Tuesday...

Just a reminder for those of you who would like to join BSF. There is an Orientation Class on Tuesday morning. If you want to go just email or Facebook me. Come study the Bible and grow in God's word with other women of Faith!! We are studying the book of John and the life of Christ. Hope you join us!

Elf

So the tree is up....now we kick off the season watching our favorite movie...ELF!! I Iove that movie! It makes me laugh so hard! And here is a cool thing...when my dad has his liver transplant we were sitting in the waiting room the day after...exhausted...emotionally drained...and this sweet family came around singing songs and handing out goodies. The 3 daughters (adults) were wearing Elf costumes. The interesting thing is...the costumes were ones that they wore in the movie Elf!!! They were so cool! Where was my camera??? Ok...not thinking at that point.
Anyway...we love to watch this movie. It is fun to laugh as a family!!!

Have a great one!

Cannot Be Shaken....

Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,"

That was my Facebook scripture for the day...something to be thankful for...our God can't be shaken!! Worshiping God with reverence and awe...Amen!

This week...

I just love this week every year. Tonight we kick off the week with our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner @ church...it's not your traditional night. They guys gather fun stuff about each other all year and have a good time making fun of each other and make us all laugh. It is a fun night and people get a glimpse into the life as a staff person at FCC in a way they never thought!

Another thing I love is the kids only have 2 days of school this week...which means I get time off also since I sub. By Wednesday my sister and her family will be here and I usually cook dinner on Wed. night so my mom's kitchen stays clean for Thursday! Which we only live 2 doors down from her...yep...nice! (most of the time..LOL...just kidding mom!! We love you!!)

On Thursday we will all go to my moms and stuff our face! My mom makes the best ever stuffing!! I could just have that and be happy!! I really do love Thanksgiving. Why? Because you just get together and have fun, visit and there is no pressure of giving gifts...just eating and being thankful for what God has blessed us with.

Thursday night we always go see a movie as a family. It's a nice way to end our day.

Then on Friday my nieces and I get early and go shopping and then have breakfast at Panera. We have done this for years and I look forward to it so much now! I have the best nieces ever...on both sides of our family. My sister's girls are getting older now and it is fun to watch them shop. They are 21 and 17! WOW!! We aren't serious about it, just enjoy the fun of it.

Friday afternoon we drag out all the Christmas Decorations and begin the process of hanging it all up! I love having the lights and decorations up. It feels so warm in the house.

Sat...well that is bedlam day....OSU vs. OU. So we sit down and enjoy leftovers and some football. GO POKES!!! So that is our week. I just love it. I love my family. I will show you picks of our day!

How about you? What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving? Any traditions you enjoy?

It's Cool...

as in cold...to have a fridge with water and ice in the door!! For 16 1/2 years Matt and I have had this fridge...and we were very thankful for it! Matt's mom and step dad got it for a wedding present!


Over the last year the ice machine quit working...or sometimes it would work on it's own...:) So we were cracking ice trays! Which I know in the big picture...yeah yeah...poor us! But I have always always wanted a fridge that had the ice and water in the door! There have been a few times I almost had Matt talked into one, but we try not to spend what we don't have! I felt God saying...not now...not yet...I have plans for you if you just be patient!! And...ours was working just fine so there really wasn't a reason to buy one! We try to be good stewards of our money and buying a new one when the old one was fine...well that's just not the way it works! What's funny is when my kids friends come over they ask...how do we get ice?? Or how do we get water? I guess they have never seen a fridge that doesn't have water and ice in the door! It always cracks me up when they ask me that!!!

Anyway, last week they moved Matt's grandma into a nursing home and they wondered if there was anything we wanted from the house. I said...how about the fridge? And they said YES!! So we packed up and went there last Sat. and came home with a trailer load! And ta daaa.....here is our new fridge! People...this fridge is like brand new!! It's amazing!! We are all so excited to get ice and water out of the door! It's so funny! It's so big inside! My kids love opening it up!

The best part...:)

God always surprises me with blessings. One thing Matt and I have learned over the years of our marriage is to tithe. Jesus talks about money more than anything in the bible. He knew it would be a struggle for us. He knew that we would love it and love the things that it could get us. I challenge any of you who are struggling with your finances to start tithing. I promise you will see the blessings...not only in your finances, but in your life. Being obedient with your finances is so important in your walk with Christ. Matt and I received some news about our finances this week that could only happen because of God. We didn't deserve it and we know that it was a blessing from God. We give Him the GLory!!

Just like the fridge...we didn't' earn it or deserve it...it was a gift. We are sooo thankful for!!! We appreciate the generosity of our family. We can't earn God's love...it's a gift...we just have to receive it and watch the blessings flow from Him.

Peanut Butter Pie

If you like peanut butter you will love this...this is a recipe from Haley (Moreland) Burton who comes from a long line of bakers! She brought it to a young couples luau we had...it's not low in fat...just yummy! I have had several people want this...No baking...:)

Peanut Butter Pie
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
Mix the 3 ingredients then fold in 1/2 tub of coolwhip (small to med size)
Put it in a graham cracker crust and top with melted hot fudge sauce, then put the rest of the cool whip on top and drizzle with peanut butter and hot fudge sauce(I put the pb and fudge sauce in and ziploc and cut a small whole in the corner).You can also try it in an oreo shell!

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Joyce!

Today is Matt's moms bday! God has truly blessed me with an amazing mother in law...(2 actually). From the beginning Joyce has always been so welcoming to me. She is one of the sweetest people I know and makes everyone feel so loved. She is a great example of a mother's love. She welcomed this sassy red head right into her family to marry he little boy. I think (and pray) about the day Jaden brings home his bride to be...I hope I am as friendly as Joyce was to me. She is so talented in making cakes! She made my wedding cake and that was a huge one! Every birthday she brings us a cake for our bdays and it is the BEST cake ever!!! She is a baker like me...but she is waaaay ahead of me on that! When I decorate a cake it looks like a 2 year old did it!! She treats us all the same and makes each of my kids feel so special. When we are there she and Paul...Matt's stepdad...play with our kids and spend time with them one on one. They let them destroy their house and just make them feel they are at their "Grandparents". My kids love going to Grandpa and Grandma Zs house. She goes the extra mile and does the little things that the kids love. They live in Stillwater so we don't get to see them as often as we like, but when we do...it is a very special time for us. SO Happy Birthday Joyce!!! THank you for being such a great Mom in law, grandma and mom!! We are soo blessed to have you in our lives!!
We love you!!