'Twas the week after Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!!

I'm sitting in my living room alone, only the faint sound of music in the background. Shaun's at work, Jessie and Riley are tootling around town, Andrew's at his new job (cleaning horse stables), and Ashlee and Daniel flew back to Florida late last night. Real late last night! 

I have a party to go to tonight (as if I haven't partied enough lately!). So I'm also whipping up some cherry cheesecake, chips and dip, and crackers with a fancy cheese dip. Yummy!

I've been able to sneak in a little bit of picture editing this morning, so I thought I'd share what I have so far. I'll commentate as we go along. As usual. Because I can't seem to not talk ....

Gracelyn (my niece) has decided she likes to see the baby in the camera. So now she likes her picture taken, as long as I show her "me" on the screen afterward. :))

 

Jessie, and the new earrings I bought her for Christmas. Nice of her to wear a matching shirt for the day. Heehee.

Ashlee, doing dishes for me Christmas day. We made her venison (compliments of Andrew) and pancakes for lunch (her fave!), and then we had a large ham, pork roast, and all the fixin's to go with it for supper.

The happy newlyweds, just before they took off last night. Sniff, sniff ....

Family pic. Love that we are a family of six now! Well, seven if you include the dog.

Daniel gave me a little dancing lesson before they left last night. We like to play the part.

Just Jessie ... looking .... pretty. :)

A roughed up Gracelyn!

I love that she comes and asks to sit on my lap these days. Makes me feel all warm and squishy on the inside!

Peek-a-boo!

Sisters ...

Shaun's mom and sister.

Smokin' her candy cane!!

Shaun and Ashlee, lounging around on Christmas.

That's all for now. More will come later, but I wanted to show off a little just stop in and wish my readers a happy post Christmas week.

Are we ready for 2011??????

Didn't think so. 

crickets, christmas, and mrs. c

For all of you just dying to know what Christmas with Mrs. C (that's me) is like .....

*crickets chirping

Ok, so  nobody's dying to know such information. But Mrs. C (remember- that's me!) is dying to tell. So here's my 2010 Christmas story thus far, in pictures:

Did anyone here know that Andrew is a juggler? He has a part time job with the circus.

Just kidding.

But he IS pretty good at juggling. Even pine cones!

Here's a few goodies I've made along the way. Chocolate covered popcorn, and a cheese spread to put on some delish crackers. Actually, that popcorn is covered with chocolate and peanut butter chips. I had a lot of fun drizzling. In fact, I may have gotten just a little bit carried away when I flung some clear across the kitchen, and hollered out to Andrew "Hey, this drizzling stuff is pretty cool!"

Those little things that look like deer pellets are capers. I didn't know what capers were until I made this recipe. Wait - I still don't know what capers are.

You don't know what deer pellets are?

Well, I don't feel so bad then.

Shaun and I at a Christmas party. No, we did not match on purpose. We're just hip like that.

*more crickets chirping

 Jessie and Riley at the same Christmas party. Funnest night of the season so far, but the season is far from over!

Santa's lil' helper. Cough, cough ...

And yes, those bulbs are actually hanging from her ears. Yikes! 

We decorated Mom before we decorated the tree. Just to see which one would be cuter.

The tree won.

*crickets

Once Ashlee and Daniel get here (Five more days!!!), I'll have a ton of things to show and tell. *claps hands in excitement

Until then, I have toilets to clean, laundry to do, presents to make, presents to buy, and one sick boy to take care of. Here's to hoping the rest of us (and you!) stay healthy and robust through the Holiday.

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!
 

one little word

One little word was extremely important in my morning routine this morning:

small

Unfortunately, when I read the directions, I skipped right over the word small. The result? A head full of leave in conditioner. A lot of leave in conditioner.

This resulted in me running my fingers through my hair with water over the bathroom sink, Andrew looking at me like I'd lost my marbles, and well .... one uber conditioned mane.

Moral of the story?

If all else fails, read ALL of the directions.  

Jus' sayin' ...

garbage out, goodness in

The mind is a powerful thing.

What we put into it will always work it's way out. Out of our mouth, out of our eyes, in the way we look at others ... it affects the way we treat others, and the way we respond to the way others treat us.

That's why it's so important to limit the ample supply of garbage that gets into our heads. It's everywhere. TV, internet, books, video games, even something as simple as a restaurant slogan.

I've recognized my own need to declutter, refocus, and renew my mind. So for the last week (ah! the reason I've been rather quiet!), I've been working on laying out in written form a plan to renew my mind. It's nothing but a Word document that lists specific (sinful) thought patterns that I've developed, along with Scripture (always right thinking!) beside it.

I don't have any big plan except to keep the worksheet handy throughout the day, and especially during the times I am more susceptible to spiral downward in my thinking (usually when I'm not feeling well).

I don't expect overnight change, but I do expect it to make a gradual difference in my life. I'm actively replacing bad thoughts with right thoughts - my thoughts with God's thoughts. I'm tossing out the garbage, and pouring His goodness in.

Proverbs 23:7 teaches, "For as [one] thinks in his heart, so is he." The only way for me to become more Christ-like is to think more like Christ thinks. So, this is my attempt to set my mind on the right path, stop giving into every emotion in the book, stop making excuses for the way I am, and let God have control over my mind. 

I fully expect God to do His part, if I will do my part. So as I study, please pray for me, that I will be willing to change, that God's Word will permeate my heart so thoroughly that my actions begin to radically change, and that my motivations will become more and more pure. And that God will ultimately use my life for His glory. 

That's a lot of work. 

Only God could do that. 

This is why ...... 

........ I enjoy making quilts for people I love.