Christmas Card 2012

Very Merry Memories Christmas Card

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Stationery card

Family Frame Christmas Card

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God Can

When you feel unlovable, unworthy and unclean,
When you think that no one can heal you,
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

When you think that you are unforgivable
For your guilt and your shame
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

When you think that all is hidden
And no one can see within
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

And when you have reached the bottom
And you think that no one can hear
Remember my dear Friend
God Can.

And when you think that no one can love
The real person deep inside of you
Remember my dear Friend,
God Does.

School, summer break, vacation, books and everything but the kitchen sink

Over the past few months, I decided to put blogging to the side.  No particular reason.

Just wanted to take a break.

Just wanted to push away from the computer.

Just wanted to regroup.

Just wanted to enjoy being free from schedules and time constraints.

and that I did!

My Spring quarter finished out mid-June, which happened to be in the very same week our church was hosting Vacation Bible X-treme... at which I was a teacher's helper.  

The kids and I have enjoyed hanging out at some friend's community pool.

We enjoyed a vacation.

I read some books at which I need to seriously update.

And alas... here I am.  Lots to prepare for next week.  I'm game.

My Scripture Journal: Fearing the Lord {{ BOOK GIVEAWAY }}

I absolutely love free giveaways and hope to win this one!  Head on over to www.mommastime.com to enter to win.


My Scripture Journal: Fearing the Lord is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to dive deeper into the Bible. It is a 12 week study on just what it means to "fear the Lord". In the study you focus not only on what God's Word says and what it means, but you also spend time daily doing specific tasks to help you memorize Scripture - thus equipping you anywhere you are with the Word of God.

Straight from the book: "The goal of 'My Scripture Journal' is to help you to grow deeper in your walk with Christ by reading the Bible and memorizing scripture."


http://www.mommastime.com/2011/07/my-scripture-journal-fearing-lord.html?showComment=1311027448223#c5449395696722561030

Day twenty-four: a photo of what you want to be when you grow up.

When I grow up I want to be a Nurse that helps catch babies. :)

Day twenty-three: a photo of something you want to do someday.

One day in the near future I want to run a full marathon.  I want to be healthy, fit and in shape.  I want to have lightning bolt thighs instead of thunder thighs.  I want to finish in less than 6 hours and I want a pretty medal.

Day twenty-two: a photo that you associate a good memory with.

One of my most precious memories to date is the night I brought my baby girl home from the hospital.  The day was December 31, 1999.  Words cannot describe the emotions I felt that night.  It was such an exhilarating yet terrifying time.  I was a very young, brand new mom without a clue as to what I was doing, yet I felt so proud and overwhelmed with joy.  Holding that little person in my arms suddenly gave me a sense of purpose.  To know that I was her sole caregiver and it was no longer "me" but "us" was life-changing to say the least.  It's true what they say.... you never know that pure love until you have a child of your own.  I copied this from junk mail.  The words are so very true and spoken so very poignantly.


Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep. 

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
 
Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.
  Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom 

Sign up to Win a Free Cricut Expression 2 Anniversary Edition

Head on over to FaveCrafts to enter to win a Free Cricut Expression 2 Anniversary Edition.


FaveCrafts and Provo Craft have teamed up and are giving away the newest Cricut machine, which is being released in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the first Cricut machine. The Anniversary edition is compatible with previous models’ cartridges, and it comes with four additional cartridges. It also features an LCD touch screen, a cutting area light, a longer power cord, and several upgrades for the advanced Cricut user.


Good luck!


http://www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Cricut-Expression-2-Anniversary-Edition-Giveaway

Day twenty-one: a photo of somebody you find attractive.

This photo challenge wasn't really a challenge at all.  The one I find most attractive is naturally my hunky husband.  This photo is my one & only just after he completed his very first half marathon.  Not only is my husband handsome but he is smart, handy, extremely mechanically inclined, good with directions, is a GREAT cook, a fantastic barista, incredible athlete, the best father around and an extraordinary husband & man of God.  So honored to be his wife & partner in life!

Room by Emma Donahue

For the month of March our bookclub selected Room by Emma Donahue.  If I could use one word to describe this book it would be: INTERESTING.  Overall, I generally liked the book.  It was pretty fast paced and kept me reading until the very end.  Although the ending was a little predictable, the writer kept me engaged and wanting to read on continually.  The entire book is told from the perspective of 5 yr old Jack which makes for a very interesting and unexpected read.

Here is an exert taken from Amazon.com - In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is different in a big way--he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as Old Nick. For Jack, Room is the only world he knows, but for Ma, it is a prison in which she has tried to craft a normal life for her son. When their insular world suddenly expands beyond the confines of their four walls, the consequences are piercing and extraordinary. Despite its profoundly disturbing premise, Emma Donoghue's Room is rife with moments of hope and beauty, and the dogged determination to live, even in the most desolate circumstances.

Day twenty: a photo of something you ate today.

So this photo challenge is a little weird and not at all interesting (to me anyway).  I mean, seriously, do you REALLY want to see a photo of something I ate today?  In an attempt to be complacent, I will just go with the flow.

Wahh... wahhhh.. wahhhhh.

Back to the grind

After a little break from the regulars of life our household is slowly getting back into the swing of things.  Spring Break FINALLY came and along with it came a break from school, laundry, studying, soccer and all the boring, mundane stuff!  With that said, let's get to blogging shall we?

Caleb @ 2yrs learning to "surf"

Day 19: A photo that makes you laugh

The things you can do with Bendaroos!

Cheesy Beef (Or Turkey) Stroganoff

A fellow blogger posted a super duper yummy recipe she took from Quickies in the Kitchen: 30 Minute Meals.  I stole the recipe and tweaked it up a bit.  Here is her post with pics: The Queen of Dilly-Dallying: Quick Dinner: "If you are interested in a quick and cheap dinner idea, just follow this simple recipe for Cheesy Beef Stroganoff. The ingredients you need ..."

Since I'm in weight loss mode (or attempting it anyway), I thought I would take the recipe and tweak it a bit. This recipe was cheap, simple and incredibly delicious!  Here's what you need:


1 lb. ground beef (I used ground turkey breast)
3 c. uncooked medium egg noodles ( I used whole grain egg noodles)
1/2 lb (8 oz.) Velveeta Cheese, cubed (I used 2% velveeta)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup (I used fat free cream of mushroom soup).
1/4 tsp. pepper

Step 1:  Cube the cheese up pretty small to melt easier.
Cook your ground beef and drain the fat, keeping the ground beef in the skillet.  Stir in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Stir in egg noodles, reduce to low medium heat and cover.  Let it simmer for 8 minutes until noodles are tender.  (I added the 2 cups of water and 1/3 cup of Reduced Sodium chicken broth)

Step 3: Add the Velveeta cheese cubes, cream of mushroom soup and pepper.

Step 4: Stir until your cheese is melted and serve warm.

This recipe was so incredibly yummy!  I paired it with peas but you could pair it with any side you like.  My kids absolutely loved it.  Bon Appetit.

Day eighteen: a photo of your town.

Downtown Dallas.

Little Bee

Our February book selection was one that I've had on my reading list for quite a while.  To have finally chosen the book was a little exciting.  Is it possible to get excited over book selection?  If you are a book worm, it's completely acceptable.  If not, then you should probably crawl out from under that rock get to reading.  The book we chose was Little Bee by Chris Cleave.  I really liked the book with the exception of the ending.  Not quite what I was expecting.  The following description was taken from readinggroupguides.com.  

The story is about a young Nigerian refugee named Little Bee whom has just been released from the British immigration detention center where she has been held under horrific conditions for the past two years, after narrowly escaping a traumatic fate in her homeland of Nigeria. Alone in a foreign country, without a family member, friend, or pound to call her own, she seeks out the only English person she knows. Sarah is a posh young mother and magazine editor with whom Little Bee shares a dark and tumultuous past.

They first met on a beach in Nigeria, where Sarah was vacationing with her husband, Andrew, in an effort to save their marriage after an affair, and their brief encounter has haunted each woman for two years. Now together, they face a disturbing past and an uncertain future with the help of Sarah’s four-year-old son, Charlie, who refuses to take off his Batman costume. A sense of humor and an unflinching moral compass allow each woman, and the reader, to believe that even in the face of unspeakable odds, humanity can prevail.

Day seventeen: a photo of something that has changed your life

You are probably reading my blog thinking... wow these daily photo challenges are really neato and quite profound.  Then you stumble across this post and think... what tha what?  Yes, my bloggy readers my ASICS Women's GEL-Cumulus 12 Running Shoes have changed my life.  When I gently unlace and slip my feet in, I feel a little empowered.  Okay... a lot!  I feel like I could run for miles and miles.  I'm not your typical gal that gets a thrill out of cutie patootie pumps.  No sir, I get a thrill, a jolt... an electrifying sensation when I slip into my running shoes.  I run... they help... a lot.  Kind of like running on rubber cushions.  You know you want a pair. 

Day sixteen: a photo from your childhood

My cousin, Jess and I sitting in her front yard.  Growing up, we were two peas in a pod... she was the peanut butter and I was the jelly.

Oh Glorious Day!

I love to listen to music.  I love all kinds of music provided the lyrics are clean and the beat makes me want to raise my hands, belt out loud,  rock my head or shake my tush.  Music inspires me and keeps me going.  I listen to music with the hubs and kiddos, I listen when I'm going places, I listen when surfing the net and almost always listen while I exercise.  While working out the other day my I-pod shuffle mix played one song that I just can't get out of my head.  The lyrics are so beautifully poignant and capture my soul as I listen.  This song is my praise to my heavenly Father.  The song is called Oh Glorious Day by Casting Crowns.

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He’s ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine