I hope you all are hung over from a wonderful day of family and turkey, or whatever traditional foods you may eat! We had a rather last-minute, make-shift Thanksgiving, but it was truly wonderful.

I'm so excited for later today. A train in the area does The Polar Express experience and we're taking Michael! It's to kickstart our Christmas season officially with some amazing quality time. Michael is going to L-O-V-E it. He's been all about The Polar Express and trains in general. I can't wait to see his face!


Dear Snow, Thank you, thank you for coming to our little mountain town Wednesday! It was so wonderful to get out in the early morning and play in our PJs. Michael had such a blast, and I didn't mind so much staying out there until I couldn't feel my fingers or nose. He clearly didn't, either.

Dear Thanksgiving, You were wonderful. Sometimes I think the true reason of being thankful gets lost on people in the hustle and bustle of cooking, preparing, and all that jazz. But, I must admit, you really are in my top three favorite holidays. I'm so thankful we were able to make you extra special, regardless of surprises.

Dear December, Please crawl. CRAWL. I do not want you to come speeding up and pass us by before we are ready. Just... take your time. I love this time of year, and I'd love it even more if you took your time so I could soak you in just a little bit more.

Things to look forward to:

Gingerbread Cookies

'Tis the Season #TBT

The idea for this post came from Ashley over at The Sweet Season.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I hope you are spending today with people you love and remembering to give thanks for all the amazing blessings in your life!

Today, and ever day, I am so thankful for my entire family. I have been so blessed in my life to have a family that is close-knit and supports each other through thick and thin, even if we don't always agree. My parents and sisters are my best friends, without whom I can't imagine my world being complete.

Many people don't have a family that's close. The communication can be thin, people let personal vendettas get in the way of things... but no matter what, my family pulls through.






Yep. I'm blessed. Don't forget to let those around you know just how thankful you are for them!

Who better to ask to guest post than my Mama? She writes over at Grace All Sufficient, sharing her wisdom and faith in many ways. Please make sure to visit her site.

Irene, her husband Mike, and their two grandkids-- Maile and Michael.

A twenty-something star-crossed beauty, decked out with a scarf around her neck and sweater UGGS over her jeans, craning her neck for a sighting of her fiance. A busy 2 year old boy, blowing frosty impressions on the glass as he watches the planes, holding a sign "Welcome Grandma and Grandpa!" Parents anxiously checking their watches, then the arrival board, wondering aloud if their college student remembered to pack enough clothes for the 5 week break between semester. Soldiers in uniform, burying their heads in the shoulders of wives and babies and parents as spontaneous applause erupts around them.

Airports. I love airports, especially around Christmas. There is an excitement, a buzz of emotions that can't help but catch me and wrap me up as I join the throng of humanity in advent of homecoming. I usually end up shedding a tear or two as I happily wait to hug family that I haven't been able to touch in months, except through the virtual world of Facetime.

We enter the season of waiting. Waiting for packages to arrive from UPS or the Postal Service. Waiting for Christmas music 24/7. Waiting for A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph and Frosty and Santa Claus Is Coming to Town to be available on Netflix or aired on TV. We prepare grocery lists and menus. We decorate the house and wrap presents, all in preparation for The Big Day. Christmas.

Advent. The dictionary defines advent as "the coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important." But for something important to come, we must wait first. Waiting isn't always easy, and sometimes we don't know what we are waiting for. You may be waiting for a toddler to reach a developmental milestone or a teenager to pick up their room or a prodigal to come home. You may be waiting on a friend to forgive you or a husband to notice you. Maybe you wait for the overwhelming torrent of grief to be replaced by just a heartstring pull and sweet memories.

Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus waited, in Luke 11:1-43. I used to think of the story of Lazarus as mostly an account of resurrection.Which it is. But it is also a story about waiting. I love this account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It teaches us so much about our own humanity. I love the disciples. We see their human side.

When Jesus told the disciples that he was going back to Bethany, they immediately started trying to talk him out of it. "But Rabbi, a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

When Jesus tells them that Lazarus has fallen asleep, but He’s going back to wake him up, the disciples then think they'll give Jesus advice.

“Lord, if he sleeps, he’ll get better.”

Dear Thomas, who probably wasn’t the most naturally brave of them all says, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Can’t you just see Thomas? Squaring his shoulders, sitting up straight and, realist that he was, determining already in his mind that Jesus was going to die if he went to see Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

And Jesus doesn’t just wait a day or two after Lazarus died. No, he waits 4 days after Lazarus died. What was He doing? God, what are you doing? Do you hear me? Don't you understand the situation? Why do I have to do this? How long do I have to WAIT?

We have Jesus who seems to have taken his time and arrived too late. We have disciples who are trying to give the Son of God advice and talk him out of his plans. We have sisters, dear friends of Jesus, who are grieving.

What does God teach us about waiting?

1) Waiting teaches us that God understands us and grieves with us even though He already knows the outcome. Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead. Yet, when he came to Bethany and saw the sorrow of Mary and the others, he wept with them. God knows our frailty.

2) Waiting teaches us who is in control. It might seem sometimes like our circumstances are in control, or governments are in control, or any number of things (even our emotions!) but ultimately, the God of the Universe is the one in control. This is one of the foundations of my faith.I can trust a God who has an ultimate purpose for my life and that purpose is to conform me to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
What did Thomas do? He assumed the worst, didn’t he? He thought about the “What if?” and assumed that they would all die. How often do we get way ahead of God’s purposes and assume the worst? We need to wait expectantly for all of the amazing things God will do so that we can say, “God’s hand has surely done this!”

3) Waiting teaches us to go on with life. This is one of the hardest of life's lessons. Mary and Martha had to go on with life while they waited for Jesus to come. They had to go through the ritual of preparing their brother’s body and burying him. There was more to the grief than just that Jesus didn’t come “in time.” Jesus was a dear friend. They wanted to see him in person.

4) Waiting teaches us that God is purposeful in every thing He does, even when He seems to delay.
From the very beginning, Jesus stated His purpose: “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Luke 11:4

When Martha and Mary both say, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died,” I used to think they were reproaching Jesus for not coming. However, read what Martha says next : “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Luke 11:21, 22 What an acknowledgement of who Jesus was and is!
Where are you today? Are you waiting on circumstances to change? Be encouraged! God knows, he empathizes with you, and he has a plan. Just as His plan for our salvation through the advent of Emmanuel carried through time, even before it was time. He spoke hope into the darkness, the void, the nothingness.

He is WITH YOU. Emmanuel. God WITH US.

It is for God's glory that God's Son may be glorified through it! Luke 11:4

Guess what? Christmas is ONE MONTH AWAY! Can you believe it? We sang "Go Tell It On The Mountain" yesterday and I was SO EXCITED. I have to admit, every year I end up listening to Christmas music earlier and earlier. But, I mean, come on... who doesn't love Christmas music?

I needed a new muffin recipe. I know, I know. I make a lot of them. I can't help it. Luckily, these are super easy, have little sugar, and are SO YUMMY! I mean, pears in a muffin? If you love pears, you'll love these!


Ingredients:

- 1.25 C pears, chopped
*Note: My pears were REALLY ripe... as in I needed to do something with them, fast. It made the muffins really moist and I loved it that way. I haven't tried it with unripened or not-overly-ripe pears, but I have a feeling they'd be yummy no matter what!*

- 1/4 C milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 C brown sugar (unpacked)
- 1.5 C whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 400. Prepare your muffin pan with liners, cooking spray, or both!
- Whisk together your milk, egg, unsweetened applesauce, and brown sugar.
- Stir in your flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. It shouldn't be ridiculously thick, but since you're using whole wheat flour it will be thick-ish.
- Fold in your pears.
- Scoop in your muffin tin filling 2/3rds the way full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Should make exactly 12 muffins!


Michael absolutely devours these. It doesn't surprise me because the kid LOVES pears. The reason we had so many that were too ripe was because he went on a clementine-kick for a while.

Happy Monday!

I can't believe this week is over. Seriously. It went by so quickly and without much thought that I have to connect the dots to remember our days. I've been rather tired, and we've really just been taking it easy after some let-downs and stress, so maybe that's why? Can y'all believe next week is Thanksgiving?

Like how I slipped that "y'all" in there?

Forgive the quality. iPhone pic!
Dear Michael, Bless you for being a ray of sunshine this week. Mama was not at her best, and anytime I may have let some emotions flow in the form of tears, you offered support, love, and lots of hugs and kisses. You are the sweetest little boy anyone could hope for, and I'm so thankful I helped bring you into this world.

Dear Weather, You may think it's too early, but I want snow. As much snow as you can give us before Christmas would be greatly appreciated. There is the possibility that I won't be seeing much of it soon, and I want us to get to enjoy it as much as possible.

Dear Scrooges, It is never too early for Christmas. I used to be of the mindset that it all had to wait until after Thanksgiving, but every year I find myself more and more excited for the season, and remind myself that every day is Christmas because I have Christ in my heart. So those of you who don't like the decorations going up and the music already playing, please keep your BAH HUMBUGS to yourself... and remember I still love you, regardless.

P.S. There are things to look forward to this upcoming week, I'm just photo-less at the moment! Except a yummy recipe, a guest post, and a special thankful thursday for Thanksgiving!




Don't you wish we could all be as happy as Michael? He's saying, "I'm singing!"

The idea for this post came from Ashley over at The Sweet Season.

I've had a hard time really putting this post together. Possibly because I am overwhelmed by how blessed I am when it comes to my little family.


My husband, Clark, continues to amaze me as he rises to new challenges. These challenges can be anything from a broken toilet to stress with his job. He always puts Michael and me first, and only stops to think of himself after he knows we are taken care of. It is his most admirable trait. He is our provider and caretaker, and I have no idea what we would do without him. I was blessed to find him at the ripe age of 18 and only continue to love him more each day.


We were blessed with Michael in 2011 and life has not been the same since. I don't know if Clark and I truly knew what the word "family" meant as a unit (when it came to us) until Michael came along. Now we are continually learning to put our little family first, everyone else second. Michael fueled that. He is our biggest joy, even on his "bad days", and I can't imagine where we would be or what we would be doing if we didn't have him.


These two together are my entire world. When Clark is home the smallest things are the most memorable to me, and sometimes I admit I like to sit back in the shadows and watch these two play... but not too long before I join in on the fun (as long as Michael lets me-- sometimes he'll tell me it's "Dada time", which I definitely don't want to intrude on). It doesn't matter if my kitchen is overflowing with dirty dishes or the blinds haven't been dusted. What matters is the quality time and love I get to experience with my boys.

What are you thankful for today?

I love making meals in my crockpot. Let's face it: it is SO easy. I just stick it in there and (usually) don't have to worry about it.

Clark said this is his new favorite. I had to create a human shield to the food to make sure we had some leftovers as I planned. So, be warned.


Ingredients:

- 1 lb. stew meat (or boneless beef chuck roast sliced into thin strips)
- 1 C beef broth
- 1/2 C low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp sauce (from the crockpot after dish is cooked)
Frozen broccoli florets (I used about 2 cups)
White, Jasmine, or Brown Rice, cooked (I used brown)

You can also make fried rice to go with it! Check out a recipe here.

Directions:

- In your crockpot, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Gently place your beef on top of the liquid, then toss to coat.
- Turn the crockpot on low and cook for four to five hours, or high for two to three. This depends on your crockpot, so check on it near the end. Mine took about 2.5 hours.
- When it's done, in a small bowl, whisk together your cornstarch and 4 tbso if sauce to create a slurry. Pour into the crockpot and stir to mix well.
- Add your broccoli florets (after the slurry), and cook on low for another 30 minutes to thicken up the sauce and cook your broccoli.

Serve over rice. Prepare to be amazed.

This recipe was adapted from Table for Two Blog.

Want more oriental dishes? Check these recipes out!

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken

[Baked] Sweet & Sour Chicken

[Easy] Mongolian Beef

I don't think Michael and I made enough pumpkin recipes this fall, do you? More specifically, I definitely don't think we made enough pumpkin recipes.

Yes. I am being sarcastic.

Now whenever we go down the baking aisle at the grocery store Michael insists we get a can of pumpkin. When I ask him why, he always responds, "Because it's yummy!"

Can't argue with that, can I?

This is, thus far, my favorite pumpkin cookie recipe from this fall. It is SO GOOD. I'm allowed to say that, right? The only thing I think I might change to it (and it's suggested in the ingredients) is to use white chocolate chips instead of regular chocolate chips (or as well as). I mean, who can fight with white chocolate and cranberry? Anyone?


Ingredients:

- 2 heaping cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour (I did 1 C white, 1 C whole wheat)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 C oats
- 1 C butter (2 sticks), melted
- 1/4 C molasses
- 1/2 C brown sugar
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 C pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla

- 1/3 to 1/2 C dried cranberries
- 1/3 to 1/2 C chocolate chips
- 1/3 to 1/2 c white chocolate chips
*Note: You will notice that pictures is only dried cranberries and chocolate chips. Feel free to use a combination of any add-ins, including adding pecans if you like! Just make sure you have between 1 to 1.5 C of the good stuff!*

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. Whisk in the molasses, brown sugar, and sugar.
- Next mix in your egg, pumpkin, and vanilla.
- You can pre-mix your dry ingredients (except the oats/chips/cranberries) before adding them to your current mix. Otherwise, add them gradually and not all at once to well combine them.
- Fold in your oats, and then your additional add-ins.

- Scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet(s).This makes a few dozen cookies, so either cook multiple sheets at once or be prepared! The dough should keep in the fridge (uncooked) for a day or so after initially mixing it.

- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for AT LEAST five minutes on the baking sheets, but preferably longer, before moving to a cooling rack.


Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

I'm so excited that I've started participating in the Cara Box Exchange that Wifessionals hosts. It truly is a great way to get connected with other ladies in the blogging community. This comes from someone who, admittedly, is really awful at keeping tabs on everyone's blogs. I love a lot of them, and read pretty consistently, but keeping up with commenting or connecting isn't always a strong point of mine. So the Cara Box really pushes me to do that!

This time around it was a two month period or so, which made it a lot easier than rushing together a box in a matter of one month. I got to know two lovely ladies, Erin and Candace.

Erin from Erin's Diary is the one who put together the wonderful package you see above! Included was also some Candy Corn M&Ms, but they're not pictures because my husband got to them before I got to the picture, haha.

Everything in her package was so thoughtful as seasonally wonderful. I've already put my coffee cozy, cookie mix, and Starbucks gift card to good use. She was definitely right about one thing-- I cannot get enough pumpkin!

Plus, her blog is so fun! Go check it out!

Make sure to check out Candace's blog, too, to see what I put together for her!

A little change from the typical since I missed Friday this week. Once again we've had a little glitch in what we thought we had planned, and we're having to lean on God and know He's leading us in the right direction. But let me tell you friends, I'm struggling. I keep feeling like we have the carpet pulled from under us. It would be nice for a little more stability. I know this is what God offers if we put our faith and trust in Him, and that's really what I'm working on. I guess when things don't go the way I thought they were, the sand shifts and I'm not always standing on the solid rock I thought I had my feet planted on. At least I know I have a loving God and forgiveness for my humanity through Jesus Christ!

"For I know the plans for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11


Dear Michael, Thank you for being patient with me as we both recover from being sick this week. I know you were on the mend a lot quicker, but you definitely took care of poor Mama while my sickness dragged a few days past yours. I'm planning a week of fun and playdates to make up for this past one of picnics and too much TV time. I'm thankful you enjoy quiet crafts these days as much as you enjoy romping around in the leaves and cold. Well... almost as much... right?


Dear November, How is it you're more than halfway through and it's nearly Thanksgiving already? 2013 is flying by and I'd appreciate it if you'd slow down just a little bit so the holidays can seem a little less crazy and I can feel like I know what I'm doing as December approaches.

Here's what you have to look forward to :) :

Cara Box Reveal

[Cranberry-Chocolate] Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

Thankful Thursday: My Boys
The idea for this post came from Ashley over at The Sweet Season.

For the past year I have felt pretty spoiled. This is not because of extra purchases I have made or received or anything like that. I have felt extraordinarily blessed because of the church home I've become a part of.

When we first moved to our little mountain town, I had some trouble making friends and finding a niche. The first thing we did was visit a local church, and I adored the music, admired the preaching, and thought it could be a really good fit. But when I started trying to contact teams/ministers about getting involved (small group, worship team, you name it), I didn't hear back from anyone. And that's not an exaggeration. I e-mailed several people, tried calling the offices... nothing. I didn't hear back. And though we had met one other couple who was due with baby #1 just like we were, they were also more than ten years older than us. People we became acquainted with seemed to talk down to us and treat us like children, as though we were one of those families. And I must confess, it made me really angry. Going to church became harder and harder, and we made more and more excuses.

Fast forward a year. Michael did a month of preschool and we made one awesome couple-friend who invited us to another church. With Clark's job changing and him being gone much more, I knew I needed to find something more to do. After all, my one local friend had a full-time job and a little girl Michael's age. She wasn't going to be available 24/7. I needed more.

I went to church with my friend two weeks in a row. The next week she invited me again, but then ended up not going because she didn't feel good. I went anyway, and even ventured to the front of the church after the service to talk to the music director. That evening, I e-mailed about small groups and got a response within 24 hours. I registered for the women's Bible study starting in January. I was overwhelmed with the Holy Spirit moving me, and just knew that this was going to be home.

When I started the women's Bible study, I was extraordinarily nervous. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if there were going to be any women my age. I didn't know if I was going to enjoy going, or end up making excuses to skip out and continue being miserable. I had no idea.


But now, almost a year later, I'm still going. And over the summer when there was a break, the young moms in the group made sure to meet up as many times as possible to keep our friendship, fellowship, and encouragement going.

Only two of the amazing women I have met are pictured, but there are at least three other young moms and a countless number of other women who I have grown to love and cherish. Not only the women from the Bible study, but the praise team members I have served with and everyone else at the church who has welcomed me in countless ways... I always feel so overwhelmed when I think of my church.

Finding a church that is right for you is so important for your relationship with Christ. Without fellowship and other Christians to lean on... well, take it from someone who was there for a long time-- it sucks. I find I worry less and praise more these days, and isn't that how it's supposed to be?

This Thursday, I am thankful for my personal church home and for all churches that truly have open doors, hearts, and arms for new members. What are you thankful for?

Confession: I have never baked with white chocolate chips until this year. And I have no idea why.

I am in love.

I've always liked white chocolate, but when it came to baking I just kind of avoided it. I keep regular chocolate chips in the house on a daily basis, but white chocolate? I mean, who really craves white chocolate chip cookies?

Well, Michael has decided he likes "white chips" much better than "chocolate chips" (ha), and I must confess that lately they've been teasing my taste buds as well.

Enter, white chocolate chip pumpkin blondies. AKA dance party in your mouth.


Ingredients:

- 6 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 3/4 C + 2 Tbsp unbleached, all purpose flour
- /2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 C white chocolate chips

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350 and spray an 8x8 baking dish.
- Using a handheld or standing mixer, cream your butter until fluffy. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg (separately). Then mix in the pumpkin.
- Add your dry ingredients (pre-combined in a smaller bowl or not is up to you, I like to save dishes!).
- Fold in your white chocolate chips. The mixture may be really thick, and that's perfectly fine!
- Spread the mix as evenly as possible into your 8x8 dish.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Note: The recipe I took this from said 15 to 20 minutes, but mine took A LOT longer to be done. This could just be my oven, so if you want to start with caution set your timer for 15 minutes and go from there. My oven is old and slow.
- Set whole pan on cooling rack and leave it there for a good 10 minutes before cutting into the bars. Whether you serve them warm or at room temperature, they are positively delicious.


This recipe was molded from Lauren's Latest.

Picture taken on Saturday by one of my dear friends who watched Michael while Clark and I had an outing.

Saturday our noses started running. Sunday we were sneezing. By yesterday it was a full-out cold: runny nose, a few scattered sneezes, coughing... everything except fevers.

I think the common-cold is tied with the stomach-flu in my book. There's isn't anything you can really do except wait it out, and it doesn't make for easy days. Never mind that my house has clean piles of laundry everywhere (which will have to be rewashed) or that the sink is almost close to full of dirty dishes, I have no energy. Michael and I are content cozied up watching movies, having picnics in the living room which consist of goldfish and homemade chicken stew, and trying to get rid of this nasty bug.

Does anyone else suddenly realize everything that has to be done when they're sick? I'm that way. As soon as I feel like I have no energy to do anything, I discover that I haven't done anything when I did and get overwhelmed feeling like I need to do everything. The list above is just a taste of the disastrous state our house is in. If I could, I'd hire a maid right now. I'm certain she'd do a better job than me, and I wouldn't have to worry about doing it myself when I'm weighed down with this annoying cold. Still, the dog hair had to be vacuumed and things needed to be dusted. After all, that could be contributing to our sickness... right?

Last time Clark left we got sick, too. I'm thinking this is a sign that he needs to be home more, what do you think?

If nothing else, this gave me an excuse to make my mom's chicken stew recipe, which is definitely my comfort food and, in my opinion, the personal-cure-all-sickness-recipe. Have to admit, I still miss my mommy the most when I'm sick.

I like to keep it simple when Clark's on the road. Let's face it: who wants to spend hours cooking a complicated meal, and then eat it alone? Not this girl. Of course I eat with Michael, but 90% of the time he won't eat what's on the menu. I'm hoping this changes in years to come. It will... right?


This is easy, delicious, and I felt like I was spoiling myself, so a total win. Michael tried a bite and didn't exactly approve, but he's not a meat person right now.

Ingredients:

- 6 chicken thighs without the bones (about 1.5 pounds)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (preferably low salt)
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 1/4 tsps cornstarch
- 2 1/4 tsps water
cooked rice

Directions:

- Place chicken in crockpot.
- Mix sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper in a bowl.
- Pour sauce over chicken into the crockpot.
- Cook on low for 2-4 hours (chicken should be soft, easy to separate).
- Take out chicken and place on serving dish (place dish in your microwave to keep warm, or at least cover it).
- Degrease fat from sauce with a flat spoon.
- Place sauce in another pot on your stove and bring to a boil.
- Mix cornstarch and water into the sauce. Stir until combined and sauce is thick.
- Place chicken on top of rice and pour sauce over.

Serve and enjoy!

This recipe was molded from Day Dream Kitchen.

God Bless those who have and continue to serve our country as well as their families whose jobs are just as tough. Don't forget to thank those you know for their service!

Let's just start this thing, shall we?

Dear Daylight Saving Time, I used to love "falling back" and never understand why anyone could think poorly of you. But now I know. You completely throw off children's schedules and make it extraordinarily hard for parents. I need you to please find a way to work this out so next year Michael doesn't wake up so early. Today we successfully slept until five... which felt like sleeping in after five days of getting up at four.

Dear Thanksgiving, I must admit I'm so ready for you. I love everything about you, and this year we get to spend you with some dear friends who we haven't seen in about six months. Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie... even if these traditional (favorite) foods aren't on the menu, I know you're going to be so wonderfully spent because our family will be together and we'll be with people we love. So... I don't mind if the rest of the month goes a little faster so we can enjoy you.

Dear Cold [Weather], I'm so excited for sweaters, fuzzy boots, gloves, hats, and more. Thank you for getting cold gradually and letting us enjoy the outdoors. Be patient with me when it gets really cold and Michael wants to keep playing, and please let all the sunrises be as pretty as they've been lately (although I wouldn't mind missing a few for more sleep).

Things to look forward to...

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Blondies

Thankful Thursday: Church Home

The idea for this post came from Ashley over at The Sweet Season.

Yesterday was a busy day. So much so that Michael slept an extra thirty minutes (woooohoooo), making his current wake-up time 5AM. Hey... it's better than four... right?

Annnnnnyway.

Yesterday we got up (early, of course, because of Michael), got ready, and ran late to get to family pictures with one of my dearest friends here. After getting a fabulous dozen of pictures with a grumpy, tearful two-year-old and two tense parents, Clark had to rush to an interview that was about 2.5 hours away. The reason these two just happened to line up is because his interview was switched from Tuesday to Wednesday somewhat last minute.

Because Clark had to rush, we put Michael's carseat in said friend-photographer's car with the plan of having an impromptu playdate (she has a three year old... see this post for pictures of these two wonderful people), and then go home afterwards. Until we discovered (luckily before she started to drive us home), that I had forgotten to get the house key off the key ring.

Oops.

So, we had a whole day with Porter and his mama. The kiddos surprisingly did really well considering everything. What's more, our lovely friends had us over for dinner to complete the day and completely turn it around.






If you're in the Asheville/Fletcher/Brevard area check out DeVane Photography on Facebook. It's definitely worth it, and she's so reasonably priced!

BTW, Michael's cardigan is from The Wishing Elephant and my absolute favorite. Make sure to check out Carolyn's shop! And my boot cuffs? A custom order from Diana Meredith Designs! She does custom orders all the time, so make sure to check her out.

This Thankful Thursday I am thankful for our wonderful friends who kept us all day to make life easier, who suffered through a morning of grumps to get some amazing family pictures for this year, and who have been constant supporters through prayer and encouragement as we faced tough times and upcoming changes.

What are you thankful for today?

Halloween was one fun day in our house. It was the first full day Dada was home, which meant Michael was up and about (refusing to nap, of course) and just loving helping/playing with his daddy.





He had a lot of fun trick-or-treating. He kept saying, "Trick or treat, candy please!" It was more of one sentence stringing together as a demand, not a request. We'll have to work on that. The first house had mini Hershey bars, and somehow Michael knew immediately that it was "chocate", so every time we stopped or he thought we weren't looking he was trying to dig through his blue pumpkin to get it out and eat it.






The poor little guy tuckered out after only five houses or so because he hadn't napped. Two minutes in to our car ride home (we drove to a friend's neighborhood for a nice group of little ones to go together) he fell asleep. I did, however, give him a piece of that chocolate bar he had wanted so badly before he fell asleep. I mean, it was Halloween. He had to have a little pieces of his labor, right? I won't say we raided his candy when we got home, but I won't say we didn't either.

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! What was your favorite candy win... that your child ate, of course?