Just this morning, I was dreaming about side dishes I could make for my family's Christmas dinner next week. Little did I know that my contribution would be bigger than I had imagined!
When I got home from work tonight, I noticed a huge Styrofoam box outside my neighbor's door. Ever the curious one, I took a look to see what it was. The sender was Omaha Steaks (yum!), but the recipient was our old neighbor, who had moved out in July. I called Dave to play a fun game called "What Would You Do If a Package from Omaha Steaks Was Accidentally Delivered to You?" Fortunately, the pressure was off because it was our neighbor's dilemma, so we had fun coming up with solutions. Dave told me to keep an eye on it so that we could at least stick it outside for the night if our neighbors never came home to take care of it.
Well, around 8 I heard some noise out in the hall, so I went over to the peep hole and saw that my neighbor had discovered the package. I heard him talking to his wife, and I wondered what they would do with it. Only a few minutes later, there was a knock at our door!
There was our neighbor with the big white box. He asked if we ate ham, and I said yes, so he explained how he was mistakenly sent this box o' meat. He told me that he'd called the company to try to fix the mistake, but Omaha Steaks said he could keep it and they would send another shipment to the correct address. (Very good, Omaha!) Then, and here's the best part, he offered to give us the package because he and his wife don't eat ham. Amazing!
I thanked him, said Merry Christmas, and then tore into that package like a kid on Christmas morning. There was not only a 7-lb. ham but also 4 burgers! I called my parents to tell them the good news and then asked if they'd like to use the ham for our Christmas dinner. Of course they would! How neat is that?
Friday, December 17, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Weekend Roundup
Perhaps it's because last weekend was filled with the flurry of eating turkey and shopping for Christmas presents, but this weekend felt super relaxed, even though we managed to fit quite a bit in. (I love that type of weekend!) There are no pictures to accompany my account, unfortunately, so you will just have to use your imagination.
Friday: Dave and I were invited to a game night at my coworker's home, but because Dave was still in quarantine after his battle with the stomach flu, I went solo. All the games we played were brand-new to me: Blink, In a Pickle, Rummikub, and Pictureka. I enjoyed all of them, but I think Blink and In a Pickle will be going on my Christmas list this year.
Saturday: The first big snow of the winter was set to fall on Saturday, so we didn't know exactly what was on the agenda for the day. Fortunately, the road crews were able to keep up, and we were able to get out and run some errands. (This is the part of the weekend when we got a lot done.) Some of the stores were madhouses, but it wasn't too bad. Once we were home, I watched the NBC Friday night movie from the night before. It wasn't my favorite, but it did help ease the pain of missing all of my Hallmark Christmas movies this year. (Our cable provider and Hallmark aren't liking each other very much right now, so that means no Hallmark channel for the Gwynnes.)
Sunday: For a variety of reasons, we haven't been to our church for a weekend service since September. I was super excited to get back to the routine of Sunday morning church, and the service didn't disappoint. I love my church because each Sunday we really study the Bible. We were all over the major and minor prophets yesterday. On the way home, we stopped to fill up the gas tank and pick up a paper, and I was able to spend the afternoon reading the Chicago Tribune, one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. In the evening, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations, and I watched part of Rick Steves' European Christmas while sipping hot chocolate. It was the perfect end to a great weekend.
Friday: Dave and I were invited to a game night at my coworker's home, but because Dave was still in quarantine after his battle with the stomach flu, I went solo. All the games we played were brand-new to me: Blink, In a Pickle, Rummikub, and Pictureka. I enjoyed all of them, but I think Blink and In a Pickle will be going on my Christmas list this year.
Saturday: The first big snow of the winter was set to fall on Saturday, so we didn't know exactly what was on the agenda for the day. Fortunately, the road crews were able to keep up, and we were able to get out and run some errands. (This is the part of the weekend when we got a lot done.) Some of the stores were madhouses, but it wasn't too bad. Once we were home, I watched the NBC Friday night movie from the night before. It wasn't my favorite, but it did help ease the pain of missing all of my Hallmark Christmas movies this year. (Our cable provider and Hallmark aren't liking each other very much right now, so that means no Hallmark channel for the Gwynnes.)
Sunday: For a variety of reasons, we haven't been to our church for a weekend service since September. I was super excited to get back to the routine of Sunday morning church, and the service didn't disappoint. I love my church because each Sunday we really study the Bible. We were all over the major and minor prophets yesterday. On the way home, we stopped to fill up the gas tank and pick up a paper, and I was able to spend the afternoon reading the Chicago Tribune, one of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities. In the evening, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations, and I watched part of Rick Steves' European Christmas while sipping hot chocolate. It was the perfect end to a great weekend.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thanks for the Tie, Mum
(Please ignore the clashing plaid purple shirt. I promise Dave will wear a matching shirt when he wears it to work.)
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Surprise Block Party
Last winter, the sensitive stairway smoke detector in our building set off the fire alarm a handful of times--once just after I'd washed my hair (imagine the lovely frozen-hair look I sported after that one) and once three times throughout the night (midnight, two, and three-thirty). I think there was another time, but it was likely in the middle of the night and probably felt more like a nightmare.
With the weather getting colder, Dave and I have discussed the possibility of the early morning wake-up more often. Last night, as a matter of fact, we couldn't stop talking about it. We discussed possibilities for insulating the window in that stairway to keep the area warmer. We dreamed about what it would be like to own a home without the fire alarm worries someday. Dave had even talked about the problem with a coworker earlier in the day.
Last night, I got ready for bed just after nine and settled under the covers with a good book. I had just finished reading a couple of pages when the all-too-familiar sound began: AAAARRRRR!!!! AAARRRRR!!!!! AAARRRR!!!! (That's the best I can do to write what it sounded like.) Dave and I grabbed our coats and shoes and headed downstairs to see which smoke detector set it off. It turned out to be from the building next door, actually from the same apartment that burned toast last Labor Day and woke everyone up from sleeping in that morning.
One of our neighbors called the fire department, and they came quickly. I think the whole fire brigade was there last night. They walked into the building next door with their axes and other firefighting gear. They started to hook up the fire hose. Then one of them walked into our building (where the system is based) to reset the alarm and tell us we could go back to our apartments because the problem was from the building next door.
Uh, are you sure you want us to go back? Our buildings are separated by a thin wall, so if there really was a problem, it wouldn't be a good idea to send all these people back inside. When I asked what had happened next door, they wouldn't tell me, only reminding us we could go back to our homes. We obeyed, and since our apartment is on the other side of the building from where all the action was, I couldn't watch to see if they continued to bring out their gear or if they left soon after.
The good thing about all of it is that we had more people from our building go outside once the alarm went off. The first time the fire alarm went off last winter, we were the only ones standing outside when the fire department came. This time, we met our neighbors from across the hall and caught up with our neighbor from the second floor, who we don't see much once the complex's pool is shut down for the winter. I think I will always be haunted by that awful sound, even years after we move.
If you've lived in an apartment building, have you had to deal with fire alarms? It seems our building is always inviting the fire department over, especially on those cold winter nights. I'd like to know we aren't the only ones suffering. ;-)
With the weather getting colder, Dave and I have discussed the possibility of the early morning wake-up more often. Last night, as a matter of fact, we couldn't stop talking about it. We discussed possibilities for insulating the window in that stairway to keep the area warmer. We dreamed about what it would be like to own a home without the fire alarm worries someday. Dave had even talked about the problem with a coworker earlier in the day.
Last night, I got ready for bed just after nine and settled under the covers with a good book. I had just finished reading a couple of pages when the all-too-familiar sound began: AAAARRRRR!!!! AAARRRRR!!!!! AAARRRR!!!! (That's the best I can do to write what it sounded like.) Dave and I grabbed our coats and shoes and headed downstairs to see which smoke detector set it off. It turned out to be from the building next door, actually from the same apartment that burned toast last Labor Day and woke everyone up from sleeping in that morning.
One of our neighbors called the fire department, and they came quickly. I think the whole fire brigade was there last night. They walked into the building next door with their axes and other firefighting gear. They started to hook up the fire hose. Then one of them walked into our building (where the system is based) to reset the alarm and tell us we could go back to our apartments because the problem was from the building next door.
Uh, are you sure you want us to go back? Our buildings are separated by a thin wall, so if there really was a problem, it wouldn't be a good idea to send all these people back inside. When I asked what had happened next door, they wouldn't tell me, only reminding us we could go back to our homes. We obeyed, and since our apartment is on the other side of the building from where all the action was, I couldn't watch to see if they continued to bring out their gear or if they left soon after.
The good thing about all of it is that we had more people from our building go outside once the alarm went off. The first time the fire alarm went off last winter, we were the only ones standing outside when the fire department came. This time, we met our neighbors from across the hall and caught up with our neighbor from the second floor, who we don't see much once the complex's pool is shut down for the winter. I think I will always be haunted by that awful sound, even years after we move.
If you've lived in an apartment building, have you had to deal with fire alarms? It seems our building is always inviting the fire department over, especially on those cold winter nights. I'd like to know we aren't the only ones suffering. ;-)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thanksgiving Weekend
Dave and I are now back home, where the constant sound of sirens from the nearby police and fire stations is a continual soundtrack, but we had a wonderful weekend at my parents' (quiet) house. We spent Thursday with my aunt and uncle, brother and sister-in-law, and mom and dad before heading to my parents' house for the rest of the weekend. Thanksgiving dinner was delicious, and I think I set a personal record for the amount of food I consumed during that meal. It was all so good, especially the do-ahead potatoes and taffy apple salad. (And I'm not just saying that because I made the salad--it was so good I ate some of the leftovers for my pre-breakfast snack yesterday.)
Dave's birthday fell on this weekend, so we made sure to celebrate. My dad made him a sign for his place at the table that morning.
Then, later on that night, we all went to Bass Pro Shops so Dad could help Dave pick out a bunch of fishing gear with the gift card he got for his birthday. Dave and my dad had a good time going up and down the fishing department aisles, looking for the best bobbers, hooks, etc., to set Dave up well for his next fishing adventure.
We did venture out on Black Friday for some of the sales, but we waited until the doorbuster deals were almost done. That meant I didn't find some things I had hoped for because they'd been sold out, but I still got some great deals and didn't have to miss out on sleep or battle large crowds to get the bargains.
Today was another highlight of my weekend. Because we were staying with my parents, we went to their church, which is the church I also attended before getting married. I always enjoy visiting my old church because it means I get to see some very good friends. Today was no exception. I met up with Julie V. and Nealy, who was in town for the holiday, and we enjoyed lunch at Jason's Deli. I think we were there for almost 4 hours because we couldn't stop talking! I am so grateful for these girls and for a husband who kindly tolerates all the girl talk.
This weekend really was just what I needed. Life can get so hectic sometimes with work and other adult responsibilities. It's nice to take some time off to relax and hang out with the people you love. I'm not quite ready to jump back into the routine tomorrow, but I'm refreshed after such a great Thanksgiving weekend.
BTW--I know that the blog is now decorated for winter, but I wanted to share this find from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I can't walk past a clearance section, especially when it's full of fall decorations. I snagged this beautiful fall tablecloth for $5 yesterday. It will be proudly displayed until I put up the Christmas decorations on December 1.
Dave's birthday fell on this weekend, so we made sure to celebrate. My dad made him a sign for his place at the table that morning.
Then, later on that night, we all went to Bass Pro Shops so Dad could help Dave pick out a bunch of fishing gear with the gift card he got for his birthday. Dave and my dad had a good time going up and down the fishing department aisles, looking for the best bobbers, hooks, etc., to set Dave up well for his next fishing adventure.
We did venture out on Black Friday for some of the sales, but we waited until the doorbuster deals were almost done. That meant I didn't find some things I had hoped for because they'd been sold out, but I still got some great deals and didn't have to miss out on sleep or battle large crowds to get the bargains.Today was another highlight of my weekend. Because we were staying with my parents, we went to their church, which is the church I also attended before getting married. I always enjoy visiting my old church because it means I get to see some very good friends. Today was no exception. I met up with Julie V. and Nealy, who was in town for the holiday, and we enjoyed lunch at Jason's Deli. I think we were there for almost 4 hours because we couldn't stop talking! I am so grateful for these girls and for a husband who kindly tolerates all the girl talk.
This weekend really was just what I needed. Life can get so hectic sometimes with work and other adult responsibilities. It's nice to take some time off to relax and hang out with the people you love. I'm not quite ready to jump back into the routine tomorrow, but I'm refreshed after such a great Thanksgiving weekend.BTW--I know that the blog is now decorated for winter, but I wanted to share this find from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I can't walk past a clearance section, especially when it's full of fall decorations. I snagged this beautiful fall tablecloth for $5 yesterday. It will be proudly displayed until I put up the Christmas decorations on December 1.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Gratefulness
The Gwynnes have a lot to be grateful for again this year. We're grateful for the basics like having food on the table each night, a family to spend time with and love, a good church, and, of course, each other. This year, I thought I would focus on a few more specific things that we are grateful for this Thanksgiving 2010.
This time last year, our Chrysler Sebring was on its last leg. It seemed like Sweetie Pie/Mad Max (Dave gave my car a more masculine name when it became his car, too) was in the shop at least once a month, and we were in that uncomfortable time of debating whether it was worth putting all that money into a deteriorating car. By January, God blessed us with a great deal on a brand-new Hyundai Tucson. We weren't even looking at new cars because used cars offered more value, but this deal was just as good as one we'd get on some of the used cars we'd liked. It has been wonderful having a dependable car, especially now that Dave has a long commute.
Because Dave's parents still live in Scotland, we are unable to see them as often as we'd like. They have spent some of their vacation time to visit us the last two summers. We're grateful for their sacrifice to come to this humid climate in the middle of the hottest time of the year just to spend time with us. This year, we took them to St. Joseph, Michigan, making them walk in the hot sun down to the beach, only to follow that up with the scariest thunderstorm we'd ever experienced on our way home. They were certainly introduced to the sometimes frightening Midwestern thunderstorms this year. Whenever they come, Dave's mum spoils us by making dinner many nights and treating us throughout the visit. We are grateful for the trip they made to see us once again this year.
It seems that, the older we get, the more we appreciate our vacation time. I grew up going to the family vacation spot, but now that I'm older, I enjoy just being able to sit and relax without having to find the next thing to keep me busy. This year, we went with my parents, and we had another great week. Dave discovered his love of fishing, and I took in plenty of beautiful sunsets watching him and my dad finish up the day with a few more casts. We're grateful for the time we can indeed get away instead of having to settle for daydreaming about it.
At the beginning of this year, never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed that 1.) Dave would already be a certified classroom teacher this school year, 2.) Dave would be hired for a teaching job in July, 3.) Dave would have to quit that job for reasons beyond his control in September, and 4.) Dave would find his dream job and be hired for it 3 weeks to the day he resigned from his previous position. During that tumultuous time between jobs, I kept these verses as my promise: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV). God has proven himself true once again through providing Dave's job.
Image courtesy of Tutorial Park
At the beginning of this year, Dave had to take me to urgent care because my heart constantly felt like it was beating out of my chest for a couple of days. The doctor ran an EKG, which came back normal, and told me I was most likely stressed and needed to slow down. Everything seemed fine until a couple of weeks ago when my doctor was concerned by my higher-than-normal heart rate. She ordered a Holter monitor to track my heart for 24 hours, just to make sure everything was okay. Being a twentysomething cardiac patient (albeit outpatient) was a scary prospect, but I went in to the hospital and got hooked up for a day. My results came back normal! I have never thought more about that involuntary muscle or been as grateful for it as I have this year. I'm grateful that God was with me the entire time, that my husband took time off or spent his days off taking me to the doctors, and that I had friends and family lifting me up in prayer.
Thank you, Lord, for the different blessings you've given us this past year. You have been our provider, our deliverer, and our healer. Thank you for providing a car and a job for Dave. Thank you for delivering us in the midst of stressful situations. And thank you for healing my body when the stress of life would affect my health. Amen.
A New Car
This time last year, our Chrysler Sebring was on its last leg. It seemed like Sweetie Pie/Mad Max (Dave gave my car a more masculine name when it became his car, too) was in the shop at least once a month, and we were in that uncomfortable time of debating whether it was worth putting all that money into a deteriorating car. By January, God blessed us with a great deal on a brand-new Hyundai Tucson. We weren't even looking at new cars because used cars offered more value, but this deal was just as good as one we'd get on some of the used cars we'd liked. It has been wonderful having a dependable car, especially now that Dave has a long commute.Seeing Dave's Parents
Because Dave's parents still live in Scotland, we are unable to see them as often as we'd like. They have spent some of their vacation time to visit us the last two summers. We're grateful for their sacrifice to come to this humid climate in the middle of the hottest time of the year just to spend time with us. This year, we took them to St. Joseph, Michigan, making them walk in the hot sun down to the beach, only to follow that up with the scariest thunderstorm we'd ever experienced on our way home. They were certainly introduced to the sometimes frightening Midwestern thunderstorms this year. Whenever they come, Dave's mum spoils us by making dinner many nights and treating us throughout the visit. We are grateful for the trip they made to see us once again this year.Vacation
It seems that, the older we get, the more we appreciate our vacation time. I grew up going to the family vacation spot, but now that I'm older, I enjoy just being able to sit and relax without having to find the next thing to keep me busy. This year, we went with my parents, and we had another great week. Dave discovered his love of fishing, and I took in plenty of beautiful sunsets watching him and my dad finish up the day with a few more casts. We're grateful for the time we can indeed get away instead of having to settle for daydreaming about it.Dave's Job
At the beginning of this year, never in our wildest dreams would we have guessed that 1.) Dave would already be a certified classroom teacher this school year, 2.) Dave would be hired for a teaching job in July, 3.) Dave would have to quit that job for reasons beyond his control in September, and 4.) Dave would find his dream job and be hired for it 3 weeks to the day he resigned from his previous position. During that tumultuous time between jobs, I kept these verses as my promise: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV). God has proven himself true once again through providing Dave's job.A Healthy Heart
Image courtesy of Tutorial ParkThank you, Lord, for the different blessings you've given us this past year. You have been our provider, our deliverer, and our healer. Thank you for providing a car and a job for Dave. Thank you for delivering us in the midst of stressful situations. And thank you for healing my body when the stress of life would affect my health. Amen.
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