This Holiday Season

I haven't been the best at posting lately. It has been so busy with various holiday parties and many other things that the time seems to just get away from me!
Here is a rapid catch up of my holiday happenings!

 My sisters and our husbands did the Gobble Gallop on Thanksgiving morning. 

 Although it was freezing and I was/am totally out of shape and hadn't run for months...it was a good way 

start of the day of overindulgence. 

 I'm not typically a huge meat fan - but this turkey was out.of.control GOOD. 

 I can't get enough of my sweet new niece Elayne...hubs obviously can't either!

She is the life of the party (at least her older cousin thinks so - well everyone thinks so). 

 My favorite part of Thanksgiving is that it marks the time when it is appropriate to turn on the Christmas music and decorate the house. It was especially fun getting to decorate our new house this year. It was also fun to get to finally put up the trees we bought last year at the end of the season (after a longggg debate with hubby he finally conceded and allowed us to get get fake trees instead of the trouble-making real ones!)

 Although I'm already dreading taking down these trees in a few weeks it was so fun decorating with the fire blazing and music blaring. 

 Another one of my favorite parts of the holiday season...getting to dress these sweet pups in their Santa and Mrs. Claus outfits. This is still one of my favorite Christmas finds! It hasn't been cold enough for them to wear them often...but we at least got one night out of them so far and just enough time for a photo op. 

 Being tempted by treats. 

 Again, we haven't been able to have too many fires because it has been too warm - I'm thinking winter is finally making it's way to us though so here's to many more this season!

 Hubby went to a Pacer's game a few weeks ago and took that time to walk around the circle downtown and enjoy the lights and some South Bend Chocolate Company treats (ice cream for hubs and chocolate covered strawberries for me).

 LOVE him!

SO handsome...and not just because I'm his wife!

Tragedy

My heart has continued to break over the 27 adults and children that were killed this past Friday in Newtown, Connecticut. My heart especially breaks because 20 sweet and innocent 6/7 year old's were taken from this earth so quickly, after what was probably the most terrifying moments of their little lives. My heart also especially breaks for the school staff who gave up their lives protecting and attempting to protect all of these little children. There are no answers to why and how this happened. I, like many, continue to crave answers. I continue to watch the news, reporting the same things over and over again, because I am seeking some kind of understanding of this horrific event. When, the reality is we will probably never understand how this tragedy could have taken place. We might eventually get some insight into the killer's life and his actions but I doubt we will ever understand because there is no understanding great enough for such a tragedy. It is a heart wrenching tragedy that has broken the hearts of millions across the world. 

This is not a time for political agenda, this is not a time to promote our own agenda, but this is a time to grieve for the lives that were lost and for the families that were left behind. It is a time for prayer for healing, peace, and comfort. While I am grieving for these babies that were taken, I know that today they are in heaven. All 20 of them are surrounding Jesus and their pain has been taken away. Just as Jesus invited the little children in Matthew 19:14 to come to Him He continues to invite them to sit on his lap and spend time with him. Although this doesn't take away the questions and the heartbreak, it is a small token of comfort in such an otherwise heartbreaking time. 

People Magazine did an excellent tribute to all of the victims, entitled TRAGEDY: The Connecticut School Shooting. In this article People remembered the names and faces of the 27 adults and children that were killed on December 14, 2012. I, for one, never want to forget the lives that were lost on this day! 

Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow

Yesterday I posted briefly about making some Holiday heaven. This was the first time that I made Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow, compliments of Pinterest. It did not disappoint! Who doesn't love puppy chow in the first place...adding a holiday twist just made it all the better!

Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow
makes 5 cups (I doubled my recipe which ended up using the entire box of Chex Mix, equally around 11 cups).

• 5 cups Rice Chex cereal
• 10 ounces vanilla flavored Almond Bark
• 1 cup crushed candy canes
• 1 cup powdered sugar

- Pour 5 cups of Chex Cereal into a large bowl.
- Melt almond bark according to the package directions. (I do this by first melting some of the chocolate in the microwave. Then, I pour it into a double broiler, not a real double broiler but two pans which fit nicely inside the other).
- Pour melted chocolate over cereal, stirring and folding until the cereal is completely covered.
- Fold in the crushed candy canes
- In a large zipped top bag or covered container, add the powdered sugar. Pour the chocolate covered cereal/candy canes into the large bag or container. Seal the bag or container and shake until all the cereal is coated with the powdered mixture.
- Discard excess powder and enjoy!

Enjoy!

This Season.

Do you ever days where you just feel plain old sorry for yourself? Well I do, and I have been having those days a lot more frequently lately. I have been so blessed, don't get me wrong. And I am so thank for all of the things in my life...but sometimes in the quiet when I am by myself there are things that I acknowledge aren't perfect. Things that I compare to the lives of others. Things that I just don't understand. And things that just make me feel sorry for myself. Even in the light of the horrific acts from yesterday it is so easy to look at these things and remember that when it comes to the bigger picture, we really have nothing to complain about. However, saying those things and forgetting about what is really on your mind is easier said than done.

So, during this season (which is my favorite season by the way), I am trying to find joy in the things in life that I can control. The things that I don't understand will not be going away anytime soon so I have to make a diligent effort each day to push those things aside and be joyous about all that I do have.

Enough about the authentic stuff...yesterday I spent several hours making Christmas goodies! Part of this was to go in a gift bag for my staff at work, the other part was for me and hubby and everyone else who comes in our house to enjoy. There is so much more I still have to make but I think this was a pretty good start!

 Chocolate covered pretzels!

 Peppermint crunch puppy chow.

Chocolate covered Oreos. 

Thankful Days 29 & 30

Although it is already December I thought I should at least go back and finish my month of thankfulness! Better late than never...

DAY 29 I'm thankful that in my past I made mistakes and learned from them. Although some might want to wish those mistakes away, I am not one of those people. Those mistakes that I made (and some that I made and then remade, etc, etc) have made up who I am today. There were some mistakes that were just like feathers floating in the wind...but there were many others who didn't just happen, but instead they happened, I felt pain from them, and then I look some important life lessons from them that will stay with me for the rest of my life. My past mistakes have often times helped me be a better friend, a better wife, and a better social worker. But these mistakes have only taken a positive turn because I have chosen to learn from them and change from them and become a better me because of them!


DAY 30 I'm thankful for the chance that I get each and every day to wake up and live a life full of expectations and security. My job has taught me so many things; however one of the main things is a reminder each day to be thankful for where I live and the life that I have. I am so very thankful that each day I get to wake up next to my husband in our warm bed, in our nice house, and drive cars that work to our secure job where we make money to buy food that is both life sustaining and good, I then get to come home again to my nice house, with our comfy furniture, and watch tv or read or do whatever our little hearts desire. There are millions of people who don't even get to do one of those things I mentioned above let alone all of them. So, at the end of this month of being thankful I hope that I can continue each day being thankful for the life I have been given in one of the greatest countries in the world.