Baby Shower Cake

This is a cake I did for a baby shower at church a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun. The expectant mother came up to me and thanked me profusely. It was sweet.

Decorating for Christmas

We put up the Christmas decorations today. Nanook is very interested in the snow scene. He is a white Godzilla stomping through the town!

As I look at the picture with Raja in the tree box and Nanook peering over the edge, I think, "How strange that our kids haven't experienced a live Christmas tree!" I love the smell of freshly cut Christmas trees, but I don't love the dead pine needles on the floor! I do love the fullness and beauty of our faux tree.

I remember, as a young teenager, my parents and I went to the mountains and cut down our Christmas tree and an extra one for my friend whose family didn't have the money to get a tree.When we delivered it to their door,
they were so surprised. It was so much fun.

Garrett says, "It really feels like Christmas!" He and Olivia are so excited. It is very sweet.

Pocatello Christmas Lights Parade

The TV station participates in the Christmas Lights Parade each year. This year, bundled like little bugs in a rug, we braved the 27 degree temperature to throw candy to thousands of children and their parents. It was a lot of fun. The little kids were all bundled up in blankets and scarves. All you could see were their sweet little eyes and smiles and their red noses! Matt was a riot. He had one side of the street yelling and then the other side, like at a football game. It was so fun.
Above are pictures of Garrett and Olivia being interviewed for the 9 and 10 o'clock newscast.

Candy Making

The kids and I tried a new candy recipe this year. Oh, my goodness! It is a good thing that the holidays don't happen more often! Here is this yummy recipe...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzels

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. peanut butter
3 c. powdered sugar
5 doz pretzels
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips, melted
1 T. oil

Mix butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until well blended. Roll into one inch balls and press on to the top of the pretzels. With peanut butter/pretzel on wax paper, cover each ball with melted chocolate that has had the oil stirred in to it. These are so good. I am warning you. Try to eat only one! I dare you!

Annual University Bible Church Thanksgiving

Every year, the weekend before Thanksgiving, our church has a Thanksgiving dinner. It is a very sweet time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We sing songs of thanks, tell stories of thanks, and of course, eat our fill.
Here I am visiting with my dear friend and mentor, Millie McNabb. Millie is one of those people that you just count yourself blessed to know. She is very wise and willing to share the things that she has learned over the years.

Another thought...

I wanted to say, after last night's ramblings, that I was reading in the Bible this week that God is the conqueror of our adversaries. I realized that right now, loneliness is my adversary. I have claimed that promise, that He is on my side to conquer the adversaries in my life. He is good and is always faithful to take me in to His loving arms and help me through times like these.

Thoughts...

Tonight, Matt had the kids at basketball practice and I had the opportunity to be home alone for a while. You would think, being a full-time, stay at home mom, that I would enjoy this time alone. I was overwhelmed with loneliness. I think I am going to have to talk to my mother-in-law about how to deal with life after the kids leave. I found myself thinking that I would HAVE to have a job once the kids are gone. I am going to miss them so much.

I don't think that it helps that I have been feeling very lonely lately. This is very strange also, as we have lived here for 10 1/2 years, and I have just "Bloomed" where I was planted. Suddenly, I am feeling like I need to live near family. Part of me feels like this is disobedience to God b/c I should feel thankful for where He has put us. He has blessed us so greatly and I have nothing to complain about. I was feeling incredibly bummed about not being with family for Thanksgiving, but, after calling about 20 people to see if they would come over for Thanksgiving dinner, God finally provided a family to come over. I am so thankful. Yet, another thing to be thankful for.

I am sorry that this is such a bummer. I have recently realized that this stay at home mom thing isn't all about the t-shirt with the big "S," for Supermom, on it. There are sometimes when we have to acknowledge the sad times in our lives. This is one of them and I am sure that I will get over it. Thanks for listening. :)

Nook Welcomes Thanksgiving

As we were decorating for Thanksgiving, the kids put one of the pilgrim's hats on Nanook. Isn't he cute!

Halloween 2007

This year, for Halloween, Garrett was a wizard, and Olivia was a fashion model. We went to Blackfoot to trick or treat with our friends. They were a kid from the 70's, a kid from the 50's, and a clown. The kids had a great time together. They made out like bandits with candy, as you can see. How fun!