Happy New year!

I had to look twice before getting warmed up to see if I still had the tips of my fingers attached to my hand when running this morning. Don't get me wrong, I love this weather. These cool crisp SUNNY days....I just love this weather!My run, beings I washed Brayden's ipod in the wash machine (I used it ALL the time on my runs, felt sooooo bad and will replace when I feel I can afford to)but I just had my thoughts, a little conversation between me and the Lord, the scenery, and Ruby to run with. At first, I didn't want to, kept telling myself..."are you crazy it's 15 degrees out here, turn around!" But, kept plugging along and did 6 miles. Always glad when I finish and so grateful I did it.

That started off the New Year's Eve. This time of the year always makes me look back and look forward to what is to come.

looking back on this last year:

Great summer playing with the kids
ran my first 1/2 marathon
Moved parents to Arizona
Homeschooling

looking forward:

I want to show my gratitude to my husband and kids by serving them with a happy heart. Be in the moment. See a need and jump on the opportunity. Have a year of growing in the Lord. Take time to love on friends and my family.Listen and do!

It's a renewing, a goal setting, an anticipation of seeing what the Lord has for 2011!

Happy New Year!

reflecting the day after....

Merry Christmas!
Christmas morn....opening gifts, eating apple struedel, hot chocolate, (tea for Momma, Jim bought me a new tea, chocolate mint...isn't that sweet?) It was really good! Loungin' around in our pajamas all day and being lazy, playing games, doing nothing really. I think this is the only day of the year I give myself permission to do this. I actually got up at 8 o'clock in the morning (I know mom don't faint.)
Grandma Margaret, she is a birthday girl on our Lord's birthday isn't that sweet? 94 years old today.
16 people at our table for chowder. It was so much fun to have all at one table.
Brayden even decorated his cast for the day!
Happy boy!

Day after Christmas and reflecting...

It was a fantastic time of celebrating our Lord's birthday!

A few of my favorite things....

This is cold baby Jesus Layton decided to warm up.

Peanut butter divinity arrived TODAY! It is soooooo good, good job Ma!

Chocolate silk pie yum, yum!

There are some things at this time of the year that just are and you think you can't do without. Some are memories, some are things, some are traditions.

These are some of my favorite things:

My grandmother had always made a candy that is unique and delicate (as my mom would say). It's called peanut butter divinity. For years my grandma and mom would get together and make lots for us during the Christmas season. When grandma passed away this is one of the scares, that this too would go away. Mom has come thru wonderfully and she now makes it for us. (so thankful) The other day, it was like, all of the sudden, I could just smell it in the air. I texted Mom and said, "I am having a peanut butter divinity attack, I think I can smell it!" She wrote back and said I had a strong smeller because she just sent some and I should be looking for it to come soon! I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT!!! It should be showing up at my door step today. Thanks Mom!

Another favorite, that I have had to learn to make, is chocolate silk pie. Mom made one for each of us and then another to 'share' for the rest. Don't think that I can't eat ONE (pie) all by myself.....Love this pie, and am making it this year myself since Mom wasn't with us at thanksgiving and now Christmas. It is so smooth, looks like a cloud sitting on a pie shell, rich and fluffy! YUM!!!

I love candlelight service! There is something magical about it, and can't wait each year. I don't think I have ever left one without tears.

One of my favorite memories that I think about every year is when my oldest, Layton, who at the time was 3 years old was playing with the nativity scene. A bit later I was setting it back up and Baby Jesus was missing....I said to Layton, "oh no, where did baby Jesus go?" He looked at me like he knew but didn't want to tell." I said, "Layton, where is he?" He takes his little hand out of the pocket of his jacket and said, "Jesus was cold!" I loved that sooooooo much!

I love dinner here at my home on Christmas Eve. Mom started the tradition of clam chowder and I have now carried it over to this family. It's a great gathering and we sing happy birthday to Jesus before eating dessert and opening gifts. I also LOVE Christmas morning....so low key, hang out and do nothing or whatever, just being together. No agenda, no pressure, just being.

I love the song, "Mary did you know?" and "O Holy Night!" (The part, 'fall on your knees'....la,la, la,! SO POWERFUL!!)

These are a few of my favorite things this time of the year.

get up and go...

Usually this time of the year I am obsessing over what it must of been like to be Mary. What a woman, so many times I just stop in my tracks thinking of what it must of been like for her to carry the Christ child, to raising Him, to watching your son being tortured to death. Unfathomable really!

But this year,it seems my focus has been more on Joseph and the righteous man that he was, as the word says he was. He was protective of Mary, thinking of what this 'news' would do to her, so he was willing to put himself aside and bow out quietly even though he believed and loved her.

The other thing that strikes me about Joseph, an angel came to him in a dream on three different occasions and every time, no questions asked, no delay, he instantly did as told. He led his wife and was a foster father who cared for and guided them as the Lord instructed. I am sure the weight of responsibility on his shoulders must have been overwhelming, yet, the Lord gave him what he needed to get thru it.

Aren't these all traits we want to have? Righteousness, obedience, protective of the things the Lord has intrusted to us? I want to know that when I am asked, no matter what the circumstances around me look like, I will 'get up and go', for this is Joseph the earthly father to our Saviour.

Linking up with Jen and friends today.....

Merry Christmas to you!

this and that's of the week!

Corv lighting the first candle....
Just had to put this in, thought it was so cute! Poppa, he's enjoying your chair.
Making cookies tonight!
PIN!

Aren't the holidays just a whirlwind? List, list, list!!!! It seems it never ends!I stopped and looked at my list today and decided, "what is the point?" I decided that it's all worth it, it really is.

The past week in a nutshell:

Hair lots of hair! Oh, lots of great hair! Had so much fun in the salon, it just seemed like it all turned out so well. I got to do some updo's for some parties. Always fun!

Finishing up school with the kids. I am ready for a break and I know they are too!I found myself saying, "JUST GET IT DONE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN FOR AWHILE!"

Running, but my knees are acting weird. It's like, when I start out they are all stiff and ouchy feeling, I do not know what is going on with them. It was just one and now both of them. I hope they get out of this phase, whatever it is. I start out hobble, hobble, walk, ouchy, into a slow run....and then once warmed up I can act myself again and go my normal pace. But, seriously driving me NUTS!

Last wrestling match until beginning of the year! Corvan and Jordan both wrestled and did great! Corvan nearly gave us a heart attack each match. 5 matches, lost 2, won 3....but the clincher was that he either won by one or lost by one with all matches....I felt sorry for him at one point. He had a different coach along with Jim and I on each corner of the mat YELLING at him to do this or that! We finally told him to focus ONLY on the head coach because you could see the panic in his eyes!

Amanda and Chad are postponing wedding for he is getting deployed beginning of January. A little sadness but looking forward to his return with a real celebration when he gets home.

Corvan and Jordan were candle lighters for an advent celebration... they did so good!

I must mention...Jim helped me wrap gifts Friday night! It is soooooo HELPFUL! Of course, I coaxed him with alot of 'I will do this, or I will do that!' Kept him focused on helping me, thinking he was going to get something out of it~ha!

Made cookies with the boys tonight!

Corvan has been a HUGE help without having Brayden helping in the barn. This has really been an opportunity to be Mom's right hand man!

Speaking of, I had better get to that chore before bed!

A little run down of the happening the past week, with alot of this and that's in between.

recipe today! black and blue pizzas

I was dreading giving this new recipe to my picky eater Brayden, I was ready to put up a fight, because first of all, it is pizza a kids favorite food right? Second of all,it's homemade. And again, it's PIZZA! So, as I was bracing myself, as he ate that first bite, he says, "hey this is really good mom!" Ok, Ok!! So, thought I would share it with you. I had intended to make this for a group of friends this week but we ended up canceling with all the other happenings with 'stuff' this time of the year. I will save it for another gathering for sure!

black and blue pizza

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
8 bacon strips, chopped
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
5 tsp. blackened seasoning
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar (15 oz.) alfredo sauce
2 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
12 slices provolone cheese
3 oz parmesan cheese, shaved into strips or 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

roll dough into two 16 in x 10 in rectangles; transfer to ungreased baking sheets and build up edges slightly.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to papter towels to drain, reserve two tsp. of drippings. Sprinkle chicken with blackened seasoning; cook chicken in the drippings until no longer pink. Add shallots and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside.

Spread sauce over crusts; top with chicken mixture, bacon, mushrooms, olives, and tomatoes.Sprinkle with blue cheese, top with provolone and parmesan cheeses

Bake at 450 degrees for 14-18 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted

Serve with yummy green salad......yum, yum, yum!

Momma wants to fix it!

Brayden's cast
right before heading into surgery, he's smilin'!
After surgery, in the recovery room, he's trying to wake up....so vulnerable, I couldn't STOP kissing him all over, to see him like this I think the kissing him kept the tears from being out of control.
Ready to go home!

Yesterday Brayden had surgery on some tendons near his ankle. When he had his football injury it never healed so surgery is what it came down to, to FIX the problem. He is doing well. We came home and I was thinking (and he was) this is going to be easy sailing until about 2 o'clock this morning when he comes barreling into my room with so much pain!I gave him some meds, rubbed his back, and prayed over him. All he kept saying was, "I have to move it, I have to get it out of this position!" He was even trying to convince me that it was bleeding enough to tear the cast right off. In all honesty, that mother bear was coming out and I was even trying to convince Jim that we had to do something! I was manipulating Jim. He was talking it out and telling me how that was not a good idea but trying to make things better (bless his heart, he was trying to make it better for both of us!). I KNEW better, but I couldn't stop and look at the situation without my emotions getting involved. I hated seeing him like that, and after getting him situated in our bed with us, the meds began taking effect, he began to relax and so did I.
So, this morn I got up to get on my treadmill and was thinking about how desperate a Momma gets over the needs of her children. We will do ANYTHING to make it better, anything, whether it's rational or not. But, in the end we use the wisdom and knowledge to do the right thing even when we have to see our babes hurting. I was crying, I was hurting watching him be in pain, but I knew in the end that cast was for his own good, his protection, a tool in his healing process. Jim kept telling me it will pass, give it time...
I began to thank the Lord because I know that at times in our every day walk with the Lord He sees us hurting, wants to miraculously FIX it yet sometimes he knows to hold off for there are things in us that he needs to work through and in us in our healing process so that we have a full successful recovery so that we may not hurt again.I am glad that we have a Lord who knows really what we need because he sees the whole picture when at times in desperation we want it fixed NOW because of the pain it is causing us, yet our Lord, sees it all and works with us according to his wisdom, knowledge, and perfection. I am soooooo grateful!

Have a little FAITH!!!

A WINNER!
Working his move for that pin!
Getting ready for that shoot!

You know how the Lord uses your kids to teach you a little something about life? This was one of those moments He did this!
Last week Corvan, at the ripe age of 7 years old, wrestled off with 5 other wrestlers at his weight for a jv or varsity spot on the team. Corvan beat all of them and was our varsity wrestlers this last weekend. Me, being all protective, was telling myself, "I am excited he is on varsity, but is he going to have a chance being so young an all?" I truthfully was ready for him to get killed. And of course, I didn't want him to get discouraged so I didn't say anything to him just told him how proud I was of his hard work.
He had two matches. The first one he lost by one point at the very last 5 seconds of the match. It was disappointing but he did sooooooo well. The next one, is where we learned our lesson. He was wrestling a kid whom he had wrestled with at a past meet and got beat pretty bad. Jim and I, again, weren't saying anything to Corv but knew there wasn't much chance ( WHAT LITTLE FAITH DON'T YOU THINK?) So, Brayden goes to Corvan and says, "you know this kid kicked your butt last time," Corvan's response so matter of fact, like duh....." Yah, so it's my turn this time to win right?" Again, I, with little faith say in my head, "I hope he isn't disappointed!" (what little faith!!!)
He got out there, listened to his coach the whole way thru and pinned his opponent. Corvan had the whole gym up watching, it was so exciting and I was so proud of him. I would have been even if it wasn't a win BUT I did learn that the circumstances that surround me is what I go by instead of the faith that what I don't see could happen.
It was a great day, and I have faith the next match will be great too!

It is official!

"It's official!" This is what my baby said to me in the car two days ago and ever since I have been joyfully praising my Lord.

I took Jordan with me to do some errands. On our way we were having conversation and he pipes up and says, "when is this earth going to end?" (big question for a four year old don't you think?) I said, "only Jesus knows this answer." He says,"when that happens where am I going?" I said, "you have a choice heaven or hell" Jordan says, "I pick heaven!" I said "good, how do you do that?" He says, "love Jesus." I say, "yes, you have to ask him into your heart to live there forever and ever, have you done that Jordan?" He says, "yah, I think so." I said, "ok, so do you want to make sure?" He says, "yip, I do!" So, I pulled over into a parking lot, told him to come sit on my lap and hold his heart, (this was so cute!) I said ok, I am listening and so is Jesus....
Jordan says, "Jesus, please Jesus (this is how he ALWAYS begins his prayers)I want you to come live with me in my heart forever so I can go to heaven! Amen"
I said a little prayer over Jordan and he gets back into his seat and says to me,

"IT IS OFFICIAL!" I said, "YES IT IS!" (with a tear)