huge box that my mother lovingly packed up from home (of my things, left there when we didn't have room to move them this summer) was brought to our Thanksgiving celebration in Salt Lake City, where my father placed it in the garage before they left earlier the same day we did, and Michael, being the very wonderful and helpful husband that he is grabbed a box of the description that I gave him, into our car.... Upon returning home and opening aforementioned packed box I found a bunch of Christmas decorations alright... but not mine! We had in fact mistakenly brought a big box of my Brother and Sister-in-law's Christmas ornaments and decorations home with us!...*sigh*... such is life, and Christmas will come (and be wonderful, beautiful and memorable) without all those things! ( I learned that from the Grinch *grin*)!

• What is up with Rudolph's two-faced friends, the rudeness of carolers who demand figgy pudding, and parents that can't stand their Children through the holidays and want them to go back to school?!?

•... and what is "figgy pudding" anyway....?

• I'm totally done humbugging. Not that that's what any of that was. I am able to laugh about the Christmas Box mix-up and just find the Christmas carol oddities... well, odd! It's all good!

• If there are missing words/incomplete sentences/missing punctuation...etc.. it would probably be because this blogger has been up since four this morning (when her sleep bugs ran away) and is minus one pair of glasses. If you can get the gist of what i'm saying, that's probably all you can hope for this time! :-)

• Texas is weird. Today it's supposed to get up to 47º... and 68º by Sunday! I must say, I really don't miss the debilitating cold of Northern Minnesota at all, but I do miss the picturesque snow scenes, the crunch of fresh snow under my feet on a late night walk and snow ball fights... Isn't there some way to have THOSE things in THIS weather???

• We have enjoyed a few cooler days here too, with cozy evenings in front of our fire, complete with games, tea/coffee/tomato juice (whatever we feel like drinking), short P.G. Wodehouse stories read aloud, snuggling and general awe and wonder as we watch the flames dance... there's just something about watching a fire... hard to describe.

• I've voluntarily given up watching any and all tv shows/hulu/netflix this December... and will probably let it carry over into one of my New Years Resolutions.... (why wait until the New Year to improve your quality of life?!) I have not missed any of it a bit and have gotten so many other things done in the time I would have been watching them! (Not that i didn't usually multitask while watching them before, but it is a distraction and a definite time-filler)... not even justifiable in the way that facebook is... because watching your favorite tv show will not help you connect with loved ones. In any way. There. I said my anti-television bit. I encourage you to find ways to live life more fully every day this season, and through the rest of the year!

This sleepy, mommy-to-be needs to pack in some breakfast. I think a piece of homemade bread, toasted to perfection and topped with peanut butter and honey should about fill the bill! I recommend you do the same!

So long all. I hope this finds you well and healthy.

Peace and Love (the kind that come from above and that we only know because Christ showed them to us first)!

Abi Kramer

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Welcome to My Psychedelic Christmas!

^_^

I had sooo much fun decorating these! Michael would tell you... I think I scared him a little with my enthusiasm for this task! The best part was that we got to do it together, and he helped with everything along the way!

I caught me a good man!

Peace and Love,

Abi K.

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Happy One Year Anniversary

To us!

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