Tis the Season!

My parent's 41st Open House is this Sunday and I thankfully got the peppermint bark finished today. 2 big batches ought to do the trick!

Christmas music is blaring and I'm singing at the top of my lungs as I putter around the house. Many in my family are getting rice pillows I am making. Shhh, don't tell. I'm using lavendar from my island and oh my they are wonderful. I need to get moving faster on them if they're all to to be complete for this Christmas! HA!

Our December calendar is made I am so happy with it. The kids love seeing what's coming up and when things are happening. I included many more pictures with it this year so Javi can get all excited, too.

Tonight we'll watch The Christmas Story and get the boys wanting BB Guns even more than they do now! Tomorrow our decorations go up and we'll trim the tree tomorrow evening. It will be our first year without Troy and that's sad but life.

Am sure you're all busy too! Don't forget...

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Snow Suits

Boys will be boys.... they got themselves a snow fort!


And I can I just say.... the new suit that Javier has on is the BEST ever?!?!?!?! It's from Cabela's and we got it for Paco when he was 2 1/2. It's a 4T and he wore it the 2 1/2 winter, the next and the year after that (4 1/2) for a total of 3 years. I think he even wore it some last year but it was a bit snug - he just loved it too much. At a whopping $70, it might make you turn close your eyes and head to Walmart for the suits at $20... DON'T! This suit HERE is worth every single hard earned penny!

Why?

They only have to wear one single layer under it to stay warm. It keeps them DRY and toasty warm no matter what the temperature is... and believe me, we've put it to the test! It's sturdy, well made and went through Paco for 4 years and now is on to Javier and you can't tell it's been used at all!!!

Paco came in from playing outside today... cold. wet down to his britches. cold. What was he wearing? You guessed it. Walmart bib overalls. They were wet clear through to his pants. He was miserable! We put him in another pair from Walmart and sent him back out after changing his clothes and when he came in... wet all over again.

Javier? Same snow suit each time he's gone out to play (3 times so far) and it's dry and he's warm.

Why did I buy those bibs for Paco when they were on sale? To save a buck. Was it worth it? No. I'm kicking myself now cause someone had better hold me back or I'll be down at Cabela's by sun-up getting my boy some good snow gear.

Now, if only we could find some snow boots that worked as well...


P.S. Cabelas does not pay me one iota for this blog post. They may know I exist after flooding them with darling pictures of Paco goose hunting in all Cabela's gear... but this is not a paid advertisement. I would let them send me suit for Paco if they wanted, though.

Quilt is Quilted!

Our first granddaughter is due in December, perhaps on her Nana's birthday; which would be the 20th or her Grandma's; which is the 19th! Our son, Reggie, is the new Daddy and we're all getting excited for Marlee's arrival.

We had a church shower for them this past Saturday and here are pictures of the quilt that I made. It's the first one that I actually quilted and it was so rewarding to finish it! Thanks to a good friend, I was able to get it done before their shower... YAY!

Quilt Top:

Quilt after it the three layers were basted... until I learned I had done it wrong and my good friend assisted me in making it easier to do!


Reggie and Porscha opening quilt - I think it was a surprise!

Here I am holding my completed quilt. It is folded in half...

I have fabric purchased for next one but I will wait until after Christmas to begin it. Until Christmas I have a few other projects I am working on... rice pillows to be exact.

Next on my list is to complete our December calendar. That is another thing I learned from "Unplug the Christmas Machine." I try and get all the activities and things we're doing the whole month so that there's not the big build-up to Christmas and then it's over in one day. It worked real well last year and I'm hopeful it will do the trick this year, too!

It's such a relief to be done shopping so I can focus and my family and minstering to others this month.

Attitude of Gratitude

Last year Paco learned a song at school called "An Attitude of Gratitude." Its lyrics say how an attitude of gratitude is pleasing to the Lord. I can't help but think of this song today.

As the turkey is roasting, the sweet potatoes are mashed and the cranberry orange sauce is made, I am grateful.

Grateful for... a warm home. I don't say this lightly, either. I cried when the news devoted a whole section to the care of pets "in these terribly cold conditions" and how they brought in portable heaters to keep the temperature at 60 degrees when the power went out at the pound.... and the images I saw through my tears were of moma's and their children freezing in their car because they don't have a home.... men and women huddled up trying to stay alive...little ones crying because they are hungry and cold. And I was angry at our news. Then I thought of our service men and women recently deployed - in terrible war conditions and we are educating people how to care for their pets in the winter on our 10:00 news.

I'm grateful for healthy children... I didn't realize how rarely we were sick until Paco had a terrible fever the other day and we didn't know why! Still don't. But I realized how often others are ill and I'm so thankful for our health.

I'm grateful for my children. I miss them this year. Half of them won't be here and it's just not the same at all.

I'm grateful for a husband who loves me and I him. I'm grateful for our marriage.

The turkey is done - what are you grateful for this year?

Beloved Disciple

I'm 5 weeks into the Bible Study, Beloved Disciple, by Beth Moore. It's the first corporate study I've done in years and years. Too many years to count, actually. It's..... awesome.... powerful.... life giving.... life changing.... amazing.

Today's thought that I want to share is:

"Moving a mountain is nothing compared to changing a selfish, destructive heart." Beth Moore

If ever there was a selfish destructive heart, the Lord truly knows mine was one. I'm so thankful today for the amazing love of Jesus and the grace he extends to me.

Christmas Pledge Update!

In 2008, I brought you this pledge:

The Christmas Pledge

Believing in the true spirit of Christmas, I commit myself to:

*Remember those people who truly need my gifts.

*Express my love in more direct ways than gifts.

*Examine my holiday activities in light of my deepest values.
*
*Be a peacemaker within my circle of friends and family.

*Rededicate myself to my spiritual growth.

From "Unplug the Christmas Machine"

I also pledge to:

~ Have a debt-free Christmas. If I can't afford it - I won't buy it!

Last year, I brought you this post! Sharing ideas on economic gift ideas and sharing with you how we were staying on budget through the gift giving season...

This year, I want to share our daughter's wish lists with you to show you how far we've come since introducing "Unplug the Christmas Machine" several years ago.

M's list:
1. Gas Money :)

2. Overcome - a movie (she wants us to have as a family)

3. Books by Jane Austen and Jane Peart

4. Any other book you think I'd like

S's list:

1. NIV Bible

2. Book - Jaguar by Roland Smith

3. Socks - white and black any length

4. Barbies (to model clothes she is making)

5. Material/Fabric (to make clothes for Barbies)

6. Gift Cards - Starbucks, Moxie Java and iTunes

When they gave me their lists, I looked for the "big ticket item." The one big thing on their list... it's not there! They both confessed that they didn't "need" anything and honestly their want list is very small. It's not that they couldn't come up with a bunch of wants but they're learning that those things don't/can't fill the void that only Jesus can!

Needless to say, I am humbled by how far we've come as a family. From spending over $1,000 on immediate family gifts to way below half that now. From charging to "make Christmas happen..." to saving and only spending Christmas money for Christmas.

God is good. He has brought us a long way. It's a good place to be and yes, all my Christmas shopping is done. I can now focus on the real important stuff - meals, story time, lights, TIME! I don't have to be the stressed out, broke (and broken) mommy and wife anymore. Like I said, it's a good place to be.

Fall Life

School started and fall has arrived in all its glory of gorgeous leaves, crisp cool weather and harvest! This means canning and prepping for winter!

One of the things I've wanted to learn how to do for years is sew. This past June my friend took the challenge and has been working with me ever since! I am even enrolled in a beginners quilting class!

Here is the first (and only so far) quilt I have done. It is tied, not quilted...

Front of the rail fence quilt:

Back of quilt. I used a real nice big fleece to make it cozy warm:

Back and Front to see colors...

I made this for Sky's 13th birthday. I am very pleased with my first attempt but am truly looking forward to all the cool things I will learn in my class. I learned many things NOT to do with this one and that's okay! She loves it and so do I.

Other projects I'm working on: aprons, class quilt and several dream quilts are in the making! Add canning, apple butter plans and life with kids and you can see why I haven't been on here much!

Enjoy fall - I know I am!