Christmas Cookies

It's become a holiday tradition that Grammie comes to bake with the children before Christmas.

This year she arrived a little under the weather, so we missed a few days while she stayed in bed!

But we made up for it on the last day.

One of our favorite cookies to make is the Spritz Cookies

They are easy, we get to use the cookie press, and the children love to sprinkle them!

OH, and they're delicious!!

 *Remember my tip last year,

tape off half of the holes on the sprinkle shaker so that they don't pour out so fast!

Grammie brought super cute aprons for us this year!

Even the little dude got in on the action with his Home Depot apron!!

Christmas is such a special time of year!

 

Lately, I've heard so many things like,

"Christmas is all about the kids."

"Christmas is all about family and friends being together."

"Christmas is all about being cozy on the couch with the tree lights on and a good Christmas movie."

 

Those things are lovely, but that really isn't what Christmas is about at all. 

Christmas is all about Jesus. 

God saw the world and all its striving and decided to come down and end all of that. 

He loved us so much that He came to us!  He doesn't expect us to strive to get to Him!  He knows we could never do that!  We'll never be "good enough."

So He sent His Son Jesus to be with us, one of us, and end our striving.

Christmas is all about God loving us so much that He sent us a Savior.

He could have sent us a rich man so that we all could have more money.

He could have sent us a lawyer to defend us.

He could have sent us law enforcement to protect us.

But He knew we needed salvation, so He sent us a Savior.

Savior.

What do you need to be saved from today?

Jesus didn't just come to save us from hell one day.

He came to save us from the hell we live in today.

Evil.  Fear.  Sin.  Poor choices.  Broken families.  Grief.  Sorrow.  Pain.

He was born so that He would know our suffering and ultimately He'd suffer to save us.

He is our Savior.

Knowing Jesus and knowing that He understands our suffering brings great peace and promise in life.  Even in the midst of the darkness that our world suffers from, there is hope.  

Emmanuel. 

God with us. 

He is not apart from us in our suffering, He is WITH us.

And that is what Christmas is all about.  

God sent us a Savior.

Santa

Well, Grammie came into town to make Christmas cookies with the children,

but she got sick wich put the baking on hold for a day!

On the mend today, we went shopping while the children were in school

and look who we ran into!

 

Yep!  Santa getting a pedicure before his shift!

 

 

One little smile in the midst of a tragic day.

Praying for all the families who experienced the worse kind of evil today.

Oh God, deliver us from evil.

 



Bloggy Friends

When I started this blog almost 3 years ago I had no idea what I was in for.  I knew nothing about blogging.  I didn't read any blogs.  I innocently thought that I was one of the only people doing this!  HA!  But now I'm more than amazed by the blogging world and the community that is formed within it. 

Who knew?!!

 

 

I was blown away when I had my miscarriage how many women, I've never met in person, reached out to me to pray for me and encourage me.  Writing about my miscarriage on my blog really allowed me to be ministered to in deep ways that I wouldn't have been otherwise.

 

And when I started to write about my struggle with anxiety - this one still blows me away - I've been blessed by the many women who have share their stories of anxiety and have prayed for me and not only encouraged me, but passed along helpful resources and hope.  It's been incredible.

This little blogging world has shown me that we are not alone in our struggles.

Because of blogging, I've experienced the body of Christ in new ways.

(Now I'm sounding like a PSA!)

 

Through this journey of blogging, there have been a couple of women that have become friends.  Sweet women who live in different states, have different backgrounds, have different life experiences, but have become friends of mine.

One lady in particular is a treasure to me.

Rachel Boni

She is a love from Oklahoma.  She also has twins.  She loves her husband and talks about him often!  And she loves Jesus.

Just through leaving consistent comments on my blog, we started a friendship that now includes texting! 

Just last night she texted me to pray for her friend that was being held hostage in the mall in Oregon with the shooter.  I immediately stopped dinner and prayed.  Praise God that her friend is safe!

 

I recently got a package in the mail from Rachel.  How cool is that? 

Not electronic mail, but real mail!!

She made me these adorable Christmas coasters!

Aren't they awesome?

I'm totally in love with them.  And her!

And paired with a cup of hot tea and Mini Gingerbread Men with White Fudge Icing from Trader Joe's, well, what could be better?

Thank you Rachel.

 And thank you blogging world for new friends, encouragement and the power of prayer amongst Jesus lovers.

Check out Rachel's Blog here

10 on 10 December

10 on 10 December

10 photos - one an hour on the 10th of December :)

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Favorite journal - alone time before the children are up

2.  remembering to move the elves, still before the children are up!

3.  breakfast

4.  packing lunches

5.  Spidey walked the girls to school to make sure they were safe!

6.  showing my husband how much I love him by cleaning my closet!

7.  for the glory of God - Shekinah - acupuncture apointment

8.  buying stamps for Christmas cards

9.  driving home after errands

10.  little Spidey after his nap

 



Santa's Breakfast

Years ago we thought it would be fun to have Santa come to the house and take the children's Christmas wishes and leave them with a small toy before the big night. 

 

The first year didn't go so well!

 

 

But the second year was a hit!

 

Then the third year ended with, "Santa looks and sounds like Grandpa!" 

So that ended our Santa visits to the house!

 

But this year we thought it would be fun to kick off the Christmas season with Santa's Breakfast, inviting our little friends to come in their jammies for some morning fun and this year we told everyone that our Daddy was going to pretend to be Santa!  We didn't try to fool anyone!

 

 

Somehow I didn't get a photo of all the food once it was on the table!  But I wanted the menu to be simple with things I could make ahead so I could enjoy the party:

Ham and Cheddar Quiche (I made the day before and just reheated)

2 kinds of Monkey Bread (also assembled the night before and baked as guests arrived which made the house smell wonderful!)

Cutie Oranges and Grapes

Cranberry Bread

Banana Bread

Lemon Blueberry Poppy Seed Bread

We had a little Hot Cocoa Bar

 

 

Thanks to the dollar store, we hung up red plastic table cloths around our garage and with some twinkle lights, we turned it into our gingerbread house factory!

 

I made 22 gingerbread houses out of graham crackers the night before (if you haven't done this, is so easy and gives everyone the fun of decorating without all the work of baking real gingerbread!)

 

After the houses were done, I wrapped them in cellophane with a little bow so it was easy for everyone to take them home without making a big mess.

 

Our church was collecting new toys to open a shop for local families in need where they can come pick out toys for their children, so I invited the families to bring toys to donate and it was awesome to see all the toys come in!

 

We had a little table set up where children could write letters to Santa. 

I had no idea this would be so popular!

 

 

The "Daddy Santa" ran through the backyard and was greeted with lots of screams and giggles!

 

Can I just say, having a party in your pajamas is one of the greatest things I've ever done!

 

 

And as they left, our guests took home some Magic Reindeer Food (that my girls made earlier that week) and their gingerbread house.

 

 

The End!

 

Have a Merry Weekend!