Happy New Year 2013

It’s (almost) 2013!  

For me 2012 brought…..

-C. starting first grade. First grade is hard work.

-C. started boyscouts. 
-C. has switched careers from snake catcher to "helicopter driver".
-I entered my 11^th year as a teacher- I have moved rooms and now coteach.
-Mrs. E has been out but not down.

-I have a New Role as T&T teacher at church.
-We lost some special angels..some little and some big, but they have our hearts.
-The world Twinkie ended.
-Darren has moved from sales to answering phones back to sales (thank Jesus).
-Darren bought new glasses (oh wait, he didn't do that he just talked about it).
-Darren remains proudly unchanged!
-We Voted this Year, but the Twinkie still lost. 
I miss the Twinkie:(

-Carlee! 
(in two months she will be a year old folks!?!) 

-161 blogs later....  

I'm thankful to have a creative outlet where I can do an electronic scrapbook/photo-journal! 
I highly recommend.

Let me start the New Year by checking off all the New Year goals I made BEFORE I had Baby Carlee:

1.  Eat Healthier:  Fail

2. Understand Limitations.  Fail

3.Devote more time in scripture/ prayer weekly.  Less media time.  Fail
(so far this is not looking good)

4.      Quit saying Bad Words. Kinda, sorta, better, I think, maybe.....

5.Stop trying to control the situation and ‘cast my cares to the Lord’ (Psalm 55)  Double Fail

Obviously I thought the Scientologist were coming for me while I had a box of twinkies stuffed in my dirty mouth.

Or perhaps I thought that when Carlee came she was going to sit in the crib like my old Cabbage Patch Doll. 
Or perhaps I had just cleaned the tub

and 

the clorox fumes made me write overachieving goals that I would later forget about.

OK Then, 

this freaking blog entry has made me feel like a real loser.  
It makes me want to say a bad word and eat the least healthy things of my whole life!

That will show my New Year's Goals from last year.  hmmmpppphhhh.

Now don't think I'm going to let a little thing like not meeting a single New Year Resolution stop me from making more Resolutions.  No sir.  Tis the Season to Resolve!  

My New Year's Resolutions for 2013 (that I will make more fun):

-hone my cooking skills
I've already been practicing.  Last night I made Chicken Cordon Bleu-

my helper with bannans in her hair

helper

This turned out pretty good.  The chicken was a touch dry - I may have overcooked.

-try my hand at writing some type of fiction

I'm just not sure what genre.

-spend time with God before I begin my day (not limited to)

My friend C. suggested I write letters to God- it has worked for me.  I've already written 15 pages of letters and completed two studies.

Those are my New Year Resolutions- I'm on my way.  I hope to update next year!

Week In Review

Christmas blew up in my house.

 

I put up the decorations right after Christmas.  
I like to bring in the New Year with a clean house.

I replaced the Christmas Tree with a play corner.

The play corner has taken over the room-

so much for the clean house thing.

I wore a hat for Mrs. E's last chemo treatment..Yayyyyyyy!

But not so much in support of cancer.....

in support of her eyes.  This is my hair after the hair brush.

We had a great laugh over this picture.

I kinda of looked like-

I really get comfortable when I'm on vacation!

I'm way excited over lunch out-

Yes I'm one of those.

I don't even care if plastic is the #1 ingredient.

Lounging-

Connor + Me + Couch= Watching Diary of a Wimpy Kids III

(it was really funny)

Dancing with the Stars (NEW) Workout

I was going to attempt (NEW) Jillian Michael's Workout-

but the first five minutes scared me.

So I danced like crazy with the STARS- mainly freestyle.

Dancing Quotes:

'Swivel the Hips'

'Move the Hips in a Figure 8'

'Step, turn, cross to the side, with the Hips'

'Activate the Center using the Hips'

'Let your Hips go!'

(it should be called Dancing: Starring Your Hips)

OPERATION-  Living Room Makeover

...to be continued...

No one can eat without our new little puppy Carlee coming around.  

Carlee got a DJ Table for Christmas from Uncle/Aunt W.

My dream...

of being a family band.....

is coming TRUE!

I was dying to have a Christmas Card that said 

"All we want for Christmas is Our Two Front Teeth", 

butttt

Connor's other tooth grew in before his second tooth fell out right after Christmas.

Timing.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The Night Before Christmas...
Reindeer Food,
Santa's Cookies (that Carlee kept stealing),
Christmas Cards= Blessings of Good Friends and Family,
Visit with Nana and Papa,
Bible Reading,
and it's VERY Hard to Fall Asleep!

Christmas Morning...
Oh the Excitement!!!!! 
Santa brought...
Flags and a small Football in C's Stocking, 
A REAL Compass and Pocket Knife, 
A Remote Control Helicopter, and a 
Play Airport!!!
Carlee got a rubber ducky, a new hat from Mrs. E, and a sippy cup!

I thought these movies looked Awesome for Connor:

You can't go wrong with narration by Martin Sheen (right?!) 

and Hard Hat Harry!?

This was the first scene- 

a woman (with bad hair) decided to drive down a snowy mountain with a child.  Then all of a sudden an avalanche covered them up!!!!

This safety helicopter flew to the rescue after she called them, buried under snow.  She said she could not see anything (duh), please help!

I wondered why these movies were such a steal.

Now I know- CHEESY RATING= 5 Stars.

Next, Nana and Papas House....

Good Breakfast,

Connor told Papa he said a Good Prayer,

and Lots of goodies!

I got a NEW crock pot and NEW shoes! 

C. got a Shark Race Set, 

an Army Pack, 

and new pants/ shirts.

Darren got new pants, 

a gift card,

and Carlee was given pretty new clothes and a dolly!

Lunch on Darren's side-

Meme/Mema/Cousins/ Aunts/Uncles

BIG Party!

I drew Aunt J.s Name-

I made her a special Stress Free Travel Guide!

I got new workout videos 

and shiny jewelry. 

(Someone (my husband) also unfairly snuck the I Love You Card in my pocket book before I could hand it off, which meant I had to wear a basket ball hat while the family threw balls at me. Revenge is mine next year.)

Darren got a Turbo Buick Movie and Green Tea.

Carlee and Connor were gifted WAY UP in the toys.

Now I have the fun task of finding space for fun new toys.

I wore my brand new Purple, Sparkly 

Sweater today......

Sadly, no one spiked my eggnog because my sweater doubles as costume, 

and I was so prepared to be Lady Gaga.  

(Sigh) Maybe next year.

One of the things Connor was most proud of was his real pocket knife.  
He carried it in his pocket all day.  He has been telling stories about it - 
I'm going to get me a deer with this knife!  
I'm going to cut open a fish with my pocket knife! Hey Dad, if someone breaks into our house and they ask my name- I'm gonna tell em' Your Worst Nightmare, and I'm gonna cut em with my pocket knife!!!

And even though he was given specific directions to not have it out until a grown up helps him, he started playing with it 

and 

you guessed it....

he sliced his finger.

It was just a little cut, 

but it bleed a lot.

The next thing I know the boy is doubled over in the bathroom, as white as a sheet, and dry heaving.  

I'm dizzy and my stomach hurts, it's hot!  he cried.

He literally looked like he was going to faint.

HE HAS LOST TOO MUCH BLOOD!  I screamed.  

I picked him up like a baby and rushed him outside to get air.  He leaned against me and said he was sick.

He is fine!  Good Grief.  It was a cut, he didn't lose his finger! -Darren laughed at us.

SHUT UP! HE IS ABOUT TO PASS OUT!  I'M VERY CONCERNED.  WHAT IF HE IS ANEMIC!?

He is going to be fine, he just got a little faint from looking at the blood- said Darren.

Afterwards when Connor got a band aid, Gatorade, and crackers, and I got a piece of chocolate and tea.... we had a good laugh.  

His worst nightmare is apparently blood....

I don't think he will be able to cut anything but paper with his new knife.

That was our Christmas Adventure!

It was Wonderful.

He Was Born for You

4 So 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2- 4-7 KJV)

People argue over logistics.  

Christmas isn’t about the Christmas tree, 

Jesus wasn’t born in the winter,  

Jesus wasn't actually born in a barn, or in a manager.....

Jesus was born.

He was born for you.

His birth brought hope 

into the dark world.

From the day Jesus was born

people doubted, 

laughed, 

hated.

King Herod ordered a massacre of innocent children 

to keep from 

losing power.

He murdered innocent children.

The world was desperate for a Savior then, 

the world is desperate for a Savior now.

We all need hope.

He was born.

He was born for you.

Biblically God fulfilled hope in a way 

that isn’t recognized immediately.

How could He fulfill hope in a time of turmoil 

and pain under King Herod?

How could He give hope 

with a baby? and a young virgin mother?

Mary was a young girl- no one knew who she was!?

That baby wasn’t even born in a king's castle!

Mary had a long and fearful journey!

How is there hope in that?

God gave us Jesus, 

He fulfilled His promises 

and brought about everything He had said. 

Just not in the way we would envision 

a savior 

to be born.

We didn’t see the fulfillment right away

—all we saw was a baby with young, poor parents. 

A Savior was born.

He was born for you.

Most people didn’t believe it, 

and even those who believed could only hope.

We may not feel hope, 

or love, 

but God is there in a way 

we don’t recognize.

Jesus is not for the perfect shiny people 

that get up and go to church 

with their perfect shiny families...

He was born for ALL people, 

all people of the the world, 

every person, 

every lifestyle, 

every nationality.

He was born for the hurt, 

the addicted, 

those who falter.

People in the world speak for Jesus, 

they wrap Him up in politics,

they try to confine Him into their little worlds...

I don't completely understand it.

It really can’t be done.

You are Forgiven.

Trust and Pray.

He is light.

He is hope.

He is love.

He gives us eternal life.

He was born.

He was born for you.

He loves you.

That is Christmas.

God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ.  He did for us a death that triggered life.  Whether we are awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him!  so speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope, so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind....  (1 Thessalonians 5: 9-11 MSG)