Oh Christmas Tree

Brian and I are part of a leadership team at our church. We help lead the youth group on a weekly basis. Last night however, was a break.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the youth and I love serving. But having last night off was a blessing. He and I were able to relax and do some homework also I was able to decorate.
:)Me and my crafty self love decorating. If I could have found a way to save my miniature pumpkins from fall I would have. But I just couldn't think of anything.

So Saturday and Sunday night we decorated. He didn't want to at first but he finally gave it. We put up our little tree that my parents bought us. And I made a good amount of

home made ornaments. They are almost like Cinnamon cookies.

Well anyways, I thought I'd share what my wife self is doing to get ready for the Holidays. My goal is to be all decorated by the time cookie palooza comes around this weekend.

FINISHED:CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT RECIPE:

1 cup applesauce

1 ½ cups cinnamon (6 oz)

1/3 cup nontoxic glue

mix all ingredients together form a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 min.

sprinkle a little cinnamon on a large cutting board and roll out dough to ¼ in. thickness.

Place on a rack or flat surface to dry. Turn a couple of times a day. Takes about 2 days

to dry.

So excited for christmas. And each and every day I add something new. You should try the ornaments they are awesome! Only be wear I inhaled so much Cinnamon it made me sick :S.

thats all for now
-j

Apple Pie Review :So my crust was a bust, it had too much flour so it fell when it cooled and the edges fell off. Oh well, I guess there are worst things in life.

Thats really all I have to say right now. I just wanted to update those who care about my pie. Maybe laster one I'll have something worth while writing about.
-j

The Apple Pie Elections

This thanksgiving I'm spending it when Brians family. It's not the first thanksgiving I've been away from home and it probably wont be the last.

My family are really big pie eaters. More then I think any other family. I think it's a farm thing, my papa was a farmer, and I've never met a farmer who hated pie. We make our pie crust from scratch with an evil ingredient that would have the organic hippies dying just by looking at it. (No offence). The pie has many particular steps to make sure it comes out right, and for whatever reason if the crust isn't made in my moms kitchen it just doesn't come out right. I think it's because I still need her advice on things but dont tell her that. Also some how when ever I make it there are always tears, that doesn't depend on the kitchen, thats just a given. Either it's too soft or too hard, somebody pokes me and I drop an extra egg in (hubbsters did that last time) or I'm frustrated because somebody is in the kitchen telling me how to make my pie. I realize I'm only 21 but I've been making pie for a REALLY long time (last thanksgiving at a friends house with an over protective grandmother).

This year?

Well I'm not sure. I think I'm tired and I think I miss home.

But something I've learned being a college student being 1000 miles away from home

Home is anything. I learned to live at home in the dorms. At the friends house with the over protective grandmother. And here, at my in-laws. (which by the way I hate that word because people usually mean it negatively and it's not for me) I have great in-laws and I feel at home with them.

So right. Pies.

My FIL always makes the apple pie. I guess it's his thing. Guess who is making it this thanksgiving. THIS GIRL. yeah. crap is right. Not only is it a test of my woman hood, but it's like a family acceptance test. I'm not sure WHO elected me or HOW I got elected to make this pie. It's like the holy grail of thanksgiving dinner, well that and pumpkin. ANYWAY. This is my first thanksgiving with brians family EVER. last year we weren't even dating. SO it's like double test. I'm not really nervous just a new experience.

So this is my first wife thanksgiving. Complete with tears and apple pie tests. I'll let you know how it comes out. Right now, I'm just praying for it (no but really)

thats all for now. (i think)
-j

While it's still new

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away but I have something to confess....

Today I started listening to Christmas music. I know it's early, I'm sorry. But my excuse is that I had dishes and other house things to do and that was my motivation.

Coincidently my mother sent me a package.... With Christmas cookie decorations in it!! My friends and I are making cookies for the dorm students around campus and I didn't have anything (being that I just got married) So mom sent me a package. It had two different types of sprinkles in it, edible beads, cookie cutters, and a snowman dish towel. So cute.


Like everything in our society we are on to the next big thing. Christmas decorations were out in stores even before halloween had come. (Brian and I got our Christmas tree on Oct 9).

However by the end of it all, most people will be sick of Christmas.

This is the one time of year that almost everybody looks forward to. Yet we still manage to become sick of it. What does that say about us?

But are they sick of Christmas or just the commercialization of it? Sick of the Christmas songs and the smell of pine trees. Sick of looking at left over Christmas cookies, and eating left over Christmas food especially the fruit cake. And some people, even sick of family. But I think we are forgetting the meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is when we celebrate our saviors birth. We hear it a million times during the season, but it should make us jump for joy and worship our King. Yet we get sick of it. We should stand up and say HALLELUJAH! Yet we get sick of it. Americans want things at a fast pace and don't want to stay focused on one thing for too long, but I see it affection our spiritual walk.

Now I'm not saying it's a SIN to get sick of "Santa baby" or whatever, because honestly sometimes I do want to punch out my radio after it comes on ever day for a month. But next time we say we are sick of Christmas; think about just exactly what are we sick of? And remember you probably waited for it all year long, so it's just pay back.

Just a thought. thats all for now.
-j

The Beginning

I told my husband I wanted to start a blog and he just kinda shook his head. He kindly reminded me that the world might read this so I need to act accordingly.

I'm not sure whats going to come out of this, or even who'd read it. My life is kinda boring and anti-climatic, however I thought I'd give it a try. But this is going to be about me. About my life. What I'm learning, what I wish I didn't have to learn. The great things I get to do, and the great husband I'm blessed to be married to.

I'm a full time student, I work part time, do a lot of ministry on the side and am a full time wife. I have a busy life but a blessed one. And no, no little blessings yet I have to graduate first and maybe win the lottery.

oh and btw, if you're wondering about the name, my husband named it. He thought it was cute, instead of "good house keeping" it's "good wife keeping". He's the funniest man I know.

thats all for now.
-J