Monday, February 15, 2010

It Was a Merry Valentine's



Dear Friends,

Thank you for coming by on yet another snowy day, and for all of your dear comments that truly lift our spirits and put a smile on our faces. How nice to know that we are loved :) .

Our Valentine's celebration, which was Saturday, consisted of making and sending LOTS of doll valentines, as well as the girls' annual in-house restaurant dinner for Mr. Graham and me. This year is was Chinese stir-fry, complete with chopsticks! We must say that we enjoy eating foods that have had love cooked into them, as opposed to being prepared by someone who just sees it as a job :) .

The table was beautifully decorated by AnnaMarie and Audrey~
with place cards and menus for all.


Evangeline did her own decorating with the left-over Baby's Breath~


After dinner was a little dancing time~

With a twirl for every girl (Unfortunately, it was nap time for Master Franklin)!





Mr. Graham kindly ordered these for me, after just a few hints :) ~


And we found a Mother's Magazine for only $5 on eBay, too! So much better than the $20 most folks want for them~



Today has been a "How do we go back to normal after having so much fun?" day, with lots and laundry and dishes, ad infinitum, but after re-grouping and getting some fresh air, we feel ready to "Do our best and leave God the rest". And having it sunny for just a few hours DID help, too!

We'd like to leave with you a gem found in our "new" Mother's Magazine (This month's theme seems to be laughter), which we REALLY needed to read today~


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The mother who laughs and teaches her children to laugh bars the door against a host of unwelcome intruders. If you want to see what gloom does, go down into some cellar and watch the pale sprouts of things reaching pitifully towards the light--spindling, unnourished, unwholesome. Note the dead-looking stalks and bulbs lifted from the garden in the fall and laid there to keep from growing. Then come up to the radiant sunshine-flooded bay-window in the sitting-room or library and see what light and cheer are good for. Don't make your family live-metaphorically-in the cellar.

The mother who laughs makes an atmosphere of courage for everybody to live in. The great thing that everybody is wanting, anyway, is courage. The father wants it, for out in the world where he lives mostly, discouragements fly thick as midges in August. The big boys and girls want it, for the lightest-hearted and most buoyant among them have their heavy moments when dark thoughts of the universe seem the only possible ones to entertain, till the drear mood passes. The very servants and house-helpers need it, for the clouds of household emergencies are big with trouble, till somebody laughs and scatters them. And oh, the little ones, they live on joy and laughter. 'Laugh, and say, "No matter!"' begged a little fellow who had broken something; and the sensible mother did laugh for love and pity.

~Mrs. A. B. Bryant


Love,

Marqueta

10 comments:

  1. Looks Wonderful!! And the dinner sounds fabulous with Chopsticks how fun!! We are having much of the same today how to get back into the swing of chores when the weekend was so much fun!! Glad you got to feel the sunshine ~Blessings Love Heather

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  2. Hello Friends!
    What a wonderful Valentines day and dinner you had ~ such lovely decor! Yumm! Stir fry!One of my favorites (sans the chopsticks ~ I couldn't keep my matronly figure if I used them!)
    You do find the most interesting books, Marqueta! I wonder if they have those in the local library? I will poke about to see what I can find.
    Hoping your week is filled with sunshine and laughter!
    Blessings!

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  3. You're such a great woman! I can certainly say my veiw of "Latter Day Saints" (a.k.a. "Mormons") has been - to say the least - challenged by my friendship with you. I have to confess, with sadness, that there is no way that we, the church, have done you folks justice. Simple no way. While I don't pretend to know all the answers to the questions that arise from members of the mainstream Evangelical Church forming friendships with "Latter-Day-Saints", there is no way I can shut my eyes to the amazing things I have seen. Your meek and gentle spirit, kindness and charity make me resolve I will never participate in the bigotry we the church have been guilty of towards you - and I actually apologize for it.

    God bless you! (P.S. if there's one thing we have in common for sure, it is using the Authorized (a.k.a. "King James") version of the Bible - and that's an "exceedingly good" thing to have in common!)

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  4. How beautiful~
    It is always a delight
    to visit you~ dear friend.
    Your Valentine's day musings
    were wonderful... what joy,
    delight and happiness exudes
    each picture. Your girls are
    so adorable and feminine! :)

    With Much Love
    & Tender Affection~
    Miss Jen

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  5. Dear Marqueta!

    what a HAPPY day! I can just imagine how much those girls know their daddy loves them, how rewarding that must be for a momma like you to know :O)

    Thanks for sharing your Valentine specials too! I will be so excited if I spot old magazines in my out- and-about thift shopping, until then I greatly enjoy the wisdom you post here.


    Laughter & love!!
    Deanna

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  6. How wonderful dear friend! What a beautiful day you were blessed with :)

    Mr. Graham looks like he truly enjoys dancing and so do the girls...

    Thank you, my dear friend for the lovely card and the bookmark - what joy to know that our friendship is just growing and growing :)

    Blessings,

    Maria

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  7. Dear Marqueta, I love that each girl got a twirl! And Mr. Graham looks like he's having fun! I'm sure it was a sweet time together as a family.

    Thank you for sharing the good advice from the old magazine. I needed that!

    Love,
    Lynn

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  8. What a special day you all made!
    So sweet.
    Blessings,
    Tonya

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  9. Dear Mami,
    I like the post!!! It was fun to help decorate for Valentine's Day!:)
    I love you and I like you!
    Love,
    Audrey

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  10. dear mama,
    that was a fun valentine day:)
    i love you and i like you!
    love-tasha

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