25 Random things...

I have read lots of other people's blogs lately where they have listed 25 random things about themselves and so I decided to try to think of 25 random things about myself that most people wouldn't know...

1.  Daisies are my favorite flower.

2.  I plan to start a garden this spring.

3.  My dad's middle name is Earl and my mom's middle name is Lula (boy did I luck out not to get a family name).

4.  Jason and I were pronounced husband and wife at exactly 2:41 pm.

5.  My daughter was born at exactly 2:41 pm (not on the same day!).

6.  When I find a movie I really like I will watch it over and over and over and over and... well you get the picture.

7.  I love photography and some day I hope to take a class on how to actually do it the right way!

8.  My parents have been divorced since I was 3 years old.

9.  Jason and I were high school sweethearts.

10. I worry a lot.  Don't worry (haha) my husband has informed me that this is a form of sin in my life (not totally trusting God's sovereignty) and I am praying about that.

11.  I have a step sister that is 4 months older than me and a half brother that is 10 years older than me.

12.  I love to play board games!

13.  At one of my birthday sleepovers my granddad made all my friends smell his pot of chitlins cooking on the stove.  Yeah... they still came back next year.

14.  Jason wrote a song for me and sang it at our wedding... mushy, I know.

15.  My favorite book of the Bible is James.

16.  I am scared of the dark... really.

17.  I LOVE to read the Farmer's Almanac... it has a lot of great information in there... really!

18.  In college I took a class on Evolution and even though I didn't believe a word the teacher said it was one of my favorite classes.  

19.  I really like to watch reality shows and my favorite right now is the "Biggest Loser".  

20.  I am totally scared of sharks but very much fascinated by them at the same time.  

21.  It makes me very nervous to be on a boat of any size... probably related to the shark fear.

22.  My granddad taught me how to swim at our hotel while we were on vacation in the Smokey Mountains.

23.  I drink a diet mountain dew every morning to start my day.

24.  I can't stand the way a newspaper feels in my hands... it makes me cringe.

25.  One of my favorite snacks to eat while watching TV is potato chips dipped in ketchup.

So, many of these things aren't very fascinating but I hadn't posted in a while and nothing super interesting has happened at my house lately... so there you go.  

Super Bowl?

This afternoon Adele was questioning Jason and I about our weekend plans.  "What are we going to do this weekend, where can we go?", she wanted to know.  She started naming people we could visit and places we could go... "Well" she said, "We can't go to grandma's because they are having a salad bowl party this weekend."   Kids, you gotta love them.

It's already snowing at our house!

Ok, so I tricked you to get you here it is not really snowing at our house... Adele and I have been working on making different kinds of snowflakes for the last few days and who knew we would be done just in time for the real snow's arrival!  We made snowflakes from popsicle sticks, paper and my favorite Q-tips (thanks Amber).   After they all dried we hung them up over the windows in our kitchen so we can look at them while we are viewing the real snow (when it gets here).  

Adele and I are also very excited about the chance of snow today.  I hope it snows so much that Adele gets to stay home from school tomorrow (sorry Mrs. Creech!).   I guess we will see how much we get.  We are going out later to buy all the ingredients to make snow cream (sugar, condensed milk, vanilla flavoring and SNOW... just in case you didn't know).  

I hope you all enjoy the pics and the SNOW!!!

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

 Psalm 51:7

6:30 am Christmas at our house

We told Adele that she could get up at 6:30 am on Christmas morning.  She woke up at 6:29 am... not kidding!  The first thing she said to me was, "I just prayed that Jesus would have a good birthday today."  So sweet.  Then we got up and started the coffee and made some cheese and ham biscuits.  Then we all sat down at the kitchen table to celebrate the birth of our Savior. It was a beautiful celebration.  We have been doing Advent and so this morning was the lighting of our last candle and because it was still dark outside it was beautiful (don't worry I have pictures!).  

Then we all settled into the living room to open our gifts.  This year Adele asked for a metal detector (seriously).  We also bought her several other gifts that were a hit (you know some years you bomb).  She LOVED her new hot pink MP3 Player and pink watch.  It was cool to watch her open each gift and get so excited!

I hope that you enjoy this day and the celebration of the real reason for Christmas and God's "gift" to us... salvation.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:11

A different kind of recipe

I was trying to think of what Adele might like to give the kids in her class as a Christmas present and I came across this recipe for Play Dough.  I know, you are thinking why make your own play dough?  We are just like that... we like to be "crafty".  Anyway, it was really easy and fun to watch how the play dough changed in the microwave.  Give it a try!  I bet you have almost all the ingredients in your house already.

Play Dough

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. salt

2 T. cream of tartar

2 packages of Kool-Aid

2 c. water

2 T. baby oil (you can use cooking oil)

Mix together the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl mix the water, baby oil and kool-aid.  Then mix the 2 together in a microwave safe dish.  Stir until well blended. Microwave on high for a total of 4 to 5 minutes stopping every 30 to 45 seconds to stir. Continue to microwave until a ball forms.  After the play is cool enough to touch, you are ready to create!!!

*I just wanted to add to make sure you stir really well on the sides and bottom of your microwave dish because the play dough starts to form in those areas first and if you don't stir well it will get to hard.  Also we halved the recipe and that made plenty.

Pictures of us making ours... doesn't it look like fun!!!

I do hope that you will try this with your kids.  Like I said we are going to give the dry ingredients to Adele's friends in her class for Christmas (shh ... don't tell them) and hope that their parents aren't too upset with me!  Ha Ha!