The Winds Of Change

What will 2011 hold for us? I feel God is preparing our minds, hearts & perhaps even our home (?) for something. I can just feel it. It may not be right away, or even this year at all. But He is going to do something. We just want to be used, to serve, to be His instruments, to furthur His kingdom, to be a blessing! We pray for Him to refine us, ready us, equip us. When you pray for Him to use you in any way He needs according to His will, hold on tight with both hands! He will answer that prayer!!!! I am not satisfied with a mediocre life, to just exist. I was created to make a differance for Him, to do & be great things. As are we ALL! I am going to be in the Word & prayer awaiting what comes next. He will most likely push us out of our comfort zone & I want to be okay with that. I don't know if it will be something huge that changes our life or something that we will do as a family or individuals...Like I said it may not be now, but if He is writing our story & planning our steps He may be preparing us mentally, spiritually, working on our hearts, softening them to what He has in store. I know He will be along side of us on the path & will guide our every step & I'm quite content to be walking with Him beside me as a lifelong companion. I'm looking forward to the journey that lies ahead!
1 Peter 4:10-11As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

3rd Annual Sister's Christmas Coffee

This came out great with a little editing :)

Pretty storefront display

We were frigid!

Love the old homes they are so beautifully historic

I love nativity scenes, another store display

On a deacon's bench

On a deacon's bench

I love how the place is closed & she's deciding what to order

Sooo pretty

I loved this store display

Whatcha readin'?

Lovin this huge ball!

What time is it?

I requested an orchid headband...I lova this!!!

She surprised me with this homemade headband

Who doesn't love to get gifts? I got her a couple books by a Christian author we discovered because I read one her books about sisters & passed it to her & we both loved her style of writing, Andes cookies to have while she reads her new books & a mint lipgloss she loves that I buy her every year! She gave me pj'sI couldn't wait to get home & cozy it up in, 2 homemade headbands & a little Yankee with a tin lid. Okay have I ever happened to mention that I love Yankee Candle? yes. i. do!

Cheryl with her peppermint hot choc

"My sister & I would just stare up at the sky & wonder, trying to see where the snowflakes were coming from"

Tonight was our 3rd annual sister's Christmas coffee where we meet at a coffeehouse, chat, exchange gifts, take pics & just catch up over hot cups of something yummy & usually chocolate :) Tonight we met at Starbucks & I had the salted caramel hot chocolate. Uh yeah. Pause here for a respective moment of silence. Yeah, that definately has to happen again this season! It. was. delicious. so delicious! When they closed, we walked up & down Main Street & took pics & laughed & talked some more & took more pics. It was so brilliant with all the lights & Christmas decorations. It sure was fahhhreeeeezzzing!!!!!!!! I just love family traditions & I sure so love my sister~ boy are we night & day but we've come a long way & I'm so grateful for the relationship we have :) Until next year....

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...At Our House

I made this with a scalloped square from Uppercase Living & some scrapbook stickers! I love to create unique decorations!

I could do a whole post on ornaments! Love my gingermen!

I LURVVVEEE Bath & Body Works hand soap~I also created this square the same way as the one above. It's reversable, the back is decorated for autumn

Yankee Candles are so devine :) LOVE them! The tree is a Thomas Kinkaide~ it's so detailed all the way around! Love to light this at night with the candle

This smells too good!

I heart gingerbread men!

The kids made this garland for me last year!

Love this old print

I love love angels

jingle bells!

nativity

I always love our trees :) For the first time ever we didn't pick out our own tree~Noni & Papa surprised us by coming by with this cutie just waiting to be loved on doesn't it look great?

We love all our Christmas books~these are a few

They move the tree into the next pocket every morning to countdown

Cute decorations placed here & there

Most of our cards

My mom bought me this a few years ago. I love wat it says "The best things in life are right in front of you"

This was my Auntie's

The balls are from various places, the tiny balls "b & 5" are from Pier 1 ~ They are for our last name & the number of us in our little family :)

Love monogrammed things!

Advent choc calendar ~ counting down with sweets!

Old fashioned candy sticks in an old Ball jar

pretty pretty pretty! So festive & FUN! Here's some CHRISTmas magic sprinkled around our home :)

Yummy Nutella Pastries!

I have made these a few times for special friends & they are always a hit! They are so super simple & so delicious! I have to give a shout out to my friend Keri for the idea when her & her husband came over for dinner! I've been making them ever since! You buy crescent rolls, any brand, unroll & fill them with Nutella, roll them up & brush the top with either egg whites or milk, then sprinkle the tops lightly with raw sugar. Bake @ 375o for about 8 minutes. When they come out, I put a light dusting of confectionery sugar on top...looks so pretty! Some variations could be to fill them with jams or peanut or almond butter. I like to put raspberry jam & top it with white chocolate when they are done! Love it! They are reasonable to buy the ingredients, simple to make & irresistible to enjoy! Have fun making your own kind of pastries! Yummo!

My Heart Is So Blessed

I just have to share this beautiful music that touched my heart. Some music is reflectory, meditative & brings your heart & soul quietly before Him. My dear friend Briten came over last week & brought me a cd that has changed her worship & brought her closer to His feet. We popped it in & I immediately felt ushered into a peace & calmness. The words & music are quiet, calm, simple, pure. Written out scripture & love for our Creator are sung with sincerity & passion. The woman who writes the songs is a homeschooling mom. She is also Briten's aunt. Her cousins sing with their mom to bring a beautiful harmony. The name of the cd is "Nothing Will I Withold" & the words are sweet & lovely & feel as though you are reading pages out of her journal, they are so honest & real. Check out her blog; http://theoutpouringsofmyheart.blogspot.com/ & her website http://living-water-productions.com/. You will be most blessed.....I will be sharing her words & music with unsaved family & friends....

Iced Mocha Frappes by Paula Deen

I JUST LOVE TO COOK & BAKE FOR MY FAMILY ALL DIFFERANT KINDS OF FOODS & LOVE TO EXPERIMENT WITH INGREDIENTS & SAVOR TASTE & COMFORT BY FEEDING THE SENSES AS WELL. THAT'S WHY I LOVE FOOD NETWORK, & THE FOOD NETWORK WEBSITE. FOOD IS COMFORTING, NOURISHING, HEALTH. IT'S IN MY OLIVE OIL BLOOD I SUPPOSE, BEING ITALIAN WE LOVE TO MANJA MANJA! LOL! I LOVE TO FEED PEOPLE & BEING IN MY KITCHEN & SERVING MY FAMILY BRINGS ME JOY! IT'S SUCH A SIMPLE THING; FEEDING OTHERS. IT'S NOT A CHOICE, WE ALL HAVE TO EAT, & AS A MOM I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF MY KIDS & MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING A WELL BALANCED HEALTHY NATURAL DIET. BUT I CHOSE TO FIND JOY IN FOOD! I LOVE THAT MY KIDS LOVE TO BE IN THE KITCHEN WITH ME & HELP & COLIN & I LOVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A GREAT MEAL. MY WHOLE FAMILY IS PRETTY HOOKED ON FOOD NETWORK TOO! THE KIDS LOVE LEARNING & TASTING & BEING A PART OF WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO LIFE; FOOD! WE WERE WATCHING FN THE OTHER NIGHT TOGETHER & ONE OF MY FAVE CHEFS WAS ON; PAULA DEEN. LOVE HER! AT THE END OF THE MEAL SHE MADE THESE ICED MOCHA FRAPPES. I AM HOPELESSLY & SHAMELESSLY ADDICTED TO COFFEE & COFFEE DRINKS SO I OF COURSE JOTTED DOWN THE RECIPE ( I ALWAYS HAVE MY RECIPE BOX CLOSE BY WHEN I WATCH FN) & MADE THEM FOR COLIN & I. THEY. WERE. SO. DELICIOUS! SUPER EASY, SUPER SMOOTH & CREAMY. I ADDED SHAVED CHOC & REAL WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP AS WELL, OF COURSE, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PRESENTATION! WE TOASTED & ENJOYED OUR "COFFEEHOUSE" DRINKS TOGETHER IN THE MIDST OF CHORES, KIDS, LIFE....BUT WHEN YOU START THE DAY OUT WITH A SMOOTH COFFEE DRINK THAT TASTES THAT GOOD; YOU CAN TACKLE ANYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY & IT'S EVEN BETTER BECAUSE YOU MADE IT YOURSELF! HERE'S THE LINK! CHEERS!!!! :)

Tale of 3 Trees ~A Traditional Folk Tale

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.The first little tree looked up at the stars twinkling like diamonds above him. "I want to hold treasure," he said. "I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be a strong sailing ship," he said. "I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will be the strongest ship in the world!"The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and busy women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave this mountain top at all," she said. "I want to grow so tall that when people stop to took at me they will raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!"Years passed. The rains came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall.One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell."Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest," thought the first tree. "I shall hold wonderful treasure."The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell."Now I shall sail mighty waters," thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship fit for kings!"The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought him to a carpenter's shop, but the busy carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead his work-worn hands fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals.The once-beautiful tree was not covered with gold or filled with treasure. He was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took him to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ships were being made that day. Instead the once-strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat.Too small and too weak to sail an ocean or even a river, he was taken to a little lake. Every day he brought in loads of dead, smelly fish.The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard."What happened?" the once-tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted to do was stay on the mountain top and point to God."Many, many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams.But one night golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box."I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered.The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said.And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.One evening, many years later, a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake.Soon a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. He knew he did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and rain.The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace, be still!" The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth.One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry, jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her.She felt ugly and harsh and cruel.But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything.It had made the first tree beautiful.It had made the second tree strong.And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.That was better than being the tallest tree in the whole world.