We had a full but fun weekend! Friday night we took the kids to Kanki Japaneses Steakhouse….which they LOVED! The chef cooking right at our table was right up Noah’s alley – he was speechless. After that we did a little bit of Christmas shopping and walked around the mall looking at the decorations.
Saturday we spent a lazy morning at home enjoying all our blessings and being together. In the afternoon we went to the Knightdale Christmas parade which my niece Ellie was in with her Dance class. I didn’t expect it to be nearly as enjoyable as it was – but I loved it. It was a warm feeling to know that we live in such a neat little community here and see all the kids celebrating and having fun. After that I went to finish up the last of my Christmas shopping with my sister and my mom. Let me just go on record as saying….Toys R Us on a Saturday night in December? Literally a horrible experience!
Sunday we had Church and our family was selected to light the Advent candle – which was a neat experience for the kids. Then off to Sam’s Club for some grocery shopping.
By Sunday night both Abbie and Brian were feeling pretty lousy and sick so I was at home yesterday helping them out. Brian still is not feeling better but Abbie seems to have bounced back except for a nasty cough.
All in all it was a fantastic but busy weekend. I love spending time with my family and I love preparing for Christmas. We finished our gingerbread house and it looks adorable. I also finished all my wrapping so the only thing left to do is some baking of treats to give away.
It’s shaping up to be an amazing Christmas…..after last year being so difficult I’m thrilled that this one is wonderful!
Hey guys….I’m a fun girl….really! I like to be cutting edge, but this? I just don’t get it! What is with the skull mania that seems to be sweeping the nation? You can’t go into any store without seeing skull shirts, jewelry, shoes….the list goes on and one. Seriously…..why are skulls the “must have” accessory everywhere you look? Why would we want to see a sweet adorable baby adorned with a skull? Does this seem weird to anybody else???
HT to Kamp Krusty for this fun picture and post….my favorite comment on his post?
“Per wikipedia: “Traditionally, the crossbones behind the skull indicates poison, while the crossbones under the skull (the “Jolly Roger”) indicates pirates or piracy.” I’m not anti-skull, but am wary of poison and pirates.
That baby does not look poisonous. But I could be wrong.”
Second favorite?
“Yes there are human skulls on everything. My wife and I had been in K-Mart this weekend and seen boys pajamas that had a big snowflake with a skull at the center of the flake. Skull snowflake…seems kinda funny. Light, fluffy and deadly.”
Join the conversation…..and see how you can be part of making a difference….and maybe be changed in the process. Hope changes lives…..and hope changes us.
To find out more…..click here or go here to join the conversation.
Heather over at Whittaker Woman is doing a fun “Tradition Time” share-o-thon each Monday in December so we can connect and share our meaningful and fun Christmas traditions.
I love how community works!
Here is one that we are enjoying right now:
Each year we try to celebrate Advent with the kids as a way to focus them in on the true meaning of what the season is about. We don’t always have time to do it every single night, but we try to do it as many nights as possible. We light the candles on our advent wreath, talk about the promise of Jesus coming and what it means to our lives and the lives of people back then. We read scriptures about the promises of the coming of Jesus and then pray as a family together. As our kids get older they get it more and more…and it’s fun to see the connections they make.
Last night was the first night of advent and our youngest lit the candle while our oldest read the scripture. Then, we followed with the nightly family reading of “Marley…a dog like no other” – we are nothing if not spiritual around here interpeeps! Truth be told? I’m not sure if the kids were more excited about the candles and scriptures or the reading of “Marley”, but we are hopeful that some nugget of spiritual truth will lodge itself in their brains and capture their hearts just a bit….and remind them in the midst of the commercialized Christmas, that Jesus changed the face of the world with his birth….and we will never be the same again.
Hope your Thanksgiving was great! Mine was fantastic. We cooked and listened to Christmas music on Wednesday night. Thursday we snuggled on the couch and watched the Macy’s parade and ate breakfast then went to my sister’s house for dinner…ate too much and all that jazz.
I’m less than pleased to be at work today and SUPER tired. Went to bed last night at 12:15 and got up at 5:30 to do a bit of shopping before work. I don’t regret going….but wish I could take a nap.
The good news, for me, is that I had the fore-sight to put my Christmas decorations up last weekend so that this weekend would be relaxing. So, that’s one huge item off my “to do list” that would normally be done this weekend. And….I’m almost done with the Christmas shopping thing so double woot!
Hope your weekend is warm and fun…….and full of yummy leftovers!
Sorry I’ve been missing for the last week. I don’t really have much of an excuse except that I’ve been BUSY at work and BUSY at home. Getting ready for Thanksgiving and starting Christmas shopping has taken up a chunk of my time as well…..So, no excuses….you’ll just have to forgive me and move on!
I’m ready for Thanksgiving….really ready. I love this holiday with great gusto. I love the focus on Thankfulness. I love the focus on family, I love the food, I love the rest….it’s a great chance to unplug from reality and get cozy in your own little nest with your family. What’s not to love?
So this weekend I’m going to focus on my family. Focus on my home, focus on what I’m Thankful for.
I’m blessed beyond speaking….God is gracious and kind and has held my family in his hand this year. This year has been difficult in many ways…truly difficult at times, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Sorry for the delay in posting….we did come back from our weekend get-away, although we thought about never returning. It was tempting…until we realized that running out of money would put a pretty big kink in those plans.
In short…our weekend was fantastic. It was fun and relaxing and even downright difficult in places. We talked through some hard things that can “cloud the windshield” of a marriage and keep you from seeing things clearly. The end result? We are happy and connected and closer than we have been in a long time….hard conversations shouldn’t be avoided – they can change the course of your relationships.
I don’t have much time now, but I will leave you with a quick picture of the view from our room. We got up super early both mornings just so we could see this:
Okay, not really, but I am leaving for a few days. The hubby and I are going to Myrtle Beach to celebrate our 11th anniversary this weekend! Can I just say how much I LOVE the fact that we only live a few hours away from the ocean? I have not had that privilege in many many years.
So we are leaving town…getting away and focusing on each other for a few days. We are going to walk on the beach (if it stops raining), eat out, read some books, sit in the hot-tub and sleep as late as we want. We are going to remember all the reasons why we fell in love in the first place and made that giant leap into the future together on November 15th 1997.
The last 11 years have not always been easy…but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I can’t wait to see what the next 11 bring!
I’ll take some pictures of the ocean…..and come back more rested and refocused.
Imagine if you didn’t have any shoes…..what would that feel like? How would your life be different?
A group of people has taken on the challenge to raise awareness of this huge problem facing those who are the poorest of the poor – and can’t speak up for themselves. We are using social media to GET THE WORD OUT!
It’s time to give poverty a swift kick with 50,000 pairs of shoes!
This is the 50,000 Pairs of Shoes in 50 Days challenge.
On Monday, November 10, we will be blogging, Facebooking, Twittering, emailing….. ANYTHING & EVERYTHING online about this campaign. We want to raise enough money to purchase 50,000 pairs of shoes in 50 days. $5 buys 2 pairs of shoes!
We can make a difference in somebody’s life with only $5……what hardly even buys one meal at McDonalds!
I’ve taken the challenge….now go check it out, and spread the word!
That baby does not look poisonous. But I could be wrong.”
Second favorite?
“Yes there are human skulls on everything. My wife and I had been in K-Mart this weekend and seen boys pajamas that had a big snowflake with a skull at the center of the flake. Skull snowflake…seems kinda funny. Light, fluffy and deadly.”
Awesome….