Train Up Tuesday: Reflecting on the Year

“You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.” - Psalm 65:11 (ESV)

In just a few days, we wrap up what we knew as 2009. For some, it is a relief, perhaps due to a difficult year; others will reflect on it for the joys that it brought. In either case, believers in Christ can thank God for his provisions, grace and mercy. As parents, we should take this opportunity to look back at the year with our children. So here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Thankfully for digital technology, it is easier now more than ever to look through a years worth of photos chronologically. You may already have a feature on your computer that allows you to set a slide show. Even if you don’t have time to sort through favorite photos, perhaps you can set computer up to show pictures from 2009 all day on New Year’s Eve. This may prompt you to remember what you and the kids may otherwise forget that you are thankful for this past year. The kids will love seeing themselves and recalling favorite events, activities, and occasions.
2. Make a calendar for next year using this year’s photos. My family did that for a few years as Christmas gifts for grandparents. It was always a joy to see how far the children have come developmentally or physically from the previous year.
3. Look through your 2009 calendar and talk about the events and moments of the year. What are you thankful for as a parent? How has your little one changed for the better? Let him know about that. What does your child like about the last year? Also reflect on the difficult times that the Lord has brought your family through or is bringing you through. Talk about the hope that awaits in a new year when you have Christ in your life.
4. Store things in a time capsule, or make a special journal entry, scrap book page, or a cute placemat to commemorate favorite events from the year.

This year, I am so thankful to have watched my small boys grow together, playing together, teaching and learning from each other. I’m thankful for a husband who adores God, and loves his family and works hard so I can be home with my boys.

What does your family do to reflect on a year that is coming to an end? What are you particularly thankful for this year?

Join me next week as I offer ideas for starting a fresh new year with your little ones!

Much love,

Ashlie

Train Up Tuesday: Happy Birthday, Jesus!

So far this month, you seen that in the last couple of years, my family has taken on (and created) some new traditions. But one of our favorite traditions is the way that we celebrate Christmas night.

For us, our busiest day is Christmas Eve (always at least 3 places to visit). Christmas day isn’t too hairy, but still, it is Christmas Day. The last couple years we have enjoyed relaxing on Christmas night with immediate family and maybe a friend or two at our home celebrating Christ’s birth with a sweet birthday party. I usually decorate with a happy birthday banner and whatever festive table cloth from the most recent birthday of that year. We make make a pink cake (strawberry) with white icing (last year we made small heart shaped cakes for each person). Perhaps we share the Christmas story as the children play with a nativity scene or watch the movie “The Nativity Story”. Last year, we read the last chapter of “One Wintry Night”. Whatever we do, we end the night with singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus as we hold our heart shaped cakes in our hands to symbolize what we give Him and remembering what He did for our hearts.

It’s a small, somewhat low key celebration. But it is the sweetest hour of our Christmas season. My boys LOVE birthday parties and know how special it is that everyone has one (in fact, my “Sunshine” wonders why adults don’t have birthday parties every year!). I think a party helps to make it real for them - that Christmas itself is a big celebration for Christ’s birth. He really did come! He really was born! It’s more than just a story!

Aren’t you glad he came? As a side note, I wondered this year more than ever, “what if Christ had never been born?” Perhaps it’s because “It’s a Wonderful Life” is one of my all time favorites. I came across an interesting letter to a church regarding my question. I encourage you to check it out and perhaps share it at your “birthday party” for The King!

Have a Christ-filled and Christ honored Christmas,

Ashlie

Stay-at-home Saturday

My friends and I had a lovely little party this week to celebrate Christmas (and friendships). It was a cookie and soup exchange and it made for a fun night. Hannah (otherwise known as HPS) gave us this idea from another soup exchange she had gone to and it was fun to have a little competition. Participants brought a pot of soup and a tray of cookies and we had blind taste tests for each. We then submitted our votes to be tallied and the winners each got a little prize.

Our friend, Gail, brought the winning soup and she graciously allowed me to share the recipe with you. Thanks, Gail! It was delicious!

Love,

Amy

Tomato Soup
1 Onion - chopped fine
1 Stalk Celery-chopped fine
2 Cloves garlic-minced
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
2 C. crushed tomatoes
1/2 pint fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 C. water
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 C. half and half

1. Sauté onion, celery and garlic in butter and olive oil on medium heat.
2. Add basil, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir well.

3. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and water. Simmer on low for 45 minutes.
4. Add half and half slowly, stirring well.

5. Add sliced fresh tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes but do not bring it to a boil.

A few tips:

1. Save time and use your food processor to dice up onion, celery and garlic.
2. I always improvise. For example, the soup I made the other night had 1 extra onion and no celery because I forgot to buy it when I was at the grocery store.

3. Use all olive oil (4 Tbs) instead of half butter.
4. Serve with parmesan cheese on top, or croutons, or warm whole grain bread for dipping. You can easily double this recipe and freeze.

Thrifty Thursday ~ Book Review

If you follow my Carolina Clipper blog you know that my weekly budget for groceries and toiletries is $75. So, when I saw Mary Ostyn's Family Feasts for $75 a Week I knew it was a fit for our family. I was even more interested because she freely admits that coupons are not her thing. My thought~ If she can spend the same amount as me without clipping one coupon how much more can I save. I've spent the last week devouring this book and I love it! She covers many of the basics of saving money like sticking to a shopping list, creating a meal plan, and shopping the sales.

BUT, my favorite part is all of the secret tips. It's like having your great grandma here to whisper all of the things that made her a domestic superstar. A few of my favorites: Slice sausage logs into patties, buy boneless ham in those shrink-wrap packs and ask the butcher to slice it thinly for you, and make expensive oil like sesame or olive oil last longer by mixing it with a less expensive oil.

She also includes 200 recipes and has handy-dandy lists like five fast meals and five freezer meals for crazy days. I'm so excited to try some new recipes and to use her helpful cooking shortcuts!

I felt like Mary summarized our family's journey for 2009 when she said, "At its heart, frugality isn't about deprivation. It's about taking control of your resources. It's about making the most of what you have. It's about making dreams happen".

With the right attitude, frugal shopping and cooking can feel like an adventure. It really is a way to reach your goals. My goal for 2010~ To continue to cut the "froufrou" that sucks up bucks without adding to our quality of life. To spend $60 per week ($15 less than 2009) and use the extra $780 yearly savings towards our summer vacation.

How do you plan to take control of your resources? What are some of your 2010 goals?

FYI- You can follow Mary's blog here.

Wednesday In The Word: Staying Focused

I know you are all busy baking, shopping, going to parties and just trying to keep it all together. So, I am not going to write a lengthy post. I am just going to say, listen to this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFPHIK9ann8

Do not forget to give your days to Jesus and ask him to order them. Mary probably did not know fully the magnitude of the impact and power that Jesus would have on all of our lives. It is so easy to focus on the material and busyness of Christmas that we forget who He is and the power He has over our lives if we lift our eyes and hearts to him.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. I love you.

Glenda

Train Up Tuesday: Give Away Winners and All about Gifts

I’m excited to announce the winner’s of last week’s give away!

Congratulations to Laura & “the monkey’s mama”! You’ll be getting this book soon. I know you’ll enjoy it.

If you already have the book and are blown away by the amazing art, please check out http://richardjessewatson.com/galleryprints.htm to purchase a print. What a beautiful item to have hanging in your home year round!

This week, I thought I’d share some gift ideas for those of you who need to buy for little ones. It seems easy enough - “just buy them a toy!” But so many children end up with toys that they never play with. Here are some suggestions based on my own observations:

1. The toys that have been around forever have been around forever because children actually like them! Things like hula hoops, sidewalk chalk, crayons, balls, blocks, cars, trains, wooden toys, puzzles, classic board games, marbles. There is a reason why they can be found in most stores. Each of those items are the toys my boys have played with the most.
2. The number one toy this year may only get played with this year (or maybe for only a few weeks!). Similar to point #1. Fads are fads. The silly jump around Elmo toy or high tech gadget this year will be passe next year. And your child will realize it, too. These types of toys often loose their novelty quickly.
3. The less a toy does, the more a child will play with it. (Also known as “keep it simple”). I can’t remember where I heard or read that, but I’ve found it to be true. The toys that light up and move on their own often get lost in a sea of similar toys (especially boys’ toys!). As my babies are becoming toddlers and preschoolers, I’ve noticed they often select the non-animated toys for their pretending.
4. Select toys that are natural (like wood or metal) and beautiful. I think I came across that point in a Montessori blog. I’ve noticed that even with small children, they tend to grasp and caress items that have a natural quality (wood, metal, fabrics) as opposed to plastic. These toys carry a natural charm and beauty to them. They even make a playroom more beautiful.
5. Books are a great gift! They inspire imagination, creativity, and pretend play. They can teach ideas and values. You can’t go wrong with a good book.
6. Never underestimate the everyday items. I know it sounds bizarre, but children often like the simple household items - spoons, spatulas, small vacuums or cleaning items, scarves (my boys LOVE playing with my silky scarves), old clothing items for dress up, boxes, baskets, magnets (be careful with these for very small children...choking hazards). My babies both enjoyed baskets of small household items.

Do more than try to simply “WOW” them with the latest toy in throw-away packaging. Learn what they really want and enjoy.

Gift Receiving

Inevitably, your child will receive a gift he or she doesn’t particularly care for (remember Ralphie’s Bunny Suit from “A Christmas Story”?). I came across a great game that you could play this week with the kiddos to encourage being grateful for “the thought” that went into their gift. Check it out:

http://familyfun.go.com/magazine/familyfun-magazine-archive/familyfun-december-january-2010/the-art-of-gratitude-807117/

A Stocking or a Shoebox?

Several years ago, my husband and I started packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Once I got the knack of it, I started collecting things on sale throughout the year and storing them. As my oldest child (“Sunshine”) grew into toddler years, he began to notice these items and ask questions about them. Last year, “Sunshine” asked if he and his brother could have a shoebox. I LOVED the idea. We are doing that now instead of traditional stockings. It provides opportunity to talk about why we do shoeboxes and a reminder on Christmas night to pray for those who will be receiving our boxes.

Ultimately, don’t sweat over gifts for the kids. Don’t try to over impress them. Keep it simple and sweet. Teach them what really matters with gift-giving and gift-receiving; and keep an eye open for those teachable moments.

Much love,

Ashlie

Anxiety

Ladies:

If we are all honest we get overwhelmed with the roles we each play. Wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, cheerleader, event planner, social net worker, counselor, caregiver, financial planner, interior designer, human resource manager, CEO, doctor, nurse, etc!! It is a blessing to be a woman and at the same time our place in the world can feel insignificant and unimportant. We have thankless job which does not nearly get the recognition or payment we "deserve". Lots of work and little time to rest. Many of us are "doers". We are on the go trying to let our good works give us value and meaning in this life. I am hear to encourage YOU and myself today to STOP, SIT DOWN and LET SILENCE FILL your room while you listen. Listen to the silence, relax in the moment, let the tension shed from your body and let the Spirit of the Lord whisper in your ear. Yes, whisper. God often waits on us to settle down before He can encourage us in our hearts.

1 Kings 19:11-12 "The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

God chose to come as a gentle whisper to speak to Elijah! It wasn't in some grand natural disaster but instead in a gentle whisper.

About six months ago I went to the doctor and told her I was getting anxious and irritable more often than not. She encouraged me that anyone in my phase of life would feel the same and that there was some medication that could help as I work through this. I have been dancing around those meds since the day I was in her office. I did a lot of self talk about how I didn't need that medication because I knew God was sufficient to meet all my needs (I just wasn't trusting Him with the solution!). What I did not realize was I was depending on my flesh and not letting God work in me as I let go of my pride and took this medication.

This week I started taking an anti anxiety medication. It has only been a few days but my life is changing. I feel like my mind is quieting down and I am able to enjoy the moment I am in. I am not so overwhelmed by the three little boys surrounding me or the responsibilities I have. I feel a new sense of freedom from the control that fear and anxiety have had on my life. I equate it to a cancer drug... if I had cancer I would do everything I could to fight the cancer out of my body. In the same way this medication is fighting off the anxiety that is trying to take over my life.

If you are struggling today talk with someone. Don't hold in your thoughts and struggles. Find a safe person to share the inner struggles you have so that you can become an overcomer. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind.

Phillipiams 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Above all turn to God in prayer and cling to His strength as you walk this life. What ever your struggle is today He is sufficient to meet all your needs and often He will use those around you to help carry your load.

Feeling free!
Annie

Stay-at-home Saturday: Let a Little Sunshine In!

When decorating for Christmas we always put a wreath on our big kitchen windows behind our table. Since I'm working with glass, I use those Command hooks to hold the wreath. Before attaching the hook, the instructions call for you to clean the surface with rubbing alcohol. Every year when I clean that spot, I'm reminded of how FILTHY my windows are! I decided this year to go ahead and clean all of the windows with rubbing alcohol and old burp cloths, and I'm so glad I did! The eating area actually seems brighter! I think I know why:

Can you believe that? I actually read that if you want your windows to really sparkle, you should follow up by polishing your windows with, get this, newspaper! I've never tried this, but apparently you can crumple up your newspaper and polish your windows to a shine. Just don't use your coupon section! I plan to try this out on Sunday. In the meantime, here are my sparkling clean windows: Another great use for rubbing alcohol is cleaning your chrome fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen. I've done this and not only does it wipe out the water spots, toothpaste splatters, etc., but it also wipes out germs!

A Recipe
I rarely buy salad dressing. In fact, I can't remember the last time I bought it! The reason for this is because years ago my mom started making this dressing at our house, and I've since used it for almost every salad I've made. I guess it's more like a vinaigrette, since it isn't thick and creamy. Instead it's sweet and tart and very tasty. I almost always have the ingredients on hand so it's simple to shake up a batch of this right before dinner, and it will last several days in the fridge. I love this recipe, but if you have a homemade dressing you'd like to share, I'm all ears - please leave it for me!

Apple Dressing


1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. grated onion (many times I cheat and use onion powder)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped apple


1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a jar and shake very well.
2. Add in apple and shake well.
3. Best if allowed to sit for an hour or two in the fridge before using, though not critical. Shake well before serving!

Love,
Amy

Free-for-all Friday: Decorating Christmas FOR FREE!

I LOVE to decorate. I love to do it even more when I can do it on a dime (or less).Christmas time is no exception to being able to make your house beautiful without spending fistfuls of money on overpriced decorations. Here are some cute (and wallet friendly) ideas I have used through the years and loved.

1 - On Saturday or Sunday, go to Home Depot or Lowes and stop by where they are trimming the trees. They will give you the trimmings for free! Use them to make swags for your doors. Just gather some branches and put a big ribbon on them. You can also put these trimmings on the tops of your cabinets in your kitchen and add extra ornaments and place them in the trimmings. To really max out this look, you can also add lights.

2 - Decorate with your presents. Put them all over the house. I have to keep mine out of kids reach so I put them on top of my built ins and make stacks on shelves. You can even make a fun centerpiece with them if you are having a holiday gathering at your house.

3 - Floral arrangements are so fun this time of year, too. I can't wait for those few fine branches my husband cuts off the tree so he can fit it in the stand. I break them up and put them in a fun container. You can use a fun Christmas mug as well. Be creative with any left over Christmas ornaments that you have to spice it up . These arrangements need little water so you can also use fake berries or any other decor sticks that you have. Voila! You have a floral arrangement that will last all season long!

4 - Place ornaments in bowls all through the house. This year with a new baby, I did not want to put all my shiny balls on the tree. So I put them in big glass bowls on the mantel and put a bow around the bottom and they look great.
5 - Extra stockings - put these on stairs or knobs through the house with ribbon and this really adds and makes a finished look. Ribbon is great through the house. I use ribbon for napkin holders, on my light fixtures, and even in the garland.

These tips have allowed me to make my house shine for the holidays at barely no cost! Hope they are helpful to you. Merry Christmas!

Love,
Imogene

Thrifty Thursday ~ Free Family Festive Fun

Our very own Ashlie has been posting some great ideas about Christmas traditions through Advent Calendars and a Jesse Tree. I thought I would add to the festive fun and share a few of our mostly FREE traditions. I use an advent calendar to tell my kids about our daily activity. My husband illustrates the activity on a small piece of paper (we have non-readers age 5 and 2) or I put a small clue in the box (such as a game piece for game night).

FREE FAMILY FUN AT HOME:

• Bubble Bath and make Santa beards
• Picnic for dinner
• Dance to Christmas music
• Make a fort and play with flash lights
• Sneak a surprise in Dad's stocking
• Annual family cookie exchange party
• Christmas movie and popcorn
• Drink hot chocolate with marshmallows
• Write letter to Santa and take to special North Pole mailbox at local post office
• Game night
• Fondue night
• Bake cookies for Santa

CRAFTS: I am NOT a crafty person. I keep it very easy or go to Hobby Lobby and get the prepackaged crafts when they are half off. Don't laugh.

• Rice Krispie Snowman Kit (if you don't have the kit you can do the same thing here)
• Gingerbread House Kit
• Foam Nativity Kit
• Dollar Store Sun Catcher ornaments
• Make fruity garland (with Froot Loops cereal)
• Color pictures and send to family
• Make paper snowflakes (click here for easy instructions and a video)

FAMILY OUTINGS: (Note: Most in Charlotte area and not all free)

• Lowes Build and Grow Clinic- FREE (build an ornament Dec 12th)
• View lights in Christmas Town USA (McAdenville, NC)- FREE
• Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop- FREE
• Horse Drawn Carriage Rides and much more at Billy Graham Library- FREE
• Old Fashion Christmas concert with hot chocolate and sing along (Dec 14th)- FREE
• Attend our church Christmas musical- FREE
• Tubing at SnowPark USA
• Ice Skating outside at Holiday on Ice

The key is to keep it simple so you can enjoy it too.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Richelle

Wednesday In The Word: Gifts

For as long as I can remember my family has drawn names at Christmas. This year is no exception, at Thanksgiving when all of us were together we gathered in my parent's living room and drew names. The air was filled with excitement as each person discovered whose name they would receive. It seems that once you grab your name out of the hat, a lot of time goes into thinking about what would be the perfect gift for that one person. As I listened to all the chatter in the room, I was struck by one thing. I heard clearly from more than one person, " I hope Dad gets my name" or from the grandchildren, "I hope that Papa gets my name."

I have laughed over that many times these past couple of weeks. We all know my Dad to be very generous and a great gift giver so of course if he got my name it would be great with me as well!
Yesterday when I brushing my teeth I was thinking about this event and all of sudden it struck me like lightning. God, our Father has our name and He has given us the most perfect gift in His Son, Jesus. You don't have to hope he has your name, He does and he knows your name and He is the most perfect gift giver.

The Bible says:
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

From the rooftop:

Are you worried that you won't give the perfect gift this year? Commit it to your Father

Are you worried that you won't get the perfect gift this year? Commit it to your Father

The gifts that come from the Father are perfect

His most perfect gifts can not be purchased

Are you in need of a perfect gift this year? God alone knows what it is.

I have not even started my Christmas shopping (children do not panic) but I am committing the efforts and time that I spend finding the perfect gifts for the ones I love to my Heavenly Father and asking him to show me what those gifts are. Why don't you do the same.

Merry Christmas.
I love you,
Glenda

Train Up Tuesday: Book GIVE AWAY & Jesse Trees

Last year, in my search for Advent ideas, I also stumbled across the idea of a Jesse Tree. Have you ever heard of this? This site will give you thorough explanation: http://www.cresourcei.org/jesse.html, but to narrow it down, it is a tree that that is

usually used during the Advent season decorated each week by ornaments representing events from Creation through the Birth of Christ. The name “Jesse Tree” comes from Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.” The Jesse Tree is a method of telling of God’s faithfulness from the Old Testament into the New Testament.

In addition to the site above, this site will give you symbols that you can print or use to make your own ornaments for such a tree: http://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=1628. You should definitely read the article by “Rocks In My Dryer” for more information and inspiration!

This idea of a Jesse Tree so inspired me! And then, last year, as part of our Advent story reading, I began using the book “One Wintry Night” by Ruth Bell Graham & illustrations by Richard Jesse Watson. As I read through it to our family, I realized that it had much of the same content as the Jesse Tree devotional. So, that stirred my creative juices! This year, we are using symbols from this book to make our own version of a “Jesse Tree”. As far as I know, it is an idea that is original to us. Perhaps we will alternate in the future, using Jesse Tree devotions one year and “One Wintry Night” in the future. In any case, I strongly encourage you to to purchase this book. It has a great story and the illustrations are some of the most amazing that I’ve ever seen! They really are breathtaking.

I love this picture from page 49:

I am so anxious to share this book with you, that I’m giving away two of them! If you’d like to get your own free copy, share one of your favorite Christmas or Advent traditions with us in the comments section (either on this blog or via my Facebook link). Make sure to leave a valid email address if you don’t have an account on here. I’ll draw names on December 14th and post the winners on December 15th!

**ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 12PM EST ON DECEMBER 14TH**

Many blessings,

Ashlie

Mahvelous Monday: Your Christmas-y Craft Concoctions!

Special thanks to some GREAT ideas we've gotten from fellow RWAV-ers. These are too cute to wait for Free-for-all Friday so they're getting bumped up to Maaaaahvelous Monday. :)

First we have Beth of Tangled Eutopia's beautiful DIY Christmas topiary (similar to Friday's wreath idea). If you head over to Beth's blog, be sure to also notice just how cooooool it is b/c she won our blog makeover by our very own Jaime Beitler giveaway in April.

One more thing~speaking of Christmas balls, if you live in the vicinity of Harris Teeters (the grocery store), they already have their big honkin' colorful Christmas balls on sale for like 4.99 a piece (1/2 off). I also noticed that Target's weren't too shabby of a price. I bet both places will mark them down even more before it's all said and done.


Next, we have Allie of Monkeys on. the. bed and her DIY doormat for any occasion. This is so cute and so doable! I can see the possibilities now. I might also see a collection of doormats in my future. :)
Cutie patootie, girls! Thank you for sharing. You other RWAVers don't be shy. Come on outta the craft closet and share your Christmas-y Craft Concoctions that we can all benefit from. Email us at roofwithaview@gmail.com!

Stay-at-home Saturday: Question for YOU!

I need your help. It's no secret that I greatly dislike cleaning. In fact, I'm writing this post right now when I should be cleaning. You know how it goes: I got up from eating my lunch because my downstairs is a wreck and I need to straighten it up. I decided to check my email first, which led to me checking out the Pampered Chef website, which led to a phone call to my mom. My baby then started crying, which reminded me to clean while I still have time, which led me to thinking about my iPod, which led to this post. I'm a very productive person, you see.

Okay, I want to make a cleaning playlist. I need music to get me up and motivated to work. I need upbeat, fun, high energy music to get me excited to clean. Well, that may be a stretch, but the music at least should get my foot tapping as I work. Got any suggestions? Please leave them in the comments section for me. You can leave an entire playlist or just a song or two. I just need some ideas!

Okay, off to clean. Oh wait, the mail is here! I should go check it - maybe there are some Christmas cards in there . . .

Love,

Amy

Free-for-all Friday: Christmas DIY Projects

One of my friends recently posted this picture of her front door in it's Christmas splendor.
When inquiring where she found that gem of garland, I learned it was a DIY (do it yourself) project that she and her mom attempted with electrical wire using two years worth of clearance Christmas balls. I also learned there were some heartaches and catastrophes before the finished project.

Now, I L-O-V-E this idea and would love to be able to say I made such a thing. In the meantime, I might need a little more instant gratification than waiting for two years of after Christmas sales on decorations. Not to mention~realistically, perhaps I should get some practice, work my way up and begin with something on a little smaller scale. I was excited when I ran across this post which looks like a good place to start.

What do you think? The possibilities with this could be endless. You wouldn't necessarily have to do a wreath shape. The monogram lover in me is thinking maybe you could even do the 1st letter of your last name! Speaking of, one of my fav blogs put this little idea in my head last year and I've been meaning to try it ever since.

Now that my creative juices are flowing, maybe I'll put one or two of these thoughts to action. How bout ya'll? What creative Christmas-y concoctions have you conjured up? Do share! Email your pictures and idea to roofwithaview@gmail.com. You may even be our next Free-for-all Friday!

Wednesday In The Word: Pondering

I remember vividly after the birth of each one of my four children having a significant moment when I just pondered the miracle that had taken place in my life. The moment came after all the preparation, all the rearranging of schedules, all the excitement, all the time spent picking a name and just after I had my first day alone with my baby. It was a moment that would just come and I would just have to take some time and sift through the events of recent days and months.............I just pondered how gracious God was to give me this gift of a child.

One of the most significant actions I see in Mary, the mother of Jesus is that she had a moment just like what I am describing to you.

The Bible says:

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19

From the rooftop:

After Mary had been visited by an angel and told that she, a virgin, would bear the Savior of the World....................

After Mary married a man that was not the father of the baby she carried

After she had endured stares and I am sure ridicule from family and friends

After she had traveled on a donkey a far distance

After she had been refused a place to stay

After she had given birth to a baby in a place where animals reside

She was visited by visitors that had been sent there by God

.............Then she pondered all that God had done and what had taken place in her life.

The scripture said all these things were a treasure in her heart and she quietly pondered them. The question I have for me and you is, have we treasured the things that God has spoken to us, done for us and designed for us in our hearts.

We are at the beginning of the Christmas season. Don't you think it would be good to take a different approach this year and ponder the miracles and things God has done in our life and then ask Him to visibly show us Himself each day until His birthday. I am going to give it a try.

Merry Christmas, In Jesus Name.

I love you,
Glenda

Train Up Tuesday: Advent - Anticipation and Preparation

Do you have an Advent calendar? I didn’t grow up with one, but since having children, I love the idea of not only counting down the days until Christmas, but also of instilling the idea of anticipating something wonderful (for example, waiting and preparing for Christ’s return, or looking forward to the celebration of His birth).

Last year, our first experience with anything “Advent” was a simple Advent poem. Each night we’d open a window of a nativity scene to reveal a line of a poem. By the end of the 25 days, even our 3 year old had memorized quite a lengthy poem! It was such a joy to do together. In the last year, I have sought out ideas to add to the Advent countdown for us for this year. I’d like to share a few with you!

Here is a really cute idea for a large Advent pocket calendar, a tree-shaped version, and an Advent train (which I’ll HAVE to do one year with my 2 boys). But it could even be as simple as a paper chain. Family Fun also has a few simple, printable calendars. This year, I took the easy way out; I found a felt pocket calendar for $2.50 at Target. Next year, though, I hope to have made one myself.

Although you could simply use the activity as a countdown only, I plan to do different holiday activities, have small gifts for the boys, read special Christmas books or watch videos, or do a special good deed for a friend/neighbor each day as part of our Advent celebration. Here is a link with ideas of how to fill your calendar http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/filling_home-made_advent_calendars.htm. Chasing Cheerios has some great activities. (I’m planning on making the jingle bell bracelets, a gingerbread train (kit), the adorable handprint Christmas tree shirt, and homemade Christmasy playdoh.) I like Whimsy Love’s snowman soup. This tree would be a fun and easy activity. For older children or adults, find an Advent book (like this one I discovered by reading littlesanctuary.com) or Advent poetry (I read Jars of Clay’s Charlie Lowell’s Advent poetry last year on this blog - http://adventpoetry.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html).

It’s December 1st, so hopefully you have time to get some ideas together for your little ones. It will bring so much excitement for them and for you, and it will open up the door for you to talk to them about things we can anticipate. You could really use this season as a chance to talk about how we should be busy doing things for God before His Son appears for us!

Enjoy this season!

Ashlie