Book Review

A book review right before Christmas before I get a new set of books to read!

Death by Suburb

Rating: 8.5

This book I read for a girls bible study I attend on Monday nights. The book is about how the suburbs can make you miss the deeper life of Christ because of all the things we tend to pursue while living in the suburbs. It illustrates 10 different "toxins" that tend to be in suburb life and then provides the spiritual "practice" to counteract the toxin. For example: The toxin: I need to get more done in less time and the practice: Falling in love with a day. I really enjoyed this book and it revealed to me some things that I have allowed the culture that I live in to rob me of greater joy in Christ.

I gave it an 8.5 because the author likes to tell stories and go off on bunny trails that sometimes can make me lose track of what the point was or what I was actually reading so I have to retrace my steps. So if that kind of stuff frustrates you - this may not be the book for you. =)

Happy Reading!

Amanda and Clif's Wedding!

This weekend we witnessed a glorious event - Amanda and Clif finally getting hitched! Yay! We are so excited to watch and pray for them as they start this journey together. Amanda was so beautiful in her dress and it was such a beautiful ceremony. I especially liked it when Clif came out to address the audience before the ceremony begin and talked about Christ and the grace we can have in Him and that he (Clif) would love to talk to anyone that night that wanted to know about that grace. Bonus: I got to see so many of my Hardin-Simmons friends that I don't get to see very often. It was like a mini reunion. That made my entire month!

The kiss!!

Cutting the cake!

*Funny story with this picture: We were about to smile for the picture and the little flower girl saw the camera and stepped right in front of us and posed. She apparently knows that she is cute and that cameras are obviously for her whether she knows the people or not. So precious!*

The crew with the beautiful bride (and the groom in the background)

My love and me

I was really sad that I didn't get pictures with everybody there. It was so good to see them! Erin, Jana, Shea, Leslie, Kendall, Tessa, Sarah, Crystal and Tommy and anyone else I might have forgotten - I had a blast seeing you guys and wish I could see you more often. Love you!!

Christmas Songs

I love Christmas music!!! I secretly start listening to Christmas music in October to the annoyance of my husband who swears that Christmas music should not be listened to until December 1st =). It puts me in the best mood. There's just something about cold weather and Christmas music that just stirs something in my soul and reminds me why we celebrate this season. It makes me fall in love with Jesus more.

I have collected different Christmas songs over the years and definitely have my favorites. But I have so many favorites that I have to divide them into several categories.

Traditional religious

O Holy Night

This has to be one of my favorite songs of all time. I can't help but cry when I hear this song. It is such a beautiful song of Jesus coming to save me from my sin. To think of that night before Jesus came when the world lay in sin and we had no hope and we were dead and then Jesus came on that night two thousand some years ago to save the world and I no longer am dead but alive in Him. I get excited just writing about it. Love this song!

Traditional non-religious

Silver Bells

When I hear this song, I think of the days before we had cars and people had to walk around and there were sleighs and lots of snow. It's just fun.

Non-traditional religious

I Believe by Natalie Grant

Oh my gosh do I love this song! This is another one that stirs my soul and makes me so thankful that Jesus came to save me. I'll give you some of the verses to this song and then highly recommend that you youtube this song. It gives me chills.

Two thousand years
Still the story lives on
God's gift to us Sent to earth Wrapped in flesh
His only son
His only son
And the heartbeat of heaven
Confounded our wisdom
But it's still the simple truth
That sets me free

And I believe
Precious child How can it be that God's great plan
For his story Would send you to
The lonely tree
That you would come
For one like me

Non Traditional non religious

Christmas Time by Michael W. Smith

This is a great song. I think the beginning of it would be a great song to walk down the aisle if you got married at Christmas. It's just a great song.

Choir Religious

Hallelujah Chorus by Handel

So good!!! I love that everyone stands up for the chorus of this song. All the parts together are so pretty and I love the King of Kings and Lord and Lords part.

Choir Non religious

Carol of the bells

This one is just fun and all the parts again are so good and make the song what it is. I like the crescendo parts and it gets really loud and fast.

I have other favorite songs but these are the ones that are on the top of the list. I'm sure I will add to it as the years continue. I'll be sad when Christmas is over and I will have to wait another 10 months to listen to them again.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Dear Unknown Lady

I understand that your conversation is important and carrying a phone around and having a conversation in public is the norm now, but it is NOT OKAY for you to talk while you are in the public restroom doing your business. I promise you no one and I repeat NO ONE wants to hear what you are doing on the other side of the phone. They also don't want to hear strangers doing their business either. Plus, it kind of makes other people uncomfortable (me) knowing that you are on the phone and people can hear ...well you know....it's bad enough there are other people in the restroom. So please from now on keep your conversations on the other side of the bathroom door. People will thank you.

Yours Truly,

A Concerned Public Citizen

THE PIONEER WOMAN!!

Tuesday night changed my life. I met THE Pioneer Woman. That's right. I met her!!! It was so awesome. It was well worth the 4 hours of waiting at Borders for her to finally sign my cookbook and talk to her for like 20 seconds. I am completely star struck. Not that Ree thinks of herself as a star or anything but she is famous whether she thinks she is or not. It was such a great day!!

Jennifer, my friend from work, and I went and got our wristbands for the signing on our lunch break on Tuesday, and I am so glad that we did. They gave different color wrist bands to every 100 people and there were 8 colors. We were red - the second color to be distributed. After work, we headed over there to make sure we got a parking spot and get in line. Around 6:30, they started lining us up by color and at 7:10 - Ree showed up!!! She was so sweet and adorable just like I thought she would be. She thanked everyone for coming and then answered the question that everybody wanted to know - that yes, she will be publishing her Black Heels to Tractor Wheels romance story!! I am so excited and don't worry - I will be at that book signing too!! After 3 hours of waiting in line, I finally got to meet The Pioneer Woman. She was so nice and kept joking that everyone was type A except for her. She also gave out the t-shirts that she posted on her website to everyone that came. Bonus! We had so much fun and I can't wait to do it again.

So excited to meet Ree!!

So is Jennifer!

Waiting in line to see Ree!

And this is what we waited by before the line moved. We didn't read any of it though. Go ahead and say it - real mature to take picture Elizabeth. Thanks. I know.

HI!

So far to go....

Getting closer...

We love Ree more than we love our luggage!!

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

You will need:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 large apple, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup Ocean Spray Cranberries, chopped in half (fresh or frozen)
• 1/3 cup of butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, toasted (I didn't put nuts in mine because I don't like them but feel free if you like!)
• 1 Concord Foods Sweet Potato Casserole Mix with Marshmallow Topping (I couldn't find this box last year for Thanksgiving so I improvised and used my own spices, feel free and add as many as you like if you can't find the box)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 11X 17 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, apple, cranberries, butter, cranberry juice, and Sweet Potato Spice Pack; mix well. Pour sweet potato cranberry mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sweet potatoes are softened when pricked with a fork.
4. Remove from oven; stir in pecans. Sprinkle top of sweet potatoes with Sweet Potato Marshmallow Pack. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until marshmallows are softened and light brown.
5. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!!

Thanksgiving!!!

This year we spent Thanksgiving with Jason's family in Houston. It was a great time with family and loving on the new babies this holiday season. We ate lots of food, relaxed and caught up with one another. Thanksgiving night, we went over to a family friend's house and played games and ate desserts. I played Phase 10 with 5 other people and I won. I love winning. I think I have a slight competitive problem.

On Friday, I decided to skip out on the early morning shopping since I really wasn't shopping for anything specific because I have yet to figure out what I am getting people for Christmas. I did go to Target later in the day to buy some more Christmas decorations and was really surprised with how many of the things they advertised in their ad were still there that afternoon. It made me really glad that I hadn't bothered to get up before the sun that day. We spent more time hanging out with family that night and then left after lunch on Saturday. We had such a great time and we're sad to leave.

The cousins meeting each other for the first time

Happy Karis

Starting early on the coffee..jk..

Lucye even made a new friend. The cat, however, chased Lucye around the house. It was pretty funny.