the snow kept us in mc one day longer than we expected…but have to say…we made the most of it.

what else do you do when it snows like this…..make snow forts and set off fireworks….and hot tub too.

happy new year!

had all the larson’s over at nanna maureen’s house for dinner. all the cousins…minus 1.

we made the trek to mc over our Christmas break. took the kids skating for the first time….ever. well, guess ry.guy has done it once before, but the rest of them…first time.

i’m so glad we had reinforcements…even with me in shoes…it was hard keeping everyone up on their skates. we had so much fun though.

the kids were able to ride the snow mobile and go sledding too. they had a blast. this is what winter is all about.

sara and tracy jr. slaving away in the kitchen. they made the yummiest chicken spaghetti and apple dumpling dessert. don’t know what i’m doing back there…too much hot chocolate, i think.

we played truth or dare….alex had to be a weather man doing the 10 o’clock report…the dare part….he had to go to the bathroom, really, really bad! he was a HOOT!

after our round with flour during the autumn cookie night…alex thought he should continue on with the whipped cream.

{1 individual pack hot chocolate mix, 3 Hershey’s chocolate kisses, 10-15 mini-marshmallows,  1 Candy Cane, whipped topping.}

Cheers!

Snowman Soup

When the weather outside is frightful,
Snowman Soup can be delightful.
May it warm your spirit and your soul.
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

When you feel a chill or ‘brrrrrr’,
Use the peppermint stick to stir.
Add hot water and sip it slow.
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Today we celebrate the birth of Our Lord, Jesus Christ!! Amen! Alleluia!

We light ALL the Advent Candles and the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent Wreath

Let us make this Christmas a joyous and blessed day.

Luke 2:4-16

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[e] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 ¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 ¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

 ¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

 ¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

let the fun begin.

we had the most wonderful week of Christmas this year. we stayed home this time. we celebrated mass, we enjoyed our secret santa gifts, we finished our puzzle, we baked tons of cookies, we read books, we relaxed and watched christmas movies all week. we made so many wonderful Christmas memories. truly enjoyed the true meaning of Christmas. our gratitude journals were full and it was a huge sigh of love and joy for us. {sigh}

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”

we finished the puzzle in record time….it didn’t even make it to Christmas. it was so addicting, no one could just walk bye without sitting down and trying to piece something together. it was fun and that was what it was meant to be. next year i think we need to do the 1000 piece one.

{marley got a hold of the missing piece.}

K-FYR interview with Jhacie and Alex

I’ve been dieing to get down here to blog this…but i had two more cookie recipes to finish up…so now…drum roll please.

Ok, I think I am more excited about this than the kids are. Yesterday, Jhacie and Alex were both picked to do an KIDSPEAK interview with the guys from the PH Phactor on KFYR 550 AM radio morning show… it’ll air tomorrow morning between 6-9am.  They talked about Christmas….I can’t imagine what came up!! Jhacie was saying as she was told to go see the principal, she was thinking to herself….am I in trouble? She was so happy to hear that she wasn’t.

this year we are starting our own family traditions for Christmas.

#1. our Christmas puzzle. all layed out on the living room table, pieces flipped over…500 in all. hoping we get it done over our holiday break. every year will be a new one.

Today we light again the candles of hope, love, and joy, and the fourth PURPLE candle, the candle of peace. Christ is the Prince of peace, come to reconcile us with God and others. Christ helps us to see that peace is possible.

my winter trio.

Ryan and Alex are just about finished up with park and rec bball. Saturday they play in their jamboree closing out this winter season. I promise I’m taking my camera and gonna snap pics till i run out of room.

Ry-Guy going up for the lay-up…

anyone notice something odd about this shot….our power forward shooting from where?

launch away! i think it’s all the “pig” he plays with his brothers.

Forgive

Our week begins with “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin.   The spirit of joy that begins this week comes from the words of Paul, “The Lord is near.”  We again light the candles of hope and love. Today we add the PINK (ROSE) candle of joy. Prophecy has been fulfilled. The long-awaited Messiah has come. Joy is the mood of all earnest seekers.

jhacie got to dress up for school today. theme….red and green….for christmas spirit day. we had no idea how much red and green we had till now.

oh how  i love having a girl to play dress up with.  we braided green hair into her pony, got out her little christmas tree earrings, red garland bracelet, her holiday socks….she even layered her shirts…all by herself. it was a fun morning. {side note :: alex didn’t want any part in the festivities.  boy….bah, hum, bugger’s. }

Turning It Around for Good by James MacDonald

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

With all due respect to Rabbi Kushner, God does allow bad things to happen to good people. He doesn’t cause them, but He doesn’t prevent them either. The world is free and God doesn’t very often step in and alter the fact that the effects of sin are visiting themselves randomly upon the creation. So God lets trials happen to the Christian just like He lets them happen to the pagans so that the superiority of the life lived in God can be demonstrated through our lives. The majority of the world is choosing not to worship God, but a few of us, by God’s grace, can draw down upon God’s promised resources to get us through.

God did not cause the horrible events in your life, but you need to embrace the fact that He allowed them. God could not make a world in which we are free and at the same time guarantee that everyone would choose Him. So the world is broken and bad things happen. But God promises that He will be with those who love Him. He will bring us through the fire, and we will come forth as gold.

God allowed Paul to suffer a “thorn . . . in the flesh.” Paul said that God allowed “a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul understood that God allowed this pain in his life for a reason. God allowed a demon to harass, or buffet Paul. The word buffet means to strike with a fist or beat. But God permitted it with a purpose: to keep [Paul] from being conceited.

God is so sovereign. He’s so much in control that even when Satan tries to ruin our lives, God takes the weapon that Satan wants to use to destroy us and turns it into a good thing. God says, “If you will lean hard on Me in the midst of this difficult time, I’ll take that thorn and make it for your good.”

We all have a thorn. We all have something that God has allowed into our lives that Satan meant for our destruction but that God has turned around to help us grow and change.

© 2009 Walk in the Word.