Just don't understand this kitty...

3 weeks post Christmas... I can't bring myself to pack up the Nativity.  I like it setting out.  So does a certain kitty.  He loves to lay on top of Jesus! Curls up and naps with Jesus.  We find him in this very spot regularly.  He would prefer I didn't notice or make a fuss about it.   

That is his, "Must you disturb me with the picture taking clicking noise? Be gone with you!" look.

Joy Dare 2016

For several years now I have been doing the Joy Dare.

Some days, I follow the daily challenges.

Other days, I just journal the gifts as God provides. 

But journaling and counting the many blessings God gifts me with is a huge blessing.

It helps me keep my focus on Him and beyond my circumstances.

 

Not that I do it perfectly. 

Not that I don't get overwhelmed by the hard in life,

because I do.

But these journals... they remind me of His love, His faithfulness, His mercies.

He is gifting us treasures minute by minute if only we choose to See and Acknowledge them..

The cooling wisp of a breeze on a hot day,

the heart shaped cloud,

the tulips blooming on just that day I am sitting in my car waiting and I see them...

Glimpses of beauty, sweetness,

little "memos" of His love

perfectly placed for me to discover at that moment.

 

So on the hard days, I can look back. 

On the hard days, I look close.

I journal. 

On the good days, I journal.

As the days go by, the number gets larger.

At the end of year I have over 1,000 gifts.

Over 1,000 memories of love shown to me by

my Everlasting, Heavenly Father. 

And yet, I know there were far more than that,
I just couldn't journal them all.

This past month, I made some journals as gifts.

I had paper.  I had ink in the printer.
I had the binding supplies.
I got busy.

 I had some coloring books I had downloaded.
Found a free journaling template to download.

I have been sharing the books with those that would like one.

They are the size of an 8.5x11 piece of paper.

I found the printable here

found this free printable here

These coloring pages are from here.

The book was available for free for a while. 
Now I think it is a 1.99

New Year!

Wow it is a new year!

Looking back over the last year, I find myself with a mixture of emotions. So much has changed.

A year ago, I was so afraid.  So heart broken.  I worked hard to hold onto my faith that God was good. And now...
I struggle with fear so much less.
It is still there... the unknown can be so scary.
But I am not in its grips like I was. 
I have learned a little bit more about what it means to trust in God. 
So much to learn. 
The kids and I are healing.
We are learning to have a voice. 
We are learning to stand up for ourselves. 
We are learning to be okay with rejection. Because rejection does not mean we have necessarily done anything wrong.  Sometimes it means we have done something right and are moving forward. 


There is so much to be excited for and to anticipate in this coming year. 
New friends. New experiences. 
New hope.
Happy Exciting New Year!

BECAUSE WE CARE... stones can comforting

My girl and I recently had an opportunity to learn how to make these rocks/gems of comfort.
It was a really neat learning opportunity for the both of us.  Even beyond the craft project itself.

Because We Care is an ministry aimed to provide comfort to those in the hospital facing really hard stuff.  Started by a nurse that faced human suffering bravely and yet was feeling the burden and heaviness of her job.  One particular day, the family of someone she had served gifted her with a stone.  A simple and yet beautiful gift, that would over time become a source of encouragement and courage to continue to do what she did well.  

Mail box freebies ~ Happy Suprises!

I love free samples!  

I love getting them in the mail. 

Often times I sign up for them and then forget. 

Which is perfect, because who doesn't love a perfectly wonderfully good suprise.

Especially in the mailbox.
Something delightful instead of bills. 

My children love it too. 

These created quite the stir. 

My coffee loving daughter was quick to let me know she knew how to convert

those k-cups into perfect cups of delicious-ness, 

since we don't own a keurig. 

The question I have is, 

will I get even a taste before they are gone?

My carmel loving son, just about melted when he saw the salted carmel flavor. 

Thank you Starbucks for the smile in our mailbox! 

New Year's in pictures!

My youngest made my bed. 

Supposedly, Ted was cold and wanted to be comfy. 

Oh, how I smiled when I walked in my room and saw this.

What I didn't take a picture of was that my "sleeping
 pillows were on the floor beside the bed...

to make room for Ted!

Late night of clue...

We were all so tired, we couldn't think straight or remember what was just said!

A few kids decided to make wild accusations all in attempt to end the game sooner

so we could start the movie!

Before the movie!  We broke out the glow sticks.

and noise makers.  We knew some would not make it to midnight.

So we celebrated loudly before settling in to watch.

ice cream and bubbly 

(sparkling juice!)

in fancy glasses

Then we watched Ant Man. 

I had no idea. 
I thought it would be an animated movie, something like Bug's Life.

Nope, Ant Man is a Marvel Super Hero!

Oh my, such a fun movie. 

So happy, the children picked.

Very good memories were made.

Christmas memory for the books...

Teenagers are a special breed. 

Humor. 

Creativity. 

Old enough to really do some stuff. 

Stuff that can be entertaining to boring old adults. 

They are also extremely hard to shop for sometimes. 

One particular teenager only wanted money and gift cards for Christmas. 

Ah gee... That is extremely fun to wrap says a mom.

  

Then a sister, decides it is very fun. 

With 5 kids and most too young to have jobs to earn money, 

I encouraged them to draw names many years ago.  

They have big hearts and want to shop for their siblings and this reduced some of the stress.  

So a certain sister drew her teenage older brother's name.  

Enlisted me to help, since she doesn't drive solo yet. 

The mission:  Collect as many gift card envelopes as possible. 

 Preferrably from girly stores. 

Since he wants gift cards or money, so be it. 

The next step... 15  ~ $1 bills.  

(The spending budget for the drawing was $15)

Each dollar tucked into an envelope.  

All of them in a gift bag.  

A few of the envelopes went missing.  

The best part was, 

he was with me the day I ran in and out of the doors to collect 

some of the envelopes! 

He drove me around and kept the car and the driver's seat warm for me!