Happy Thanksgiving!

For us, Thanksgiving starts on Wednesday night. We gather with Andrew's mom and dad and brothers and sisters. That makes quite a few people since Andrew is the youngest of six all of whom are married, most of whom have children. :) Let me just go ahead and tell you, there is no such thing as a quiet WEAVER!! I love them though. I couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into. Anyways. We had a wonderful meal with a smoked turkey and a fried turkey and all the sides. Both were quite yummy. After our meal, we all sit around in a big circle and share what we are thankful for. This year we wrote on cards and then let someone else read what we wrote. I must say that I am quite proud of us. We made it through this year with no major tears. :) Even Kandace shared what she was thankful for. LOL - see picture below. We also celebrated several birthdays Wednesday night. Jill had her tree up so it almost felt like Christmas. We celebrated Kasie, Kaitlyn, Joy, Alex, Jill, and Sara's birthday. The entire night, the boys (my husband & nephews) were debating on whether or not they were going to camp out at Best Buy this year. This a huge tradition for them. While I was really hoping they wouldn't and I would actually get my hubby on Thanksgiving, I knew they would end up camping out. When we left, they still hadn't made up their minds.

Me and my sweetie


Kandace sharing what she is thankful for...


Jackson REALLY wanted to play with Kandace


Jackson and Uncle Andrew


Jackson and Aunt E

Now for Thanksgiving Day... I planned to leave my house early so that I could make it to my Mommom's house in time to learn how to make dumplings. Andrew was not into getting up early so I took off without him, just me, Liberty, and Liam. Yes I'll admit I was a tad-bit upset that he wasn't going with me. I really got my hopes up. Once I got there and started visiting with my family, my disappointment went away. I was determinded to enjoy time with my family. So I learned to make dumplings -can't wait to try that out - and visited with my fam. It was my Momma's birthday Wednesday, so I got to celebrate another birthday. We were sitting around waiting on the last few family members to arrive when my Daddy announced that Andrew was there. At first I thought he was just kidding me. I got up and went to the door and there was my hubby. So then I thought. How sweet - he stopped by to say hi on his way to his Grandma's. But no, my sweet husband was there to have Thanksgiving with me!!!! I had tears in my eyes. I was so touched. My family live a couple of hours away, so it isn't like he just drove across town for me. :) He said this way he gets to sleep in and I don't have to leave early when he is ready to go camp out. How great is he!!! I had like 5 bowls of dumplings too. YUMMM!!!!! Love them! Here are a few pictures of Thanksgiving Day.


Liam got an Old Navy hoodie to wear for Thanksgiving.


Me & Brooke


Happy Birthday Momma!


Me and Lib driving to Mommom's


Me with Luke, Livvy, and Sawyer. They love taking silly pics.


Me and my little bro, Seth


Seth and his sweet gf, Ashlee


Liam learning the way to Mommom's



Me and My Momma


My hubby getting ready for his night @ Best Buy

This morning I woke up a 5:00 for my Black Friday shopping. This year I was on my own. I went to Wal-Mart first. I only lasted five minutes in there. Those people are crazy! :) I headed to Target. I got there about 15 minutes before they opened so I jumped in line. As we made our way in the store, I felt like I was part of a cult or that I had been brainwashed. We all just quietly shuffled the way they told us too. Anyways, I was in and out of there with my purchase in about 30 minutes. After Target, I was off to Mardel's. I got lots of good deals there. Then I decided to head home. I was home maybe an hour and I was beginning to get antsy. I didn't want to disturb Tyler and Andrew as they were recovering from their night at Best Buy. So I got back out and went back to Wal-Mart. Thankfully it had settled down at this point. I then went to the mall where parking was crazy!!! Not only is it Black Friday, but there is a Razorback game in LR today and those fans were parking @ the mall. Once I finally got a spot, I did very well. I got lots of Christmas bought.

Now, I'm sitting here blogging waiting on my hubby to recover so that we can begin putting up our Christmas Tree!

One more blessing!

Had to add another blessing. I just one a give away on a blog. It a book about Sisters in Christ who scrapbook. I am so excited.



Thank you God, for sending me this small blessing today!

Count Your Blessings... Name them one by one

Okay, so it has been a very long and stressful day. One of those days when I just want to be alone and cry. I know that it is Satan working on me in what should be a time of Thanksgiving. So I am going to list some of my blessings in hope that my stressed heart will become a grateful one today.

1. I am a Child of God!!!
2. He is a forgiving God!!
3. I am married to one good lookin' God-lovin' man!
4. We have the great family anyone could ask for.
5. I am a member of a God-fearing church.
6. Although some days are trying I have a great job that I do enjoy.
7. I have awesome friends.
8. I have more materials needs than I need - a new home, car, computer, scrapbooking supplies, books, and so much more.
9. I have the two greatest dogs on the Earth. :)
10. I get to spend Thanksgiving with my family this week.
11. There are only two school days this week.
12. I've already made it through one. :)
13. I have met some awesome Sisters through this blog.
14. I live in a country where I am free to worship my God.
15. I am healthy.


Okay - I said just a few so I'll stop now. I could go on forever and I know that.

Thanks for reading.

In His Holy Name Challenge

I am really excited about this challenge which begins in 2009. It is hosted by Patter. This year she has been doing a Word a Week Challenge. She gives you a word to study in your Bible for a week and you scrap the word as well. I believe most people do this on something like an index card. Unfortunately I just discovered about a month ago. I felt like it was a little late to join. I've been hoping that she would start a new one in January. Well she plans to begin a challenge, but this time a little differently. It is called In His Holy Name. Every other week she will give us one of God's many names to study. We are really going to get to know our Heavenly Father in 2009. I am so excited. I get to learn more about God and grow closer to him as I scrapbook. It just doesn't get any better than that. I hope that you will check it out. Go ahead - you don't even have to wait for the new year. I also pray that you will take this challenge - even if you have never scrapped before. She shows you hers each week - so you can get an idea and run with it. It can be any size - as big or as small as you want it. She plans to make a 6x6 album and use it as a coffee talbe book. I like that idea and will probably do the same. Even if you don't think you can handle the scrapbooking part of it, check it out anyway. It is still a Bible Study.

This & That...

I've been meaning to blog for several days and just haven't. We've been very busy. But I know that if I don't blog now, I will only have that much more to blog with the holidays coming up.

Let me start back at Wednesday. Wednesday was Journey's Thanksgiving. We had around 80 people. Lots of good food! Below are a few pics of the evening.








Thursday night we saw Third Day! It was a great concert! Thanks to Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sandi for taking us. We really enjoyed it. Unfortunately too far back for my camera to get any pics. :)

Today - I worked out in the cold all day with my Student Council. We entered Channel 11's Stuff the Sleigh Contest. We are to decorate a POD and then fill it with toys. Today we decorated the POD, and now we can start collecting the toys. Below are a few before & after pics.

A Few Fun Pics

Sunday after church we ran in Target because I was determined to find a stocking for Liam Bailey. We were browsing the dollar section and found this cute but cheesy Christmas sweaters for dogs. We found one for Liam, but they didn't have one in Liberty's size. For only $2.50 how could we resist? Of course we put it on him as soon as we got home and to my suprise and delight he didn't mind it at all. Liberty doesn't like wearing clothes at all. She tries to eat them off of her. Liam however doesn't care one way or the other. Andrew took a pic of me & Liam in his new too small sweater. :)


Today on my way home, I stopped @ our Target to see if I could find him a size bigger. Unfortunately they didn't have the sweaters at all. But, I did find him & Liberty cute little coats with hoods. So I picked up a blue one for Liam and a pink one for Liberty. Liberty, however, has long legs and is not shaped well for doggy clothes - maybe that is why she doesn't like them. I couldn't even get the coat on her. I put Liam on him though, and he was just too cute. I love that I have a dog that will wear clothes. Poor little guy doesn't know that now his Mommy is going to be dressing him up all the time. :) Below is a couple of pics of him in his new pimpin' coat. LOL





I also wanted to put my tree up Sunday, but just couldn't talk Andrew into it. So tonight I dug out our stockings. I bought a stand for them awhile back at Kirkland Home so I put it together and hung up our stockings. Mine & Drew's have our names on them even though you can't tell in the picture. I bought Liberty & Liam a cheap dollar stocking today @ Target. We are all getting new ones next year because I want them to match, plus Andrew doesn't like ours.

An Awesome Worship Experience

Church was beyond amazing this morning. I could definitely feel God's presence in that building. We had 45 people this morning which makes singing to God even more awesome. I sit on the front row and it is so cool to here a crowd behind me singing.
Alex preached on how our God is mighty to save. And He is! Alex did a wonderful job. You could definitely see that he is a man that loves our Lord. We sang several good songs, but after the sermon we sang Mighty to Save by Hillsong and Wow! People were definitely praising God. I could barely sing because I was too busy grinning from ear to ear about how awesome it is that our God is mighty to save. For most of the song, I just stood there smiling with tears rolling down my cheeks. I just can't describe how awesome it was!! I'm including the words to Mighty to Save. Even you know the song, stop and read these lyrics and I mean really read them and think about what you are reading.

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
A kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations
Savior
He can move the mountains
My God is Mighty to save
He is Mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything i believe in
Now i surrender
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus