DAWG of the Week

We love our dog... I think that's pretty obvious.  But did you know he's reached "celebrity status"?



celebrate

Hello blog-world.  I really liked this quote that a friend included on her blog earlier this month.  I'm not sure what heartache, if any, you may have this Christmas... but let's rejoice that HE IS EMMANUEL!

Not Celebrate? Your burden is too great to bear?

Your loneliness is intensified during this Christmas season?

Your tears seem to have no end?

Not Celebrate? You should lead the celebration.

You should run through the streets to ring the bell and sing the loudest!

You should fling the tinsel on the tree,

And open your house to your neighbors and call them to dance!

For it is you above all others who know the joy of Advent.

It is unto you that a Savior is born this day.

One Who comes to lift your burden from your shoulders,

One Who comes to wipe the tears from your eyes.

You are not alone, for He is born this day to you.

Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem

Fall Updates

If anyone would be so kind as to help me figure out how to layout pictures on my blog, I would be much obliged.  In the meantime I will continue to post them hapharardly around the page.  Blogspot - sometimes you infuriate me.

So one with the random update!  This fall one of my favorite bloggers asked her readers to comment on the following:  "tell us what decorative item in your home gets used differently for every season".  My answer was easy - this wreath!  I bought it a couple of years ago and it has carried us through several seasons.  This fall Springer politely requested I NOT use an orange ribbon again, for fear that some might think we were abandoning the Bulldogs in this dark and lonely season for another team such as Auburn, Tennessee, or Florida.  But do not despair Dawg fans, we still don the red and black proudly.

Soon I'll be pulling out the yellow ribbon, replacing it with green and voila - a Christmas wreath. You will, however, have to come to my back door to enjoy it because I am crazy about the fresh wreath that I make each year for my front door. If you're lucky, I'll blog about the how-to's of a fresh wreath soon (seriously could not be any easier).

This past weekend we hosted Flink Family Thanksgiving.  Our sweet friends, Sara Beth and Stephen Shealy, asked us to host a Thanksgiving Dinner - Minnesota/Flink style.  All I had to do was clean up my house and set the table - I think I got the better end of the deal!  I was really excited about a chance to use our china, and I thought it turned out really pretty. 

Here I am posing for the cover of Southern Views Magazine - ha! 

Once everyone (18, in fact) got here, I was too excited about hanging out and eating to take any other pictures.  Sorry!

My friend Claire and I have the great priviledge of spending time each week with sweet high school friends. A couple of them were on their school's Homecoming Court, so we went to celebrate!





What's Goin' On

Warning:  Random thoughts coming your way in no particular order!

This summer Brad, our friend from college and one of Springer's roommates too, got married!   Here's Springer (and the guys) looking all spiffy!

 Bride + groom (Jennie and Brad) - so beautiful!

Bride + Groom (me and Springer) -- can you believe it will be five years in December!!

"I never thought I'd see this!" + Update Coming

I just learned how to download pictures from my phone to the computer, so an update of the past few months is in the works.  But first I thought you might enjoy a little place I discovered while driving to a wedding in Atlanta this summer... but first a little background.

We love our church, CrossPointe; however, we know we are not perfect.  Brad often refers to us as a group of "pardoned rebels".  There will be reasons that people come and go from time to time, but it's made clear that if anyone is looking for the "perfect church"... well, that just doesn't exist.

Until now apparently!

Love Our Family

These first pictures were taken at my grandma's 90th birthday.  I absolutely LOVE them.  Thanks Judy for serving our whole family in such a neat way.

In other news (I don't think I've announced this on the blog yet) - Caroline is engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We love Brian and are so excited he is joining our family!

Tip for Guacamole

I saw this tip in a magazine this summer... and I think it is brilliant.

Step 1:  Open avocado.

Step 2:  Remove pit and make a grid with your knife in the avocado.



Step 3:  Scoop it out with a spoon.

Step 4:  Smush it to your desired consistency.

Add your favorite fixins - sometimes I just add salsa - when I'm real industrious, I add fresh tomato, cilantro, onion... mmmm.