What I've been reading! (OVER and OVER.....)

Jonathan and I started a tradition for Katelynn.  Last year and this we have bought her a Christmas book.  I found this one on Borders website and it was only $6.99.  I also had a $5 off coupon off ANY   in-store purchase.  SO...I headed off to Borders bookstore a few weeks before Christmas and picked this book up.  It was PERFECT for her age.  Short and Sweet.  Have I mentioned she LOVES books.  Little did I know that this book would quickly become her FAVORITE book.  I think I read it on average about 6 times a day!  Plus, she sleeps with the book!!!

The book is really cute...talking about a mouse telling everyone in the stable that SOMEONE is coming to this house.  And the animals (in response to the mouse) began cleaning up the barn for Mary and Joseph.  I would be embarassed to read it for you due to the fact I try my best to change my voice for each animal.  My husband gets into it some too...but not as much as me.  He gives me the "you're crazy" look as he sits across the room while I read it to Katelynn.

I am so happy she loves to look/read books and loves books being read to her.  But this book, I must confess, get's hidden at times so I don't have to read it for the 10th time that day!!!

But I am happy I picked a winner this year!

Mary did you know? I wonder?

I have began to ponder  (ok so that word is to big for me) think about the Christmas story this year.  Is it just me or do most mothers tend to gravitate towards Mary the mother of Jesus...and what she must have been thinking.  With 3 Christmas' now being in some stage of motherhood...I seem to have been thinking about Mary alot.  I listened to "Mary Did You Know"  So that just made me think about it more. 

I have to wonder, Did Mary Really know?  I mean all of it?  His whole life?  I mean I know the Angel told her that "He shall save His people from their sin." (Matt 1:21)  And "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19)  But that does mean she thought it over right??  I mean, she didn't really have a choice in the matter...but If had been highly favored in Gods site...enough to bear His SON...I don't think I would want to change my situation either.  Although, if I thought to much...I would probably freak out and think...there is NO WAY I can do this.  I mean...RAISE GOD"S SON???  And if she knew everything?  And just HOW he was going to "save His people from their sins".  If I knew all that I think it would break my heart.    I look at my daughter and if I knew all that her life was going to hold...and couldn't change any of it.  How would I re-act?  How would I feel?  Would I have a broken heart?  Would I be happier beyond words?  Would I have a bitter-sweet moment?  COULD I HANDEL IT???

 I am just glad that God really knew what woman to pick.  I can't imagine how she felt knowing that "Goldfish" feeling in her tummy was the Son of GOD! And then riding on a DONKEY, in the last part of her pregnancy???  I had a hard time sitting in a church pew without my back killing me...let alone a DONKEY!!!  I won't even go into the accommodations she had for delivery...BOY are we girls spoiled and think WE have it rough!!!  Finally, that squirming bundle of joy, she had to wrap in swaddling clothes.  Did she bring them herself?  Or did she find them in the stable?  Did she go into early labor...or had she planned a home delivery once they got back from Bethlehem? And she had to lay him in the Cow's feeding dish.  Did she make Joseph change out the hay to fresh hay ?  Or was she to exhausted and excited taking in her newborn son to worry about that?  Did she count his fingers and toes?  And at what point did it hit her that she was looking into the eyes of the Son of God and kissing his tender face?

A baby always seems to bring out the best in people...what kind of emotion did it bring out in Mary and Joseph?  And every new mother has guest...but dirty smelly shepherds?  I mean, today we pass around the sanitizer before anyone touches or holds our new babies.  And if you have the sniffles...a new mommy gets quite antsy for you to hold her new precious child.  But these guys probably had grubby hands...and most likely didn't smell good.  Or did they try to clean up?  The angel did tell them they were going to go see JESUS...so did they think about their appearance?  And Mary, no doubt exhausted, welcomed in her guests smelliness, grubbiness and all!  What a woman!

Then instead of being able to go home..they got a new home and moved in.  And after some settling in they heard some commotion going on out front of their house.  Three men, with very expensive clothes were approaching. Mary and Joseph had began to notice that bright star that bathed their house every night, was very bright!  (ok, so maybe that part is not totally scriptural...but I think after some time I would notice a big star that didn't seem to move from being over my house!)  I wonder did Mary and Joseph's neighbors notice all that was going on???  How did Mary feel about these 3 important guest?  Did she have any sort of feeling of embarrassment about the quaintness of their house.  Or where the kings gracious and make her feel so comfortable? The presentation of their gifts had to be amazing!  I wonder what she did with them? And after all that did she invite them in for food and fellowship?  I have no doubt Mary was a gracious hostess.  After all God knew about all this, and knew all the phases she would have to go through.

Then the dedication, Simeon and Anna...I can only imagine the pride that went through those new parents hearts.  The same pride that any parent has when someone makes over their new child!

All those years in between the events surrounding his birth and when he was 12 and they found him in the temple are not talked about.  I can only imagine the memories Mary and Joseph  made.  How did they feel when he cut his first tooth?  Was Jesus bald or did he have LOTS of hair as baby?  What did they do on his birthday?  Just how excited was Mary when Jesus took his first wobbly step?  Can you imagine having such an OBEDIENT child?  What was his first word?  Did he say Ma Ma or Da da first.  Was he a Daddy's boy or a Mommy's boy?  (I think he was a Mommy's boy)  What was his favorite toy?  What was school like for Jesus?  What was Jesus favorite food?  Did He like sweets?   Just how was his childhood?  You mothers who are more experienced then me...could continue this list.  I know we are talking about Jesus...and I don't want to Humanize nor diminish just WHO HE IS...But He did have a childhood...and He did have a normal mother who went thru all the normal emotions that any of we Mommy's would go through.  I just wonder???

This Christmas, let yourself wonder.  You might be amazed how the story hits home in your heart...it has mine!!!!

Project Topiary....DONE!

Another project DONE!!  YEA for Me! (mind me as I do a little happy dance!)

I was visiting alot of blogs sometime in October and found this project.  I did not get the website, but I do believe it was one of CREATIVE BLOGS in my side bar.  Sorry I can not take credit for all of it. BUT, I did add my own take. 

I could not find the Berry Picks in the color I needed, but as you soon find in crafting SPRAY PAINT goes a LONG way and you find yourself coming back to it OVER and OVER again.  (Right Leah???) 

Any how, I just happened to have the colors I needed at home that I had purchased to go with 2 other projects. (still wating to be done.  In my defense one is a future Jr. Church decor project.) 

Anyhow, so out I went to my COLD garage with my Gold Berry picks, and began spray painting away with these colors:  Sage and Brown Boots

They spray painted quite well, and to let them dry I poked the stems into a box and had them dry upright.

*on a side note:  this blonde did not crack the door on the garage, thus got told by my loving Hubby if I didn't want to risk getting high off the fumes I had better at least crack the garage door to get some air flow.*  What do I know??? 

If your doing this your self you might want to spread apart the stems and THEN spray paint them.  They tended to stick and got these little notches on them...but it didn't look to bad.  (and I didn't want to spray paint them again.  Some of them had to have a second coat, just to cover the original color well.)

I also took a medium Styrofoam ball and spray painted it brown.

After every thing was dry I brought it all inside and began to assemble.

Things you need: (will list again at bottom of blog)

2 Styrofoam balls (1 painted 1 not painted)

*I spray painted the one the berries went into, just so the WHITE would not be seen*

a vase/pot

a long stick

(can use a dowel rod..but will need to paint it..I got a stick from my tree outside.  Just make sure the stick and the Styrofoam ball you use compliment one another)

SEVERAL berry picks (I used 3 colors and 2 sizes ) I used about 10 berry picks

Hot Glue gun

Wire cutter

Flowers (if desired)

 Began cutting the berry's off .....leave enough wire attached so you can poke it into the ball.

Began assembling. I placed my stick into the bottom first so I would know the top from the bottom.

  I really kept NO pattern with the berries...liked the abstract look.

I also added some flowers into the mix...and I chose to use the flower buds that looked like they were just starting to open at the top then used the open blooms at the bottom of the ball.  I just popped the flowers off the stem and HOT GLUED them into the spots.  On the open blooms I put a few berries underneath the petals so they would pop out.

 Once I was done. (that step took awhile...and keep the glue gun handy some of the berries like to fall out...but I tried to use it the least as I could.)   Place the 2nd ball into your vase/pot and poke the stick into it. Make sure it is pushed down far enough to support your Topiary.  (I had to purchase another base...due to the square floral foam I had bought did not Support it well...but the ball was a very Tight fit and worked great for the vase that I had.)

 I hot glued on some floral moss and Wah-LAH----Project is done!

You LIKE???

I LIKE!!!!

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 Styrofoam balls (1 painted/ 1 plain)
1 stick
vase/pot
Several Berry picks approx 10-12 (I suggest 2 sizes to give you some depth...but you can do as you like.)
spray paint (IF berrys are not the color you want)
Wire cutter
Glue gun
Moss


HAVE FUN!!!!

Christmas Photoshoot...with my Baby!

Being home now gives me alot of time to do some things I really love and one is

PHOTOGRAPHY!

I am not an expert...but I am learning from 3 different photographers I know.

Here are my results from a Christmas photo shoot I had with Katelynn

Still learning to play around with Photoshop..so most of these pictures are untouched.  We had alot of fun taking them...and Katelynn did quite well for mommy, in between wanting to see about every shot.

 I love the tender look she has here.

*this one I did play with the staturation a bit...for you Photoshop junkies*

Adding the Christmas ornament really helped me to keep her attention and matched her dress perfect! 

 My little cheeser

 This is the UNTOUCHED pic of the 1st one I showed you.

Adding a friend in the picture...she loves this snowman and plays with it many times during the day. 
It is one of the few Christmas decor she is allowed to play with.

And again, the BIG smile I love to see!!!

In Christmas Awe!

My total favorite of them all!!!  She did the knee and hand thing all on her own!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!