Highlights of 2010

**Click on the link below to read the post!**

Lots of quality time with cousins!

Free money!

The start of a great Mommy/Daughter tool!

VBS

Getting Harvey!

Traci's Troops and the 2010 MS Walk!


Wishing you all a healthy and happy New Year!

Three Years!

**This is the same post I run every year on this date, and will continue to do so as long as I have this little blog of mine!**


Andy's mom Joy, was such a wonderful person, I truly wish all the world could have known her. She had something special about her that I don't see in many people. She was special. Her love for the Lord showed through her love for everything else. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend, a nurse, a mother, a grandmother, and a spiritual teacher. All those duties, were performed with the Lord by her side.

She battled the cancer for 3 long years and was a trooper every single step of the way. And even though is hard for those of us left here on earth, knowing that she is pain-free and with her Lord and Savior makes all the difference.

Below is a letter that I found that Andy started to write. He was planning to read this at the funeral. His feelings took over and he wasn't able to read it, but I feel that it is totally worth reading...

Mom, Joy, is there anyone more fitting to carry that name? You have impacted so many lives and spread so much love and joy. While preparing this, I did some searches for joy, and found a wonderful quote from Mother Theresa that sums it all up.

Joy is prayer - Joy is strength - Joy is love - Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

Mom, you are that net. No one will ever know how many people you consoled, counseled, and led to a better relationship with the Lord, but the numbers don’t matter.

Your devotion to us, your family, and God, has been an example for all. As I reflect back on everything you’ve done, there is incredible consistency. That consistency is your dedication to God, never ending selflessness, and abundant compassion. You never had to tell us “Do as I say, not as I do”. You taught by example, not by words. When asked to serve, you willingly gave. You were never too busy or too tired. On the contrary, you embraced every task as a blessing and opportunity to serve the Lord.

We miss you very much!

Merry Christmas!

The shopping is done, the gifts are all wrapped, the goodies are made and have been removed from the home, and I need a nap.

My husband is home for the next two weeks (please pray for me!) and Maggie will be done with school in a few hours.

The laundry is all caught up (at least for today) and I have most everything needed from the grocery store.

So I'm ready! Ready to enjoy and celebrate this wonderful time of the year. Ready to create memories and new traditions. Ready to remember the real reason of the season.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy this wonderful time with your family and friends and cherish every moment!

Good reminder!

My daily devotion from The Upper Room today is a great reminder and one I needed to hear today.

God Knows Us

"Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely."

In every situation we face today, we can rejoice that God protects, guides and loves.

Thought for the day: God knows us completely and loves us anyway!


Isn't that awesome!

Christmas Decor - The Family Room!

Welcome to the family room! Glad you could stop by!

I wish I had a fire going and we could sit a while and chat.

I was so excited earlier in the season when I found some battery powered lights at Big Lots to go with the garland on my mantel. We should have put an outlet up on the wall last year before we had the plaster done, but I obviously wasn't thinking about plugs at that time, I was just thinking about getting the project done, and I really didn't like the look of the cord hanging down to the outlet, let alone the safety issues of that. (wow...that was a really long run-on sentence!) Anyway...totally excited about the battery powered lights until I turned them on. They were LED and looked "blue" to me. I kept saying that I could totally keep this up til July 4th, because along with my red stars, it looked like 4th of July! Oh, and those lights, which I haven't lit all that much, totally eat through batteries. So, another thing to add to my after-Christmas sale list. Non-LED, battery powered lights.

But the stockings look cute!

I got the cute red pillow covers from Etsy too! I love the pop of red they add to the downstairs!

This is our family tree! It has ornaments from when Andy and I were kids along with ornaments we have received as gifts. We also have real candy canes, colored lights and red glitter snowflakes on it!

And the nativity scene that the kids CAN touch! I got this for Maggie's 2nd Christmas and it has always been a hit!

Come back again when you can stay a little longer!

Funny Maggie story!

I having trouble with the computer card reader, so hopefully I can post the rest of my Christmas pictures tomorrow. But I wanted to take a minute to tell you a funny Maggie story.

She went with her class yesterday to a local nursing home to sing Christmas carols. I just love the idea of sharing the joy of the season with others and I commend her teacher for doing this. Just the sight of kids brings a smile to the face of someone who is alone during the holidays and hearing their sweet voices sing makes that smile even brighter!

So on Tuesday, Maggie came home from school reminding me that her class was going on Wednesday. Here is how our conversation went:

Maggie - "I should probably wear something Christmasy...don't you think mom?"

Me - "I think that's a great idea Mag!"

Max comes in and wants to know where Maggie is going for school...

Maggie - "My class is going to the funeral home to sing!" She tells him in her best bossy voice!

Me - "Honey, you are going to a nursing home NOT a funeral home."

Maggie - "Oh, right!"

About five minutes later she comes up to me and says, "Mom, I bet there wouldn't be too many people there to listen to us sing if we went to a funeral home!" Said with just the slightest grin.

Just made me smile!

Just for the record.....

For all those who commented on my clean house....

This is what you didn't see behind the chair in the living room. This was a fabulous white-elephant gift Andy received a few weeks ago. Yes, it's been sitting in my living room ever since. I'm thinking about keeping it and taking it with us on our next trip with Harvey, (that's our pop-up camper in case you forgot!) it would be handy for me to have for that middle-of-the-night pee!

This is my kitchen table...gingerbread houses. Yes, the kids had fun making them, but what am I supposed to do them the now....(they are driving me nuts!)

Oh, and this is the site at my back door....

And to top it off....that fur ball peeking around the corner in the first picture happily leaves his fur ALL OVER THE PLACE, along with his dirty paws!

So there...(as I stick my tongue out at you!)
I will admit, most of the time my house IS picked up....but it is NEVER clean!

Christmas Decor - The Living Room!

Welcome!

This is the view coming in from my front door. It seems much larger in this picture then it actually is...but that's okay. This is also the location for the "mommy" tree! The problem I have with this room at Christmas time is that my sectional is not a true red. It's actually more of a burnt orange color which I love (except at Christmas time!) As you know from my kitchen pictures, I love green and red (a true red) and it makes things a little more difficult when I can't put true red in this room. That is why I decorate the "mommy" tree with white lights, with silver, white and clear ornaments! We'll see that in a minute!

I ordered these pillow covers from Etsy this year. They have the green and red that I wanted along with the burnt orange color. I think they look kinda cute!

I have a thing for snowflakes. So there are a lot of snowflakes on this tree.

On top of my armoire, I have several pieces that are silver or clear....just to add a little sparkle!

Also, right inside the front door is a little alcove where I set this little container of greenery...the grasses are there year round, but at Christmas time, I stick the red berries in. However, this year I added lights!

(without the lights!)
(with the lights!)
Doesn't this look so much better!


Also, this is totally driving me crazy...but I'm trying to deal with it. I forgot to buy silver gift wrap at all the after Christmas sales last year and I just can't make myself pay full price, so I'm using the "family" tree gift wrap. (Which totally doesn't match my tree!)

All the gifts that are not opened Christmas morning go under this tree...and should be wrapped in silver wrapping!

Have you started your After-Christmas Sale list yet? I have, and silver gift wrap is at the top of that list!
(Sorry to get off topic there for a second...try not to let the gift wrap in the next picture bother you!)


My all-time favorite Christmas piece to dig out every year. My great-grandmother's nativity scene. Even with the donkey ear missing and the angle wing glued back on too many times to count, it is a very special part of my Christmas decor.

This is the view looking from the kitchen!

Makes me just want to sit it here and curl up with a cup of coffee! Want to join me?

Christmas Decor - Kitchen!

I took these pictures mostly for myself. To remember how and where I placed things for next year. As I was digging through all the Rubbermaid tubs several weeks ago...I totally couldn't remember where I had put stuff last year. So these pictures are really to aid me next year from a super big case of the forgetfuls!

So today, I'm just showing my kitchen! I think it looks pretty cute. I have always loved my kitchen wall color (La Fonda Cactus) and I think I like it even more at Christmas time, along with a pop of red!

I love the Santa hat as a tree topper on this little tree and the lime green apples...it's very simple, but I like that!

I bought these little wreaths last year....but didn't use them until this year....love them....but hate how they get knocked around a lot. I have already hot-glued many-a-leaf back on these puppies.

Not a lot of lights...but perfect for this space (they are actually twinkling..so not all of them are on in this picture!)


These are the little shelves above the desk in the kitchen! Simple but cute!

I got these cute little decals at Wal-mart and they look super cute on my cream-colored cabinets!

This picture just shows the decals on the pantry....and the desk area. But I love the reflection of the homemade paper snowflakes that are hanging on the sliding-glass window.

More Christmas decor tomorrow!

Max gets his first bible!

Every year, the kindergartners in our church get a bible from the congregation. Max was very excited to be getting his "first very own bible!"

Here is the group listening to Miss Amy tell them to read it, and use it.....and also reminding the congregation to do the same!

waiting patiently!

very excited!

so proud!

The Perfect Turkey.....by Max!

Max brought this home from school yesterday....already laminated and ready to save. However, I think I'll stick to my standard recipe just for the sake of our family's health!

Cherish Every Moment!

This is a story from right here in our local community! It is a precious reminder to Cherish Every Moment!