the week, the work, and the women who give up

the week was pretty fantabulous

even though it started off with a loss

a 49er loss to the Giants                                         

we were smiling because we got to                      

wear our fan-girl outfits                               

sadly us three girls had no idea                          

what was going on unless one                                     

of the guys moaned in football-loss-agony   

                   

but by Tuesday we managed to pick 

ourselves up and meet a friend in downtown

but not just any friend, an old co-worker friend,

an awesome friend, a pick-up-right-where-you

left-off kind of friend, a BAKER friend

and to top it all off, it was a gorgeous day

 the last week two weeks have been devoted to                               

working through Habakkuk                                             

Hab-a-kkuk                                               

Ha-bak-kuk,                                                  

its still up for debate                                                

 but in all seriousness, have you ever studied it?                           

I hadn't, and I wish i wouldn't have waited so long                 

its so good, so rich with truth on                                           

 God's holiness                                                 

God's goodness                                                

 God's patience                                                       

God's justice                                                      

 God's sovereignty                                                  

and of course THE GOSPEL                                    

are you in need of a dose of those truths?                     

read it, study it, and pray the last two verses                

you'll be glad you did   

                                                

while I studied Habakkuk

 Aidan studied the letter L

L-for-Ladybug, in case you were interested

     And it was ladybug everything

 ladybug cutting, ladybug writing,

ladybug crafting, ladybug matching

 in fact i wouldn't mind if i never looked

at another ladybug again

thankfully I won't see one this week

 because we're now on the letter M

   and I'm really excited

   because in our curriculum

    the theme for M is M&Ms!

  its taken apples, butterflies, caterpillars,

   dinosaurs, elephants, fish, gumballs, hippos,

 inchworms, Jesus, kites, and ladybugs to finally

    get to CHOCOLATE!

And i'm totally thankful for chocolate

but even before that

I'm thankful that my friend got to bring her baby boy home from the hospital on Friday

I'm thankful that our dear friends made it to Scotland safely to 

begin the work the Lord's called them to
 I'm thankful for the pastries our friend treated us to when he spotted us in the store on Saturday

I'm thankful for the babysitter God provided to watch my girls at bible study 

 I'm thankful for the gift we were given so we could have dinner out as a family last night

and I'm thankful for the women who give up

I was thinking about my sister-in-law who is now a military wife

who's really excited to see her husband today return from some training

which got me thinking about another military wife friend of mine

who had to say goodbye to her husband last week when he was deployed

and i'm so grateful for the men and women who give up their lives

but this week I found myself REALLY grateful for the 

women who give up their husbands

and the men who give up their wives 

so they can give up for us

Thank You

i'm actually reading

So far so good, 2012

Chilly wind, but beautiful weather makes for good park days

which we are taking full advantage of

but i'm pretty sure these girls are too cool to be my children

a hipster on the left and a fashionista on the right

 

thankfully they haven't figured that out yet, so they still let us hang with them

Even let us have the pleasure of their company for lunch at Little Lucca

where I totally stuffed my face

Aidan ordered some Doritos, which she then asked to put in the freezer

because apparently, that's where junk food goes

Thank you Berenstain Bears

This year I'm finding myself obsessed with two things

this

and this

 

shocked? so was I.

not about Downton Abbey, I've always been a sucker for the Brits

Brit anything...music, movies, accents, fashion...the only thing they haven't won me on is the food

but i'm getting there

no, I was shocked about the book

I'm no reader

even Harry Potter, which I love, i didn't read

I listened to it, 

but this...i'm reading...I'm reading a lot

In fact I'm done
started last Saturday, and five days later...
DONE

amazed? maybe not
its probably routine for most people
but for me, no
I've been working on the same book for over a year now
want to know what chapter i'm on?
two

so be amazed

 And after you're done being amazed

Go buy it
because its THAT GOOD

and then make some of this

New England Clam Chowder

and for dessert

this...

Almond Cake

courtesy of KeepingUpWithTheJohnsons

or cake pops like these

             

and then sit yourself by the fire
(because its now pouring or snowing outside for must of us in the U.S.)

and get obsessed

New Year's Resolution:

Write Thank You cards

Progress:

0%

Days left until its been so long that its just too embarrassing to even pass them out:

5

I better get to work

so long 2011, and a big welcome to 2012

I think every family handles Christmas a little differently

For me, Christmas morning begins very early

I've always been like this

I was the kid who was up at the crack of dawn ready to open gifts,
or in most cases, ready to leave for the airport
(we traveled standby a lot, and if you travel standby you know exactly why we flew that morning)

even now...the idea of Christmas day gets me excited and i'm up super early

before the kids

way before the kids

this year it was 5:30 am

crazy?

I think not. I was so thankful that the Lord woke me up way before anyone else

I got to spend some time in prayer thanking Him for His Son, my blessed Redeemer, without the interruption of someone asking me to make them breakfast and turn on Elmo.
Sorry, am I complaining?

I got to make breakfast for my family, while humming
O Holy Night and We Three Kings.
 Which gradually turned to singing.
Kind of loud singing actually.

And then everyone woke up to the smell of bacon
and coffee
and we were all ready for 

present opening...

church going...

cupcake decorating...

And baked brie (Kim's Baked Brie) eating...
BY ME...
literally...
all by myself

And it was a good day.

And shortly after Christmas we packed some bags and flew down to 

San Diego to visit the grandparents for a little R&R.

Aidan got welcomed with some new Vans.

Jason turned into a hipster

And I got reunited with Ethel
my car from highschool

Overall it was an amazing time with family and encouragement, and some great BBQ.

And then it was over,
as quickly as it started

And I really miss them

And that was the ending to our year.

But God is good, and this is a new year
that He has provided for
new challenges,
new lessons,
new decisions,
new mercies,
new acts of love,
new growth.
And I'm ready.
Seriously, I don't say that lightly.

so a great big welcome to 2012!
I know its like 10 days late...but welcome anyway!

And my new years resolution...

Thank you cards...which I shall begin today.