I really do think that I have the absolute best set of little bros in the whole widest of worlds...actually, there is not a doubt in my mind.
~
So, I go shopping with Mom this afternoon to pick up some ingredients for this AMAZINGLYmoist chocolate cake, recipe that I was planning to bake for myself for my birthday (I almost like baking things more than I like eating them nowadays...I do believe that I have gone over to the dark side at last...)
Well, when I come home, Benj walks out of the house with a majorly long face. He says,
"Don't, whatever you do, go inside the house." Me: "Why not, and what's up with you?" Ben: "We have a surprise for you, and I really wanted to light up the tiki lamps for you to come home to for your birthday, but Dad said no." Me: "Aww, thanks bud! I appreciate it, but no worries." :)
*walks into the house and sees Nate making a happy birthday sign, candles are lit everywhere, and the house is spotless.*
Me: "Whoa! Guys, this is sooo sweet!"
Nate: "It was Ben's idea."
*Ben is still kinda moping about the tiki lamps...*
Wow! I haven't blogged in almost 2 months! It seems just like yesterday that I was signing on here to tell you guys that I would see you next year...well, it's almost a whole month into 2013, and so much has happened in that time! I really did mean to write way before now, but I've been super sick with cold sores all over my mouth (can't even open my mouth right now) and haven't felt up to doing just about anything for a while....you know how that goes...
~
Well, first off, {and probably the thing that made our Christmas so special} Cally had 6 puppies.....6!!! How so many pups could fit inside that tiny dog; I'll never know...}
We still have yet to find out what kind of mix they are, but most of them are super fluffy.
Now they are 6 weeks old, and keep me awake all night :)
We decided to keep this guy - Toby :) such a chunk!
~
For Christmas, most of the cousins and relatives on Mom's side joined us at our house - 21 people and 10 dogs (including the pups) -a houseful, but big crowds of family are always awesome.
~Sisters~
~Laughter~
~
Dancing to Feliz Navidad before exchanging gifts on Christmas morn - made a great memory
~
Listening to my Grandfather read about Christ's birth - a long standing tradition on both Mom and Dad's side of the family
~
Getting awesome gifts like.....M&Ms and snugly blankets!!!
So beautiful :D
CRAZY cousins
~
Oh, and of course all the boys had to wrestle it out on the trampoline later on...
~
Christmas time is always a whirlwind here, but I love it how Christ is at the center of everything that goes on throughout the day.
~
After Christmas, a couple of Caelen's friends came to spend the week with us.... definitely a highlight :D
...{why can't we ever seem to do "normal friendish" things...}
~
Last but not least, I've asked for another little sister for Christmas next year. Whatcha think? I personally think she would fit in just swimmingly :D
Love to you all, and hopefully I'll talk to ya sooooon!
I'm sorry to say it, but this is probably going to be the last post that I do in 2012. ...Gonna catch up on some quality family time for the rest of the month, if you know what I mean :)
BUT! I do intend to leave the year with a longer-than-usual blog post.
~
Let me just start out by saying how much I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to Christmas music on Pandora
There is nothing quite like Bing Crosby singing 'Winter Wonder Land', or Nat King Cole with 'The Christmas Song'.
I've enjoyed the cozy fires down in the cold basement while watching Christmas movies with the fam (favorites being Polar Express, Rudolph, Narnia, It's a Wonderful Life, and all of the other awesome Christmas movie classics)
It was a total blast Christmas Caroling with some of the kids in our church...you could tell that it really touched a lot of the people who we sang to.
...
Aaakkk! I can't concentrate on what I'm writing because of the 'Mr. Grinch' song that is playing in the background! ...oh well, I love the song ...hang on a sec, I'm going to finish listening really quickly... :D
~
Ok, I'm back. Speaking of more music, listening to Michael Bublé's Christmas CD early this morning on my way up to Boone was so nice. {Although ...while his Christmas CD is super, I can't speak for the rest of his albums :) }
I had to take a test up at Appalachian State this morning...not the most fun way to spend a Friday in December, but hey! At least it's over now...and I passed!!! Yeah!!
Thankfully Caelen was up there taking one at the same time as me (...she passed as well)
Soo happy :)
The trip up is always a treat just because you get to pass about 10 different Christmas tree farms on the way.
{getting a decent looking picture out of the window of a fast moving car is kinda difficult..}
It's been so fun seeing Calcium Bicarbonate (our dog...with the ultimate dog name) grow great with pup ;) Any day now she's gonna have little Christmas puppies!!!
I tried out this cool DIY Christmas decoration project to put on my dresser - so cute!!
*Just glue miniature Christmas trees to the lid of a clear mason jar (you can the mini trees at craft stores...I stole mine from our miniature Christmas village :)
*Then sprinkle large salt crystals or sugar onto the lid, and screw it onto the jar
Cute, huh?
Cracking up at this Christmas song . . . Nate and I sung it at a talent show one year...very memorable talent show... :P
Alright, alright . . . I better go now. Time to finish decorating the Christmas tree... {I just secretly put the first red ball up...it's always a contest between us kids to see who will put the first ornament on the tree :P }
Never again will this date role around again in history! ... {well, I guess you could say that about pretty much any day of the week, but... }
We're makin history people! :)
It's neat to think that every moment that I'm living is just a piece of history that can either be remembered forever, or completely forgotten.
I wanna do something that will leave a lasting impression!
I have a whole lifetime to make history! ...now whether that lifetime is 5 more days or 70 more years, i'll never know, but I do know that I have a responsibility to use the time that I have right now, - wisely!
...and so do you...
Monday, December 10, 2012
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" ~John Piper
It was about time to say goodbye to the orange look, so I tried my hand at designing a new header for my blog ... let me know which one you like better! ;)
A friend shared this letter with me this morning, and I thought that it was very insightful ... and very true. Just thought I would return the favor and share it with all of you guys:
Take a second to read this:
Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as “Holiday Trees” for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I would like to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America . . .
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.
It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said: “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”
In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
