This picture is a far cry from "Mom...cut it up please. Take the skin off please!!" See what a little TV can do for good? My girls were watching Playhouse Disney and there is a little blurb with two babies about picking and eating an apple. So now they both want whole apples to chomp on. So who says TV is a bad influence on kids? :)

A Great Reminder...

Each week I receive an email from MOPS. The one I received this morning contained the following:




The children were nestled all snug in
their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
(Clement Clark Moore)

Christmas Eve
Elisa Morgan, CEO
I kissed my grandson Marcus good night and his mommy carried him upstairs to bed. He was excited from the evening filled with new experiences: a chicken nugget dinner out at a restaurant, bright, glittery wrapping paper revealing Christmas jammies, a story read by candlelight beside a glowing Christmas tree, the promise of Santa in the morning. 'Twas the night before Christmas. A magical night filled with child-like anticipation, heart-warming memories-in-the-making, and snuggling "Nigh Nigh's."

"I love my beddie," Marcus pronounced just before falling asleep. "It's so cozy."

Don't we all? Comfy. Snuggly. Cuddly. Cozy. Ah ... those moments in life when we can wrap ourselves up in safety, knowing we are loved.

Long ago, one new family journeyed toward a place - any place - where they could stop and rest and be safe to deliver their firstborn. Comfy. Snuggly. Cuddly. Cozy. Such concepts were far from their reality. Instead, other words described their experience. Cold. Unwelcomed. Alone. Exposed. But God met them, showed them to a stable and covered them with his provision as Jesus, the Christ-child, came into the world.

As you tuck your little ones into their beds this Christmas Eve, with visions of sugar plums dancing in heads all around your home, pause to consider the lengths to which God went to ensure your comfort. In a stable, surrounded by animals, far away from extended family, with very young parents to watch over him, God's Son came to earth as a baby and was wrapped in the discomfort of rough cloth and placed on poky straw. From that beginning, he grew up as a carpenter's son in a common home and ended his life in the humiliating torture of the crucifixion.

Our God made himself very uncomfortable in order that we might experience true comfort in a relationship with him.

Thank God for your discomfort, Jesus.

Praise God, we made it to visit my grandma and aunt, uncle, & cousin. We had pizza, mac n cheese, and the cutest Christmas tree cake that Aunt Tammy made. Cousin Michele, Annie, & Bekah had a fun time running around the little apartment and we all enjoyed eachother's company. I'm so glad all 4 of us were able to go. With Jose having been studying and the recent illness with our girls, it hasn't been often we've been able to go places all together. On a VERY important side note - Jose is officially on break from school!!!! I have my best friend back!!! I know its only a couple of weeks, but what a freedom. I know he'll be excited to start again next month, but we're going to make the most of this vacation time as we can. He's out shopping and golfing right now (see...he's taking advantage of his break already!). I think we'll try to squeeze in a Christmas movie tonight once the kids hit the hay.

Oh Christmas Tree

Here are the lyrics to my version:

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
How ever dry your branches
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
How ever dry your branches

They're dry becaaaause I plum forgot
To put some waaaater in your pot

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
How ever dry your branches


Because of my lack of care for our tree, I'm not even turning on the lights again until Christmas, for fear of it going up in smoke. At least it still smells good. :)

What A Life!!

Well for a couple days my Rebekah has had a stuffy/runny nose. Nothing serious, but still a bit bothersome. She decided to practice her sharing skills and passed it along to Annie as of this morning. So for the first time they got to experience breakfast in bed...they love it! I reminded them that Mother's Day will be coming around, no wait, I have an anniversary next month, no wait...a birthday even sooner than that! Let's see if what goes around really comes back around. Just in case, I'll take some stuffed french toast, hashbrowns, fresh fruit, OJ, and coffee. :)

I hope they get better before Saturday as we're suppossed to go visit my elderly grandma to celebrate Christmas on Saturday and I know we can't bring any sicknesses around her. We already missed Thanksgiving with her due to Bek's stomach virus. Thank you for any prayers you lift up!

A Visit to Nancy's House

This morning we drove to L.A. to visit my cousin, Nancy. We enjoyed lunch with her and Marina and Marina's friend. My girls love to play with Nancy's dogs and bird. They are such animal lovers! One day we'll have to get a pet for them...one day when they're old enough to clean up after the beasts! :) For the 4th Christmas in a row, Nancy has bought my girls beautiful Christmas dresses and shiny shoes to wear for our festivities. We got to pick them up today...they're gorgeous cream and burgundy colored dresses. My girls are so happy. They still dress up in past holiday dresses and dance around to their Disney Princess CD in their room (they're totally girly). Thank you, Nancy!!

The Christmas Bunny

Apparently Bekah was confused about which holiday we're celebrating. :)

And So It Begins

Last night we began the first of many Christmas celebrations for 2007. We had our annual dinner at Dad's. The salad, lasagna, garlic bread, panna cotta, and boston cream cake were delicious!! Dad is an excellent host and just like in every year past refuses any help to clean up the kitchen. Its just a time to enjoy family and food. We also exchanged stockings and were blessed with some fun and yummy goodies. As you can see above, our picture came out pretty good...everyone is smiling! Both of our girls' favorite stocking stuffers were there very own flashlights. My favorites are the "days of the week" magnets and the colored staples. If you remember from a former post, I am completely a nerd at heart. That is why I love stockings...they're filled with treats and office supplies! :)

A Little Poll

I know this is an odd poll, but oh well. I want to know what your favorite smell is. If you read this post, please comment, even if you are anonymous. I want to know if anyone is as wierd as me. :) My favorite two are:

* the bag of Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips right after breaking the seal

* the smell of a white washcloth the first time it is wet after having been washed, bleached and dryed. Mmmmmm!

Still So Innocent

I got a kick out of my daughter's innocence today. I had to take Annie to the Chapel Store because the one person she wants to buy a Christmas present for with her own money is her favorite friend, Ebony. She decided last week that she wanted to buy her a book about Jesus. Anyway, there were a couple of items I wanted to purchase there for Annie's presents and since our trips there are not often, I decided to try to buy them right under her nose. It worked!! She didn't have a clue!! I think by the time I was almost 5 I was already searching for my presents hidden in my parents' closet and under the bed. I hope this lasts awhile!

A Daughter After My Own Heart

Annie's newest fascination is Little House on the Prairie. Yes!!!! It is still my absolute favorite show of all time and I'm so excited that she has taken a liking to it. I own the first season on DVD, so that's what she has been watching. I can't help but watch it with her. I know every line before its spoken, yet I still find myself tearing up on each episode. It may be traditional and even boring to some (okay many), but there are awesome moral, spiritual, and family values that are upheld throughout the series. I'm amazed at how many topics have come up through the first several episodes that I've needed to address with Annie to broaden her understanding. Subjects like: outhouses (and how blessed we are to have indoor plumbing!), horses and wagons, childbirth (I was not looking forward to this topic but managed to find my way through it), horrid sicknesses that we don't need to worry about today because of vaccinations, the effects of alcohol abuse in a family, angels, and God's will in our lives even when ours doesn't match His. So, if anybody is Christmas shopping...Annie and I would love the second season! J/K!!! I'll probably end up buying it for her next month for her birthday. So tonight, she insisted on role-playing. Just call me "Ma" and Jose "Pa"...Annie is "Laura" and against her will, Bekah is "Carrie". I wonder how long this will last. :)

More Than Enough

After some words of wisdom, encouragement, and time spent in God's Word, I think my bug is going away. Hurray! Something the Lord ministered to me that He had in the past (and my feeble mind somehow dismissed lately) is that He sent His Son to pay my penalties and give me everlasting life...a hope that is living and will not fade away. Why would I ask for more? That's enough for me and all the abundance that He adds to it is just that...abudance. I love in Romans 8:32 how it says, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"

I realize that usually I'm quite aware that I am only 1 in billions of people on this earth. But when I get into these little fits somehow it become all about me. Lord, may my heart be more thankful and faithful from here on out, focused on You and others, not myself. Your grace is sufficient, more than sufficient, for me.

I Just Can't Kick This Bug!

No, I don't have the flu or a cold...I have a case of the "I Wants" and I've had it pretty bad the last month and a half. Warning: if you don't want a glimpse into the ugliness of my natural heart, stop reading here. Anyway, I know that I am truly blessed with an amazing husband, two healthy and beautiful daughters who adore me, a cozy little roof over my head, a fabulous extended family and a wonderful church family...the list could go on and on. But for some reason I find myself wishing for more and better. A bigger home to own, not rent and beautifully decorated. My children to be obedient and considerate all the time. My husband to be less stressed out and his time more available, even though I couldn't ask for a more honorable man who's desire is to be in school studying how to teach God's Word and make an eternal difference in people's lives. Unlimited funds to send my children to private Christian school. I want clear, pretty skin. I want to be able to buy whatever all of my family and friends want for Christmas. I would love to be that person who has to make numerous trips to the car to unload all the presents to give out. I would love to be able to just be out and about, see an item in a window and buy it because so-and-so would love it. I want to be able to meet others' material needs. I want, I want, I want. This is my discontent, my struggle, and one of the many areas of my life the Lord is working on. I have never regretted staying home with my children because deep down I know I need to be with them and all the material things don't hold a candle to the impact my presence and care have on them. I'm not willing to go back to work right now for these "wants". But somehow I've got to get out of this mentality. Now feel free to slap me around a little and tell me how ridiculous I'm being and to snap out of it. Meanwhile, I'm going to send my Christmas wish list to my cousin. :)

Celebrations

Today marks the 24th wedding anniversary for Jaime and Leti. Congratulations!! What a testimony to God's grace and love in their lives!

Also:

Happy 23rd Birthday to Jaime Jr.! May you have a great day celebrating the 23 years God has given you. Here's to many many more!!

My Privilege

On Friday, I had the privilege of meeting Baby Sophia. She is beautiful and looks like a tiny girl version of her big brother. Carin looks and is doing well.