Sweet Nothings

Happy New Year and the new leader of Worship and Praise Sunday!

2010-01-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year ladies! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years celebration!

I just wanted to let you know that Jen from Following my Footsteps will be taking over Worship and Praise Sunday! Please go visit her if you don't already "know" her! She has a wonderful blog. I'm excited that she wants to keep it going and I hope you all continue to participate as well. Its so awesome how we can use music to worship and praise our God!

In another note, we had a wonderful Christmas visiting my family in California but it always feels good to be home! I have a few more days off before going back to work on Monday and back to school as well! Like I said in my previous post, I will continue to try and visit your blogs! You all bring me so much inspiration!

Here's to wonderful, happy, and healthy New Year for all of you!
May you all be blessed in 2010!

Life.

2009-12-16T22:40:00.000-08:00

I'm writing to you all this evening to let you know of change.

As some of you may know, I'm trying to balance working a full-time job, completing my degree online, spending time with my husband, church, family, friends and blogging. I've realized that with completing my schooling on top of working full-time, my time for blogging is almost non-existent.

I've really enjoyed blogging but coming back after the summer, has been difficult for me. So, until further notice, I won't be posting any more. I know that I will continue to read your blogs and comment when I can. However, I just can't make blogging a priority.

I'm learning the importance of finding balance in my life and it is important to me, that I get my priorities and responsibilities in order. I will miss hearing from the friends I have made throughout the blog world. Hopefully those connections will not be lost!

I would like someone to keep Worship and Praise Sunday going. So, if you would like to take on that job, please let me know and I will pick someone randomly to host it at their blog. It has been wonderful having that time each Sunday to reflect on the Lord through song. I've truly enjoyed learning new songs from you all, who have participated! So again, let me know if you want to participate and I will do one final post, announcing the host.

I hope to one day return to blogging but at this point, I'm just going to let God lead me in the direction that He has for me.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas! May it be a joyous time spent with your families and friends!

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

Worship and Praise Sunday - What Child is This?

2009-12-12T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "What Child is This?" performed by Mercy Me

*please pause music in my sidebar before playing video*

This song brings back a lot of memories for me as a child. My extended family would walk throughout the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, and this was one of my favorites! It was such a fun, peaceful time for me to sing with my family. Sometimes I wish I could bring back those days as an innocent child.

I pray you are blessed today!

We have been experiencing freezing rain the last day or so. It can be pretty scary out on the roads so we're driving very carefully!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting this week. Please be praying as I try to juggle my work, school, home, social life! God has miraculously given me strength and time for each but unfortunately the blogging has been the last on my list!

This next week, I hope to post about our Christmas decorations!

Have a blessed week!

Worship and Praise Sunday - I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

2009-12-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "I heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Casting Crowns

*please pause music in my sidebar before playing video*

In the spirit of the Christmas season, I'll be sharing Christmas songs for the next few weeks.

I absolutely love this song by Casting Crowns. As you have probably seen/heard it's the first song on my music playlist!

It really helps me to remember what Christmas is all about. As we all go about our days these next few weeks. I pray we have the heart of the Lord and share it with everyone we come in contact with. How amazing it is that God sent his only Son to bring peace on Earth.

I hope you're enjoying this wonderful season!

Beer Cheese Soup with Kielbasa Skewers

2009-12-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to this Christmas season! Our house is decorated, the lights are up and tree is beautiful! I love the fresh pine smell throughout our house! I will post pictures soon!

A dear friend gave me this delicious recipe and I thought I would share it with you!

Beer-Cheese Soup

Serves about 8

1 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup finely minced celery
1/2 cup minced carrot
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 bottle German lager
3 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Tabasco (or more if you’re super crazy like me)
1 cup whole milk
1 lb grated sharp cheddar
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher or sea salt & pepper to taste
Cook the onion, celery, and carrot in butter in a large pot over low heat until the veggies are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, paprika, and mustard. Increase the heat a bit and cook the flour taste out for about a minute or so. Add the beer and simmer it all until it thickens up. Add the broth, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, stirring constantly. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer another 5 minutes.
Add the milk, Cheddar and cream cheese, stirring constantly until the soup is smooth. It’s very important that you don’t let the soup boil after adding the milk and cheese or it may curdle. Stir in your parsley, taste it and then season it all up with salt and pepper.

Kielbasa Skewers

2 packages kielbasa sausage (turkey or beef...they are both great!)

1 loaf or baguette Italian bread (I chose roasted garlic)
wooden skewers

Slice sausages into 1/2inch pieces and cook as directed on package. Slice bread it up into cubes and toast in oven at 350 degrees F until lightly browned. Then, alternate sausage and bread on skewers. Serve with soup. They are wonderful for dipping into the soup!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Closer to Love

2009-11-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing the lyrics to "Closer to Love" by Mat Kearney

She got the call today
One out of the gray
And when the smoke cleared
It took her breath away
She said she didn't believe
It could happen to me
I guess we're all one phone call
from our knees
We're gonna get there soon

If every building falls
And all the stars fade
We'll still be singing this song
The one they can't take away
I'm gonna get there soon
She's gonna be there too
Cryin' in her room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Meet me once again
Down off Lake Michigan
Where we could feel the storm blowin
Down with the wind
And don't apologize
For all the tears you've cried
You've been way too strong now for all your life

I'm gonna get there soon
You're gonna be there too
Cryin' in your room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Cause you are all that I've waited for
All of my life
(We're gonna get there)
You are all that I've waited for
All of my life

You pull me closer to love hu huuh
Closer to love hu huuuh
Pull me closer to love
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love oh no
Closer to love

Closer to love

Pull me closer to love

I love this song because it reminds me that whenever we go through trials or hardships, God is always there pulling us closer to Him. I was talking about this yesterday with a family member who just had a miscarriage. She said that even though it is difficult and has brought about pain, it's brought her closer to the Lord and she's thankful for that. God works in ways we cannot imagine but how awesome that He brings us closer to Him in these trials.

Have a blessed day!

Our Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We spent this year with Mackenzie's family, due to my family living in two other completely different states. Its just easier to stay here. We had a good time but I definitely miss Thanksgiving with my family. I realized and told Mackenzie that since I moved to Oregon, over 5 years ago, I haven't been able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. It's weird but its never really hit me until this year. We talked about trying to visit either my Dad or Mom next Thanksgiving.

We are however, going to spend Christmas with my Dad and the rest of my family in California which will be wonderful! I can't wait!

Anyway, on to this year's Thanksgiving. We had a great time!

We celebrated and feasted at Mackenzie's aunt's house. This was the place near "Happy Lane" that I posted about yesterday. Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain and we were unable to get a picture underneath the "Happy Lane" sign.

Here's Sharon and I! And I can't believe I'm posting this picture below but it's the result of my husband just snapping the camera before we were ready. I cracked up when I saw the look on my face!

How does this happen? Sharon looks fine but I don't know what's going on with me! It gave us a great laugh!

Finally, here's a picture of the 4 brothers. I'll tell ya, it was like pulling teeth to try to get them to scoot closer together to take one, just one picture!! They look great though!

Today, my husband is planning to hang our Christmas lights and I'm going to start decorating! We may even get a tree!

Have a blessed day!

Give Thanks

2009-11-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I pray you have a wonderful time celebrating this day to be thankful! Whether it be with family or friends, lets try to remember what we are thankful for and give thanks to the Lord!

This picture is from Thanksgiving, two years ago. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Mackenzie's aunts who lives near "Happy Lane" we were (are!) so happy together and thought it was a perfect way to show it! We'll be spending Thanksgiving at the same place this year! (Maybe we'll take another picture?)

A few things I'm thankful for:

My salvation and the grace and mercy the Lord Jesus shows me every day
My loving husband, the love he shows me, and the way he makes me laugh every day
My wonderful loving, family
My amazing friends (both blogging and non-blogging!)

What is one thing you are thankful for today?

Have a blessed day!

Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot!

2009-11-24T22:32:00.000-08:00

The weekend my hubby started showing symptoms of the flu, I decided to make a delicious homemade chicken noodle soup. Growing up we always made it on the stove but this time, I decided to try it in the crock pot. It actually turned out pretty well, with some minor adjustments for next time!

Here's what you will need:

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste, depending on saltiness of broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 leek or small onion chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram or basil
1 bay leaf
6 ounces noodles

How it's prepared:

Place all ingredients except noodles in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. (Or HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours) Remove chicken and bay leaf from pot; take meat from bones, dice, and return to broth, and add the noodles. Cook another hour or until noodles are done (about 1/2 hour on high). Or, cook the noodles separately and add them just before serving.

Here are my suggestions for next time....don't just choose any noodle! The ones I chose grew to be too big and consumed most of the broth! Just stick with your standard noodle or something small! Rice could also be given a try!

Also, you may notice that there are no carrots in our soup. I left them out because Mackenzie does not like cooked carrots. Oh well. :)

Hope you enjoy it!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Overwhelmed

2009-11-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! So sorry that I'm late on posting this. We went to a wedding last night and I completely forgot. You'd think I would be better at scheduling the posts! Here it is anyway! Thanks for participating!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing the lyrics to "Overwhelmed" by Tom Dickson

I was unable to find a good video for this song so I'm just sharing the lyrics. This song has been on my heart all week. I wish you could hear the way it sounds. Its beautiful!

Overwhelmed; I am nothing, yet You bid me; Come to You, o Lord Almighty; As I come I'm overwhelmed with You.; Humbly now I break the silence; As I'm weeping in Your presence; I'm so wretched, overwhelmed with You.
: Your blood of redemption; Is covering my shame (echo); Your voice that shakes the heavens; Is whispering my name (echo); As You catch my tears with Your nail-scarred hand; I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed with You.; I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed with You.
: I am nothing, yet You bid me; Come to You, o Lord Almighty.


Have a blessed week!

Worship and Praise Sunday - All I Need is You

2009-11-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "All I Need is You" by Hillsong United

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

If you've been participating in Worship and Praise Sundays for awhile, by now you probably know I'm a fan of Hillsong. Their music is truly worshipful.

I like this song because it reminds us that in a world full of so much stuff, all we need is God!

I hope you are all comforted by His love today!

On a side note, I wanted to thank all of you who have been praying for my husband and I this week. He is doing so much better! It's amazing how much the flu can knock a person out. I was fortunate to not ever become sick this week and I'm assuming I won't get it from him because I probably would have shown symptoms by now. So, praise God for your prayers and His healing!

Sick Husband

2009-11-10T19:04:00.001-08:00

So...I took Mackenzie to urgent care last night, as he was showing all the signs of the flu. He started coughing on Friday night. Turned into more coughing, chills, body aches, dizziness, fever, watery eyes, nausea and by Sunday his temp was at 101.9. The doc said he's got all the signs of H1N1 and told him to stay home for the rest of the week. He's a pretty healthy guy overall, rarely gets sick. So, it's sad to see him like this. Please say a prayer for him, if you can! I'm a little worried about getting it but, I'm at the point where I've already been exposed. So now, it's just waiting to see what happens.

In the mean time, I made a yummy chicken soup, which I'll share the recipe with you later and we'll be taking lots of vitamins!

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week. I'm going to take the rest of the week off from blogging to take care of my husband and to catch up on school work! I'll try to come by and visit you all and I'll be back for Worship and Praise Sunday!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Sufficient

2009-11-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "Sufficient" by Adie, who is Jeremy Camp's wife.

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

This song brings me so much joy. "When I am weak, your strength is complete." How awesome is that? God's love is completely sufficient enough for us! I wish I felt that way every day. Those words are so encouraging to me, especially when going through a dry spot in my walk.

I hope you all are encouraged and blessed today!

Thank you!

2009-11-05T19:41:00.000-08:00

Ladies, thank you so much for all of the encouragement and support you gave me on my last post! It was so comforting to know that I'm not the only one going through a dry spot or who has gone through a dry spot in their walk. In the back of my mind, I knew I wasn't the only one, but it helps to hear it!

God is truly working my life. I've been able to meet with him almost every day this week! Praise Him! Also, I've notice He's helped me at my job. I have a job that can be extremely emotionally tiring and frustrating. He's helped me to have a calmness at work and also has helped me to "leave work at work"! How awesome!

I also wanted to share with you about a concert that my husband and I recently put on. Over a year ago, my husband and I created an electronic-style worship CD.I wrote a post about it that you can read, here. Some of the songs were remixes of contemporary worship songs. The others, were ones that we wrote together. My husband does the amazing work with all the instrumentals and some vocals and I do the main vocals. Since we got married last October, we haven't been able to play much. This past summer, we played at a youth event and at the end of October, we played a concert at our church with another band.

I've got to say, Mackenzie and I work ourselves up for every event! We do a lot of practicing before the event, but we are always nervous! Once the show is over, we have so much energy and want to do it again! Its funny how things work that way. We truly enjoy playing music together. Especially music that praises God. Its just hard, in our busy schedules, to find time to play!

Anyway, here are a few pictures from our concert that Sharon took.

If you would like to hear snippets of our music, we're on itunes. Our band is called Voice to Spirit (the idea behind this is our "voices" are singing praises to God)and our CD title is "Songs for a Broken City."

Here we are before the concert

Mackenzie's Grandpa Leonard, myself, Mackenzie, and Mackenzie's brother Hayden.

Grandpa Leonard, myself, Sharon, Mackenzie!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Reflecting a Proverbs 31 Wife...

2009-11-01T23:35:00.000-08:00

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will greatly be praised." Proverbs 31:30

I was talking with my mother-in-law, Sharon about being a Proverbs 31 wife last night. We talked about what a woman who reflects the woman in Proverbs 31 is. It was both encouraging and inspiring to me, to spend time talking about that. I thought I'd share today a bit about being a Proverbs 31 wife and mother (one day!)

We've all seen women who reflect a Proverbs 31 wife and those who don't. I know that as newlywed, I look up to those women who have been married for years. I'm interested in their lives and want to learn from them.

I've made many mistakes, already, in my first year of marriage. I'm sure I will continue to make mistakes and learn to grow from them. But I want to make it a purpose in my life to learn to be like that woman. In this first year, I've seen how difficult it can be to find a balance between spending time alone with the Lord, school, work, and giving time to my husband.

To be quite honest, spending time with the Lord has been the most difficult for me. I know that its because I haven't been purposed to spending time with Him. I've put the Lord on the bottom of my list and I know that it isn't right. I've gotten wrapped up in so many other things. I've been convicted lately about this but just keep putting it off. It's so frustrating to me that I've not been consistent in my time with God. I know, that to reflect God's love to others, I need to be spending time in prayer and reading God's word. I have devotionals, I have so many tools to help me. It's just getting there, for some reason.

I'm just asking that you pray for me this week. I'm going to purpose to spend time with God every day and if you could offer any encouragement, I would gladly accept it. Have any of you been in this dry place before?

Worship and Praise Sunday - How He Loves Us

2009-11-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back to Worship and Praise Sunday!
I'm so glad to have this going again! I love that we can share our love for Jesus through song and worship to Him!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

* Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
* Share a bit about what the song means to you.
* Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
* Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
* Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
* Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
* Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "How He Loves " preformed by David Crowder Band. Written by John McMillan

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

I first heard this song around Easter. We sung it in the choir for Easter. It is such a powerful song reminding us just how much God LOVE us! For me, its so easy to get wrapped up in my life and how busy it can be. I forget that God loves me and desires that I meet with Him. He wants me to feel his love.

If you're going through a trial right now, try to remember that God loves you! So much!

I'm Finally Back....Or Trying to Be!

2009-10-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies!

I bet you're completely surprised by this post! I know, I know it's been such a long time and I am so sorry that I've been horrible at keeping in touch with you all. I do miss blogging and all of you ladies! You're wonderful!

So let me fill you in on all the craziness that has been going on.
First, my computer is FINALLY fixed! My husband and I have no idea what happened. Somehow, the main start-up/boot file disappeared and that prevented me from getting anywhere on my computer. Mackenzie worked so hard to try and fix it for me. It even got to the point where I had given up and came to the realization that I was going to loose ALL of my pictures. I was disappointed but had become at ease with this knowing, at least my wedding pictures and other important ones had been backed up.

So, Mackenzie said he was going to completely reinstall everything on my computer. He did ONE last check and guess what? He by a complete fluke, was able to save every one of my pictures!! Praise God! He does great things! I know it seems small, but pictures are so important to me....so many memories! I am so thankful to God and to my husband for all the work he did!

On to the next problem that has made it difficult to blog....
I work full-time as a Behavioral Support Specialist to kids who have behavioral/emotional disorders. I love my job but it is so exhausting! By the time I get home, I just want to relax. However, I am going to back to school to finish my Bachelor's degree. It is an all online program, which takes a lot of focus on my part. In addition to work and school, I'm trying to fit in time to spend with my husband, family, friends, and working on music! AGH!

I really enjoy blogging and I want to be back and consistent with my posts and visiting all of you! I've spent a lot of time, months even, thinking about what I should do. I've decided that I want to continue blogging!

Please be patient with me as I try to figure out a schedule that works. I'm planning on posting just a few days a week and visiting all of you as much as I can!

Here are a few pictures from our 1 year anniversary, this month! We spent the night at the coast and it was wonderful! I'll do another "update" post soon...with more pictures!

Thank you, Ladies, for your wonderful friendship and support!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today is such a special day to thank the men in our lives who have been with some of us from the beginning. Being a father is such an important and challenging job. I know my dad and Mackenzie's dad worked so hard for their families. To keep them warm, safe, and loved.

Since I'm using Mackenzie's computer, the pictures I have of my dad and I are limited. However, I really do love this picture of my dad and I.

Dad, I want to say thank you so much for everything you've done for me and now for Mackenzie and I. You've done and given more than enough for our family over the years, and I am so blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for your love. Dad, you are loved not by just your family but by your friends as well. You have integrity and a giving heart. I hope you know that you are so important to me and I wish I could be close to you today, to celebrate YOU! I am however, so excited that we will see you in a few weeks! I hope you know how cherished you are to us. Love you!

Eric, you have been a wonderful, loving father to Mackenzie and have raised him up into the amazing man that he is today and I am so thankful for that! Recently, you have been a great father-in-law to me and I thank you for helping me to feel welcomed into the family! I hope you have a wonderful Father's Day today!

I hope the rest of you enjoy your day with your Fathers, if you get a chance to do so!

Worship and Praise Sunday - The Motions

2009-06-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

* Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
* Share a bit about what the song means to you.
* Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
* Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
* Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
* Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
* Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "The Motions" by Matthew West
**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

This song has really hit me hard lately. The first time I heard it on the radio it challenged me to stop "going through the motions" of life. I feel like it is so easy to fall into the business of life that encompasses us. It's so easy to fall away and be distracted from Christ. I find that if I try and keep my mind focused on the Lord throughout the day, it helps to keep me from just going through the motions.

I pray you are encouraged and blessed today! I'm really hoping to get my computer fixed, but I've got to say that it has been nice taking a break. Not necessarily from blogging but from the computer. It can definitely be a distraction for me. I do miss sharing with you all, though!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Make a Joyful Noise

2009-06-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

The computer problems continue...or my lack of time in being able to get it to the store to get it fixed! I've been really busy this week planning a baby shower for my best friend. I'm so excited for the party. Baby Silas is growing so handsomely! I'll have to share pictures when I can. Anyhow...

WELCOME TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE SUNDAY!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "Make a Joyful Noise" by David Crowder Band

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

Make a joyful noise to the Lord
All the earth
Make a joyful noise to the Lord
All the earth [2x]

The flowers of the field
Are cry'n to be heard
The trees of the forest
Are singing
And all of the mountains
With one voice
Are joining the chorus of this world

And I will not be silent
I will not be quiet anymore [2x]

Running through the forest
Dive into the lake
Bare feet on beaches white
Standing in the canyon
Painted hills around
The wind against my skin
Every ocean
Every sea
Every river
Every stream
Every mountain
Every tree
Every blade of grass will sing

I've been doing an independent study class about Worshiping God. It has been so beneficial and I've really learned a lot. This lesson was about Making a Joyful Noise to the Lord and of course, this song came into my mind. It is such a powerful, worshipful song to me. I love the part where it says, "I will not be silent and I will not be quiet anymore."

May you be blessed today!

Worship and Praise Sunday -

2009-06-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

A quick note...I'm still having computer problems. However, my sweet husband is letting me use his to get this post up today. :)

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "Unfailing Love" by Chris Tomlin

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

God's love is truly unfailing. Its so hard to imagine at times but He never stops loving us. No matter what. How amazing is that? Thank you Lord for the love and grace you show me.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! I'm hoping to get my computer fixed next week. We'll see how it goes!

I pray you are blessed today!

Computer Problems...

2009-05-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm going to have to take a break due to my computer driving me crazy! My husband and I are pretty sure it has a virus...he's done everything he can to help but is not able to solve the problem. I normally set my computer on sleep but one night I turned it off completely. Unfortunately, I'm not able to get it past the welcome screen. I'll be taking it in this week to try and figure out what the problem is. Please pray that it doesn't cost too much! :)

My sweet husband is allowing me to use his computer when he's not, but I won't be blogging. I'll be by your blogs as much as I can and still plan to do Worship and Praise Sunday this week.

Also, I'm sorry about Mr Linky this week. I'm not sure what's going on with it but there were problems last week as well. I'll try and look into that!

Hope you all have a blessed week!

Worship and Praise Sunday - You Have Redeemed My Soul

2009-05-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "You Have Redeemed My Soul" by Don Chaffer

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

This video is a tutorial on how to play "You Have Redeemed My Soul" if you just listen to the tutorial for a few minutes, they'll sing the song for you. The song starts at 1:46

You have redeemed my soul
From the pit of emptiness
You have redeemed my soul
From death
You have redeemed my soul
From the pit of emptiness
You have redeemed my soul
From death

I was a hungry child
A dried up river
I was a burned out forest
And no one could do anything for me
But You put food in my body
Water in my dry bed
And to my blackened branches,
You brought the springtime
Green of a new life
And nothing is impossible
For You

We introduced this song to our church last Sunday. It is so simple but the words are very powerful to me. Praise God for He has redeemed our souls! "Nothing is impossible for You."

Have a blessed day!

My Hubby's Favorite Cookie

2009-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal Raisin has always been one of my husband's favorite cookies. So, I decided to make them for him. He likes his cookies soft and chewy, so I went on my mission to find the softest cookie recipe.

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com, I think I found a good one!

In a large bowl, cream together until smooth, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Slowly turn the flour mixture into the wet mixture.

Then, stir in 1 cup raisins and 3 cups rolled or old-fashioned oats.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on to ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 9-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes before transferring to baking sheets. Enjoy!

Yum! They turned out soft and chewy. Best of all, they got my husbands stamp of approval!

Seeds to Herbs Part 1

2009-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I received a special gift in the mail from my Mom.

This sweet little herb garden kit! I was so excited! I hope to have a large garden when we buy a stick built home and I possibly may get to have a small garden at the home we are living in now. This herb kit will get me started in the right direction.

The kit comes with 8 different herbs. Basil, parsley, chives, cilantro, oregano, dill, thyme, and sage. It also comes with a wooden labeling stick for each herb, a chart that shows what food each herb goes well with and another charting stating some facts about gardening with the herbs - sunlight, etc.

Here are the seeds up close.

I went and bought a rectangular pot, six smaller pots, and potting soil. I planted the seeds and watered them! Now, it's just time to wait. I hope I did everything right. If you have any tips, I'd be willing to hear!!
I love cooking with fresh herbs. So I'm anxious to see how these seeds will do. I'm planning on doing a "part 2" of this to show you when the herbs have grown or are growing! :)

Have a blessed day!

Memorial Day Memories

2009-05-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend! Ours was fairly busy but we had some time to relax when we joined Mackenzie's parents and brothers for camping Sunday night to Monday.

We left after we did worship at church...here we are excited to get to the campsite. One of the most amazing things about Oregon is that camping is a short drive away and you have many options to choose from. We drove about an hour or so to our campground.

When we arrived, Mackenzie's grandparents Jim and Alice were at the campsite for the day. Alice and Sharon were in the camper, Jim and Eric were out fishing and the other guys were just having a good time relaxing or carving things out of wood.

It was so nice to just take time to sit by the campfire and catch up.

Even Bailey (Eric and Sharon's dog) came along for the fun. Grayson set up this really neat dog run from one tree to another, so she wasn't just stuck in one spot. I think she really enjoyed being able to move around more.

Sharon and Eric...they looked so sweet holding hands that I wanted to capture the moment...however when asked to hold hands again, Eric felt like having a bit of fun! hmm I wonder where my husband gets his comedian-style from?

Eric later took Alice, Sharon, and I around the lake for a short ride.

Here's Jim and Mackenzie watching us off. My husband cracks me up! He makes me laugh just about every day. It's so fun!

The weather was so ideal for camping. It was so beautiful. Sunny, warm, and not very much wind. We went to this same location about 2 years ago and the weather was much colder.

Here's Sharon enjoying the boat ride.

I love this man!

Grayson and Grandma Alice.

Hayden caring some wet pine. He carved a neat totem pole. I wish I got a picture of it!

Sharon and I...I was having a little too much fun. I wish the trip went longer!

Grayson working with the fire and Hayden carving his totem pole.

Grayson and Mackenzie having a great time together.

Here is our cozy little sleeping arrangement. Since we were only spending one night at the campsite, we decided to put the seats down in the back of Mackenzie's 4Runner, lay down a cozy mattress pad and spend the night in there! It actually wasn't too bad! Mackenzie was a little cramped due to his height but we both felt that it was pretty comfortable all in all.

Well, there you have it! A short but fun camping trip! I can't wait to go on more this summer. We plan to go on a 3 day long river float with Mackenzie's family this summer as well. I just love all this time we get to be outside and enjoy God's beautiful pictures that He paints for us!

Have a blessed day!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Grace

2009-05-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "Grace" by Phil Wickham

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

Phil Wickham is one of my favorite artists. I love how he gives a great picture of the grace that God gives us and how we can't survive with out Him. God's grace has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm so thankful for the grace and mercy He gives to us. I don't know what I'd do without it!

I pray you are blessed today! Hope you're enjoying your Memorial Day weekend!

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

2009-05-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'll be making cupcakes for my friend's baby shower coming up in a few weeks, and I wanted to do a trial batch. For the shower, I'm going to do three different cupcakes some sort of chocolate, lemon poppy seed, and a vanilla.

Here's s a recipe I put together from other recipes to make these chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting!

For the cupcakes:

1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup boiling water
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

Dissolve cocoa in water; let stand until cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well. Add cocoa mixture; beat well.
Pour into lined or greased cupcake cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Of course, you need to let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Then, if you'd like to use frosting tips, just spoon the frosting into the bags or "frosting machine". I can't remember the exact name, haha! I found it best to start frosting from the inside out in a spiral-like motion! After I frosted the cupcakes, I crushed some Oreos and sprinkled them on top! I think it really helped the presentation of the cupcake! I hope you try this recipe, you can get really creative with cupcakes. I had fun making them!

Have a blessed day!

Worship and Praise Sunday -

2009-05-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what the song means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "There Will Be a Day" by Jeremy Camp

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

(Chorus)
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more
fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more,
we'll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we'll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long
You feel you’re walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you’ve walked out all alone

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering

(Chorus)

I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will
wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery
this is why this is why I sing

There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more
fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more,
we'll see Jesus face to face
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more
fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more,
we'll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day, he will wipe away the tears,
He will wipe away the tears,
He will wipe away the tears,
There will be a day.

I love this song it gives so much hope in a world where there is so much pain and sadness. There will be a day!

Have a blessed day!

Time for a Change!

2009-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've been growing out my hair since before my wedding and have really been wanting a fresh start! I hear this is what many newly married women do...it must be a right of passage or something. So, I planned for a hair appointment on Tuesday afternoon.

I took a picture Tuesday morning to show you the "before"...

...And this is the "after"!
I had been wanting to do an a-line hairstyle for awhile now and felt that now was the time! My hairstylist also darkened it. I think the cut is perfect for spring and summer!

This picture is darker but it shows more of the a-line style. I really love it! I'm thinking I prefer the straightened look over the curly (I'll have to show you it curly later) but we'll see! What do you think?

Have a blessed day!

Baby Silas

2009-05-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures! I'm sorry I'm late in getting around to posting these...I said I would get them posted by Wednesday but I failed in that! :( I'm trying to get used to this new work schedule, taking an independent study class (can you say procrastination? haha), trying to be a good wife, and keep the house clean. Oh yeah and have somewhat of a social life! I know it can be done! I'm just trying to get organized with it all!

Anyway, presenting Baby Silas!

I love this picture of the sweet family.
He was born on Sunday (Mother's Day)! Baby, Momma and Daddy are all doing so well! Due to the c-section, Alisha is still in the recovery process but she's making so much great progress and got to go home with Silas on Wednesday! I've been trying to see them as much as I can!

Here's Erick with his mom coming out to tell us all "It's a Boy!" He was beaming with joy!

Getting swaddled and ready to hold, 6 pounds 5 ounces.

Here's Grandma getting to know her new grandson.

The happy family! Can you believe how much hair he has? So cute! Hope you all have a great day! I'm planning on visiting them after work today...gotta get my baby fix!

Pay it Forward Challenge - WINNERS! and...a Baby Update!

2009-05-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

ANNOUNCING: THE WINNERS!

1. Carol at Carol's Heirloom Collection
2. Molly at Hope for the Hopeless
3. Charee at Held in His Hands

Congratulations Ladies! Remember to host the Pay it Forward Challenge on your blog as well! Also, remember that I have 365 days to send you your gift! Although I'll try not to procrastinate too much! Please email me your mailing addresses at brittany.sweetnothings@gmail.com!

Also my sweet friend Alisha gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy, Silas, Sunday afternoon at 3:38pm! He had to be delivered via c-section due to his umbilical cord being wrapped around his shoulder...with each contraction, his oxygen count was going down. They got him out and he was just perfect! Baby, Momma and Dad are doing great! Mom is tired and sore but she is glowing! I will share pictures tomorrow!

Have a blessed day!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

***Please scroll down for the Worship and Praise Sunday post***

Happy Mother's day to all you wonderful mothers out there! I hope you have a day full of relaxation! You deserve it!

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful mom. Our relationship has grown so much over these last few years. We've always been close but I just love to see it change and get even better! Thank you so much Mom for everything you've done. You've been my number one supporter for so many years and I am so blessed to call you my mom! I love you so much and wish we could be with each other today!

Here are a few pictures of us together over the years...

Isn't she so cute? I love this picture!

This was taken just last summer when she came out
for one of my bridal showers.

I'm also blessed to have Sharon as a wonderful mother-in-love! Happy Mother's day Sharon! I hope you feel so special today! You are an amazing mom and have done a great job with your 4 boys! Thank you so much for treating me like a daughter! Love you!

Here is Sharon with Mackenzie on the right (of course he's the goof ball!) and Cameron on the left.

Mackenzie and Mom on Christmas Eve.

I also wanted to wish a Happy Mother's Day to my sister Sarina who has been such a great mother to Alyssa and Michael. I hope you have a wonderful day, Sis! I love you!

Also, a quick update on my best friend who was induced yesterday. Unfortunately, the potossin wasn't helping the labor progress as much as they would have hoped. She was only 1.5 centimeters dilated as of 4pm and they started the potossin at 6am. They took her off of it at 4 and decided they would start it again at 6:00 am this morning. I'll keep you all updated! Maybe she'll be a mother today! Perfect for Mother's day!

Have a wonderful day ladies!

Worship and Praise Sunday - Be Near

2009-05-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "Be Near" by Shane and Shane

**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

You are all
big and small
beautiful
and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but i'm asking to taste...

for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

Your fullness is mine
revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...

for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You

be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good

I love this song and it's simpleness. Be near, oh God. That's all we need!

Have a blessed day today! Happy Mother's day to all you mothers out there!

A New Life!

2009-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

My best friend is being induced this afternoon! I'll be going to the hospital at noon today to wait for the precious life to come into this world! I'm so excited!

Alisha called me yesterday evening to tell me that she was being induced today due to minor preeclampsia. The doctor's didn't want to risk anything, and since her original due date is May 19th, everything should be just fine. Please keep Alisha and her little one in your prayers today! She decided to wait to find out the sex of the baby until he/she was born so I'll let you know that tomorrow! The names they have decided on are Jovi if it's a girl and Silas if it's a boy!

Have a blessed day!

Twice Baked Potatoes for 2

2009-05-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to share this delicious recipe with you! It can be a little time consuming due to the amount of time it takes to bake a potato but it is well worth the wait and the work! My husband and I really enjoy them.

Here are the potatoes after they've already been baked. First, bake 2 medium baking potatoes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour or until they are tender. When they are cool enough to handle, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard (or munch on it if you want a snack! haha) Scoop out the pulp, leaving a thin shell.

In a small bowl, mash the pulp with 2 tablespoons butter.

Stir in 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon minced chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a dash of pepper, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese.

Spoon the mixture into the potato shells and sprinkle top with cheese. Place on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy! Remember that the amounts I used in this recipe serves 2, feel free to change it as your number of people increase!

Have a blessed day!

Celebration!

2009-05-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

I got the job!! Praise God! Thank you so much to all of you who kept me in your thoughts and prayers on Tuesday. I found out this morning that they chose me for the position! Thank you thank you thank you, Lord!

The interview went really well on Tuesday. I was really nervous but was in prayer all day with God. I knew in my heart and trusted that if this position wasn't right for me, the Lord had another direction for me. I was ready for either option. I am really glad though that I get to further my career with this organization!

So as of today, my new title is Behavioral Support Specialist. In this position, I will be able to spend more one on one time with the children we work with and focus on helping them build stronger social skills. I will also be doing some home visits and get a chance to work more closely with their families. I'll be working longer hours but this new position really does help Mackenzie and I out financially.

I hope you all are having a wonderful week! I'm on my way over to check out your blogs now. Tomorrow, I'll be sharing a recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes!

Pay It Forward

2009-05-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, my friend Andrea at My Chihuahua Bites hosted a Pay It Forward challenge on her blog. The idea behind this challenge is that you will “pay it forward” by sending three homemade gifts to other bloggers. They, in turn, agree to host the challenge on their blogs and “pay it forward” to at least three other bloggers. The cycle continues and the love is spread throughout the blogosphere. The only kicker? You have 365 days to send your package.

Andrea chose me to be a part of her Pay it Forward challenge! So now I, in turn, am hosting a Pay It Forward challenge on my blog. Here’s how it works: if you would like to participate, comment on this post. I’ll draw three names and will send you something handmade. Remember, I have 365 days to send it to you, so don’t hold your breath waiting on my package to arrive.

You Could Get:
Homemade Candles
Stamped Tile Coasters
Homemade Cookies
Cookie Mix in a Jar
or even something else!

Don’t forget that if you are chosen, you are agreeing to host the challenge on your blog and reciprocate to three other bloggers. Don’t enter if you aren’t willing to do that step. I’ll announce the winners next week.

On a quick side note - I have an interview for a better position with my work today. Please keep me in your prayers. This would really help Mackenzie and I out financially! Thanks so much! Have a blessed day!

The Pasta of Memories

2009-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Your probably wondering why I titled this post the way I did today.

Well, today I want to share with you a dish that fills my mind with memories of my mom cooking in the kitchen, of our one on one talks and special times together.

As you can probably guess, my mom made this dish while I was growing up. Particularly when I was in high school. Unfortunately my parents divorced when I was in 8th grade. Through this trying event, God brought great blessings into my life. Blessings of which, I didn't necessarily see at the time. Ones that I cherish now.

My mom and I grew closer in the midst of the trial. We cooked new dishes together and had many wonderful conversations. The biggest blessing in my high school years was my Mom accepting Christ into her life. It brings tears to my eyes as I'm writing this! Praise You God!

Anyway, on to the dish. I named this Pasta of Memories because we didn't have a name for it when I made it for my husband. He actually helped me come up with the name. It seemed to fit perfectly as a reminder of the wonderful times my mom and I spent together. It's very close to a Pasta Primavera.

Here's the pasta completed.

We simply cook the chicken in oil and garlic. One the chicken is cooked, remove from the pan and chop into bite size pieces. Using the oil and garlic, saute tomatoes, zucchini, fresh chopped basil and olives. Turn heat to low and let the vegetables simmer in their juices for about 5-6 minutes. While sauteing the veggies, boil your favorite pasta.

After sauteing the vegetables on low, place the chicken back into the pan with the vegetables. Pour over cooked pasta and grate some fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese and mix it into the dish. Enjoy!

Tomorrow I plan on sharing about that Crafty challenge I mentioned on Sunday!

Have a blessed day!

Worship and Praise Sunday - High Above

2009-05-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "High Above" written by Phil Wickham
**Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening to the video**

Your mercy falls like the rain
Your powers displayed in your wild ocean
Your presence will always remain
Jesus Your love reaches to the heavens
You are God, high above the earth

        Angels sing  for you,      
mountains melt at the sound of Your name
      Oceans roar for You,      
all of creation gives You praise
For You are God high above the earth

Jesus Your all that I need
Here is my life come and take it from me
Jesus you make me complete
With You at my side I can know no boundaries
You are God High above the earth

My husband and I remixed this song on our CD. See my Voice To Spirit post for more information on how to listen to it. This has been one of my favorite praise songs for a few years now. Phil Wickham makes such beautiful music. My favorite part of the song is where it says "Angels sing for You, Mountains melt at the sound of Your name. Oceans roar for You. All of creation gives you praise." That paints such a beautiful picture in my mind. Oceans roar, mountains melt. Praise You Lord!

On a side note, I'm sure many of you have noticed I took a break from blogging this week. I feel like the time has just flown right past me. Each week feels busier and busier. But, I'll be back with new posts on Monday. I've got a neat Crafty Type Giveaway/Challenge for you to join in on if you wish as well as an award to accept (Thanks Leah!), and a few recipes to share as well!

Have a blessed day!!

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-04-26T08:02:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I'm sorry I'm so late in getting this post up! I've had a really busy couple of days and didn't even spend anytime blogging yesterday!

Better late then never, I guess!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I am sharing All I Need is You by Hillsong

Left my fear by the side of the road
Hear You speak
Won't let go
Fall to my knees as I lift my hands to pray

Got every reason to be here again
Father's love that draws me in
And all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is you Lord

One more day and it's not the same
Your spirit calls my heart to sing
Drawn to the voice of my Saviour once again
Where would my soul be without Your Son
Gave His life to save the earth
Rest in the thought that You're watching over me

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is You Lord

You hold the universe
You hold everyone on earth
You hold the universe
You hold
You hold

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is You Lord

I love this song. My favorite verses are of course "All I need is You" and also "You hold the universe, You hold everyone on earth."

I hope you are blessed by this song today. There's been so much going on in my life lately. A lot of change. Changes within our church and worship team. I've realized in this time, that change is hard. Especially when you are directly involved in it. I spent two and a half hours praying and seeking the Lord yesterday about what Worship is and what my place is in the worship team. I'm realizing even more and more that all we need is God. He's everything. He's our strength, our love. When praying and seeking God yesterday, He pointed me to these answers on what Worship is and I wanted to share them with you.

Worship is calling upon the name of the Lord.
Worship is praising God for all He does.
Worship is loving God with everything you've got.
Worship is proclaiming God's holiness.
Worship is proclaiming to God "All I need is You."
Worship is allowing God to enter into our hearts.
Worship is more than a song.
Worship is making a joyful noise to the Lord! Rejoicing for all He has done.
Worship is not about us but about God.

I hope you have a wonderful day praising God for all He has done. May you be blessed today!

An Award and a Giveaway!

2009-04-23T21:19:00.001-07:00

My friend Tanya at Miller Racing Family surprised me with this award! Thanks so much Tanya!

It is the Attitude/Gratitude award for showing a grateful attitude within my posts.

The rules are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs that show an attitude of gratitude

3. Link to your nominees within your post

4.Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award

5.Share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award.

I'm passing this award onto:

Molly at Shamrock Fields
Beki at PamperingBeki
Jessica at I Got This!
Mary Anne at Marigold Manor
Sarah at Work In Progress
Rebekah at Beautiful Days
Charee at Held in His Hands
Momma at All This Is True
Faye at Just Something Nanna Made
Megan at Infertile Myrtle

In Other News...

Please go visit Tanya and congratulate her on her 100th post!

In honor of her post, she is hosting a giveaway! It is a red Bake N' Take cupcake holder! Go visit her blog here to read more!

Late Easter Celebration

2009-04-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Mackenzie and I went over to his aunt and uncle's (Sharon's side) to celebrate Easter. They asked to celebrate a week late due to the fact that a boy their daughter Whitney is seeing/courting, was in town for a visit. They wanted us all to meet him. He was such a sweet guy and seemed perfect for Whitney.

We really enjoy spending time with Mackenzie's Mom's side of the family. They are such wonderful, caring, God-loving people. We've been really blessed by all of them and I've had such a great time getting to know them all better.

Here is some of the group (mainly the kids) getting ready to go on the Easter egg hunt. It was fun hiding the eggs in unsuspecting places!

Filling their plates with delicious food!

Later we took a walk down to a near by, public, football field to watch some of the guys play.

My husband decided to ride a bike next to us while we were walking. He started doing a bunch of funny tricks.

He makes me laugh!
This is a quality that I really love about him and I know that he will always keep me laughing.

The three sisters, Sharon, Kathi, and Kelli.

We saw these 3 VW Bugs lined up on our way down and I just had to take a picture. I love how vintage and rusty looking they are. It's my husbands dream to fix one up someday.

Do you remeber the bike picture from my post on Monday? This was the day I rode with him. He told me he would give me a ride on his handle bars. I was a little apprehensive at first but had fun once I got on! I'd never actually ridden on handle bars before!

And finally, as I was talking with Sharon, Kathi, and Mackenzie, I noticed our shadows and though it would make a neat picture!

Have a blessed day!

Voice to Spirit

2009-04-20T16:59:00.001-07:00

Hi all! Can I just say that the weather has been beautiful here? I absolutely love the sun, being from Southern California. However, where I live in Oregon now, we don't get too much of it. So, I like to take advantage of it when it is here!

Yesterday afternoon I went for a nice walk and decided to bring my camera along with me. Here are some of the pictures I took. Unfortunately, I didn't plan right and my camera battery died right in the middle of my walk.

I loved how the sun was shining through this tree.

In other news, the reason for the title of this post...many of you have asked about the cd that my husband and I put together. It's been almost a year now since we released it. Our group is called Voice to Spirit and the title of the cd is "Songs for a Broken City". It is a Christian Electronic-Style Worship CD. We covered/remixed 6 contemporary worship songs and wrote 9 of our own. 2 of the ones we wrote are co-written by both Mackenzie and myself. The rest are Mackenzie's own work, a few of them are instrumental.

We held a release party with about 30 of our friends and family members last June. Our intentions have been to do more events but due to our recent marriage and wedding last October keeping us really busy, we weren't able to schedule any concerts. Our hope is to travel to churches and youth groups to share our music. We'd also like to create a new cd in the future. Music has always been a passion of both Mackenzie and mine. We're fortunate enough to play in the worship team at our church.

Anyway, my loving husband gave me the code to paste the link to preview our music on Itunes. You may have to download itunes if you don't already have it on your computer. Once you get to our page, you can double-click on the song title and listen to a sample of our music. I'm sorry it's not the whole songs, but at least you can get a preview! I hope you are blessed! Here's the link:

Songs for a
Broken City
Voice To Spirit

Genre: Electronic Worship
(P) 2008 S.I. Productions

I'm sorry the link and spacing are so big! My husband is working on making it smaller but for now, this will do! Once it is smaller, I will place a link in my sidebar.

Have a blessed day!

Six Months!!

2009-04-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, Mackenzie and I celebrated our
6 month anniversary! Yay!

We decided to celebrate by going out to a nice dinner, to one of our favorite restaurants and seeing a movie.

It has been so gorgeous here lately and we really wanted to sit outside at the restaurant. However, the wait for outside seating was really long and we wanted to be able to get to our movie on time. We did however have a window seat that looked right out on the river. So beautiful.

I'm sorry this picture of us is so blurry! It's the only one I have of us at the restaurant. We asked the waiter to take it and he quickly walked away...oh well! Can you tell that there is a beautiful view in the background?

Have a wonderful Monday and enjoy the sunny weather, if you have it!

He Knows My Name

2009-04-18T20:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.
Grab the button on my sidebar and paste it in your post. It will also link back to my page.

Today I am sharing "He Knows My Name" written by Tommy Walker

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call

This song was really powerful for me when I was dealing with my parent's divorce in high school. The words "He see's each tear that falls and hears me when I call" were so important to me. They reminded me that God was always there to comfort me and He would never leave my side.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Afloat

2009-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Thank you so much for all of your comments on our cabinet! They were so encouraging!

Today I wanted to share the first official music video for some friends of ours.

They are Caleb and Sol and their song is called "Afloat". They are twin brothers who have recently released their first album. Their mission is to spread the Gospel through music. They've been traveling around to local churches sharing their music. They charged nothing for their CDs at first. They just wanted to get their music out there. I think it's so awesome that they were able to do that.

Caleb and his wife Betsy used to be a part of our worship team at church. They are such a wonderful couple with an amazing heart for the Lord. I pray that God leads Caleb and his brother Sol and accomplishes His work in them. As a side note, the guitar player and violinist are also friends of ours and they agreed to help record and play in Caleb and Sol's album for free. Such an awesome ministry this group is doing! I hope you are blessed by this song as much as I am!

You can also visit their website at www.calebandsol.com to learn more about them!

Completion!

2009-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share the pictures of our finished cabinet to you! I feel like it adds a very special touch to our home! I'm not sure if what I have displayed in the cabinet is going to stay that way, but I like how it looks for now. I really like how the white pieces stand out against the red. What do you think?

Here's a view of it with our orchid picture and set table. We were having our friends over for dinner. I made chicken tortilla soup, yum! I'll share the recipe soon! Notice that the sconce is a little close to the cabinet. I'm planning on moving that.

And finally, the view when you walk through the front door. We decided to paint an accent wall the same red color. I think it really ties everything in very nicely.

Thank you so much for all your advice on the colors. Now, I'm thinking about getting something to place on top of the cabinet. What do you think? A sign, a vase? Any ideas? Do you think it would be better to just leave it empty up there? Just so you know, I do not like clutter or too many things in one spot. So, lets keep it simple!

Have a blessed day!

Easter Appetizers

2009-04-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's post, I told you I would talk about the appetizers I brought to our family's Easter celebration! So, here you are!

First I made a spinach dip. This has always been a favorite in my family and I thought it would be nice to introduce it to my husband's family. The nice part about this recipe is that it is so easy! No cooking required. Plus the presentation in the bread bowl gives it 2 thumbs up! FYI, this is a different type of spinach dip than the Artichoke/Parmesan Spinach dip found at many restaurants. Both are very good.

You use the Knorr Vegetable Soup mix in this recipe. If you haven't used the Knorr soups in recipes yet, you'll have to try it! They have all kinds of wonderful recipes at their website.

Here's the recipe for the Knorr Spinach Dip:

1 package frozen, chopped spinach, drained and squeezed dry.
1 package Knorr's vegetable soup mix.
1 16oz container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 green onions minced (optional)
1 small can water chestnuts (optional...I left these out)

Mix the sour cream and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Pour in the soup mix, spinach, green onions (optional), and water chestnuts (optional). Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Mix before serving.

For the bread bowl, just buy a round loaf of bread and cut out the center leaving a bottom layer. Cut the cutout bread into squares. Serve with bread or vegetables. Enjoy!

I also made deviled eggs (sorry you can't see too many left in this picture) and a really simple salsa over cream cheese. Everything was so tasty!

Mackenzie's family also asked me to bring rolls. I cheated on this one. I just bought the frozen ones and let them rise for a few hours in these muffin pans.

Voila! Here they are all done!

Hope you enjoy! Have a blessed day!

Family Time

2009-04-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter, celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior!

We had a busy, but wonderful weekend!

Saturday started off with a 3 hour long worship practice for Sunday's services. Then Sharon, came and visited our place to see what new things we've done and added to it. Later, Sharon and I made a quick stop to the nearest thrift shops to try and find some treasures. That evening, I prepared 3 appetizers and rolls for Sunday. I'll share those appetizers later this week.

Sunday, we led worship for both services at church and then drove about an hour to Mackenzie's Aunt and Uncle's. We spent it with his Dad's side this year. I do miss my family as I haven't seen them since the wedding but, because they live in California and North Dakota, it's not as easy to just pop on over and spend time with them. We spend a lot of time on the phone. :) But, I am so excited because we'll be going to North Dakota this summer to see my mom and California for Christmas to see my Dad and Sister!

Here are some pictures of our time with Mackenzie's family.

Here's Sharon and I at the start of the party. Isn't her new blouse so cute? I think blue and green look so good on her!

Mackenzie's Grandma Alice and cousin Monique.

Some of the guys catching up.

The hosts, Stacey and Jim! They were so nice to open their home to us!

(Sorry the picture is so dark!)

And here we are!

I have a few questions for you all out there, what did you do for Easter and is your family near or far?

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-04-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Grab the button on my right sidebar, if you'd like! I'm still working on getting you the code for it!

Today I am sharing "Sweetly Broken" by Jeremy Riddle.

***Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words, so lost in love,
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled

Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is Your faithfulness

I thought this song goes perfectly with Easter. Thank you God for sending your one and only Son to die for us! We worship a gracious God!

My favorite verses are "For on it my Savior. Both bruised and crushed. Showed that God is Love. And God is Just." and "You've called me out of death. You've called me into life. And I was under your wrath. Now through the cross I'm reconciled."

May you all have a blessed day celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

By His Wounds We are Healed

2009-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

May you all have a blessed Easter. Praise God for sending His one and only Son to die for us.

Check out this giveaway!

2009-04-10T17:22:00.001-07:00

My blogging friend Jen over at Tatertots and Jello is hosting a giveaway to celebrate her
200th post!

She made some really cute decoupage crafts to giveaway. A barn star and 3 picture frames. Go to her blog here to check it out! Leave her a sweet comment as well!

2009-04-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

My blogging friend Jen over at Following the Footsteps
has tagged me to participate in this great blog meme, called Only Eight!! So here we go, my list of EIGHT!!

8 Things I am Looking Forward to:

Finishing the remodeling/landscaping of our house!
Seeing my family (Mom and step-dad in summer/Dad, Step-Mom, Sister at Christmas)
WARM Weather
Finishing School
Traveling more
Improving my skills on the guitar
Camping with my hubby this Summer!
Becoming a Mom!

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

Went to work
Turned in my application to the Bible College
Talked with my sweet mother on the phone
Made dinner with my husband!
Ate delicious frozen yogurt!
Checked up on the blogs!
Cleaned the house
Hung curtains

8 Things I Wish I Could do:

Be closer to my family
Play the guitar...WELL!
Be a mom (All in God's time though! :) )
Travel more
Not procrastinate about working out and getting shape!
Be more crafty/creative
Get up earlier
Become a Behavioral Support Specialist at my job (I'm up for a promotion!)

8 Shows I Enjoy:

House Hunters
Jon and Kate Plus 8
Friends
ER
Myth Busters
Flip that House
Any Discovery Health show
Food Network Shows

8 people I tag:

Thanks again Jen! Have fun ladies! Let me know if you end up doing the meme!

And because I like to have a picture in each post, here's one of Mackenzie and I at his parent's for our weekly/bi-weekly Sunday Dinner and a Movie!

Progress...

2009-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

We're almost done with our corner cabinet!

My husband spent time on Sunday fixing up the cabinet, sanding, and priming it for paint. While he was doing this, I painted one of the walls in our house red. I love how it turned out and will share it when I share the final pictures of our cabinet!
Monday, Mackenzie put two layers of the red paint on the cabinet for me and then I painted the last layer and worked on the doors. Above is a picture of the finished cabinet...just needs the doors.

Do you see that paint dripping on the glass? That was the result of a very bad decision we made. You see, Monday afternoon was very sunny and allowed us to complete the cabinet with out any problems of drying. However, when I went to paint the doors, it had cooled down and they did not dry as quickly. We made the decision to leave them out overnight because it wasn't supposed to rain. However, we didn't consider the dew. Because the doors weren't dried all the way, the wet dew caused the paint to drip down the doors.

Today, I had to sand the doors down and completely repaint them. Do not leave your freshly painted furniture outside, overnight!

Lessons learned, I guess.

We'll be waiting about a week before we put anything in the cabinet so that the paint can fully cure. After that I will share with you our finished cabinet!

Have a blessed day!

Life

2009-04-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Good morning Ladies!
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I'm so excited because we've had some beautiful weather these last 2 days and today is supposed to be even warmer! I love this time of year! Mackenzie and I used our new BBQ for the first time yesterday! I prepared the hamburgers and he grilled them. They were so good. I just love that smell of the charcoal burning.

I'm going to be a bit serious today on a topic that I feel very strongly about.

I wanted to share with you this video I saw on another blogger's page. It's of a young girl speaking out on the issue of abortion. Please take a few minutes to listen to this powerful statement.

I was in awe over how well she covered this issue.

Please take a few minutes to pray today for women who may be considering abortion. I've never been in a position of any of those women but I can imagine that having an unplanned pregnancy can be a scary thing. But to me, that doesn't change the fact that aborting a baby is taking away a life. I cannot stress enough the fact that responsibility begins at conception. The woman most likely has a choice before conception. However, the child does not.

I want you to know though, that it is not my place to judge. I know someone very dear to me who has had an abortion and there's no judgment here. I just want to share my feelings on this issue.

There was an amazing project going on to send Red Envelopes to the President. This project ended on March 31st. The Red Envelopes were supposed to be sent empty, with this written on the back:

Over 1,600,000 envelopes were sent. Praise God.
I hope that this project can make an impact on our government.

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-04-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I am sharing "In Christ Alone" written by Stuart Townsend. This version is performed by Avalon.
***Please pause the music in my sidebar before listening.

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

As Easter is drawing nearer, this song comes to mind. It is so powerful to me. My favorite verses are "In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground" and "No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand; till He returns or calls me home- here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand."

Have a blessed Sunday!

Thank You!

2009-04-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your help!

You ladies are awesome! I got so many wonderful ideas from you!

After much consideration, we decided that we are going to go with a deep red. I'm really excited about it and feel that it will really give us that splash of color that we've been wanting more of in our house! I can't wait to get started!

Here are two examples of red cabinets that I found on the web:

And, do you remember this picture?

This is to the right of our cabinet and we're going to match the red paint to this color. The picture doesn't show it in it's best but I know it will look great!

Thank you again for all your help! I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to get back to all of you yet but I will try to tonight!

I need your help!

2009-04-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sending out an S.O.S. to you today!

Recently, I've asked my husband to build me a corner hutch/shelf for our kitchen and dining area. I wanted it to add more storage and to display our nice dishes, etc.

He was planning on building the shelf, until he actually found one at a local furniture recycling place in town. All it needs is a little TLC.

The nice thing about it is that the area is pretty small, but the hutch fit perfectly in the corner. We'll just have to raise the curtain rod a bit.

Here's where you come in...I have no idea what color to paint it!

First I thought black, and then my hubby reminded me that we already have a lot of black furniture in our house. Our dining table is black. Then I thought, well, maybe white. We have a lot of white though because our kitchen cabinets are white.

So, should I stick with black or white? Should I paint it the same color as the wall so it looks built in? Should I paint it a different color? I've never stained anything before, but should I stain it a darker color?

All I know, is that I want to change the hardware on it and paint/stain it another color than it is right now. So please, send me your suggestions! (And please forgive the messy table and tile in the boxes...we're in the process of remodeling our bathroom)

Thanks so much ladies, I really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Easy Appetizer

2009-03-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

We had friends over last Friday night and of course this was the only picture I took! I'm so bad about taking pictures sometimes. I served Pesto Pasta with Chicken, they brought a salad, and we had this amazing bread and vinegar/olive oil for dipping.

I love this appetizer because it is so simple, yet so good! It's served at many Italian restaurants in our area. You can use any kind of rustic or artisan bread. I bought a Kalamata Olive bread from a wonderful little bakery nearby. For dipping, you simply pour 2 parts olive oil in a bowl or on a plate and 1 part balsamic vinegar. You figure out what you like best and adjust it accordingly! I added a tsp of chopped garlic and a little salt and pepper to taste. Yum! It really makes a great presentation as well.

I hope you have a wonderful day today! After work, I'm going to catch up on laundry and work on an autobiographical essay that I need to submit with an application to a local bible college, that I'll be starting at in the fall to complete my bachelor's degree. They have a great program for working adults. I'm actually really excited to start the program and finally finish my degree.

Have a blessed day!

Happy Monday!

2009-03-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Actually, it's not so happy because my spring break has ended. :( That's ok though. Can I just tell you that I can't wait to be a Stay at Home Mom? We're not planning on having children any time soon because we want to spend a few years with just the two of us. I've gotta say though, It's always been a passion of mine to be a wife and mother. I'm content with where we are now and love having the freedom to travel or just pick up and leave for the weekend but am also so excited for the day when we have children and I get the chance to stay home with them, God willing.

Anyway, today I want to share about my sweet best friend Alisha and helping her set up her nursery for her sweet baby's arrival in May.

Above is Alisha, she's got about 8 weeks left! They have decided to let the gender of the baby be a surprise to them on the delivery day. I can't wait to find out what it is! I'm sure they're even more excited to find out! It's such a special thing for them to wait but I've told Alisha, that I would not be able to! I'd want to find out as soon as I could! That's just me though! :)

When I went to help her set up the nursery, there actually wasn't much to do.
We hung a mirror and a tapestry on the wall, and then we actually helped her in their sunroom, cleaning and putting up lights.

Above is a quilt that Alisha's grandmother made for the baby. Since they aren't finding out the sex of the baby, she and her husband decided to go with an Indian Elephant theme. Full of bright colors that would work for either a boy or a girl. It is so cute and really reflects on the style of Alisha and her husband, Erick. They ran in to a bit of a problem though trying to find baby bedding that had Indian Elephants. So, she found fabric and asked her grandma, who is an excellent sewer, to make one. I think it turned out beautifully.

Here is the tapestry we hung, which matches the quilt.

I am SO excited for Alisha and Erick! I can't wait to meet their sweet baby and spend time with him or her!

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-03-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have had a wonderful week!
It is my goal to come visit each of you today and tomorrow. I have such a nice, relaxing spring break and am a bit sad that I have to go back to work on Monday. Oh well!

I was able to get a lot done this week but also was able to spend some time lounging on the couch! It was so wonderful!

An overview of my week:
Sunday, I went to IKEA with some of my girlfriends. I got a cute end table for our living room and some other small things.

Monday, I was able to help my best friend set up her nursery to prepare for her baby's arrival in May.

Tuesday was laundry and cleaning around the house. Also, Mackenzie and I went and bought two area rugs for our living room and dining area. It really helps the house feel more cozy.

Wednesday, Mackenzie and I both had the day off and we spent half the day in bookstores and other cute shops around town. That evening I went to a friends house for a "Twilight" party. We watched the movie and had dinner. It wasn't my favorite but fun to be with friends.

Thursday, I spend the day with a former mentor of mine and her kids. She is the photographer friend of mine and we took some more pictures. This time, they were outdoors. Fun!
Friday, I got some errands done and was able to clean and vacuum my car.

My husband worked on our guest bathroom this week. He hung a new mirror and I added some decorative details to it. I loved the way it turned out. We are still planning on tiling it within the next couple months.

I will share pictures of this past week in future posts. Now on to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

This week I am sharing Our Great God by Fernando Ortega. This version has both Fernando Ortega and Mac Powell.

Eternal God, unchanging, mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love unfailing, in grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around Your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night in praise to You alone

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!
Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God!

Lord, we are weak and frail, helpless in the storm
Surround us with Your angels, hold us in Your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm
Rise up, oh Lord, and he will flee before our Sovereign God

Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird
Let every mountain, every field and valley of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe
Sing praises to the living God, who rules them by His word

This song is a favorite of both Mackenzie and I. The words are powerful and moving. I hope you enjoy it and are blessed by it.

Spring Break

2009-03-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

Hey there!
I hope spring has sprung in your area. I'm still waiting for the sun to shine consistently here! I'm tired of the rain!

I guess I just need to be patient. :)

Anyway, it's spring break in our area, which, because I work in a school-based program, I have a week off! Woo hoo!

I've decided that I'm going to take a week off of blogging as well. I've been slacking in spending time in the Word with the Lord so that will be my focus this week. Also, I would like to do some outdoorsy (sp?) things with my husband as the weather permits, and today I'll be helping my best friend set up her baby room! I'm so excited!

So, I'm sorry to leave all you ladies for the week but I will do my best to stop by your blogs as much as I can. I will be back on Sunday (Saturday Evening) for Worship and Praise Sunday! Thank you so much to those of you have participated in this. It is such a blessing hearing all the music for the Lord and learning new songs as well!

I pray you'll be blessed this week and please pray that I can get focused and set up a plan that works for me to spend time with God, each day.

2009-03-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

I'm sharing From the Inside Out by Hillsong United.

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
In my heart, in my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Chorus 2x
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out Lord, my soul cries out

My favorite verses: A thousand times I've failed, still your mercy remains. And, Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades.

Have a blessed day today!

I'll be busy helping my friend prepare for her baby today. We're going to do some shopping for the nursery. So, I'll be sure to visit all of your posts as soon as I can, hopefully later tonight!

My Love

2009-03-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Can I tell you a little bit about my sweet, hard-working husband?

We've been married only 5 months but I've seen so much growth and strength in my husband. I'm blessed to have him and couldn't imagine life without him!

First, my husband is so handy and and very much a hard worker:

The above pictures are of Mackenzie and his brother Cameron in the process of fixing up our first home. We bought a manufactured home to start building our equity and boy was this house a can of worms! It took a lot of hard work. My husband with the help of me, his parents, and brothers did all of this work. It saved us a lot of money to do it ourselves (himself!) than to pay for someone else to do it. Some of the things that needed to be done: ripping up smelly carpet, replacing two walls due to dry rot, replacing a floor due to dry rot, DEEP cleaning, new doors, trim, culk, paint...etc. We still need to tile the bathrooms and work on the exterior of the house (painting and landscaping). But, I owe it all to my hard working husband! You are amazing honey! (By the way, I will try to do a post soon on the remodel of our house...I've been holding off on that but will soon!)

Second, my husband is so sweet and romantic to me:

He leaves me little love notes like these. I found this little note on my computer screen when I came home from work one day.

He brings me home flowers like these.

These sweet gifts like the note and flowers don't happen everyday but they make me feel so happy and loved. I feel loved everyday by him but when he takes the time to write me a little note, it means the world to me to know that he was thinking of me!

Third, he makes me laugh:

Fourth, He loves the Lord more than he loves me and that is so important to me:

Recently he's been doing some research and truth seeking. It has been so awesome to see him become stronger in the Word and in his relationship with God. In addition to his individual time with the Lord, he's involved in two separate bible studies. He amazes me.

Ok, so that was more than just a little bit about my husband, but I just couldn't resist!

I love you my favorite and I'm so blessed to call you my husband! Thank you for giving me so much love.

I want to encourage you ladies to pray for your husbands if you haven't started already. It's so important not only for them but for your relationship. I stumbled across 31 days of prayer for your husband that another blogger had linked to. You can find it here.

Have a blessed weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

It's Wordless Wednesday! Hosted by Dixie at French Lique. Visit her blog for more wordless Wednesday posts!

Today's theme is Dance!

Have a blessed day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to wear green today!

We made "Leprechaun Traps" with our students yesterday. It was fun
to see them create their traps and get excited about them.

Below are a few pictures of the traps.

Here are some "facts" about Leprechauns before you see the pictures

They like green
They like shamrocks
They like gold
They like lucky charms
They do not follow signs

Keep these "facts" in mind as you take a look at the pictures.
The first one was the one I made to give an example to the kids.

I'm assuming this leprechaun must be very small to fit into that glass bottle.
There is actually "gold coins" inside the bottle but since they don't follow signs...you get the idea!

Next are some of the kids' traps.

They'll be looking forward to seeing if they trapped any leprechauns today!

Have a great day! Will any of you be eating Corned Beef and Cabbage?
I don't care for it, so we won't but I might try to incorporate lots of green into our meal!

Friend Making Monday

2009-03-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

Today I'm joining Kasey at All that is Good for
Friend Making Monday

What is your blogger name?

Brittany

When is your birthday?
October 5th

How long have you been blogging?
December 16, 2008

Who tagged you?
Kasey, All that is Good

Tell me your five most favorite body parts. Seriously? This is an odd question
1. My hands
2. My Nails - I have long nail beds
3. My legs
4. My eyes
5. My hair

What do you wish most for your birthday?
To have a romantic dinner with my husband and go for a long, romantic walk. That's all I want.

What color are you nails right now?
Just natural right now

Have you had any depressing thoughts lately?
Yes, just mostly about our country and the financial state its in.
I know God though, that God is bigger than that and He will provide.

What’s your plan for the next month?
To exercise more, spend a lot of time outside, work on the landscaping of our home

At what age did you have your first crush?
Gosh....As far back as I can remember, was in 6th grade.
We dated for 2 years but it was really more like a best friend than a "dating" relationship!

Have you attended any school reunions?
Not yet! 5 more years to go until my 10 year!

Have you ever passed gas in public and pretended like you didn’t smell anything?
haha yes, I just quickly left the area! haha I'm sure everyone has done this at least once!!

Are you a clean freak?
Definitely! My husband thinks I'm a bit obsessed with keeping our house clean!

What era do you wish you were born in?
I like the one I was born into but it would be fun to be alive in the 1950's.

Are you a vegetarian?
Nope. I love meat!

How many pillows do you sleep with at night?
1 to 2

Are you a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper?
Light...I recently found that out when I got married. I hear everything and it drives me nuts!

Do you secretly wear granny panties when your man is not around?
I think we all have our own ideas of "Granny Panties"...so with the google search, I'm going to have to say NO

What is your ultimate dream job?
Be a stay at home mom! It would also be neat to be some kind of pastry chef! I love baking!

What does your husband do that annoys you the most?
First things first, my husband loves to make me laugh and he does a good job of it. However, he can be overly sarcastic at times (and he knows it) that's what gets to me!

What is your dream car?
Volvo XC90

Do you wake up easily in the morning?
Yeah right...I hit snooze about 5 times!

Do you like hairy men?
A little hair is alright but not too much.

How about a man with a goatee?
Doesn't bother me!

Which would you prefer: a two-hour spa massage, a two-hour Thai massage, or a two-hour foot massage?
Any massage works! But, I think I'd prefer the two-hour spa massage

Have you ever wished you had a different name?
If so, what name? Yeah when I was little I wished I had a different name...I don't remember what though

What is the most extreme sport you have ever done?
Swim Team...not too extreme

Do you prefer traveling in Europe or Asia?
I'd say Europe...although I've never been to Asia

What is your favorite food?
Italian

What is your most embarrassing moment while out on a date?
hmmm I actually can't think of one at the moment...I'm always pretty clumsy though. Tripping over things. That's probably as embarrassing as it gets!

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-03-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing Heart of Worship by Matt Redman
***Please pause the music on my sidebar before watching the video.

I'm sure many of you know this song. It is such an awesome call to Worship.
I love the verse "I'm sorry Lord for the things I make it, because it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus." That is why we worship the Lord. Not for us, but for him. To show our praise and admiration to God.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Chicken Pesto

2009-03-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, "She's done a lot of food posts lately!" I know! I'm sorry! It's just all I can think about posting on lately. We've been pretty busy with different things going on and I haven't been very creative about my posts.
I do hope you enjoy these scrumptious recipes anyhow!

Today I wanted to share one of my hubby's favorite meals.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Pesto is probably one of his, if not the favorite sauce to put on pasta. I love it too.

Plus, it's so easy to make!

Here's what I use for the meal. Pasta of your choice (I used fettuccine this time but I use all different types.), cooked chicken, homemade pesto, and freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

I use the recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook to make the pesto.
Here's how simple it is:

2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts

1. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.
2. Cover and blend on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

One important tip to remember: Do NOT heat up the pesto. Serve it at room temperature. If you heat it up, the oil will separate from the rest of the ingredients and it won't be the best. So, when your pasta is finished cooking just mix the pesto (room temperature) into the pasta.

Another thing I do (because we like pesto so much), is make a double or triple batch and freeze the pesto. It should keep for a couple months. Then, just place it in the fridge a few days before you want to use it.

We also enjoy pesto as a spread for sandwiches, substituted for mayo or mustard. Oh and I used the leftover chicken from the Roasted Chicken that I made. It was so nice to have it already cooked. It made this easy to prepare dinner, even easier!

I hope you've had a wonderful week and that you enjoy your weekend! Mackenzie and I have started going on walks after dinner. It has been so nice to get out of the house and have that quiet time together...and to help burn off some of those calories we just ate!

Wordless Wednesday - Friends

2009-03-10T21:43:00.001-07:00

Today I'm participating in Wordless Wednesday hosted by Dixie. See her sweet blog and more wordless Wednesday posts here!

Yumm!

2009-03-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that I love to be in the kitchen? Baking and cooking are so fun for me. I think it's because when I was in high school, my mom, sister and I would get together to experiment with a new recipe. We still do today actually. The only difference is, we're each in a different state. So now, we just exchange recipes that we've tried and like through email. It's so much fun.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I absolutely LOVE chocolate? Yep.

The other day I decided to try something new. I hadn't made a dessert
in a couple weeks and I had never used my bunt pan that we got as a gift from the wedding. So, I searched for a recipe for chocolate cake. The only problem was, I didn't have any eggs and didn't want to go to the store. But, I remembered that Mackenzie's grandmother had once made a cake that used mayonnaise instead of eggs. I thought there must be a recipe out there that uses mayo and found one!
It definitely sounds odd but trust me, it works wonders.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
1 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup mayo
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional, but great)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease baking pan (if you're using a bunt pan, coat it with flour or cocoa powder as well, after you grease it.) Sift dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes. Add chocolate chips, if using. Pour into pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This cake is so moist! It's delicious

Then, I decided that I wanted to drizzle an icing over it. I know, I could have stopped at just the cake but I didn't.

Here's the recipe for Vanilla Icing:

1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 tbs. water

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add water, 1 tbs. at a time. Mix until smooth and of desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. (Make sure the cake is completely cool!)

The recipe actually made more than I needed so I put it in the refrigerator to save for another use.

I've gotta say, Mackenzie absolutely loved this cake! He kept telling me I shouldn't make these things because he likes them too much. Made me smile.

I'll leave you with a picture of my mom, sister and I. Unfortunately, I don't have one of all three of us in the kitchen!

July of 2005 at my cousin's wedding...I should have a more recent one! Shame on me!

Have a blessed week!

Worship and Praise Sunday

2009-03-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Worship and Praise Sunday!

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or the lyrics of the song.
Share a bit about what it means to you.
Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "How Deep the Father's Love for Us." written by Stuart Townsend.
***Please pause the music on my sidebar before watching the video.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

This song was laid on my heart earlier this week and we'll be singing it at church today. This song is so powerful to me. It truly reminds me that the love our Father gives us is so deep. I love the last few lines "Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom." We do not deserve the love God has shown us. This song convicts me to give God everything I've got. We owe that to Him.

May you be blessed today and have a wonderful time in worship with God!

A Quick Post!

2009-03-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

I hope you are all having a wonderful Saturday! I am soo ready for spring! It's cloudy and rainy here today. According to the weather man, we're supposed to get snow tomorrow. Normally I would enjoy it but I'm just so ready for the warm weather to come!

I'm blogging here at my mother in law Sharon's house! We're hanging out together before going to a jewelry party this afternoon! I'm sure it will be a lot of fun!

Sharon and I at a cute tea and antique shop in February

After we go to the tea, we might go out to do some thrift shopping.

I hope you all have a blessed day! And don't forget to join me for Worship and Praise Sunday! I'll have the post up this evening!