Wifey Wednesday - Shout Out to Joseph!

My devotional this morning was about Joseph's role in the Christmas story. While it is a role we are all familiar with, something about his story this morning just really struck me! Can you even imagine how much faith and love he must have had for his Lord and Savior?! Here he is engaged to this woman who has suddenly become pregnant. Game changer right?! He "put a ring on it" and thought they were going to live happily ever after. Suddenly, here is telling him that she has conceived a child yet is still a virgin?!

 

As Mary shared her story with Joseph you know his head must have been spinning. She describes to him about how an angel appeared to her (Luke 26-38). The angel told her how she would conceive in her womb a child who should be named Jesus and would be the Son of the Highest and will save all of his people. By this point, you know 'ole Joseph must have been thinking - whaaaaat?!?! Is this really happening?! In the middle of what must have felt like the biggest "storm" of his life an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel shared the same story with him and he listened. He trusted and believed in this blessing from our Lord. Even though he must have been nervous and scared and had no clue what the future would bring, he trusted in that promise from his Lord and took Mary as his wife.

 

Wow! Now that my friends is a real man! It really does seem that in the midst of all the miracles happening in that manger on Christmas - Joseph's committment and faith is just another example of radical belief. As my devotional mentioned this morning - "he believed the unbelieveable. Let us dare to do what God is asking us to do." Isn't that really what complete trust and utmost devotion to our Lord and Savior is all about? 

 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

 

What greater gift is there than this?!

 

 

Mommy Monday - Fun Christmas Memories

One of my most favorite Christmas memories is making homemade Christmas cookies. Every year our Mom would spread a big tablecloth in the kitchen floor and cover it with lots of flour, dough, cookie cutters and sprinkles. She would then let my brother, sister and I go crazy making our cookies!

 

It has always been such a fond and vivid memory that I wanted to start the same tradition with Sophie and this year she was really able to dig in! We lit some Christmas candles, turned on the holiday music and got to work! 

 

 

Look at those hands and arms covered in flour!

 

 

She was absolutely certain to make sure that we gave equal opportunity and love to all of the cookie cutters.

 

 

She was all about doing her own icing!

 

 

The proud artist/baker with her finished product.

 

 

Sugar high!

 

Have you seen the Portable North Pole Santa video that you can personalize for your child? If not,  Click Here to check them out. They are BEYOND AMAZING!! Sophie's eyes were as big as saucers when I told her that we had a special video for her sent straight from Santa and his elves!!!

 

Also, did you know that Santa has his own phone number? If you don't belive me, try it out -

253-237-2682. However, I cannot promise you that Santa carries Verizon so it may not be included in your free minutes.

 

Jeff and I feel so blessed to have had so many wonderful Christmas memories growing up. Now, we get to share those memories with Sophie while making new ones of our own. What a special gift! Thank you Heavenly Father for through you all blessings flow!  

 

Random Thursday - Man On The Shelf

1) I came across this picture on facebook this week and just about died from laughter! Can you even imagine how awesome this would be with all of the Elf on the Shelf stuff going on this time of the year??! Pure awesomeness with a little bit of creepy mixed in. Love it though!!

2) Sophie has turned into a regular Miss Crafty pants. She is obesessed with the arts and crafts right now and I have NO CLUE where she got it from. However, I just love watching her with all of it!



3) I posted a recipe on Tuesday for red velvet cake balls and somehow forgot to the post the best thing of all! Of course when baking, the best part of all is getting to lick the bowl! I told her to dive in and when I turned back around, she had litterly - dove in, head first! That's my girl!

4) Just had to share this sweet picture of our precious fur baby boys napping together!

5) Yesterday I purchased the book "The 7 Experiement" by Jen Hatmaker for our new bible study which picks back up on January 5th. I have heard such amazing and life changing things about this study! However, I have also heard, as I have mentioned before, that it will rock your world! Our group of super fabulous girls are ready to conquer this bad boy though and cannot wait to see how our amazing Heavenly Father will reveal himself to us through this study. However, we have all agreed.....we are a bit nervous!!!



Full steam ahead!

Wifey Wednesday - Buddy the Elf

Buddy our elf has arrived and let me just tell you something. It is all fun and games anticipating his arrival until he actually appears and then we have to go crazy every night trying to think of creative mischief for him to get into. Then, as always, I find myself comparing Buddy's antics to other elf antic's that I have seen on facebook. Then I begin the fun game of questioning myself - is our "elf" doing enough? Is he living up to the hype?! Geez - this social media beast is sometimes just too much! 

Here is just some of the trouble that our elf has been up to so far - 

He arrived through the chimney with a direct letter from Santa Clause himself! The letter shared with Sophie how important it is to remember that Christmas Day is like one big birthday party for Jesus and to always remember that he is the reason we celebrate. His birth was the greatest present anyone could ever receive! 

We woke up one morning to find Buddy leading a parade through the den!

Roasting marshmellows and making smores with some of his favorite "lady friends".

Most recently, we found him making snow angels on the kitchen counter with our flour!

And we also found remnants of a red velvet cake ball laying nearby...?

Whatever trouble will he get into next? Let's just hope it is not trouble that has been forgotten until 6am that morning....that is the real trouble!

Tummy Tuesday - Red Velvet Cake Balls and Potato Soup

I had every intention of making these yummy Red Velvet Cake Balls to distribute to neighbors and friends however they were so good that we decided to keep them ourselves! Whoops!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

With all of this cold and rainy weather we have been having lately, we have been all about some warm soup for dinner. We recently tried the recipe for Paula Dean Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup and it was delicious!

Paula Dean Crockpot Potato Soup



 Enjoy!!!

Mommy Monday - Mommy Torture

Family pictures have been taken, Christmas cards have been sent and I think (fingers crossed) I still have all my hair - praise the Lord!

Family pictures should be illegal! I know I have talked about it before but it's like pure Mommy torture for beginning about 3 weeks before they happen. On top of that, you have all the simply fabulous family pictures posted on Pinterest where everyone looks stress free and perfectly color coordinated but not too matchy matchy. Then, you somehow fall under the impression that if they (people who you do not even know much less if it is even a real family) can do it, so can I! I mean really, it can't be that hard right?! Wrong! Then you proceed to search your closet and all over town for the next few weeks to find the perfect outfits.

Day of pictures involve lots of running around, high blood pressure, and sweat because thats what happens in my world when I am running around like a mad woman. And of course it is like my body knows that I have my hair and makeup perfectly done so now would be the best time to cue a good sweat as I try to get everyone dressed and out of the door on time. Afterall, nothing looks better in a family picture then dried sweat on Mommy's face and hair. Always a flattering look!

Of course as we arrive to meet with the photographer I totally try to play it off like I have not run the race of my life for the past 3 weeks leading up to this moment in time. Then, as much as I love my best little girlfriend, she is stilll a bit cautious when it comes to a "stranger" taking her picture. With loved ones, she hams it up for the camera but for someone she doesn't know all that well, they will more then likely receive her infamous fire starter glare. As all of this is happening, all I can continously chat over and over again inside my head is - just one...just one good picture, that is all we need. Just one! Luckily we have an amazing photographer who did a wonderful job and captured many precious family moments.....in addition to a few fire starter shots as well!

As I said before - our family pictures are completed and we even came out on the other side with three great pictures to place on our Christmas card so I was happy mama....sweat, high blood pressure, and all!

Our family Christmas card -

And a few other of our favorite pictures she captured -

Fabulous Friday - Best Idea Ever...Or At Least For This Week

Believe it or not - we have FINALLY finished our Christmas decorating! But, wouldn't you know that after my post yesterday - "Burned Out Bulbs and Happy Wife", my last piece of lighted garland that I was hanging yesterday evening was burned out....and they were brand new! Luckily my super fantastic and patient hubby agreed to take them back for me today and exchange it for some that actually work. Truthfully, I think he was afraid I may go postal if he let me do it.

I recently came across this awesome idea on Pinterest for how to display Christmas cards. We love getting our Christmas cards from friends and family every year but I am always torn with how and where to display them. Well, look no further. The problem has now been solved - best idea ever.

Click Here to check out the details on how to make it happen through a blog I recently came across on Pinterest. Basically, you wrap some ribbon (I found mine at Hobby Lobby) around a cabinet and hold your cards on the ribbon with a clothespin. You know its something easy when I can make it happen! I started ours last night and love it! We can't wait to add more!

Not the best picture - sorry! But, you get the idea! Her blog has a much better description with pictures and all.

Have a great weekend!!

XOXO



Random Thursday - Burned Out Bulbs and a Happy Wife

1) The beautiful Sam Champion, is leaving my most favorite morning show - "Good Morning America". I am sure like the rest of America, I really feel as though these people are family. I know, I have now turned into one of "those" people. In my defence though -  I really think I would fit in nicely with the morning team. Do you think they have any openings?

Anyways, I quite possibly got a little teary eyed as the cutie patootie, Sam Champion, said his final goodbyes the other morning.

2) Because Thanksgiving fell a little later this year, I feel like I am behind on everything!!! I am on day 4 of putting up our Christmas decorations. Yes, day 4...how is that even possible?! No clue!! With all the rain we have been having, it's been hard to get some of the goodies put up outside. Also, it seems as though I have bulbs burned out on just about everything. Speaking of which, it is 2013 so you would have thought that by now someone would have invented a better method for people to replace burned out bulbs. How is it even possible that an ENTIRE strand of lights is GONE just because of one lonely bulb...one?!?! 

3) For Jeff and I have to have been so uncertain on whether or not to exchange Christmas gifts this year, our lists have certainly become endless. Babe - if you are reading this, here's a thought -

Happy Wife = Happy Life...right?! I'm just sayin.....

 

Wifey Wednesday - Christmas Tea Fun

Our church hosts an annual Ladies Christmas Tea which my mom and I attend just about every year. However, this year we decided to get a little wild and crazy and actually host a table of our own. And by we - I am referring to the moral support that I lent Mom while she ran all over creation putting together the perfect table. It's not my fault that the "Martha Stewart" gene skips a generation. Bad news for me but great news for my younger sister.

Every year the effort and design by so many ladies to make their tables look so beautiful is astonishing. I also may or may not have welcomed the praise as people walked by and complimented "our" table. I certainly did not want to be rude and correct them by going through the whole spill about my lack of the "Martha Stewart" gene so instead I just graciously responded with a huge smile and thank you. Don't judge!

Daddy was in charge of packing and unpacking and using his duct tape only with our approval. With how amazing this table looks, you can only imagine her home! Their home looks like something off of a Pinterest board while mine borders between looking like a house shared amongst college roomates who are still tying find their sense of "style" and the inside of Toys R Us...after a tornado has swept through. 

These are the fun favors we left for our friends - prayer journals from Hobby Lobby.

While the ladies decorate tables for the tea, the husbands are asked to act as servers. Daddy especially loved his job because he got to eat pizza during their prep meeting before they began serving. I must admit though that he was a wonderful server! Aren't they just the cutest thing ever?! 

The best part of all about the tea is that we to invite our friends to share the table with us and enjoy the special time together. 

Pardon the dim lighting which results in the fuzzy picture and demon eyes!

The theme for the Christmas Tea this year is "Make Room" - John 10:10. We must remember that even during the busiest time of the year, we must make room for Jesus in our hearts and in our daily lives. We must make the time to walk with him daily, pray him with daily, talk with him daily. He is always there just waiting for us to make room so that he can go to work in our lives through his glory and undying love!  

   

Tummy Tuesday - Birthday Wishes and Southwest Chicken Spaghetti

My mom made the most delicious meal of Southwest Chicken Spaghetti for my brother and sister's birthday dinner Saturday evening. I am such a BIG HUGE fan of the traditional spaghetti that I probably would not have tried this on my own but I'm sure glad I did because it was beyond amazing!

Southwest Chicken Spaghetti



I would also like to say a very special Happy Birthday to my baby brother and sister today!!! It is so hard to believe they are now 30 but I will always see them as my babies!

However, what a blessing though to now be able to call them my friends and watch them with my Sophie!

Thank you for being a wonderful brother and sister but most especially the most amazing Bubba and MayMay!  

 

I love ya'll so very much!

XOXO - Big Sis