Putting up the Christmas Tree

Time lapse video...

Christmas on Halloween???

Luke and I get this question every year...."You're putting up Christmas on Halloween?" Our answer is always "YES!" I know we seem like nuts to most people, but I thought I'd share the reasons why we like celebrating Christmas on Halloween.

Growing up, our family really didn't celebrate Halloween. We dressed up as kids but only went trick or treating at Grandma and Papa's and Aunt Debbi's house. It wasn't a big deal for us. As I get older, I realize a lot of emphasis is put on Halloween. I think kids dressing up is supposed to be simple fun....even though I'm really not a fan of the vampires or witch costumes....being a bug or something is too cute!

I also think Halloween can be seen by some as Satan's holiday. I just don't get a good feeling when I think about Halloween....and for us, I can't see a better reason to celebrate Christmas on Halloween. I've learned recently that Satan tries SOOO hard to be like Jesus. That is his number one goal. In Revelation they even talk about a beast that had a fatal wound that healed itself to resemble Christ on the Cross and the Ressurection. I know that's deep, but stay with me....Satan tries his best to lead people astray, be destructive in our lives, and his number one goal is to lead us away from Christ. Many people do very unholy things on Halloween, things I don't even want to think about!

So in our household, Halloween isn't just another day....it's a day we CHOOSE to celebrate Jesus's birth....because He is the only one true Savior. So, putting up Christmas on Halloween is not something we will ever apologize for! No matter how crazy our neighbors think we are...I'm sure some kids might be confused coming to the door and hearing Christmas carols blaring, but oh well. We're just celebrating Our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas!

Ok I'm off the soap box. I'll post pics of our Christmas filled house tomorrow morning!

My Boys really let me down this time!

Luke and I went to Hastings tonight and I realized I had missed getting the new Backstreet Boy CD....now NEVER in Backstreet history have I missed one of their CD's. At first Luke told me they were in the oldies section....which I didn't find the least bit funny. We found the CD, checked out, and headed to the car.

Well, let's just say it's a stinkin' dance sounding CD. I mean come on guys, we've been through thick and thin together. You were playing when I got in the Focus for the first time and you were even the first song I put in when we got the Edge. I mean we've gone from "Everybody," to "Show me the shape of your heart" which at one time did belong to you guys, to "Get another boyfriend," which I sang for a few months 8) , to even "Something I already know." Now your new song is "PDA" and grabbing someones booty....are you kidding me?

Guess I'll see you guys in Branson one day, but by then you'll probably be named the "Backstreet Old Men." As long as you sing the oldies but goodies I'll probably be the first in line to get tickets!

For now, I'm going back to my old CD's......and keeping those uplifting thoughts in my mind...instead of thinking about how you've let your biggest fan down by producing a DANCE CD!!!!

Enjoying God's Beauty

Mt. Nebo

Deer!

Water at Spring Lake

Love the colors here

Spring Lake- down an old dirt road

More of Spring Lake

Me & Luke at Mt. Magazine

Mt. Magazine

Ducks at Holla Bend

Petit Jean

Me & Luke at Petit Jean

Galley Rock Cemetery: an old abandoned cemetery we found thanks to Greg Davis!

Mom & Dad

Me & Luke

Love the iron work in old cemeteries

It's sad you can't read most of the stones anymore.

Galley Cemetery

This past weekend we went with Mom and Dad to see the fall color in the northern part of the state. We stayed at a hotel in Russelville, but we toured all over. Our first stop was an abandoned cemetery Greg Davis told us about. It was neat to see and sad at the same time...those were people with true legacies, and now you can't read half the stones! Then it was onto Mt. Nebo....beautiful. We even saw deer!!! The next day Luke and Dad got up for sunrise, Mom and I slept in. We went to Mount Magazine and viewed all the color. The trees were so pretty! We ate lunch at the lodge which is amazing. On Sunday, we went to Holla Bend, which has pretty wildlife and then went onto Petit Jean Mountain. Dad and Luke decided to hike the Falls, so Mom and I went to Morrillton to a Walmart and to eat lunch. We got home early on Sunday. It was a great trip! My pictures just don't do it justice!

Brady Mountain & Navy Landing

Brady Mountain (we spent many a night camping on the peninsula with our crazy friends! Good Memories for sure!!!)

Brady Mountain, the water was really up!

Me & the Hubby at Brady Mountain....it was COLD!
Navy Landing

Great Place to eat!

It's first road trip

Our breakfast....those little taters did me in, but boy were they good!

Me

Luke

Luke and I went two Saturdays ago (I'm behind on blogging) to Navy Landing. It's now been renamed to North Shores. When we were dating (many years ago), we would ride in his boat from Brady Mountain to Navy Landing and eat the best meals. Well, we decided to take the Edge out for it's first road trip. Neither one of us remembered it was MUCH farther on land than by water. The breakfast was great.....although my acid reflux thanked me later! It was a fun road trip!

Don't ever say you don't have time to....

To do what the Lord asks of you! I went again today to tutor my little girl. I met her in the lunch room, sat down at the table, and was immediately brought back to 5th grade myself. I was once again that little insecure, big glasses girl who got made fun of. It took me a minute to look around, and notice no one was making fun of me, I was an Adult, and these were just wild and crazy children! It really makes me feel for my little tutor person as I've noticed the past two weeks that she hasn't been herself lately. She seems really down. So, I asked her about it today. She really, really doesn't like her teacher, is struggling with English and math, and again really doesn't like her teacher!

I recently bought her a pot holder loom set from Hobby Lobby. We work on it every time and we do math after she has finished a row, to see how many squares we've made. I realized today that she has no clue how to multiply using more than 3 numbers....get her multiplying 12x12 and she didn't know what to do! We worked all 45 minutes today on that. She seemed to really perk up during our time together, we were laughing and having a good time.

When we got back to her classroom, she even wanted to do one more problem while we waited for the others to return from recess. I told her she MUST use a pencil for math, as Ms. Walker said it was a MUST when I was in class. She told me her teacher won't let her sharpen pencils. (which dawned on me why she wanted the already sharpened one in the library that wasn't hers). So I took her pencil and went to the sharpener. She said, "But it says teacher only." I told her I was an adult and I could use it. I sharpened her pencil and she was extremely pleased.

I realized that at her age I wouldn't like her teacher either, she's rude and mean to the children....but then again I feel for the teacher too....it's kinda a catch I suppose. I left the school today realizing that for this year she really needs me! The Lord has me there to teach her things she might not learn otherwise.

Each time I leave that school I seem to walk a little higher, and today I was thumbing my nose at all those who made fun of me in school.....because I'm doing what my God called me to do and there is nothing to make fun of about that!!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dressing

Here's a recipe we're having for dinner tonight.

Crockpot Chicken & Dressing:

1 stick butter, melted

1 c. green onion & Celery chopped

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 t. sage

2 eggs

2 c. chicken broth

12 c. cornbread, biscuits, bread, etc.

5-6 chicken tenders, cooked and shredded

Saute celery & onion in melted butter until tender. Crumble your bread. Add salt, pepper, sage, eggs, onion mixture, and chicken broth to bread. Add chicken. Mix well. If too stiff, add a little more chicken broth. I'm sure I didn't use the full 12 c. of bread stuff, but it's just an eyeball thing anyhow. Cook on High in crockpot for 1 hour. Then cook on low the rest of the day! Sure does smell good!

I want to live on the Edge!

Our new ride!!!! A 2010 Edge!

The happy owners

Tom & Me

Luke & James McMoran....didn't know he worked at Landers, but it was wonderful catching up with him!

Landers Baby!

A used 2008 Edge we drove, wasn't digging the black interior at all though.

Luke prepared to leave the house....notebook full of notes his Ipod with financial apps and stuff on it....I really don't know!

The Lord totally worked out our car issue. We weren't even looking to buy this Saturday, but we did! Everything pretty much fell into place and it was the best experience I've ever had buying a car! Tom was our sales person....he actually used to be a DJ on Spirit FM. We shared testimonies, stories, and he even came to see our puppies and make sure the Edge would fit in the garage. We bought a 2010 Fire Red Metallic Ford Edge. It doesn't have many bells and whistles which is what I wanted. It's funny really, for the longest time I told Luke I only wanted a 1 CD disk changer....and he basically said they don't make those anymore. Well ours has a 1 disk CD changer in it and I love it! It even has Sync in it, which I'm not impressed with but Luke and Dad sure are! They are just impressed that our car is Microsoft Powered....whatever! Gotta love having a new ride!

Prayer Shawl Workshop

Melanie & Kay working on crochet

Kay crocheting away!

Mary Sue Brashear at the crochet table

Cindy helping Ms. Deweylene Lewis

Amy & her grandma Gladys working away with knitting

Learning how to cast on

The food

Melanie made this gorgeous blanket!

Sweet ladies ready to learn!

Kayla & her friend Natasha at the knitting table

On Saturday, the Geyer Springs Prayer Shawl Ministry hosted their first workshop. We taught about 15 women how to knit and crochet. It was a lot of fun! Listening to the laughter and needles clicking together was truly a treat! Mom helped so much in making sure the food was all ready to go.....and man was there some food! Our ladies are so talented. The Lord is really blessing this group for sure!

My Poor Little Focus.....

God truly does answer prayers, not always in the ways we want Him too.....and trust me, He does have a sense of humor. Luke called me this afternoon to see if I wanted to go on a surprise date. He asked me to wear church clothes and he would come home and get me. Well, I was just putting my shoes on when he called and said he had had a wreck and I needed to come and get him. So, I guess I got all dressed up to go and stand on the freeway....hey, at least I looked good!8)

So, I made the trip down to Baseline and had to make the loop twice. Traffic was horrible. I drove by, saw my car, and got teary eyed. The windshield was totally busted, the radiator is cracked, and the hood is majorly bent. I did take a few pictures....well a lot of pictures. I was so glad Luke was OK....just a little shaken up. My little Red Car did good in a wreck considering. It's now safely in the tow yard and we are waiting on insurance junk.

So, God does answer prayers, as I have been wanting a new car for some time.....it's just hard to see my little red go. I remember Mom and Dad giving it to me for Graduation on May 16,2000...and to see the tow truck driver load it up was truly sad!