Snow!

Need an Addiction?

Allow me to recommend my newest series of books!
Thanks to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Roanna, I am now fully immersed in the life of a farming family from Oregon.
These books (3 in all) are written by a mom of 6 and are fun, short stories about her children and her life on a farm.
They are so easy to read, one short story at a time, or for hours on end.

Words of Wisdom from Ollie

Wow. Am I in a blogging funk. I really have no desire to blog....but I'm getting tired of seeing that last post that I put up 3 weeks ago...there's been much going on...but not enough time to really sit down and post.

So I'll share a few tidbits of random advice and quotes from Ollie.

*The other day, I put on a pink necklace, and Ollie said, "Wow mom, you look like a princess!"

*His new comment is "Sure enough!" As in, "Ollie, did you sleep well last night?" "Yep, sure enough!"

*He also likes to use the phrase "at one point" as in, "Mom, I saw that in my room at one point".

*He loves to share what he did all day when Joel comes home. It usually sounds like this:
"Dad, today I fertilized, I mowed, I climbed up the dam, I worked in the shop, and, ummm, I rode the polaris (pronounced 'baplaris')". Such a busy boy.

*He often comments on my suggestions with "Oh, that's a good idea" or "here mom, you should try this".

*The other night, I was explaining to his babysitter how the evening would go. I told him, "Ollie, if Emily has questions--you can help her, right?" He responded, "Yep. I'll do that exactly!"

Such a funny boy. I'm trying to write these things down in a family journal I've started--although I can't seem to find time to write as often as I'd like. But I'm trying. Some is better than none, right??

Friday the 13th

You probably knew Friday the 13th was a special day. But I bet you didn't realize WHY. Today, bloggers all over are spreading the word about First Gift. Water for families in Africa. Check out these blogs (Jess and Megan) for the FULL story, and click here to donate.

$10 buys water for a family for 10 YEARS. Incredible.

Kate' Crazy Cool Christmas

I've been following the story of Kate and her battle with a brain tumor since this summer, thanks to Amanda and Jess's blogs. It is a heart wrenching look at what a family goes through when battling cancer. Most days after reading it, my stomach aches just thinking about what they're dealing with. And yet, like Jess and Joel, theirs is a story of steadfast trust in the Lord and his plan for their Kate.

In the last week, Kate's mom has shared that they'd like to collect gifts for the other children on Kate's cancer floor. I'm going to send some things. If you'd like to help make a sick child's Christmas even better--check out their Caring Bridge site. They're adding Bibles to each gift too, so that those children have a chance to know Jesus if they don't already.

Here's the specifics...
Send NEW gifts to:

Cornerstone Christian Fellowship
Attn: Kate's Crazy Cool Christmas
2211 E Pecos Rd Ste. 2
Chandler, AZ 85225

They'd like these to arrive by Dec. 15th so they can wrap and package them. What a sweet way to give to families in need this year!

dance party

Last night, Ollie's friend Makenzie (or Bakenzie, as he says) came over to play. Joel cranked up the old school jams and we had a good ol' dance party.

Here is "Ice Ice Baby".



Doesn't get much better than this.

It's That Time of Year...

This morning, I put in my first Christmas CD. Although I like any Christmas music, I have two DEFINITE favorites:
"The New Young Messiah" is Handel's Messiah in a newer, more contemporary version. It is all the wonderful prophetic scriptures put to music. I must add a disclaimer, though--this was released in the early 1990's--think big hair, shoulder pads, and Carmen. But still GREAT music and an incredible message.
The second is Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God" (which I have YET to own, still!). But this was my ALL-TIME favorite concert ever, and I still love hearing these songs. They also take the vantage point of what was happening before Jesus came into the world.

It's so incredible to think what it must have felt like to have lived in those times right before Jesus-- knowing these prophecies--that a Savior was to come to save Israel...then 400 years of silence...nothing. Just waiting to see what God was going to do.

And finally, for those prophecies to be fulfilled in Jesus' birth.

Such an incredible story!