Christmas!

Christmas was wonderful! Despite waking up riddled with anxiety when I realized it was Christmas Eve.  Thankful the anxiety began to abate as I crossed a couple tasks off my to-do list and heard this song by Toby Mac as I headed to work at the church.  I turned it up super loud and let the joy of Christmas wash over me and made it a point to remember that it WAS CHRISTMAS! The lists didn't matter, if things didn't get done...so what.  It was Christmas just the same.



It was a merry holiday indeed. The Church service was wonderful. It is my favorite service of the year. Pastor Eric's message urging us to remember to keep Jesus and Christmas in our herts year round. To keep him the focus of our life not just on Christmas.

After Church we went to Mom and Dad's.  Food and laughter abundant. I am so thankful for this family God has blessed me with. 















Mikayla got this pickle tshirt from Aunt Laura.




Ryan got this new toolbox, complete with new tools!  It used to be Poppie's toolbox, then Daddy's now it is all Ryan's.


Hannah's "American Doll".  She wanted an American Girl doll, this is the Target version but she loves her all the same.  Hannah says she looks just like her! She named her Anastasia.


The Mister in his new Packers Hat. :)



My new running jacket and Castle Calendar! I can hardly wait to hang it up in the kitchen! Bring on January!! ;)

Hoping you and yours had a very merry Christmas as well.

Christmas Cookie Round Up

I have been baking up a storm the past couple days. Oh how I love Christmas cookies! I am so sad that due to schedules and circumstances my buddies and I were not able to have our annual Christmas Party and Cookie Exchange. Here is the round up of cookies and recipes I have made this year.

• Red Velvet Cookies
• Raspberry Ribbons  (A family favorite, this is one my Mom almost always makes at Christmas time)
• Gingerdoodles (Two favorite cookies combined Gingersnaps and Snickerdoodles. Rhett and Mikayla insist on calling them Snickersnaps.
• Roll out cookies
• White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peppermint Glaze (Seriously think these ones need a shorter name!)

A favorite Christmas Song...this one always makes me smile =)

year of running... 2013

I came across this blog link up this morning. How was your year of running?  Right now I am feeling like a fake and a fraud.  My running this week as been nonexistent. :/  At best it has been once a week lately. It makes me sad and grumpy to think about it.

I feel like {at times} the Christmas season is swallowing me whole.  But today is a new day.  I am seeking His joy and not going to get bogged down with the details.

I started running in June.  So really I have only been "a runner", for 6 months.  Not the whole year.  And if you told me last January that I would start running, and run a 5K this year, I would have laughed out loud.  But I did!

Here are my 2013 answers...

What was your:

• Best race experience? I ran my first 5K (and only race to date) August 17 in Erie, PA with my sister and some cousins :) It was fantastic, we had so much fun. And hope to make it an annual tradition.
• Best run? This random November Run; it was snowing {kinda}.  There was nothing super incredible about it, but its the first one that came to mind.  I remember it vividly and it still makes me smile.
• Best new piece of gear?  I was ridiculously excited to find my fleece lined running pants/leggings whatever at Marshall's  =) A bargain and have got me out running the handful of times I have made it outside this season.
• Best piece of running advice you received? Don't give up.  Even now, I am feeling like a fake and fraud, as I previously stated.  But I am not going to quit. I am going to get out there and run some more. A lot of times I don't feel like a real runner.  Especially when I find myself reading and following marathoners.  Those girls are "real runners".  But am learning that it doesn't matter.  Running can be a solitary thing.  I don't need to compete against anyone but me.  As long as I am out there, I am moving forward.  Getting stronger and healthier everyday (I hope).
• Most inspirational runner(s)? My cousin, Kelly and my sister, Laura.  I could not have run the race without my sister by my side.  Learning my cousin was running a half marathon was what truly got me started on my running journey.  I figured if Kelly could run a half, I could at least attempt a 5K.  And even the day of the race as I was huffing and puffing along beside my sister, I kept thinking Kelly is running 13 miles right now...surely I can do 3! 
  Also drew a lot of inspiration from Kelly over at I am running this, hers was the first running blog I started reading :)  I still read it religiously every time I see a new post.
• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? Press On.  This has not been an easy year in any way, shape or form.  It has stretched me, I have grown stronger.  I have learned sometimes you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Press on, don't give up, keep moving forward.  You  will get there. ;-)

I was excited this morning to find a new challenge starting in January.  I think I am going to start again with the Couch to 5K program.  I have been such a slacker.  Winter is doing me in and it hasn't even really started yet!  Hopefully I won't be totally back at square one.  I am going to sign up as a "beginner", which is a challenge to do 10 miles per week. Which at this point will be a huge jump.  But I can do it. ;-)


 

One Hour Bread

Seriously!

Yesterday I came home from work, set about making soup for dinner.  Time was getting a bit short and still wanted bread to go with dinner.

Eureka! I remembered the One Hour Bread made in pampered Chef's Deep Covered Baker.  I decided to give it a shot.

It came out perfect, golden brown and delicious!

1 Hour Bread

•  5-6 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute whole wheat flour for 1 or 2 cups) 
• 2 tablespoons dry yeast 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
•  1 teaspoon salt 
•  2 cups hot water (120° to 130°) 

*Mix 4 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, and salt. Pour in hot water and beat 100 strokes, or three minutes with a mixer. Stir in additional flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky. Knead 8 minutes. (I use the dough hook on my kitchen aid mixer). Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise 15 minutes. Punch down and shape into a large loaf. Place the dough a deep baker that has been oiled. Cut a slit about 1/2 inch deep along the top and several small slits on either side of the first slit. It will look a little like a branch with leaves when you are done. Put the lid on the baker and place in a COLD oven. Turn oven to 400° and bake for 40 minutes. Don’t peek at it. You just have to trust that it is doing what it is supposed to. Remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to brown the top 

This is the soup I made last night too.  So good! {Click on the picture to go to the recipe}.

Christmas perhaps...means a little bit more.

 

I have thus far been reminded by two people already this morning to rejoice, look for the JOY of Christmas. Christmas Day is going to come, whether or not I am "ready" for it.  When it comes down to it, the things that we stress over-- usually don't really matter.

Its about Jesus.  The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp has been a treasure and bright spot in my mornings this December.  A definite reminder to focus on the things that really matter.

Its about family.  I am looking forward to lots of family time.

When it comes down to it, everything else fades away.

from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

Read Miles & Blessings blog this morning as well.  Another perfect reminder.

Some JOYS to count~

• Christmas Shopping with my Mom and Sister <3
• Mikayla's desire to cheer up a friend
•  got a few more stocking stuffers ;)
• Sunshine
• the beauty of freshly fallen snow
• being able to park in our garage
• soup and fresh baked bread

Tonight I hope to bake a bunch of Christmas cookies!  I have been perusing pinterest to find the perfect assortment. :)  My goal is to make enough to make three cookie trays, one just for munching now ;) one for our Christmas Dinner at Mom's and one for Christmas Day :)

I have been thinking about My Happiness Project... Here is the start of my list... I can not believe the in less than two weeks it will be 2014.

I will not complain about the snow. I will not complain about the snow. I will not complain about the snow!  This was my mantra today. :P   I think I mostly succeeded.  I am trying really hard to stop complaining.  To stop sighing.  To remember to look for the good.

Tonight I made a Taco Braid for supper.  As I was making it I remembered one reason why I rarely make braids.  Mine always come out looking sloppy and wonky.  But as we always say we are "Pampered Chefs...not Perfect Chefs!"

While rings and braids were pretty much a Pampered Chef staple, the recipe I used was via pinterest and not the pampered chef recipe per say.  The recipe can be found at 3 Moms and a Kitchen.  I pretty much mashed up the PC recipe and the blog recipe.  She had lots of pictures on her blog-- if you are the type that needs a tutorial ;)  I also made a printable version or the recipe...click HERE to see it.

 

Taco Braid

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 can of RoTel (I used the cilantro and lime one, it was pretty spicy)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

In a skillet, brown 1lb of ground beef with onion and garlic.  Add taco seasoning and RoTel.

Roll out crescent roll onto baking sheet. Mend the perforations.  Cut crescent sheet on both sides 1inch apart.

Put cooked meat mixture in center of cut crescent sheet.  Top meat with cheese.  (I forgot the cheese and sprinkle it on top after I sealed up the dough...again...Pampered NOT Perfect!)

Fold crescent strips over meat mixture and press the strips together to seal the braid.

Bake at 350^ for about 20-25 minutes.  Crescent dough should be turning a nice golden brown.

Serve with sour cream, and additional taco toppings if desired.

Tonight was Ryan's Holiday Concert.  Postponed from last night due to winter weather {I will not complain about the snow! ;P} They did a great job.  I always enjoy being at their concerts.  I love how much my children love music.  I am thankful we live in a district with such a great music program and great music teachers.

Hannah and I are reading Christmas Stories for Bedtime.  She read most of the story to me tonight.  I am getting such a thrill out of watching her become a reader.  I love that she loves reading.  She says Mrs Shepard {her teacher} really turned her onto reading.  

The other night as we finished reading she turned to me and said "I really love how the author wrote this! What is the author's name?"

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Hard to believe its been 7 years since this ray of sunshine joined our family.

She brings such joy to our home.



 Birthday Cupcakes ready to take to school.

Birthday pancake :) She thought it was pretty crazy that I stuck a candle in her pancake!

Birthday Dinner... SUBWAY!

After dinner we had to head over to church for play practice.  We surprised her downstairs after practice with cupcakes!

Look for the GOOD

Today was a struggle.  I was thinking about groceries. The housework that needs done. The gifts I somehow have to find time to buy.  The Christmas outfits that need to be purchased.  The Christmas jammies I want to make but probably won't.

My body is tired.  My spirit is weary.

I need some hope. Some perspective.

I drove home thinking of all the things I needed to cross of my list.  I felt more tired.

I came home.  I started putting away groceries.  Talked a little with Mikayla. {She is trying out for the Spring Musical tonight}.  Texted my Mister, offering to make dinner a half hour earlier so we could eat together as a family.  Turned on KLOVE, a bit louder than usual.  My spirit started to lift.   

Look for the GOOD, I heard.

As I look around my home I see much evidence of the family who dwells here.  Its far from perfect but it is home.  And I am blessed.  I will look for the good.  I will be thankful.  I will purpose to be joy filled instead of weary and empty.

The JOY of the Lord is my Strength. Nehemiah 8:10

• So I am thankful for today.  
• For this Christmas season.  
• That I could get Ryan's saxophone to school on time. 
•  For the quiet, peacefulness of the church today.  
• For a multitude of  answered prayers.  
• For chats with my eldest daughter.  
• That I can take her to try outs tonight.  
• That tonight is a night to {mostly} be at home.  
• That we can eat dinner as a family.
• For this little cutie, who turns 7 tomorrow.
  
• For all the family and friends who came to her party 
• Dreams of maybe living next to a best friend.

Thank you Father for reminders to look for the good that is all around.  To believe in the good in people around me. Thank you for answers to prayers.  Thank you for Christmas.

My heart is so sad and heavy.  There are just no words.

Yesterday after school Mikayla walked in and told me her teacher had been in a serious car accident.  I had heard about the accident and was shocked to hear it was one of Mikayla's teachers.  She had Ms Hyland for two years, 7th and 8th grade for Social Studies.  She was one of the nicest teachers, Mikayla told me.

This morning I heard the news that Ms Hyland passed away.  My heart aches for her family.  For her students.  My prayers are with them, that God would wrap them in his love and comfort and guide them through this tragic loss.

Last night was the High School Holiday concert.  It was dedicated to Ms Hyland.

The concert was phenomenal. The video below shows Mikayla's Concert Band performance from a couple weeks ago, as well as the Concert Choir from last night.

Christmasy Things

It is starting to look like Christmas at our house. Slowly we are pulling out the decor, getting into the festive holiday spirit.

I am enjoying my advent studies. This week is the week of Hope.  I feel like Hope is something I need this week. Life just has a way of weighing you down.  I am thankful that God is always there to lift me back up.  Praying today, for a dear friend in the hospital.  Its scary how quickly life can be turned upside down.

Hop on over to Ann Voskamp's blog and watch her video from Sunday, on HOPE. It spoke life to my soul.

We decorated the mantle this morning, and got out the Veggie Tales Nativity set. There is just something about the glow of Christmas lights. :-)

Yesterday morning I snapped this on my morning run.  It just made me happy to be outside, being thankful to be alive, healthy and strong.

I have officially started my Christmas Shopping as of yesterday. I am trying hard not to be overwelmed by the swiftness of the Day approaching.

One week from today my precious Hannah Mae will be 7 years old.  Does not even seem possible.  Sunday we will celebrate with family and friends.

<3 Baby Hannah coming home from the hospital <3