I love this time of year

I love this time of year. The magic and wonder of the Holidays has always got me excited. And now seeing it all through the eyes of my little girl makes it even more magical. She's 4 this year and really understanding what's happening this time of the year. This time a year is also very busy. I'm sure it is for everyone. December for us will be crammed full with 2 Christmas programs and the rehearsals that go with both, caroling with our church, a family holiday outing to see the lights on the lake, finishing up our gift shopping and baking lots of holiday treats. All things that I'm very excited to share with my little girl.

Holiday Meal Must Haves

I was reading over at Siesta Fiesta Blog and they were sharing some Thankgiving recipes. It got me wondering what are some must haves that other people share with their families. Normally with our Holiday meals I do all the cooking. Everyone comes to our house and we share the day. But there are a few things that no matter what else is on the menu have to be made. Like Mom's Pea Salad and Pecan Candied Sweet Potatoes. This year we spent the day with Larry's family so I didn't cook but I still had to write down the recipes for those family favorites for my sister to make.

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Mom's Pea Salad

1 head of iceberg lettuce
1 can petit peas, drained
2 cans tuna, drain
1 bunch green onions, diced
miracle whip

Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces, stir together with peas, tuna and grean onions. Stir in miracle whip, just enough to coat salad. Not to much, it will get goopy and that's not good.

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Pecan Candied Sweet Pototoes

Peal and cut up sweet potatoes. Place in baking dish. Cube 1/2 stick of butter and scatter over the top of the potatoes. Sprinkly with brown sugar and a hand full of chopped pecans.

Bake at 350 till tender.


As you can tell I don't really cook with real recipes. A little of this and a little of that. Atleast with the old family favorites that don't technically have a recipe card to follow.

So what are some family favorites that you have to have every year?

Black Friday

I went shopping this morning for my first ever Black Friday. The darn cat woke me up at 4:15 so I went ahead and got up and headed to Walmart. My niece was the 2nd person in line (she'd been there since 4) so I snuck in with her. The line was already to the other end of the building.

I got in, got a cart and checked my list. I headed to the other side of the store out of the path of the crowd that was behind me. I got everything on my list and was out of there and back home by 6:30.

I was able to pick up playdoh, mega blocks, clothes for Kim, movies and a ton more and only spent $150. I only have 3 more things that I need to get and I'm done.

So now I have a trunk full of stuff that I need to bring in and wrap when Kim is in bed. May be a few days before I can get to that. I am planning to take Kim to the tree of sharing after church on Sunday. I want her to know that Christmas isn't all about what she's getting. But more what we can do for others who are less fortunate.

Being Thankful

Today was definately one of those days that reminds me of all I have to be thankful for. A husband who loves me and our little girl with everything and provides for us all we need, my sweet girl who can be a handful but is the most precious thing I could have ever asked for, a comfortable home, food to keep us from being hungry and most importantly a God who gave me so much and loves me no matter what.

We had dinner today with family that I haven't spoken to in quite some time. I wasn't suprised to see that most things haven't changed. And seeing some of what I saw today with family definately made me think how lucky I am. And reminded me again why I don't spend much time with them. I could really say a lot about the whole subject but it's probably best not to air it all here for the world to see. So instead I will thank God for all I have and pray for those who have less and need his love so much more then anything else.

Taking a Financial Leap of Faith

So I've been thinking that my News Years resolution was going to be to get out of debt before the end of the year. And being that I still have almost 3 years of payments on my car that's a big deal. Many places in the Bible it says that you should not borrow or owe anything. I think my favorite scripture on the subject though is

Romans 13:8
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Anyway, I had been thinking that I would get through December and Christmas and then I would start really knuckling down on our budget and start tithing (for the first time). Well this week I have been clearly hearing God say "No you'll start now". So in my desire to become more obedient to God I'm taking a huge leap of Faith and stepping out of my comfort zone just as Pastor Carey said yesterday. Wednesday is payday and I will be writing my first tithing check. Of course that is money that I could put towards something else but I am putting everything in God's hands and trusting that he will provide what we need.

Where does faith start?

That is a question that Pastor Carey asked today at church. Where does faith start? Faith begin with the Word of God. So now we know where it starts but what exactly is faith? Faith is the evidence of hope.

Hebrews 10:23 says

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

If faith starts with the Word then how does it start with you personally. Doesn't everyone know the reason for Christmas and Easter. That they are because of God and the Son. Is there someone out there that doesn't know and truly believes that those holidays are only about Santa and the Bunny? Sadly I'm sure that there are some out there in the world that don't know. So if we know the reason and know of God where does just knowing the Word turn to having Faith? Where did it start for you? I would love to hear your story.

God has really been working on my heart the past few weeks. Bringing me back "home". And as she spoke today I was really moved in my heart to push my faith in God farther. To step out of my comfort zone. I love the worship time at Christian Life Center. Being able to stand and sing praises to God. What a wonderful feeling to lift my hands in praise and feel the Holy Spirit overwhelm me. I haven't felt that in a long time. And I'm so excited to be able to being Kimmie to the same place. I know that God brought me back.

He made it easy for Kimberly to be able to attend the Christian Academy. He let all the obsticles there fall to the way side. There the seed was planted into her heart for the desire to go to church. And then my sweet girl invited me to come along with her. From there I was drawn back to CLC and I'm so greatful to be there again.

I also had to apologize to Pastor Carey this morning. God has really been weighing the issue on my heart the past week. Telling me that I had to apologize and ask for forgiveness. Which is not an easy thing for me. But I did what I was supposed to do. And what was right. Even if she had know idea I still owed it to her. I had been being very judgemental towards her and I was in the wrong. I could literally feel the weight lifting as I spoke to her. How Great is our GOD!!

My little girl is growing up

Kim seems to get an invite to a birthday party atleast once a month. Well maybe not quite that often but she is a popular girl. So tonight she had a party to go to and for the first time I dropped her off and left her there for the party. The party is actually supposed to be a slumber party but we aren't quite ready to let her be that big. The party is actually only a few houses down the street so I'll head back down there in a bit to bring her home.

I took advantage of a few free hours this evening and started working on a project that I had planned for Christmas for my mom and my sister. Both gifts are ready for paint, which I'll have to pick up this weekend. Maybe if all goes well I can get those both done this weekend. Then I'll just need to get boxes for them and get them wrapped up.

My sister asked if I wanted to hit the Black Friday Sales with her. Not sure if I want to attack those crowds and craziness but it would be nice to have all my shopping done and ready for Christmas by next weekend. We'll have to see how it goes.

Thanksgiving Plans

Normally for our family the holidays are spent with my family rather then my hubby's. Not splitting the holidays up between our families is simply because his family doesn't ever want to spend time with us. They never invite us to anything, we always find out about the gathering after the fact when someone says "why weren't you there?". So we've just given up on them. I know that they don't really like me. His sisters have been known to tell lies about me to get him to give them what they want. And it's usually money. Honestly that's the only time they ever call, when they need money.

So as my sister and I have been going about planning our Thanksgiving dinner as usual we get a phone call from his brother. Inviting us to Thankgiving dinner with his family. So of course my guard goes up knowing that it's almost certain that someone needs money. That is after all the only time they ever call us. L and I talked about it and although I will completely admit it was dragging my feet I agreed to go. After all his brother had made the effort to include us.

So I told L he had to call and find out what we needed to bring. He did and the response he got was "oh whatever it doesn't really matter". Which to me translates to "we really didn't want you guys here anyway so bring whatever it doesn't matter".

I know that I have to suck it up and go. It is his family and I can't make it hard on him to spend time with them. Even if they don't really want me there. But yet I'm battling with that little part of me that wants to say "NO WAY I'M NOT SPENDING MY HOLIDAY WITH THOSE PEOPLE". I mean should you be spending Thanksgiving with the people you are Thankful for. Not with people who have continually stomped on you and used you for years.

I haven't even spoken to most of his family in over a year after the last time they stirred things up with lies to get him to give one of them money. I know that I need to ask God to help me with forgiving them and yet not letting them get to me either. I'm honestly not angry with them. I can truly say that I really feel nothing for them. And after being part of this family for over 15 years that is sad to me. I can't imagine making my sister-in-law feel the way they have made me feel. Or treating anyone they way they have treated me.

I guess what I can be Thankful for is that I have family and friends that truly love me and like me being around and want to be part of my daughter's life. Even if my in-laws don't.

What would make you happy?

I was over reading Blessed Frugalness and she asked what contentment means to you. So that left me asking myself the same question. And with Thanksgiving just around the corner we have been talking about what we are thankful for in our house. Kim will say that she's thankful for her mom and dad and her cat. To be that innocent. I of course am thankful for my sweet little girl, a husband who loves us and does his best to care for us, a comfortable home and a nice warm bed and food to eat. We both have jobs which is a true blessing in these tough economical times. And even though money is tight and times are tough we still manage to get our bills paid and our needs taken care of. And I have a wonderful God who hasn't forgotten me. Even though I have been away from his house for a long time. I'm getting back there and I am thankful to my sweet girl for that as well. So I really can't ask for more then that.

So though I shouldn't be asking for more there are a few things that I would like to have. We rent our house and owning a home would be a wonderful thing. I would love to get our budget to a point where when the bill comes in the mail I can send out the payment then. And not have to figure out which bills we are paying on what payday. There really isn't much more that I could want. I know I don't really need much more.

So what makes you happy? What brings you contentment?

Sunday Morning

This morning Kim and I went to church at the church I grew up in. Christian Life Center. It was nice to see familiar old faces. And to worship the Lord with everyone. They had a guest speaker this morning, Pastor Ernest Gentile. They said that he had been there a few times in the past. He spoke about allowing yourself to accept new things as well as the old. Change is good and keeps things fresh. In everyday life as well as with your relationship with God. Kim enjoyed it as well. She went to Sunday school and had fun there. She was excited about going to the church that Larry and I were married in. She said she wanted to go there again which made me happy. We will be going again next week. I'm a little excited about "going home" again. I guess that's what I would call it. I haven't been to church there in over 15 years so it will be nice to get back.

After service Kim was out on the steps and climbed up on the rail. It brought back memories of us as kids doing the same thing after church. Standing out on the rail of the steps waiting for the adults to finish chatting and get ready to leave.

Going back to church

So last week my sweet girl invited me to church with her and my Grandma. I went to the church that Grandma has been going to the past few months and while the fellowship with the other members after the service was nice and the minister was very kind his sermon really didn't move me. I enjoyed the morning with my girl but went away feeling like I was still needing more. I didn't really feel at home. I also have an issue (and I'm sure it's with myself and something I should work on) with scripted sermons. I just leave wondering if there is someone in a big office somewhere else telling the minister what he's supposed to be talking about on Sunday morning then how do I know that he's really listening to God. How does that other person know what the congregation really needs to hear this week? Does the sermon on the schedule really relate to what's going on in that congregations area?

So tomorrow we are going to the church that I went to as a kid. I really think that sending Kim to the Christian school has been good for her and myself. I've been feeling for a while that I needed to get back to church and now with her wanting to go it's good for both of us. Maybe someday Larry will want to go with us. And if not atleast I've done what's best for Kim and given her the faith base that I feel is so important.

Is the weekend really over already

Saturday was a nice quiet day at home. I spent the day cleaning house and only left to grab the mail and stop at the store to get things for dinner. Most of the day was spent in our jammies. I love days like that. Then after Kim went to bed a friend invited me to join her and some others out for a few drinks. I had a nice visit. It was nice to get out even if it was just for a couple of hours.

Then this morning my sweet girl invited me to go to church with her and Grandma Whipps. She has been really enjoying Chapel time at school and learning about God and the Bible. She's spent the night a few times with my mom and then went to church with Grandma Whipps. She went last weekend with her and then wanted me to go to. So we got up and quickly got ready. It was a nice time spent with me sweet girl. I told her if she wanted to we could go again next week. The deal is she has to get up and get dressed without a fight and we can go, but I'm not going to fight with her about getting ready to go.

So tomorrow is Monday again and back to the weekly grind. Only 41 days till Christmas break. And the count down goes on.

Getting back to normal

What a great week. With Gracie coming home last weekend I was able to get back to my normal schedule. I was so happy to be able to get back into Curves 4 times this week. And also happy that my progress hadn't been thrown off as bad as I had expected. I did gain 1.5 pounds but my measurements had stayed the same and my fat percentage had actually gone down. So where exactly that 1.5 pounds is I'm not sure. But now to get back to losing it.

I met with Kimmie's teacher today for her first conference. She really didn't tell me anything that I didn't expect to hear. Kim is doing great in all the areas of her academics but does need to work more on her attention and following directions. She has made progress since the beginning of the year though so that was good to hear. It is nice to see the improvements that have been happening in her behavior since changing daycares and putting her in a more structured school setting.