Trimming the Tree

The kids had a joyous time decorating the tree!!
Unfortunately most of the 50 pictures were blurry.

Christmas is such a fun time of year, minus the commercialism of course.
We don't get into the frenzy of shopping and trying to find the perfect gift while spending exorbitant amounts of money on something that is soon forgotten. Focusing on serving others and making handmade gifts helps our family focus on the real reason for the season.

Here's a wonderful post on how to "do less and enjoy more" at the Nesting Place!!!
Check it out for inspiration!!!


How do you avoid getting caught up in the craziness that sometimes comes with Christmas?

Maybe...

This is the location where we attempted to obtain a family Christmas photo.
Out of approximately 150 photos, we may have the ONE.
Just maybe!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Psalm 100

A psalm of thanksgiving

¹ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
² Worship the L ord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
³ Acknowledge that the L ord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the L ord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Gingerbread Houses

(Difficult to get a picture of Sophie without motion)

Our local library hosted a gingerbread house decorating event yesterday.
Careful planning followed by eating handfuls of candy filled the afternoon.
The children enjoyed this time as a wonderful kick-off to what promises to be a great holiday season!!!

Thankful for the Slimy Things in Life

(If you look closely, you can see the intestines)

We had a visitor last night.
This fella "wormed" his way in our house much to everyone's delight!!
Except mine. I don't like slimy creatures!!!
If that wasn't enough, Sawyer found a slug and brought it in for further research.
Little boys love to touch everything...the grosser the better.
I'm thankful for this little man who has shown me a side of life I would have never known had God not blessed me with the gift of a boy!!!
Hop on over to Emily at Chatting at the Sky to Unwrap today!!!

Leaves

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house.
So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne

I noticed this solitary leaf on a tree.
A striking picture among the barren branches.
A reminder that winter will soon be here.
Are you ready?

November

"The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on."
- Emily Dickinson

Sing

Satisfaction

"You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

It's the Most Wondeful Time...

I don't know about you, but I eagerly anticipate planning for our family's Christmas photo!!
I have been known to dress the children in their finery 3, um maybe 4 times 2 times in order to capture the perfect moment.
While there are only a few tears shed, the final product is usually pretty sweet!
Even if I'm the only one who thinks so!
Unwrapping the frustration
exhilaration of getting the "perfect" Christmas photo!
Head on over to Emily at Chatting at the Sky to see what everyone else is unwrapping today!!

Busy

We found this abandoned fire ant mound and enjoyed the opportunity to study our hard working friends!!
I'm amazed!

Fire ants are known for their size, shape, color and bite. These ants live in a colony with other ants to form a community. Fire ants build a community for the purposes of protecting the Queen, mating with the Queen and taking care of the Queen's offspring. The community is made up of three species of fire ants, including the Queen, males and workers. A fire ant community is built in what looks like a mound. This mound has tunnels and underground chambers where the ants store food, have nurseries and maintain chambers where mating takes place. Fire ants build their communities near rivers, ponds, watered lawns and anywhere moisture is present in the soil. The nests are usually not visible unless the area is an open space. Fire ants prefer to build their nests hidden from danger, under timber, logs, rocks and bricks. In open areas, a dome-shaped mound will be found as the community area.

Fire Ant Habitat
# U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia Commons

Design

How excellent is God's design for our lives!!

What do you Think?

This was on Michelle's blog and I thought I would post it too!

Pain

The last few days I have been dealing with a pulled muscle in my lower back. You know the kind that make you look crooked!!!
The spasms have been unbearable and have extremely limited my ability to do the things I need to accomplish.
That being said, I must sing the praises of my husband and children. Since I am at home all day with the kiddos, they have assumed a ton of responsibility. Even the 2 year old can pick up something for mommy!!!
Chloe has the tender heart saying things like,
"Mommy, let me get that for you so you won't injure yourself again!"
Sawyer, "I guess I'll have to be the MAN around here since you aren't able!" (Ha, ha!)
This is a photograph free post since I don't think that photos are able to capture the true essence of serving. In spite of the pain, I will cherish this memory! My family has served me unselfishly and for that I'm thankful.
Unwrapping these moments with Emily at Chatting at the Sky!

Hot Chocolate

It's a hot chocolate kind of day!
What's in store for you today?

Saturday

"...Seek me and live."
Amos 5:4

Who knew...

eating a banana could be so much fun!

Don't you sometimes wish...

(I am such a dork!!!)


there were 2 or even 3 of you?

Today is one of those days.
A pulled muscle + spasms in my back = a long day.

Clean House

Do you ever feel like housecleaning is a waste of time? Somebody is bound to undo the job you've just done.(Like a few seconds after cleaning a mirror...I SEE FINGERPRINTS!!!) Sometimes as I go from room to room and pick up the clothes in the floor again and step over pet shop toys, I think, "I continue to clean and pick up, but it doesn't do any good. It just gets messy again.
Why bother?"

I'm thankful God doesn't feel that way about me.
He never says, "Kelli, I thought we had this (my heart) cleaned up. Are you still trying to straighten up? Not this mess again!!!"

God is a God of grace and mercy.
He desires for me to come to him with the dirty, messy parts of my life.
For that I am eternally grateful!!!

Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10 (New Living Translation)

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:28-29 (New Living Translation)

Fun Learning

After our history lesson yesterday, it was decided that we should draw the Nile River with chalk!
I think the kids did a pretty good job.
I'm glad that joy can be found in most everything!
We are unwrapping this moment with Emily at Chatting at the Sky.

Fall in South Carolina

I love this time of year!
What about you?