Deck The Halls!

This weekend my family and I are decking our halls with all the Christmas decorations! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas in a Jar

My sister and I were sitting at Starbucks one evening, and we were so excited to see the famous Red Starbucks Coffee Cups that come out ever year for the holiday season - wow it was only the first week in November and they were out! We were talking about how when they bring out the red cups, they don't continue to have the quotes of different people on the cups. Maybe they could have Christmas theamed quotes??

We got to thinking and decided to make a Christmas Jar full of everything Christmas. We typed up many memories, quotes, verses and even quotes from our favorite Christmas shows and movies - It was so fun!! Then we printed them on some nice red and green shimmery paper that we found at Paper Zone. After cutting each quote out, I curled each paper strip and placed them in a jar I had found at Target. So now everyday anyone can pull out words of Christmas out of the Christmas Jar, and be reminded of a fun Christmas memory or a beautiful song lyric - all inspiring us of the joy and hope that Christmas brings!

Thanksgiving Sunset

This was taken on our deck looking out to the beautiful sunset

A day full of blessings!

I think Bailey is ready for Christmas!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I'm so thankful for you, my friends and family!

May God bless you!

(Photo courtesy of: http://www.vintageantiqueclassics.com/thanksgiving_turkey.jpg)

Philippians 1:3-6

Thanksgiving Breakfast Idea

Thanksgiving is tomorrow!! Are you ready?

Since Thanksgiving day is full of time in the kitchen preparing for the big meal, I was thinking that to start the day off right, you always need a good breakfast, but nothing to crazy. Here is an idea...

On the morning of Thanksgiving while you are watching the Macy's Day Parade and sipping your coffee, eat a yogurt Parfait! Grab your favorite yogurt and add granola and fresh fruits to it. It will most defiantly fill you up and get you ready for the fun day ahead!

Here is a story on my recent yogurt parfait experience, haha :)
I was at the Blue Water restaurant in Kirkland a few weekends ago for a brunch in celebration of a friends wedding - it was great! They had a great breakfast menu and I was in the mood for something light yet filling. I saw that they had a yogurt parfait so I decided on that. I was thinking of coarse that it would be your average Starbucks parfait - oh was i wrong! It was GINORMOUS!! The bowl was about five inches in diameter and overflowing with fresh strawberries, blueberries and bananas with dried fruit mixed with the granola and vanilla yogurt. Then to top it all off, they beautifully sprinkled powdered sugar all over and around the dish! Let me tell ya, this parfait was so good and so filling, but it didn't give you that stuffed feeling which most of the time happens on Thanksgiving, haha! Here is a picture of the parfait that a friend and I ordered.

Enjoy! I'm off to the store to get the pumpkin pie and last minuet Turkey Day stuff :)

A Thankful Heart

All through my life I have listened to, watched on TV, or read Pastor Charles Stanley's sermons, devotions and articles. Yesterday my mom passed on to me his recent Life Principles Notes. He writes about having a thankful heart, and mentions how the heart is the one thing that reflects our emothions, passions, moral choices, attitudes and thoughts. So we need a healthy heart that is pure, loving, unselfish, kind, but above all greatful. He references 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where it says "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Ok, so in everything give thanks?? This can be a challenge for all of us, but I love how Charles Stanley breaks it down. Here is what I gathered from his points on things that motivate us to be grateful:

• The Lord is sovereign - God knows everything that we go through, so we are to be grateful for the good times and bad because he is always there to help us through and shape us through our circumstances.
• God loves us unconditionally - His love never changes, and we can't loose it, no matter what!
• The Father restores our relationship to Him through Christ's death on the cross - we can have a relationship with our God because our sins are paid in full because of Christ.
• God's forgiveness - He forgives our sins when we confess and turn to Him.
• The Lord abides with us - When we live in the spirit we can experience His guidance, strength, love, peace and more, in anything we face in life.
• The Father has sealed us with the Holy Spirit - We are apart of His family and we are preparing for our eternal home in heaven, and nothing can take that away from us.
• God always hears our prayers - We can talk to God whenever we want! Pray to Him without ceasing! Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything (there's that everything word again) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Giving him praise with thanksgiving, and make your request known to him, but have your focus on Him through all things.
• The Father has given us a Helper - We can serve God through the Holy Spirit with the gifts and talents that He gives us to give Him glory.
• God has a purpose for our lives - God's plan is the best plan ever, so we must seek Him and obey him, because only He can give our lives eternal significance and meaning.

May we all face each day with a thankful heart, for God knows everything we face in life, and He is using it to shape and mold us into His image! Let us give thanks for all that God continues to do in and through our lifes!

Here is the link to the full article on A Thankful Heart. http://www.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B865500FE-874B-487B-A95C-C0B327D0A690%7D/LP071118.PDF

Apple Cup!

(Photo courtesy of: www.cubuffshockey.org/.../uw_huskies_logo.jpg)

Today is the Apple Cup game, a day where the state of Washington is split with the support of two teams; the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars. Today they come to play a game that will most likely be entertaining since both teams rank as the worst teams in college football this season. Even with that, devoted fans come out for their support! GO DAWGS!!

A festive Tiramisu dessert - I was so excited it turned out so yummy, even with purple cool whip, haha!