This is What a White Christmas Looks Like

The Blizzard of 2009. A mere dusting for those who live even 100 miles north of us, but a gargantuan "weather event" for meterologists around here and us snow rookies. It was indeed a white Christmas... and here is what we saw: Snow starting to accumlate on Granny's porch on Christmas Eve.
Excitement on the faces of all the kids! It's SnOwInG!
Big winter coats and snow boots!

Terrible visibility during the harrowing ride home. Would love to say I wasn't a backseat driver, but oh no, that didn't happen. I'm sure it didn't help Tom's sense of calm for me to squeal out: "slow down!" "watch out!" "I'm too young to die!!" (j/k on the last one). Cars and trucks in the ditch (look carefully and you will see this pick up truck nose down).

More cars in the ditch on Christmas morning.

And more cars abandoned on the side of the road while driving out to Nana and Papas.

Snow plows.

It was like a car graveyard.

More snowplows.

Papa on his 4-wheeler out on the farm.

Snowball fights.

Rides in the snow (Tom and Maggie)

A dusting of snow on a beauty.

A warm and toasty friendship.

Fun in the white stuff!

The making of snowangels.

A perfect Snowangel!

Big SmilesHappy FacesSledding in the park with Uncle Jon. Tom and Ellie!

May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.

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The Battle

Basketball is a matter of prayer in our family.

Some people think it's just a silly game, and God doesn't care about that. "He has bigger things to worry about than your little game."

Well, I ask you, have you ever prayed your husband would win the contract he's been working so hard for? Have you ever petitioned God that more clients may walk through his doors? Have you ever asked the Lord to instill your husband with wisdom and discretion so that he may succeed at the work the Lord has given him?

Amen. Me too.

Take this most recent game that we played on December 23rd. We were faced with playing an undefeated opponent ranked #12 in the nation with our remaining 7 scholarship players. 7 players. If you don't know anything about basketball, suffice it to say that's like playing Bunco with 7 people. Hard to do and not a lot of fun.

I was nervous. But then a sweet friend of mine who is dealing with a battle of her own sent me these verses:

“Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God Himself will fight for you.”Deut 3:22

“Listen! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”II Chron 20:15, 17b

They couldn't have been more apropos. So I forwarded the verses to the other prayer warriors and into battle we went, equipped with His words.

I was prepared for God's answer.... either way. Win or lose, I was not to be afraid or discouraged, because this was HIS BATTLE!!!

And then... against all odds, we won. WE WON! Big! It didn't even take a last second shot. It was our second biggest win since this this one.




Praise be to God in heaven who fights our battles if we will let him.

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It's (Finally) Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

This is my first December as an official working mom with 3 kids. Albeit, I am working part time, but that along with teaching a class at TCC, having a very busy husband and trying to keep everything managed at home really put December on the back-burner. Ah, finally, with the end of the work week came a newfound joy that bubbled up in my heart.... oh yes... Christmas is coming! Here are some signs that Christmas is indeed around the proverbial corner.

*Baking compulsion... I cannot get out of the kitchen without whipping up some kind of holiday treat, usually including chocolate as an ingredient. Puppy chow is one of our Christmas favorites, and today we drizzled pretzels with white and dark chocolate, dusting them with tiny red and green ball sprinkles. Easy and delicious!

*I actually sat down and watched Elf with the kids. Classic lines:

Buddy: The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.
Buddy: We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

I LOVE that movie. So does Ellie.

*We had our annual caroling day with friends... driving around town and singing to several different friends/family members. Here are the happy carolers:

Three girls who have been friends since birth...We drove all the way across to granny's house and sang to her and Uncle Rex... she said it was the best Christmas present she could ever get.... and I think she meant it. A tradition my kids have known is going to the Christmas celebration at my sister's country club... Here is Ellie trying to foil Brandini (yes, she picked up a cup in the middle of the trick; Brandini was NOT happy with her)

Luke and Nana (see the cute snowman on Luke's face....)Hallie and Ellie with the famous upside-down Christmas tree.and believe it or not, every Christmas I have a picture of one of my kids with a snake draped around his/her neck. Talk about heart-warming traditions. There is always a little petting zoo at the club and this year, Luke was the lucky one.

Now that we've taken our annual snake picture, it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

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Perfect Pairings - 2 Timothy 1:5

2 Timothy 1:5 ~
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother and in your mother and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Follow this link to Baloney's blog and add your own Perfect Sunday Pairing!

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Blessings Galore

Blessing: Uncle Zach

When Uncle Zach comes to town, it is like the rare look at a groundhog as he comes out of his hole or a admiring a blue moon that rarely appears in the sky. We do not get to see Tom's youngest brother very often, but feel so blessed to enjoy his company when he does come to visit. He lives in New York and travels the world, in fact is heading to Rio on Christmas day. We hope he comes back to see us very soon!

Blessing: Basketball

In a stretch of a basketball season more brutal than any I can remember the last 10 years, we have lost 3, count em, THREE players for the season to ACL tears. Unheard of. We have lost 2 to broken wrists and 1 to a high ankle sprain. 1 player quit the team. Though we may get back a couple of these guys in a week or two, right now we are down to 5 scholarship players. That hurts, not only for us, but for these kids, who eat and sleep basketball. Regardless of what is SEEN, the God we serve who is UNSEEN, can do anything. And a couple Wednesdays ago, he did just that. With our "Mighty 7" - this was before we lost 2 other players - we defeated Missouri of the Big 12 in the Mabee Center with a last second shot. Scoreboard and ESPN play below. We're counting our blessings on this one, and praying for other unexpected miracles. Cause we need them right now.
Blessing: O Christmas Tree

Did I mention I love our Christmas tree this year? Oh, how I love it! It makes me so joyous. So beautiful and fragrant and the fact that it was all Tom's doing makes it that much more beautiful in my eyes. I'm trying to get the full effect of every pine needle.

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Blessings both Big and Small

Blessing: I got a job!!

Yes, this may be one reason my blog has been so neglected lately; however, it is a great job for me. I am working in half-time position as Gifted/Talented Coordinator at Jenks East Intermediate - helping with enrichment for 6th grade students. I just so happen to be partnering with a very, very good friend who works with the 5th graders. I am still getting adjusted to working and managing everything, but the blog will NOT be put on the chopping blog nor will reading your blogs, though I haven't been able to read lately. Sorry! Blessing: Bunco Babes

My new friend Tiffani (pictured on the left), who should win the Nobel Peace Prize for uniting people, put together a Bunco Group. New to our city, she has pulled 16-20 of us together for this very fun activity! I have never been in a Bunco group before, and never really had time for much "me" time, so I am loving the time with my new Bunco friends! (Many of whom are also from my and Tiffani's church!)

Blessing: O Christmas Tree

Never in the history of my very fine marriage to Tom has he been around for the decorating of the tree. Ok, maybe he was around a couple of times, but slept through it on the couch. This year, however, not only was he around (a miracle in and of itself), but he went and picked out a tree, brought it home and helped us decorate it!!! We have always used an artificial tree, so can I tell you how awesome it is to come home to the fresh pine smell everyday? Tom so made my Christmas this year by picking out the perfect tree for our family. Thank you basketball for allowing him to be available! I love our tree with all my heart! The blessings keep flowing abundantly... more to come tomorrow!

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Cancuuuuuuuuun!

Here are some pictures of Cancun in no particular order because I am too crazy to rearrange them and if I would've been smart I would have uploaded them in the preferred order but I didn't so now they are all helter skelter and don't really tell a story but I can't worry about it because it is December 5th and this week of vacation in Cancun was so wonderful but put me behind Christmas-wise and the only thing I have done to this point is my Christmas cards, which is great, but there is not one, I repeat not one Christmas item up, they are all still in my attic. Deep Breath. So not as to neglect the documenting of our family story, I add these pictures with a few phrases to help me to remember in the future what fun filled experiences we had in Cancun, Mexico in November 2009.

Hallie and Kami on the beach,

Luke and Khloe bury Ellie alive!Luke relaxing in a hammock.

Every room at Moon Palace Resort had a hammock.
Interestingly, my mom and dad's hammock was stolen one night,
ut management replaced it that next day.

Kami and Tom taking in the deep blue expanse.Preparing to Parasail!Gotta love birds that dive headfirst into the water for their lunch.Game Time!

Luke and Josh poolside.

Hallie has excited eyes while parasailing!

Fun with sand.

We love our players.
Roderick is the one on crutches.
He tore his ACL just a couple days before this trip.

Thanksgiving Day fun? Wet and Wild Water Park

The kindergarten crew.

Luke and Lauren by the Palms

Don't palm trees make nice background?
This is Kami and Mackenzie waiting to swim with the dolphins.

Looking for shells our last morning in Cancun.

The "toilet bowl" - what we called this very cool ride at Wet and Wild.
This is Scott riding it
(before he was flushed out like a piece of well, you know)
and we all took a turn on it!
Never seen anything like it!This is Kiki, Kami an Hallie enjoying
an exhilirating trip on the parasail!

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