Ice, Ice Baby!

Well, yesterday since Jay was off work we got up early and headed to the IceForum for a little ice skating. Jay and I had both ice skated before...but this was a first time for the girls! It was so much fun...and it was cheap too. Since we went on a weekday morning and we are homeschooled, it was only $5 per person for everything! It was so worth it too.

It was a little rocky at first since they had never put on skates before. They fell a lot and Anli has a nasty bruise to prove it. ..She fell one time backwards onto the inside of her arm. We are so grateful that it wasn't her elbow...it could have broken something. We did make a call to our Dr. friend just to make sure everything was OK...we were relieved that all was fine. She didn't want to leave the ice! We managed to skate for 2 1/2 hours solid (we NEVER came off the ice!) without any major falls or broken limbs...thank you Lord.

We met some really cute people and was put to shame by a precious little 4 year old boy who tore up the ice. He didn't skate...he RAN! He was so cute and only fell once while we were there...watch out Thrashers!

Their progress over just 2 1/2 hours was amazing! They were skating alone in no time and they really had a blast. I took lots of photos and some pretty cute videos...considering I'm skating while video taping! So, if the shots are a little blurry or seem a little jerky...I'm dodging skaters and trying not to fall with my camera in my hands...and I even had to skate backwards at time to get them from the front...interesting!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We had the best time and followed all that exercise with a tasty meal from Chilis and some shopping. We had gift certificates for everything so the whole day was FREE - the best kind! If you haven't been skating in a while...you are over due. What a fun Christmas activity to get in the spirit!

One sad note...Pacey, our beagle, has a sore on his neck that requires antibiotics. So, today I took him to the vet and they said he had to wear "shoes" so that he wouldn't scratch his neck. He was spared the "cone" because the sore is on his neck and it would have hurt him.

Here's a little peek at how he is handling the whole thing...it's very funny! He will be much better soon, but the boots we bought him are not OK with him. They won't be a permanent part of his wardrobe!

Have a great weekend...and celebrate Jesus' birth. We can't wait for tomorrow at church...it's a Happy Birthday Jesus party including the Lord's Supper. I'll post tomorrow about my Sabbath reflections!

Friday's Top 20 List!

Well, today I wanted to share with you a top 20 list that I have around my house. Since I homeschool my two girls...I don't want them hanging out in front of the TV and video games when they are finished. I don't mind a little now and then, but with some extra free time on their hands after schoolwork is finished we needed a little help finding things to do.

We have an amazing sunroon in our apartment where we have designated school and art! I have three bookshelves filled with fun crafts and art supplies. At my house...all of that is fair game and always has been. If it's art...it's not a mess to me! I want them to have all the resources and time to be as creative as they like...what's a little paint?

But, it seems that we needed a little kick start to our creativity. So I made our home a top 20 list of things to do if you are in need of something to do! We all have loved the inspiration it has brought us and we all do these things together...or alone if we like. It stays on the fridge so that we can check it any time we are feeling a little bored. So, I thought I would share it with you:

20 Daily Fun Ideas!

1. Computer time

2. Play do

3. Paint or watercolor

4. Read books

5. Glitter pictures

6. Shaving cream art (Shaving cream, cookie sheet, fingers…at the bar only!)

7. Math games (shapes, bears, rubber bands)

8. Dominoes

9. Make a card for a friend

10. Mosaic with beans, tissue paper, etc.

11. Stamp Art

12. Card games (Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Hearts)

13. Puzzles

14. Paint figurines

15. Styrofoam art

16. Make bracelets, necklaces, and other jewelry

17. Yarn art

18. Foam art

19. Chalk board drawings

20. Scrapbook

Yesterday we were able to help a local ministry sharing Jesus with Jewish people in Atlanta called Light of Messiah. They needed several dozen cookies for an outreach they are having this weekend. We were so excited to help...and it was so fun too! It was a great way to get the girls involved in ministry this Christmas. They had so much fun!

Also, our friends the DeBusks had their precious baby girl yesterday- Elizabeth Louise! We are so excited for them and she was healthy and everyone is doing great! We can't wait to meet here when they get home and settled. Congratulations DeBusk family!

Another cool thing that I wanted to share was an awesome idea our church Awana group had. They took last Sunday night's Awana as a store night...nothing special about that right? Well, wrong! They let the kids take their "dollars" that they have earned by showing up with their Bibles, shirt, vest, book, offering, dues, etc. and let them Christmas shop for their families! It was the BEST idea and the kids loved it! They had earned their "dollars" for the past 4 months and were able to buy their families presents, wrap them, and then they were ready for under the tree.

Our girls were so excited that we had NO idea what they had gotten us...or each other. They rushed to put them under their own tree in their room! They can't wait to share the gifts they picked out and earned themselves with us. I think this is a wonderful idea for children. They want so badly to give a surprise for their families...but they are not able to do that without an adults help. So, this Christmas...we are getting some wonderful surprises picked out and wrapped by our precious girls! Thanks Noonday for such a great gift!

Creating a "blog" book for 2007!

Since I have begun blogging about 6 months ago, I have had this fear that I would loose all my information if anything happened to Blogger. I, along with others, have heard the horror stories and didn't want to loose all the things I had written.

See, I am a avid scrapbooker, but theses things that I write here in the blog are things that might never occur to me to put in my family's scrapbooks! The things here are my personal thoughts on God, family, friends, and life. My scrapbooks are events and moments that I have captured throughout the year.

Well, yesterday was a wonderful day! I was able to save my blog in another program so that I can begin to edit and format it to save in a book to keep right along with my scrapbook from this year! I am so PUMPED!

This shows a new trend for our generation..."blog"booking! Well, whatever you call it I am thrilled to have a very personal record of these past 6 months for my family. It's the little daily fun things, challenges, thoughts, and love that we have experienced and that is a blessing from God!

So, if you are a blogger and love to scrapbook like me...well you can do BOTH and have two very different books to pass along to your family. But, don't forget to make sure that your paper is archive quality before you begin to print. Another tip my friend passed along to me: print the blog in black and white...even the photos since you have the photos stored other places. That way it's not nearly as expensive to print. Just take a little extra time to make sure that all the work you are doing will last. Store your pages in a protected notebook that will keep your pages from yellowing and fading. You don't' want to loose a word!

I just wanted to share this with you since I was so excited about this find myself. I'm sure most of you already know this and have done it yourself...but if not I wanted to pass along the thought!

Lake Lanier Lights!

Last night we went to Lake Lanier Night of Lights. It has been a tradition for...well I don't really know how many years...that we load up with some college friends of ours and head to eat dinner and then see the lights together.

It's been fun to go and see how the kids enjoy it year after year as they grow older. This year we hit the 9 person limit for one car! We ride in our own cars to dinner and then right before the entrance to the lights, we pull into a closed boat store and we pile into one car. This year we put the back seats down in our van and let the kids have a place all their own to sit. It worked out wonderfully and the kids had a blast!

Last year Blackshear Place Church started the live Nativity at Lake Lanier. It was so beautiful and it comes complete with donkeys, goats, calves, sheep, and even a camel! They act out the Christmas story of Jesus' birth from the book of Luke. We bundled the kids up and enjoyed some time there at the nativity.

It was a great night and one that helped again to focus on the light of Jesus Christ that was brought into a dark world. It reminds me of the verse in John:

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Several friends have passed this along through email. I wanted to share it with each of you...I think the meaning is very challenging to each of us today!

1 CORINTHIANS 13 CHRISTMAS VERSION

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata, but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure. Merry Christmas!-- Author Unknown

Sabbath Reflections...Worship!

Yesterday was an amazing Sabbath with our family at Noonday! We had a wonderful Sunday School lesson in Job talking about how suffering makes our faith stronger. We enjoyed discussing how easy it is to get discouraged and down when we are going through hard times...but the book of James tells us just the opposite. Look:


"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

That night, we were so blessed by our worship team presenting "A Night of Alleluias". It was AMAZING! It wasn't a choir cantata...it was a full out worship time with full participation from everyone. It is amazing the wonderful freedom at Noonday to worship God. I love the way that if someone feels led...they stand to their feet in worship. Hands are lifted, heads are bowed, people are on their knees, some are quietly praying, others are joyfully clapping...it is a freedom I haven't felt in a long time.

This night was absolutely worship. It had moments of energy and praise...along with those of reverence and awe. It was the most wonderful night of worship I have had corporately in a long time! I want to share a few of my favorite moments with you. I took my camera and took a few minutes of video so that I could have it for myself! It was just that good!

The last clip is of our deaf ministry. They lead every Sunday and they blow me away! They have so much energy and they add so much to my worship time by seeing the expression of love they have for God through their hands...without uttering a word or note. I knew you would be blessed by them as well. A neat moment was when one of the worship team members came down front to worship with them...it is her passion. She is on the right with the sparkled jacket. It was a sweet moment! Enjoy...

Stone Mountain Christmas!

On Friday night, we headed to Stone Mountain for their Christmas celebration. We went there 2 years ago..and they have added SO much new stuff to make if even more amazing! We stayed there over 5 hours and didn't even get to tons of things!!

It was absolutely fabulous and we had the best time ever! We watched glass blowing, enjoyed a parade, the new 4D Polar Express movie complete with snow at the end, a wonderful show with singing and celebration of what Christmas is really about, a outdoor train ride singing carols and seeing the Christmas story of Jesus' birth in lights, roasting marshmallows and making smores by bonfire, laser show, fireworks, and even snow on mainstreet for the finale...whew!

I mean that isn't even all we were able to do...and we didn't have time to do even more! We can't wait to go back next year to see the rest! There were over 2 million lights...when the sun went down it was breathtaking! The best part was that every where we went they openly talked about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! They were telling the true meaning of Christmas! The train ride was amazing because they talked about the redemption we receive from the gift of God for our sins in Jesus Christ...the show is called The Gift. We were amazing and grateful to have participated in something so focused on Christ...and thousands of people will hear that message this Christmas at Stone Mountain!

On Saturday morning we had our usual pancakes and I came up with a way to do something fun without a mold. We did snowmen and women! This was so easy and you should try this at home with your kids on morning. The trick is to make sure that the first circle (I used a tablespoon measure) to stop expanding before you start the next circle, etc. They were so much fun and we used our sprinkles to make eyes, nose, buttons, etc. They turned out so cute and the girls loved decorating them before they ate them!

After seeing the 4D mini movie of the Polar Express, last night we came home and had our very own Polar Express night! We got in our jammies, made hot chocolate with LOTS of marshmallows, yummy 5 layer bar dessert, and curled up together to watch it! It was so much fun! Tomorrow I will post my Sabbath reflections...it was an awesome worship time with our family at Noonday today...WOW!

Enjoy some of the photos that we took at Stone Mountain...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Stone Mountain Christmas!

Well, today Jay is taking off early and we are headed to the Stone Mountain Christmas! We went a few years ago and the girls LOVED it! We are excited because they have addd so many new things since we have been and we can't wait!

The girls don't know yet, because we wanted it to be a big surpise. So, we are rushing through school work this morning so that we are ready to go when Jay gets here! They are going to flip out when we pull in to the park and see all the wonderful things to do and experience there.

They have a new Polar Express 4D show that looks to be amazing...with snow at the end! And they have added a parade, and a new Christmas laser show complete with firework finale. I'll be sure to post the photos and details tomorrow. Don't forget if you are going or are interested you can buy discounted tickets at any Kroger store! Have a great weekend!

Virginia gets a headgear!

Well, yesterday we headed back to the orthodontist for Virginia's check up. He decided that she was going to need a headgear. So, I wasn't surprised since he warned me that she might need one. Now, I have seen lots of headgears, but this one takes the cake! It is called a reverse headgear that pulls her jaw forward instead of back like most headgears.

The amazing this is that she can SLEEP with this thing on her head! She is so amazing, because she can get this contraption on herself...first time after they showed her in the office! I was in shock as we videoed her last night putting it on!

But, they told us that they don't get complaints from the children...it's their parents that seem to have all the problems with it. So, we've stayed positive and low key about her wearing it. She isn't really excited that it is a little sweaty before she goes to sleep (no thanks to the weather being 76 degrees in December...we have our AIR on!), but after she gets to sleep...she never wakes up.

I thought I would include some photos of my baby's little smile as she has grown up! She is the cutest baby ever (tied with Anli, of course!)...not much has changed either if you ask me! We were looking through some old photos last night and these were too cute not to share! Enjoy...

Wrapping it all up!

Tonight we spend the evening wrapping the girls' presents to everyone! It was a lot of fun and a big mess. Our girls get an allowance for being a part of our family and for helping out with various things each day. But, they also have the opportunity to do some extra jobs once every week to earn extra money...kind of like their little part time job. They have learned how to clean the toilets, do laundry from beginning to folding and putting away, unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming, and more. They both worked especially hard this month to earn some extra money for Christmas! Every year after they have earned their goal, we take them to the Dollar Tree to buy a present for every person in our family. That way they can earn, buy, and wrap something for everyone on their own! They can buy whatever they want to give that person as long as they think about what that person would like (so we don't end up with a bunch of toys for the family!). They do a great job and this year was no exception!

Tonight we set a side as the wrapping night. We had seen on Martha Stewart (yes I am still a fan...she's just got such great ideas!) how to emboss your own gift tags. So, since I had a gift certificate to Michael's, the girls and I headed out yesterday to get the things we needed to try it out. It was amazing! We made the most beautiful tags for each person's gift and it really made them look extra special! The end result was beautiful. Each gift had a personalized tag by the girls and they added a touch of sparkle to every gift! I highly recommend this...and my girls could do every step...with adult supervision on the heat gun of course.

As you can see, we had a blast! With a little hard work and a lot of love...giving gifts is such a precious way to show how much you love someone. The wise men brought very precious gifts of great value to Jesus. They honored Him by giving to Him both with the faith it took to follow the star and not tell Herod about Jesus and to bring such precious gifts to Him when they arrived.

Our Dollar Tree gifts may not be valuable by the world's standards of value, but the hard work and love that these girls put into every gift is of utmost value to those who will receive them. We want our girls to know that it's not what you buy...it's the heart in which you give. Jesus cares about what is inside. The most expensive gift given out of duty is worthless to the one who receives. But, the most meager gift given out of love...is priceless.

What are you giving to Jesus today? Are you giving your time, money, and gifts to Him with a heart of love or of duty? Take time today to check your motives this Christmas. Have you focused on the love you have for those around you...or simply the dash to give a gift and check it off your list? God wants us to be CHEERFUL givers to Him and others. It should be out of our overflow of all He has given us.
We found this perfect wrapping paper (Thanks Lainie!) that really sums this season's meaning up for us:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no shadow due to change." James 1:17.

The most perfect gift He sends us is Jesus Christ!

Sweet Fellowship!

We had our Christmas Fellowship on Sunday with our Lifechange group and we had a blast! We met at a local Mexican Restaurant that had a huge room upstairs that we were able to all fit in. It was so nice to be able to have a place to ourselves and to be able to have one huge long table for all the kids. Our Lifechange group is so awesome! It was one of the main reasons why we joined Noonday. The class is so specific that almost everyone in the room has at least one child about the same age as ours. And it is so great for our kids to have so many new friends their ages. We are so blessed by this group of people who have taken us in (and Jay is now the teacher!) and made us feel like one of the group. It was the same group that we went to the Bethlehem Walk with. Anli and Lilly enjoy some fun fellowship too!


Virginia and Caleb!

We are more grateful everyday to be members of Noonday! Jay and I were sitting at Starbucks on our date time on Sunday, and he and I both were sharing how much we just love this church! We are so blessed to have a family like Noonday.

We had a great family night as we headed to All Fired Up...which is a pottery place where you paint and decorate pottery and they fire it for you. We had a BLAST! We were making something very special for a gift. We all worked together and it will turn out wonderful I know. What a great thing to give something you made yourself to those you love the most. Anli painted a beautiful angel and reminded us of how the angels announced the birth of Jesus!

Anli works on her angel with love and care!
Daddy helps Virginia with some detail work.

Virginia made a Gingerbread man that looks good enough to eat!

We also had a fun time with heart and Christmas tree pancakes. Saturday mornings are for pancakes around our house. I have been doing the heart one for a while. We also do letters sometimes too. But, this time I got out a cookie cutter that was shaped like a tree and we put sprinkles on for lights and ornaments...and Jay thought of a butter star! The syrup was the yummy tinsel. Needless to say it was a HUGE hit and we're going to experiment with other cookie cutters this Saturday! Try this sometime and see how excited the kids get to have sprinkles for breakfast...make your home a place of wonder, excitement, and joy this advent season through everyday surprises. Make each one focus your family on Christ! It's a blast!


Have a great day and stop to invest in what is eternal today. The only two things that last are the souls of men and the Word of God. Invest every day in those things and you will be so rich!

Sabbath Reflections...The Bethlehem Candle.

We had such a wonderful weekend! Each day we have been enjoying the season of Advent anticipating the coming of Jesus. Tonight we lit the second candle of Advent. It is called the Bethlehem candle. We read the prophesy from Micah about how a small city called Bethlehem would bring forth a great King. Jay reminded us that Christmas is not about all the big gifts, big trees, big parties, big decorations, etc. But, it is about a small humble cave where the King of Kings would be born. Afterwards, we sang "Away in a Manger" and "Silent Night" by the light of the candles. It was so sweet!

We have been taking a star from our tree to talk about the names of Jesus leading up to Christmas day. Tonight we talked about Jesus being The Way! It was so neat that we had this one tonight since my focal verse on Friday at MOPS was that very verse! God is too cool.

Check out our nativity! Each year we "hide" baby Jesus somewhere in the house. Each day as we focus on Him and show our love for Him through our obedience and kindness, the girls get to take a piece of straw out of the cup and put it in the manger to make a bed for baby Jesus. Then, on Christmas morning...we have clues to lead them to where He has been and He rests on the love and kindness that the girls have shown all month long. It's really fun...the girls beg for it each year! It really brings the meaning of excitement, wonder, and anticipation to the Advent season.

We enjoyed doing some more baking on Friday night together to get ready for our delivery day on Saturday. Ever since I was a little girl, my mom and I would bake wonderful goodies to give to friends and we would take a Saturday and deliver the gifts personally with Christmas carols blaring in the car along the way. So, since my girls have been old enough to help and understand, we have kept that tradition in our family.


Each year we spend about 3 days baking goodies and then wrapping them...then on Saturday when Daddy is home we spend the day delivering! It is one of my favorite parts of this time of year. It bring back such wonderful memories...and we make new ones every year. This year the girls spent one afternoon making ornaments with the name "Jesus" on them for each family. They also made every singe baked goodie, helped wrap each one, and hand delivered each present. They are so wonderful!

Saturday night we were able to go with some wonderful new friends to the Bethlehem Walk down the street. It was AMAZING! We had such a great time of fellowship and the kids were just awed by the Roman Centurions, the real stable animals, the manger with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. We just had the best time and really loved hanging out with some great new friends! Enjoy the photos... Each person signed in for the census!

Seeing baby Jesus was the highlight of the night! The kids got a front row seat and enjoyed the show twice! It was so precious to see them so excited about hearing the story of Jesus from the book of Luke.

Here all the kids are together listening to the story of Bethlehem. It was the introduction for the evening...a story teller tent. There's Virginia, Eve, Anli, Ella, Lily, and Caleb. We had a few more kids...but they weren't in the photo! It was so sweet to see them all sitting together captivated.

Mr. Shad takes the kids to the bread booth where everyone gets to sample some fresh bread...yummy!

The fish tent was not so yummy! But, he was really funny and made the kids laugh. Here the kids were able to pet a real dove. It was so soft and beautiful. That was a favorite place for all the kids!