leavin' on a jet plane

well, a charter bus anyway...
tomorrow we head out for the great state of Arizona.
with 35 high school students
and 10 college students.

we have to be at the church at 4:45 AM.
it's currently 9:15 PM.
am i packed?
nope.
am i sitting on the couch with rach getting new music?
of course.

sometimes people ask how we do it-
the crazy schedule, always going.
i say that's just how you know you're called to something-
when it seems crazy to the rest of the world,
but makes perfect sense to you
and you couldn't imagine life without it.

that's what i love about God-
we're all equal parts different and important.

if you think about it- say a prayer for us.
safety. obedience.  peace.
all of those would be appreciated.

what's your manna?

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12

I love this verse and the promise that every time I read His word, He wants to speak to me.  No matter the number of times I have read a story, I can learn something new.

I've read the stories of the Israelite journey to the Promised Land more times that I could ever count.  With each and every reading, I've judged those silly people more times than I want to admit.  And each time I've judged them, I've felt conviction over the moments in my life when I have done the same thing.

But last night as I read this story, a verse stood out to me in a way it never has.  "And we hate this wretched manna."  Pretty harsh words from a people who, 40 days prior to this had begged God for this very thing.

And it struck me- I DO THE SAME THING.  As I look over my life, I can think of two very specific times in my life I have lived in bondage- my Egypt.

Both times, the Lord moved in mighty ways to set me free.  I walked out of my Egypt head held high and marched across the Red Sea.  I watched as my enemies were drowned as the water crashed down onto them.  I knew in my heart of hearts that the Lord had moved- and provided me this opportunity, this freedom.

I walked along, basking in new found freedom, until my heart became calloused.  I noticed that I was hungry and cried out to the Lord.  He was gracious (so very, very gracious) and sent manna from heaven.  It was sweet, unexplainable and nothing I had ever experienced before.  My heart was happy again.

Weeks turned to years and eventually the manna started to get old.  What I had once viewed as an amazing and perfect gift from the Lord quickly turned to something else- an annoyance in my life.  I found myself exclaiming "I hate this wretched manna..." and wondering if maybe God misunderstood what I had asked for.  And asking him to maybe make the manna a little more like ________.

Isn't it funny how we can pray and pray and ask God to give us something.  And for a while that something exceeds our expectations and makes us happy... but as our happiness becomes more attached to the blessing, we forget the Giver of that gift.  We find ourselves loathing the very thing we asked for all those years ago.

And so I ask you today- what is your manna?


forgive me, Lord.  i have taken so many blessings in my life for granted.  i have become complacent in the wilderness without trusting you to move.  i've given up and stopped moving forward towards the freedom you've promised to me.

babies babies babies

We are so blessed by our fabulous group of friends.
Every Tuesday we meet to do small group.
For 3 years, we've been the only one with a kid.

But last April, Daryl and Evan had sweet baby Logan.
And last month, Chris and Kelly had baby Darryl.
So our small group has grown.

It's so fun to see the different stages of life.
And I love watching my best friends become parents.

Being a parent is such an awesome responsibility...
it can be overwhelming and scary...
rewarding and fulfilling...

I can only pray that I can be a good mommy example.
And that in all I say and do,
The words I say... the way I love...
Will show my son the love of Christ.

This is the cry of my mommy heart:

"God, our God! God the one and only!

Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!

Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates."

friends

“As I look back on all that’s happened…growing up, growing together, changing you, changing me — there were times when we dreamed together, when we laughed and cried together. As I look back on those days, I realize how much I truly miss you and how much I truly love you. The past may be gone forever…and whatever the future holds, our todays make the memories of tomorrow. So, my lifetime friends, it is with all my heart that I send you my love, hoping that you’ll always carry my smile with you, for all we have meant to each other and for whatever the future may hold.” --unknown

We met in college.  She was a friend of an acquaintance.  Eventually, we ended up teaching 8th graders together at church.  She was one of those people who managed to be incredibly cool and incredibly genuine all at once.  After our weddings, she invited me to be a part of a small group with her...
Jamie

Our first night in a new small group, she and her husband walked in, collapsed on the couch and started talking immediately about her yelling at him to "Get the spices" when he tried to wake her up from a nap.  She was quirky, funky and real- nothing fake about that girl.  After a couple of months in this group, I worked up the nerve to ask her to lunch.  She almost jumped on top of me yelling "YES!"
Natalie

Six years of friendship and that's how it started.  The three of us, going to lunch every Wednesday- (the Indian family that owned the Quizno's knew us by name).  It was during those lunches that I met my best friends, the kindred spirits of my heart, my very best friends.

They've been there for me through all the ups and downs of my adult life.  The night I showed up on Jamie's front porch, bawling my eyes out... Jumping up and down in the street rejoicing over pregnancies... Nights spent studying the Word and confessing our needs to one another.  Road trips, musicals, running... laughing, crying, times when we just didn't know... births, deaths... Sunday night dinners and Tuesday nights... slap sticky and two susies... These are memories I will cherish forever.

These girls have taught me the meaning of true friendship.  I am so blessed and I thank God everyday that Jamie was brave enough to ask me to that small group.  I know that I wouldn't be the believer, wife, mommy I am today without the presence of these beautiful women in my life.

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
bringing something we must learn and we are led
to those who help us most to grow if we let them
and we help them in return.
Well I don't know if I believe that's true but I know I'm who I am today
because I knew you...
I do believe I have been changed for the better
Because I knew you-
I have been changed for good" 
--For Good, Wicked

I love you girls, so much.
And I had a fabulous weekend with you two.
Counting down the days to April!

a tall girl's lament

I'm tall.  Always have been, always will be-
(unless that whole shrinking as you age thing is true... but that's besides the point)

Growing up, I was tall.  But not only was I tall...
I was skinny and not just skinny... SKEEEENY...
like didn't weigh 100 pounds until I was in high school- even though I was like 5 foot 6 or something.

Needless to say, shopping for pants was a wee bit difficult. 
(actually- more like the most impossible task known to all mankind.)

While everyone else got to be cool and wear their pants cuffed  cutely over their multi-colored scrunchy socks, I was doing good just to get pants that covered said scrunchy socks WITHOUT the cuff.

Everyone else got to wear the matchy-matchy sweatsuits.  Do those pants come long enough?  Nope.

And don't even get me started on dress pants and khakis...

All this has created a very real phobia in my life.  I am so afraid of high-waters...  pants NOT on the ground, if you will...  My pants have to practically DRAG the ground for me to feel they are acceptable.

I refused to wear capri pants for the first 5 years they were popular, claiming "I've spent my entire childhood trying NOT to wear pants that look like this... why would I ever do this on purpose?"

And the cute "ankle" pants short girls get to wear?  Forget about it!

I've always dreamed of walking into a store, breezily grabbing a pair of pants and wisking them home to fit my inseam perfectly.  Unfortunately, it goes more like this:

Locate my size... then find them in length LONG... then pull out every pair of long to find the LONGEST one... Only to have my hopes and dreams dashed in the dressing room when they're STILL not long enough.  (you think i'm kidding, but I so am not!)

Anyway, all this to say- I now have a boy.  A boy who, at age three, is 45 inches tall- and weighs 45 pounds.  You do the math- that's one TALL, SKEEEEENY boy.  So you can only imagine my horror when Micah dressed him the other day and his socks were peeking out of the top of his shoes.  I almost hyperventilated... pulled his pants way saggy down and felt a little better. 

Immediately I told Micah that we HAVE to get him new pants.  These are entirely unacceptable.  He told me to chill out- John Mark's 3... he doesn't even know the difference in long and short pants.

But little does he know- I have plans to use our clothing money to hit up the old navy jeans sale this weekend and buy my boy some new jeans- size 5 slim.

Because heaven forbid he have to go through life wearing pants that are too short like his mom.

sick, sick, sickies

We've been a little under the weather at our house.
It started the Tuesday before Valentine's day.

Aly, our beloved baby-sitter who is leaving us to get married (WAH!!) had just picked JM up from preschool.  She had to run back to the office to talk to wedding details with a lady.  JM walked into my office, crawled in my lap and just laid there.  Clue #1 something wasn't quite right with my baby.

After a couple minutes there, he got up and walked to Aly.  She picked him up and he just laid his head on her shoulder- clue #2.  She sat him down and he walked over to me.  His face was really pale and he was sweaty but shivering- clue #3.  He looked at me and said "mommy, I ate bad candy... I frowed up..." I knew that look and those words, so I grabbed the trash can.  Poor baby left his entire chick-fil-a lunch in my trashcan.

*Time-out to brag on my friend Mallory.  She's not a mom yet, in fact, she's basically a baby herself and she was at my desk during this lovely moment.  I told her she could leave if she needed to, but she stuck it out and then went to get paper towels and sprite for the poor baby.  She later told me she didn't even gag.  Mal, when you become a grown-up, you will make a fabulous mommy!*

So we went home.  We laid on the couch, alternating between watching movies, napping, playing and needing "the bowl." 

When Micah got home from work, he was running a fever and seemed to have contracted a lovely cold.  This would be an ideal time to mention this was the week before student ministry's (his job) biggest event of the year.  Oh, and his buddy that works with him was also sick.  And their assistant.  Great timing!

We all stayed home on Wednesday.  JM was fine on Thursday and went to school.  Micah stayed home, still not feeling well.  Friday we went on our valentine's date and Saturday was normal...

Sunday at 4:00 AM, I woke up with a bad tummy-ache.  I thought it was just something I ate, so I tried to lay there and get comfortable... Nothing worked.  Then about 6, I got sick.  Apparently I got JM's 12-hour stomach bug on steroids.  My valentine's day was nothing but miserable.

Tuesday, JM woke up with Micah's nasty, nasty cough.  By that night, he was running a little bit of a fever, but seemed okay.  I left him with Aly the next morning, but went home at 3 because his fever was 101.  Fortunately, that went away pretty quickly.

We went to the doctor on Friday just to make sure everything was okay.  He had a bit of a virus.  He was so sweet and brave when the nurse poked his finger.  He just looked at me and said "mommy, why'd you let her use that purple stapler to take my blood away?"  Sweetheart!  He cried a little, but felt tough with his transformer band-aid not too long after.

This past weekend was Big Weekend and he got to stay with BB and Poppy.  The house has been cleaned and sterilized and all the laundry is done (thanks, Mom!) so HOPEFULLY (fingers crossed) the sickness has left our house.

So that's where we've been for the past two weeks.  How about YOU?

love, love, love

In honor of valentine's day and the sun shining today,
here is a list of things I love, in no particular order.

*caramel lattes

*snuggles from Narty

*cupcakes

*cherry coke zero

*reading

*ipod touch

*cooking

*running outside

*taking pictures

*blogs

*buying groceries

*taking naps

*You've Got Mail

*dates with Micah

*salsa

*words

*my job

*facebook

*candy

*my niece, Elliana

*candles

*dryer sheets

*spider solitaire

*coffee with wheeler

*fro-yo

*calling it fro-yo

*middle schoolers

*mentoring

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Love the ones you're with!

a potato-y valentine

Today I went shopping with John Mark for a valentine gift for Micah.  We have plans to go out and I was running a little behind on his gift.  So we set out to Target to find the perfect gift for the mister.

As we walked around the store, we ran into this:

 

A mix and match, 35 piece, Mr. Potato Head set.  Every man's dream gift, right.  I tried to talk John Mark out of this gift.  I told him that daddy would probably much rather have something else.  But no... he was convinced.  Daddy NEEDED Mr. Potato Head.  He gave some very convincing arguments-

"Mommy, we can all SHARE this present."
"There's a boy for me, a boy for dad and even a girl for you."
"It's PERFECT."

It even ended up in the basket.  So... guess what we walked out of target with.

 

Officer Potato Head and the rest of the 35 piece, Mr. Potato Head set.

We came home and went right to work putting them together.  Using the bodies of  several potatoes we already had, we created these beautiful masterpieces.

 

Mrs. Potato Head

  

 Dr. Potato Head

 Fryer Fighter Spud

John Mark was thrilled.  Micah was happy to see John Mark so excited.  I thought the whole deal was hilarious.  Just don't tell John Mark that daddy is getting a different gift on our date tonight...

be mine

I love valentine's day.
It's quite possibly one of my favorite days of the year.

I love all the red and the pink...
the hearts and candy and flowers...
I love an excuse to make heart shaped treats.

Speaking of... I made these cuties the other day.

They're really quite simple...
Rice Krispie Treats, cut in hearts with chocolate.

You start by melting butter and marshmallows:
I decided to use the pink marshmallows to make things more festive...

Then you dump in the rice krispies and put them in a pan.
I didn't document this because, well, it requires more than one hand.
(and it's not complicated... then again, neither is pink marshmallows...)

After they set in the fridge for a few minutes,
Cut them with a heart cookie cutter.

Then melt some chocolate chips.

Here's where you can get funky...

you can dunk the treat in the chocolate

OR drizzle it all over the tops.

For my first set, I used the dipping method.

It was a little much on the chocolate.

So I drizzled my second batch.

Then bagged them up, with a pretty red bow-

instant valentine treats for JM's teachers!

Unfortunately, I forgot to get a pic of them drizzled and in the bags...

But I'm sure you can imagine.

Fun and simple.

My kind of treat!

anatomy of a snow day

In case you weren't aware, Oklahoma has been in a bit of a lovely winter storm.  It started Thursday at 9AM with ice and sleet that lasted all day and turned into snow overnight.  We woke up Friday morning to a white winter wonderland in the front yard.

Unfortunately, this means we've been stuck in the house since Wednesday night.  I did go to the office Thursday morning, only to be told we were closing at 9... so I stopped at the redbox and stocked up on some movies for us.

As a result of being cooped up inside for entirely too long, I took photos of things we've done along the way... so I give you- the anatomy of a snow day.

 

We build lego farms

 

We bake (and eat, obviously) the only cookies we have supplies for

 

We watch movies 

(He's on the laptop while JM is watching a kid show on TV)

For example:

-Monster's Inc (at least 5 times, no joke)

-Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

-Bolt

-Veggie Tales

-The Proposal

-(500) Days of Summer

-Twister

-

*obviously, kid shows win in our house...

  

We play words with friends obsessively

  

We read books... lots of books

(this is to counteract the number of kid shows...)

We build snowmen... and yes, our snowman has a mustache...

what's it to ya?

I can't complain about being stuck inside.  My parents who live south of here haven't had power since it hit them Thursday afternoon, and it looks as though they won't have power until the middle of next week.  At least we've had power and water.

We did venture out of the house today to eat lunch with friends and I went to see "When in Rome" with the girls.  Fun times.  The roads are already becoming a mess and we don't have church tomorrow.

Now, if you'll excuse me- Monster's Inc is on and I have some words waiting to be played.

money, money, money... MO-NAY

I'm terrible with money.  There.  I just admitted it.  You know how there are spenders and savers?  I'm a spender- through and through.  When I was younger, I would get $2 from each set of grandparents and $3 from my parents after each basketball game to "get something to eat".  That's $7 per game.  And I would spend it ALL at the concession stand.  I mean, I know I could put away the food back then- seriously.  I had money, I had to spend it. 

I just like to buy things...  clothes, groceries, toilet paper...  I'm not picky!

Over time, my spending may or may not have become a bit of a problem.  As in- we don't have money, but I was still spending.  Overdraft charges, bounced checks, debt... nothing really phased me.  In case you were wondering- this is BAD. NEWS.

After far too many years of failed attempts at budgeting, we knew something had to change.  So we enrolled in Financial Peace University.  Um, Dave Ramsey- he kicks booty!

We watched the videos, set out our budget, put cash in the envelopes and got excited.  In case you were curious- budgets= a spenders worst nightmare!  When the cash is gone- no more spending.  But I have come to realize  that I don't have the self control to just "not spend."  So davey to the rescue.

One area we knew we could seriously cut back on was eating out.  It's so easy after a long day at work or church or napping to just pick up a pizza... or tacos... or chick-fil-a.  But (being the spender that I am) I always buy tons of groceries with lofty goals of gourmet, homecooked dinners every night.  Those dinner- yeah, not so much.  Fancy food quickly turned into lots of taco bell.

So, for the the month of January we decided no more eating out.  I set a menu plan (thank you e-mealz for this wonderful concept!), got groceries and determined to eat dinner at home. 

WE DID IT!  Oh my word, I'm embarassed to even tell you how much money we saved by doing this.  But for the sake of the blog (and humility) here's the lowdown. 

This month we spend $99 at resaurants (that's $1 under budget, yo!).  In November/December we spent (I'm embarassed to even admit this...) $589.  On food.  In restaurants.  RIDICULOUS.

That's $489 we saved just eating at home (and who even knows how many calories)... this doesn't include the $15 trips to target and all those times I would've hit the sale rack at Old Navy.

So, I'm planning on chronicling my journey from becoming a spender to a saver here on the blog.  If any of you have some fabulous tips for a newbie like me, PLEASE leave me a comment!

the same power

"Jesus Christ is able to untangle all the snarls in my soul, to banish all my complexes, and to transform even my fixed habit patterns, no matter how deeply they are etched in my subconscious." -corrie ten boom

I read this today as I was doing my quiet time.  I was struck yet again by the reality that it is CHRIST in me that creates change. 

Reading this has lead me to sing a song from hillsong all morning-
"The same power that conquered the grave lives in me"...

WOW!  Why would I ever try to fix things myself or make myself "better"?  I have the power of Christ living in me to work out my salvation.

It is my prayer today that I would let Him.

told ya

This was our evening last night:
JM- "Mom, I'm hungry.  Can I have this?"
Me- "No, John Mark... that's really old cornbread."
JM- "Oh.  But I LOOOOOVE cornbread"
Me- "No you don't... besides I don't remember when I made that."
JM- "Oh.  Well, what can I have?"
Me- "How about a sandwich?"
JM (jumping on the counter)- "YES!  I'll get the peanut butter."

I proceed to make the sandwich and cut it into a heart.
Then I threw the heart remnants into the trash...

About 15 minutes later (after inhaling the sandwich),
JM walks in holding bread...

JM- "Mom, can I eat this?"
Me- "NOOOOO!!  That was in the trash."
JM- "Oh.  Well, I'm starvin'... Dad, can I eat this?"
Micah- "No."
JM- "Why not?  I'm starvin'"
Micah- "Because... you're not a goat."

eating me out of house and home

seriously.
This kid can eat like nobody's business.
Let me tell you what he has eaten today:

BREAKFAST- 8:45ish
*big bowl of fruity cheerios
*banana
*cup of milk

I'M STARVING- 10:30
*some hershey kisses (unknown by me)

I'M STILL STARVING- 11:00
*string cheese
*juice

LUNCH- 12:30
*4 chicken nuggets
*applesauce
*pretzels
*half a HUGE orange
*more pretzels off my plate

AFTER NAP- 3:30
*animal crackers
*juice
*fruit snacks
*about 5 cups of water
(he was being a magician making water "dis-da-ppear")

SUPPER- 6:00
*5 huge raviolis
(to give you perspective- I had 8!!)
*peaches
*string cheese

BIRTHDAY PARTY- 7:00
*big bowl of yogurt
*juice

HOME- 9:00
*more string cheese
(maybe I should invest in string cheese stock?)
*glass of milk

Like I said- ridiculous.
To put it in the words of a mom of 3 boys-
"Just wait til he's in the 7th grade-
then your grocery bill tops your mortgage."

7th grade?  Try Kindergarten!

2010

A new year has dawned and with that comes thoughts of where I want to go in my life this year.  We had the most inspiring message at church today- we were encouraged to focus on what we ARE, rather than what we DO.  It was a most timely message.

A while ago, I sat down with my sweet friend Sara and we were totally upfront about some things that we had been struggling with- idols, if you will.  I could tell that the Lord was beginning something within me, but I wasn't sure exactly what that was.

Fast forward a few weeks and my boss was telling me the way she determines her focus for the new year.  It sounded so incredible, that I hopped on board with her, Sara and a couple other ladies.  I sat and prayed, answering questions about myself and reading things others had to say about me.  I wasn't shocked to find that my answer was exactly what I had felt God saying to me earlier in the year.

So, it is with great anticipation and (to be quite honest) a little bit of fear that I embark on this new year with a new focus- humility.  I feel a little silly even admitting that because it seems counter-intuitive to "announce" a focus like humility.  But the one thing that I want to learn more deeply in 2010 is just Who my God is- how big and mighty and powerful and awesome... and how SMALL I am in comparison to Him... that I can do nothing apart from Him.

I have a "plan" to help encourage myself in this walk:
1.  Memorize- scripture throughout the year that involves humility.  REALLY memorize, not just learn it for a week and then move on.  I want the Word hidden so deeply in my mind and heart that I breathe it.
2.  Give sacrificially- one of the "practices" of humility was stewardship.  I want to be a better steward with the gifts God has given to me.
3.  Learn how to REALLY study the Word of God.  I want His Word to be my LIFE.
4.  Submit.  Submit.  Submit.  To the Lord.  To my husband.  To those in authority.  I allow myself way too many excuses for not submitting.  It's time to get over myself and let go.

I suppose that last "point" should really be number 1.  Because without submitting to the Lord, I will just be trying to get better.  And that's not what I want.  I want a life that is so immersed in Him, that I am daily on my knees surrendered to Him.

I leave you with my first memory verse- the verse that sums up beautifully what I want to be true of me:

Isaiah 66:2
"Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?"
declares the Lord.
"This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word."

Jesus, give me a heart that trembles at Your word.  Teach me daily to surrender to You.  Show me more of Who You are.  I love you.

so long, 2009

"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."
Psalm 126:3

As I've sat here trying to think of ways to sum up this past year, all I can think of is this verse.

We are so blessed by our health and family and jobs and LIVES.
I know so many out there have had difficult years,
and to be quite honest with you-
I feel a bit like I'm bragging by saying we had a good year.

So I will just say this about our year-
we serve a God who is good.
And we were SO blessed in 2009.

But if 2010 brings rain and storms in our lives-
HE doesn't change.

This is my prayer for the new year-
*to worship Him more fully
*to grow in knowledge of Him
*to recognize the total vastness of my God
*that my actions would reflect Him to all around me

I pray that your new year is filled with joy.

dramin' of a white christmas

If you haven't heard, Oklahoma is in the middle of a teeny-tiny blizzard.
Seriously.
There are drifts by our house up to my thigh!

John Mark could hardly wait to play in the snow...
This morning was too nasty to even THINK of playing-
sleet, crazy wind, just nasty.

But after nap, it had calmed down a bit.
We spent 15 minutes getting "bungled" (bundled)-
and then lasted maybe 10 minutes outside.

Actually, they probably would have been longer-
but I'm a weenie and worried about frostbite.

We came in an warmed up with some hot chocolate,
and now we're watching The Santa Claus marathon.

Later we're going to open our Christmas Eve gift,
then put nart to bed and get everything ready for tomorrow.
I hope it clears off so mom and dad can make it here
and we can all make it to my aunts!

I leave you with the TRUE reason for the season:

"That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12

Merry Christmas, friends!

santa, baby

I had a party with my 8th grade FLOCK on Saturday.
We themed it "little kids Christmas"-
everyone wore pajamas and slippers,
and brought a "little kid"gift.

I came home with "Santa Spud."

Without further ado- I give you:

Santa Nart

John Mark loves Mr. Potato Head...

He loved it so much he wore it out...

in public...

with Kelly!  (This is Baby Darryl's first santa shot.)

Don't worry- he saved some kisses for Mommy:

This little boy couldn't be any more excited for Christmas day!

christmas time

Have I mentioned that I love Christmas?
This year has been SO much fun already with John Mark...
He wakes up every morning asking-
"Is it Christmas day yet?"

Earlier in the season, he helped us put up the tree.

He had a big time hanging up his ornaments
(he picked a Veggie Tales for this year!)

and putting on the "Jingle Bells."

He asked every two minutes-

"Can we put the star on now?"

It was so sweet!

After we were all finished,

we snuggled up with some hot cocoa,

sat on the couch and watched Veggie Tales Christmas.

(Are you seeing a theme?)

Please ignore my odd color combination-

I can't be held responsible for the things I wear at home.

Last week, my good friend Sara Wheeler gave me a sugar cookie recipe.

Her recipe came with three very specific rules I had to follow in order to use the recipe:

1.  I must let John Mark help me make the cookies.

2.  I must take photos of him helping make the cookies.

3.  I must do this every year from here to eternity.

Well, I'm doing good so far...

We'll see how I do next Christmas!

I have a ton more pictures to show you,

but I'll save those for a different day.

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

Come, thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the Earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne

-if you haven't heard the Chris Tomlin/Christy Nockels version of this song, go download it now!