Sandra Boynton says it sweet

"What do I want for Christmas?
The greatest gift by far;
It's you I want for Christmas, exactly as you are,
Oh, exactly as you are.

Goodnight, my little present,
all wrapped in red and white.
may all your dreams be merry,
throughout this winter night,
oh throughout the winter night.

Good night, my little present,
and always peace to you.
I've nothing more to ask for,
You are my wish come true,
oh you are my wish come true."

Off to Florida

to see the folks. I'm sure I'll take a hundred pics. C U next week.

Tree

A couple shots from us getting our tree..Sorry, I just felt a sudden onset of ick, so I'm gonna go lie down. If you think of us, pray for health, we're still all not feeling great. Thanks!

Hmmm.

I really don't have anything to post of much interest, except just to blab on and on. I've been really sick, my kids have been really sick and my husband has been really sick. I feel like I've washed a million sheets, towels and blankets.
What's the hardest part about growing up? Washing your own puke/poop clothes. Yes, this is how sick I got...to the point of NOT being able to make it to the bathroom, which is quite funny to look at this sentence once I type it, because my house is all of 680 square feet. NOW THAT'S SICK. So, now that I've roped you into feeling badly for me, I'll stop. the bottom line is that I need to get better. With my awful pregnancies, and then having a hardly nursing, struggling to gain weight baby last Christmas, I feel like the holiday season has been taken from me for so many years. I just want to be healthy, that's really my wish. To be able to put up lights, hang garland and not be so obsessed with my home and cleanliness. I think part of the problem is that it's too small to stay clean.
So, I scheduled a trip to the Tree Farm (must give husband plenty of notice as he's pretty much anti-Christmas traditions), bought my hot cocoa, got out my music, am washing and cleaning NOW, so that when Saturday comes, it's GONNA be good, right? I'm GONNA get that tingly, "I'm so happy" feeling.
I've been memorizing Romans 8:4, "we do not live following our sinful selves, but we live following the Spirit." If I'm to continue to not be bummed out about a number of things, if I'm going to pursue living a life of joy and contentment, than I must not follow my every wim/woe. I must prepare each day to fight the battle and live each day with vigor (I used to have a car with that name!) and purpose. I cannot wait for the feeling of Christmas to come after my cup of joe. I'm not kidding..that sounds silly, but that's what I do sometimes...I think, "ahhh, once I can get to STarbucks and get my eggnog latte, then a little shopping, I'll feel better".
This morning I was weakly reading in Corinthians where Paul is very proud of his believers for supporting him and how Titus was encouraged. Paul says that by them encouraging Titus and so on, that they did not "embarrass" Paul. That made me think of Christmas. Is God watching what I'm doing and thinking I'm embarrassing him by all my ______________, whatever that may be? Not like there is this big judgeGod, waiting to smash me, but for me, it was a reminder of how I need to go about encouraging the saints and staying firm to what I know, instead of getting tossed by the waves, even if the waves are Christmas stresses-- Christmas parties I'm not invited to, present buying, the family dramas, too many parties (not for me, but maybe for you?).
O.k. nite. good to chat.

Honey Buns

With lots of phone calls to my mother, I did accomplish the task of making honey buns. Now, these weren't any ol honey buns, but they were loaded with marscapone and creme frache and hazelnuts. Yum.
The best part of this whole story is that I received a mixer from the ol hubby. So, I decided to welcome it to the kitchen with a bread/roll project. And it only cost me $70..the mixer that is...all the ingredients for the buns cost me almost as much!! ha. I've had a severe mind phobia to making bread and I finally got over it. The mess was great and the taste was even greater. Thanks hubby for letting me buy my first kitchenaide!!
Here are the pics to prove it.

My new kitchenaide
My dough
My dough doubling
Rolling it out and adding the honey caramel, marscapone mixture and hazelnuts
Rolled and ready to rise for another 45 minutes
Me after my shower and all excited that they are actually starting to look like moms!

oh yah, hunny bunny...
Everything's gonna be alright...

Fun

ON a blog I found...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk5_OSsawz4

All in a Days Work..ergh..uh, Play

Ooops Sarge...forgot my britches.
Hey...where's your diaper and what's the guy in charge gonna say to you two?
Funny faces just like big brother.
Charming momma..being silly.

So, here the drama begins..."Momma, take a picture of me doing this....and that...and this..."


Showing off his missing 2nd tooth!!
Not really sure why he was so serious...but when I uploaded it, I started to howl...he's so funny.
Lined up and ready to fight...love the guy without the hair.

Celia..looking good!!

Happy 51st Birthday Celia!! I loved being with you today. Let's make it our tradition to do pottery every year!

Have You Seen...

the bumper sticker that says, "Mean People Suck"? I know I don't like that word either, really. (and my mother doesn't like me to use it) Well, I feel like I bring out the "mean" in people...or at least the not-so-loving. Read on for some good revelations and be careful, it's raw 'me'.

I've had some situations lately, in and out of my church, where I'm still left questioning why I served these people and why they were "mean". I keep going back and forth with the idea of mean and what it means to be that way. I've also been pushed in another direction of questioning my motives and my heart and why it makes me sad.

Here are some pushes for you to consider with hope...
1. I am to serve the Lord, not men. I know this seems like a really simple verse, but it's really hard for me. I want to have friends that WANT to serve me. I want to have friends that I WANT to serve...like an even exchange of commodities--except without the "expectation" part of that. But in a way, I do want there to be expectations. For example, the whole loyalty thing.
2. I think I'm a really hard person to serve. I don't know why and I'm still really praying about this. My hunch is that I set high expectations for myself and perhaps others feel like they are being pushed to meet these too, with serving me? I'm not sure.
3. I am not a good minister of reconciliation and perhaps this is why God is pushing me to serve, without expecting ANYTHING in return. I'm reading here in 2 Cor. where it says that I am a minister of reconciliation. But have you ever met anyone that you would NEVER reconcile with or approach because they are too proud, OR at least look that way. I need to offer this hope of kindness and reconciliation...but I'm still figuring out how to do this in a healthy way in a friendship. I have an old acquaintance that is not a healthy person. She is pretty clingy, and then sometimes not clingy but super forgetful, books multiple appointments in one day, then calls me up and forgets we had said we would meet..etc...etc...it just seems like she doesn't give herself any space to be still. I don't want to be around her. She makes me feel like the character on SNOOPY, pigpen. All confused in my own dust, just trying to scramble around in circles. But how do I do that? I can't just put a sign on me that says, "OUT TO LUNCH". Here's an even bigger rabbit trail--I've read and re-read the book, Shopping for Time by Mahaney and Girls. She talks about how our friendships need to be categorized that we need to have purposeful relationships. I just don't know HOW to do this. How do I say to these folks who don't fit my "preferences" that I don't want to love and serve them. And why do I get to pick who to serve and how? Isn't that really proud and not trusting--almost as if I'm saying to God, I don't believe that who is in front of me is who YOU want in front of me right now. I want to be full of peace and kindness (that leads me and others to repentance for HIS glory).
4. I've really been wrestling with these ideas and I feel like I'm really slow at times. I say things I don't want to say, I give a look, I don't respond (cuz I don't know how) and I blow it. I don't want to be SOOO moved by little transitions in friendships and little bumps that people have. I want to serve and not expect to be served. I want to trust that God IS sovereign ENOUGH to give me people that he wants to and I'll try my best, with the thought always on my heart of thanksgiving.
PRAY FOR ME. THANKS.

17 months and 5 1/2

Well, two milestones at the same time. Skye first turned five and a half and Chase Ray turned 17 months!! Phew.

Here are five things about Skye:
1. He is always cheerful in the mornings when he wakes up, stating, "good morning momma, how are you? " or "how was your day?" things like that. There isn't anything better in the world to me than having my kid wake up and be so excited to see me.
2. He is always giving me hugs, little love punches, kisses and the like. I can say to him before he goes into class or an activity without me, "o.k. babe, do great! kisses?" and he will run into my arms or give me a big hug.
3. He is so passionate. We are still asking God to help us mold this for HIS glory, but I know someday that he will be preachin it.
4. He wants to try new things. This is an easy bonus. Except for food, he really loves challenges, which makes mothering him (especially with my tendencies to be spontaneous) in that regard fun and easy.
5. He is really working on heart issues and is super sensitive to the Lord. He memorizes scripture well and will repeat it back to me, even in the midst of tears and rebellion. It stirs me up inside.

so, for my littlelist one, here are 17 things I like....just kidding...here's five too: (just to keep things fair!)
1. He is cautious and keeps an eye out for where momma is.
2. He studies things, such as wheels turning on his little cars, me stirring drinks, noises, little pieces of things...he really takes an interest in slow process.
3. He has started to notice what we do with Skye and often will try and imitate. Such as the other day when he heard Skye coughing and I was reacting (as Skye was half choking) and then he started doing it and now does it for attention. Which really isn't like him too much, as he keeps to himself mostly and doesn't really require tons of extra reassurance.
4. His skin, his hair, his eyes and his smile...I love orange (as most of you know) and he is the most peachish orange-ish kid I've ever met. His skin in peach, his hair is orange, his eyes are piercingly blue and his smile is huge.
5. I didn't think I could have two kids that I understand so well. People used to sort of make "fun" of me for how I talked to Skye when he was just one. They would ask me if he really understood me. I knew he did and I loved our deep connection of communication. Well, it's a gift I've been given again..not a gift that I possess perhaps, but a gift that God has given our relationship...a gift of communication and process without much language. Plus, he really digs me and I never thought I could have THIS many people digging me all at once. phew.

So, thank you Lord for two boys that think I'm the sun moon and stars. Thank you for this brief moment in history where I can smile and be exhausted and just marinate in your goodness, pure goodness, towards me.

Some encouragement

Who I am in Christ:

2 Tim. 1:7---- I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power , love and a sound mind (I likethe last part!)
Heb 4:16---I can find grace and mercy to help me in a time of need.
IJn 5:18--- I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me.
Rm. 8:35---I cannot be separated from the love of God.

Baby Girl Shower

Jess and her mom, Joanna


Me and Jess (because this is my blog and not some church bulletin, I'll put that I was up half the night with the baby and just not my best..oh well!!)

Susie and Jess

April and Cami (in our Fri night community group)

Jess and her mother in law

Joanna and Jonelle, Jess's very dear "extra mom"

Heidi and another Jessica

I love this shot of Jess...she is just beautiful all the way around)

Rebes, who had the shower, did a beautiful idea. She got sand, then some shells and had us all pick a shell, then pray for Jess quietly and then put them in the jar. Sort of like a well wishes jar, without the "new agie weird thing". Jess loves the beach.

Rebes had things set up so great, and I came in at the last swooping moment and threw flowers here and there!! Haa!

Bridge and me and Rebes and someone else (not sure who) made the food..turned out really nice, I think! In the other room, Rebes had all these tea cups set out with tea and then all this coffee..so like a coffee and tea bar and then lots of food...really fun.

Rebes and me...Bridget (the one in the next picture who is 6 ft. something tall) was taking the picture of us, can you tell, I look like a little rolly polly shortie. OH well..like I said, wasn't my best day! (in other words, Elle won't be contacting me for the "fuller busted bra" contract)

Bridge, Jess and Jonelle

Carol and Joanna

Leanna and Corrie, both preg as you can tell..oooooh, I could watch them and soak it up for hours...I should be a baby shower lady.

So, after much complications, Jess is having (in like 2 minutes or so) a baby girl...due Dec.1.

Not in the mood...

Sorry, haven't been in the mood to do this thing...I'm so just trying to get to Tgiving. Alan still has not decided what we are to do and my parents are REALLY wanting us at their house for Christmas, so we're possibly not doing anything for Tgiving.
This homeschooling thing everyday is hard, not because I hate it, it's just the everyday schooling and then classes. He's learning loads and we're trying to balance it.
I'm gonna sign off for now. I'm sitting propped up on my knees as there is a mouse around here and we can't catch it yet...we put out traps...pray that they work...I just don't like the idea of this teeny place, the baby etc..

Party Tonight at our old church

Look at those bruises...yikes!


I don't know how to do these in order and it drives me nuts. I keep deleting them etc...o.k. so, here's all the pictures backwards....last thing we did tonight was go out to dinner. There was a promise of free food, but it was actually free Dominos cheese pizza and it tasted almost as bad as ChuckECheese pizza (which isn't even real) and you could just have 1 piece for each adult, so we ended up just having a munch.
Chase loves to eat and here he is eating the container of ketchup after he was done with his fries and burger.
HE LOVES TO DIP

Our favorite place, IN/OUT burger!!! oh my so yummy.

We met another Indy, so I had to take their picture...they were both pretty embarrassed...but I figured I better get those types of pictures now, just in case they stop letting me later.
Skye was so cute...after he won a game, he'd just pick out 1 piece of candy...you can tell I never give him any, he didn't hardly even want it. He wanted those Drops Candy..those chewy fruit drops...
Chase is IN LOVE with any type of basketball game...so here he is trying his hand at bball.

Is this the first time I've given Chase candy? I think it is...can't remember if I've given him candy yet..
Indiana Jones and the very smudged and almost gone beard.
Flipping over and over on the slide.
We had a nice night and felt really good about supporting the church and going to a fall festival/party instead of celebrating Halloween.