Sugar

I told all the "guys" that I'd love their picture while they are workin' cuz most of my photos of these four together are "sitting." The four joined together to quadruple-ly-fast stack this cord of wood. Here's the completed task:

Great work guys!

Mozy-ing into the kitchen for sugar cookies and holiday baking.

Rolling dough and picking cookie cutter shapes with Gram

Al led the cookie frosting and decorating, for the "endless" stream of the fresh-from-the-oven six dozen cookies 

Here are the masterpiece creations:

Al set up the karoake for Christmas Songs and the kids belted out Deck the Halls, We 3 Kings &more:

Gram made sure to top off the blessings of time together with her home cookin' during this busy-fun weekend.

Kung Fu karate chops?

 This was an opportunity for physical fitness and fun when the kids received a party favor of karate lessons and got to take a class with their pals..

Seasons

I have been blessed with friends and family that are sincere-in-heart and caring throughout my young adult life to now. I appreciate each person that has walked with me in friendship. 

Thank you Jesus for the people you place in my life.

Appreciation

The Holiday party given by my husband's employer was a delightful sampling of sweets with serenades from Christmas carolers and instrumental accompaniment from fiddlers. 

We sampled donuts dipped in powdered sugar, cinnamon-sugar and chocolate powder!

The fresh, hot donuts were made while you watched

We enjoyed a sampling of snow cones served in a cup, hot cocoa, donuts, gingerbread cake, 

chocolate cake, and cappucinos: 

We had many laughs including dad staging the guys posed "in the tiger's mouth":

 and a game of chase. Here is a good "still" photo of a narrow escape, which led to belly laughs:

Christmas Lights 2011

Along with many other families, we also enjoy the rows or circles of homes in a neighborhood that bedazzle the community with illuminations in December :-) Those twinkling lights remind us of the Bethlehem star that shone above and onto God's gift, Jesus, on that First Noel.

 Above was my one photograph of both the boys while we enjoyed Christmas lights from a warm cozy car on a chilly night... and below is my one shot of a nativity scene as we drove by...

After School Sports

The kids' schooling includes after school sports each semester -- fun for the kids to kick the ball around with school mates and a blessing for the parents to fellowship each week while they play.

 This was the final week and game and the weather was just right

post-game treats

getting to have our mommy-time chats

 On the playground structure between games

 fun - just plain and simple

we feel blessed with where the Lord has us in this season of life,

 these moments of fellowships with pals are just one of many reasons.

Chocolate nativity

A while ago, clear plastic candy molds became part of my nativity collection. Earlier this month, we had a chance to fill the shapes with melted chocolate. Here are the Three Wise Men:

This was a simple activity that the boys could accomplish independently. Of course, baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph were such popular choices that I didn't snap a photo of them soon enough :-)

scooping melted milk chocolate into the shaping molds

This Christmas season, we reflected on how God loved us so much that He sent His only Son - spontaneously as it intertwined with our daily life.

Bright eyed and bushy haired! The kids woke up eager this morning to celebrate the tradition of Saint Nicholas -- giving in secret! We stuff stockings the first week of December. 

The kids are so excited to see what is in their stockings.
Batman is showing some "bellyyyy buttttooon hole! oooh OOOH oooh. BELLY butTON! (Veggie Tales Silly Song)

Gingerbread Runaway

This was a wonderful weekend celebrating with birthdays and baptisms with dear long time friends. It was a fun-busy. So, when we relaxed back into family time, it really was precious to reconnect. 

 This evening we read the tale of "the gingerbread man" and baked gingerbread.

Rolling dough and shaping our "man". Off to the oven you go!!!

"CRAASH!!"   An empty pan! The gingerbread man is gone!!

A note from: THE gingerbread man

Run, Run! As fast as you can! You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread man!

No, NO! I won't come back! I'd rather run than be your snack!

Got him!

Yummmmmm!

Are these foxes?

Gobbling up the gingerbread man! He didn't even last five minutes....

Our gingerbread nativity scene. Are those lumas and flying sheep and flying donkeys? no! it's our baking pan.

Pumpkin snacks

Our sweet friends since they were all infants. It was a giggly evening of mad libs, creativity, and sharing sillies; amongst the aroma of roasting pumpkin seeds and fresh baked pumpkin bread.

Reading aloud their mad lib stories as a team.

Each time we see each other, they pick up where they left off, as if no time has passed. We love the jokes, giddiness, and plain old fun. Thanks for another blessed evening together.

Everything

Yesterday I was seeking the Lord and what He had for me, in study of Genesis 37. I was contemplating Joseph in the pit, envisioning Joseph seeing and knowing God is with him. What is that like? So, I've been asking the Lord, what I am to "take home" from the lesson.

I was brought back to a favorite song of mine. When my heart has been "in the pit", this song has consistently softened my heart. The words are awesome and so pertinent for each of us in those times.  Here are some of the words that the song allows my heart to sing to the Lord.....

{Imagine being in the dark while speaking to the Lord}

Find me here. Speak to me. I want to hear you. I want to feel you.

I need to hear you.

You are the light

that's leading me

to the place

where I find peace

again.

You are the strength

that keeps me walking.

You are the hope 

that keeps me trusting.

You are my purpose.

You are everything.

How can I stand here with you and not be MOVED by YOU?

Would you tell me 

how could it be 

any better 

than this?"

What could be better than being in the presence of the Lord? (big grin)

The cool "tie in" is that when I watched the video, the background is all black, like Joseph would see in the pit. Watch the video by clicking here Praise God, right?!? When Joseph was in the pit, God was with him, and had a purpose. Joseph was not alone there, being thrown in by the only family he had known. He cried out and many of his brothers ignored his pleas in their cruelty.  

When I am in a "pit", there comes a time that I realize it is time to give the burdens to the Lord. What Joy I feel then! Thank you Jesus. His yolk is "easy" and the burden light (something like that). At these times, keep leaning on His peace. As we wrestle rightly we are learning to walk through pain and emotions. 

The Lord wants me to process the emotions and give them to Him. That is the depth of His love. The capacity of the pain or hurt I may feel, He will carry it for me.  I've grown much in this area, but not because of anything of me, I've learned to give it to the Lord and watch the emotion sail away like a little sailboat in the wind. I wish it didn't take so much practice though! And I know  it's something I'll continue to practice :-) 

Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger [men and women]! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. --Phillip Brooks

Bread bites

Enjoying feeding the ducks at the local lake :-) they were hungry and

received all the bread we had to share.

The wind was blustery and the breeze cool. Fun stop!