The Greatest Gift

I follow Proverbs 31 Ministry’s daily email devotionals and they are all always fabulous devotionals.  Sadly, I usually only read about 4 out of 7 days each week because time tends to be in short supply with 3 children.  (I really think that precious C-man with ADHD should count as two children!)  A couple of years ago I happened to take time and read a Christmastime devotional that has truly made a wonderful impact on my life.  

The writer shared a gift she had received at an ornament swap.  As she opened the beautifully wrapped ornament she found a note included that explained that whoever received the ornament would be prayed over every day for the next year.  EVERY SINGLE DAY the giver promised to pray specifically for the recipient of her ornament gift.  

I just happened to read this devotional on the very day the ladies from my Sunday school class were gathering for the annual ornament swap.  It is a wonderful time that I look forward to each year.  I was excited and honestly a little nervous to include such a note with my gift.  Other than for Honey and my children, I had never made such a promise.  I also didn't want to seem like I was upstaging anyone else with this gift, but truly felt led to include the note and be true to my promise.  

A lady who I hardly knew opened my gift and I am so very glad she did.  I emailed or texted her about once or twice a month in addition to seeing her at church to check in with her and to see if I could pray over in particular.  'E' and I became great friends and found we had so much in common, including ADHD sons, Ole Miss, and much more.  My prayer friend 'E' has since moved, but I still pray over her and her family are never far from my 'prayer thoughts'.  I guess old habits do die hard.  

Last year, a young mom and newer member of our Sunday school class was the recipient of my ornament and note. (She actually stole my ornament from another and said it was for the prayers!)  I made a point to have coffee with her and have tried to make a special point to check in with her.  I have loved this year of praying for 'A', her new baby and all of the struggles that every mom of littles endures.  

Last week, a precious lady who I adore was the recipient of the glitter trees, a Santa soap dispenser and a year of my prayers.  This wonderful mother actually wanted to transfer my prayers for her to her son.  Talk about selflessness.  I wonder if her son knows how much his mama loves him?  Yes, I will pray for her son but mamas need the fuel that prayer brings too.  

These past two years of praying for these two women have been such a blessing to me in so many ways.  Even when their year was 'up' I still kept each in my thoughts, and of course in my prayers.  I highly recommend you consider adding this gift of prayer to your ornament at your gathering this year.  You won't regret it. 

Hope

Daily Advent Ideas & Scriptures (Downloadable List of Both) and Jingle's Latest Antics

Daily Advent Scripture, Activity & Treat

I know this post is a little late, but life has just kept me from the computer.  Y'all know how that is!


My littles absolutely our elf, Jingle’s arrival as soon as we return from Mama Jane and Daddy Doc’s house for Thanksgiving.  They love his ‘Elf Antics’ and Honey & I have enjoyed their joy and laughter about Jingle.  However, I also want to teach them the meaning of Christmas and how to have a servant’s heart.  One of the tools I use to help teach this is using an Advent Calendar.

Growing up, my family used a precious advent calendar that gave a verse to read each day.  It was midnight blue with gold embossed lettering and the nativity scene beautifully painted on.  My siblings and I eagerly anticipated our turn to open and read each day's door with the scripture.  My guess is that Mama Jane is tearing up reading this realizing that I remember exactly what that Advent calendar looked like.  I would bet that my sweet sister (and maybe baby brother) also remember it as clearly as I do.

I wanted to add to the tradition I grew up with to include either something to do together as a family or something to do for others.  I found this precious idea at Design Dazzle using 24 Christmas socks that is super easy to put together using 24 socks, a long festive ribbon, numbers, and clothespins.  Each day has 3 items -  a Bible verse for the day,  either something to do together as a family or a way to serve others, and a Hershey kiss for each child if they have been sweet the day before.

You can find festive Christmas socks at Target or your local Dollar store.  I found mine in the dollar section at Target.  They aren't perfect & didn't exactly fit within my 'vision', but I just didn't have time to go to another store to find the perfect cheap Christmas socks.  My thought is that my children won't remember that the socks didn't fit in with our decor scheme perfectly and my hope is they will remember the experience.  Plus, my house isn't perfect either so the crazy socks fit in perfectly.
 
I have listed 40 ideas just in case some don’t work for your family.  You can download this FREE printable of family advent activities HERE on Scribd and download our advent scripture list HERE on Scribd

I hope y’all enjoy these Advent ideas.  It is my desire that my children not only enjoy the fun of the Christmas season but also learn to have a servant’s heart.  Honey and I want our littles to understand that our one purpose is glorify God and to be His hands and feet.

A little Reminder!

Jingle is a little adventurous on a zip line!

On the way to DISNEY WORLD!!!

It’s CHRISTMAS!!! *squeals all around the house*
Hope

Prize Winning Caramel Apple Pie

This is one of my favorite desserts and I know you will LOVE it.  Honey would be seriously disappointed if I didn’t share that I did win 1st place in the pie division with this recipe.  It almost always disappears in the blink of an eye at family gatherings and is just down right yummy. This year, the Chocolate Truffle Pie was the first to go but the Caramel Apple was gone by dinner.  More on the Chocolate Truffle Pie soon.  I sadly didn't take any pictures and wanted to make sure it was a winner before I shared it with y'all.  

Prize Winning Caramel Apple Pie

After trying several recipes, I found fabulous inspiration on Allrecipes.com HERE.  I tweaked it to adjust it how I love it and hope y’all will enjoy this family holiday staple. 

Prize Winning Caramel Apple Pie

1 unbaked double pie crust

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

7-8 Granny Smith apples, peeleKd, cored, and thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt butter in a saucepan.  Stir in flour to form a past.  Add water, sugar, and brown sugar and bring to boil.  Reduce temperature to low and let caramel simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cinnamon and vanilla.  

Place the bottom crust into the bottom of your greased deep dish pie pan. Fill with apples and mound the apples slightly.  Pour about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of caramel sauce on top of apples.  Cover apples with lattice work from second pie crust.  Gently pour remaining sauce over lattice and let sauce seep into pie.  Pour slowly.  Seriously, pour slowly to ensure that the sauce does not make a huge mess and waste precious yummy goodness.  Using a pastry brush, gently cover lattice work with sauce.  This will make your crust AMAZING.  

Bake 15 minutes in your preheated oven.  Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degress and bake an additional 35-45 minutes until sauce bubbles.  It is hard to know if your apples are tender.  I suggest placing your pie toward the bottom of your oven to keep the top from burning.  

This pie is AMAZING.  Promise.  You and your family will love it.  Honey cannot wait to have a piece and I had to bake this without him around to obtain decent pictures that don’t include a fork getting a bite of pie.  

2013 North Pole Breakfast

As soon as we got on the road from Mama Jane and Daddy Doc's house, the girls starting asking about our beloved elf, Jingle's return.  Jingle had plans for a snow man themed breakfast for December 1st (his traditional return to our home), but first things first.  Unpacking from our trip, bringing all of the Christmas boxes down from the attic and taking the kids to see 'Frozen' filled our Saturday. We all highly recommend the movie 'Frozen'! It was so fabulous that all three children asked to go see it again today.  Honey sweetly agreed and we all went for round two this afternoon. 

There was a slight hiccup after we returned from the movie yesterday.  Jingle's hiding place was a mystery for several hours y'all.  He is a sneaky one.  Thankfully at midnight, (yes, midnight!!) he graced us with his presence.

 

The Princess has always been an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl, awoke at 6:15 a.m. to find the table set and plates set out with Jingle and his Elf book.  Jingle also left out most of the ingredients for snow man pancakes, apple turnovers (C-man's favorite), chocolate chip muffins, and hot chocolate!  The Princess helped me prepare everything and the Baby trotted down around 7 a.m. to find most everything ready and then ran back up the stairs to wake C-man.  They loved the North Pole Breakfast and are happy to have Jingle return to our home.

For more of Jingle's plans for this December you can read HERE. 

Hope