I love their new song "Too Late of Lazarus". I am not a HUGE fan of Southern Gospel. I am more of a Contemporary Christian girl, but I still enjoyed them. They were a blessing. The Daryl Williams Trio is very special to our church and pastor because Karen Williams is our new Pastor's youngest daughter. If you have not heard of the Daryl Williams Trio, you can see them on 3 or 4 of the Bill Gaither's Videos.
Saturday was our yearly Roller skating party for the Teenagers. We love to rent Rollerscape, our local roller skating rink, for the teenagers at church. We had 40 people come. For our little church that is a great number. Rollerscape has more than just roller skating which is nice for those of us that don't skate. They have several video games, pool tables, air hockey tables, and laser tag. Big D and I love to play the car racing games against each other. I beat him this time. Shhhh don't tell him I told you! But he beat me at air hockey 7 to 1. Ouch! LOL! For the first time in my life, I played Laser Tag. 
Let me tell you, if you have never tried Laser Tag, that is something everyone should try once in their life! Now I see why my 2 boys love to do it! I had so much fun! I know you are suppose to be quiet while you play so your opponent doesn't know where you are but I was too busy laughing and yelling every time I got hit (your vest vibrates and it would startle me EVERY TIME LOL!) When we started I told the lady in charge that I didn't care whose was on my team as long as I wasn't on Big D, Computer Geek, Football Star, and Brother John's (our previous pastor) team. That was a BIG mistake on my part! LOL! They were all on 1 team against me. My team got to go in first and find a hiding place. After the second team was in place, our vest lit up and our laser gun was activated. Right off the bat my vest was constantly vibrating and I could not figure out what I was doing wrong because I was hid in the corner where I thought I was safe. But what I didn't know was there are little holes in the walls and Computer Geek was right behind me shooting through a little hole in the wall!! Little snot! I was on hot pursuit to look for Brother John. I had my team members help me find him but I never did find him. I so wanted to get him. After our time was up, we get our status sheets. Computer Geek shot me 15 times! I know at least 5-8 of them were the first 5 minutes when I didn't know what I was doing. LOL! And Brother John shot me 3 time. I told him "how is it I could not find you but you shot me 3 times!" He just laughed! I had such a fun time! Everyone seemed to have such a good time too!
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly they call school off for snow here in Tennessee! Growing up in Northwest Indiana we rarely got out of school for snow. If we did, we had several FEET of snow and it was a blizzard outside with the wind chills 20 or 30 or more below! Oh but not Tennessee! Just the rumor of snow and everyone runs to the store to get milk and bread! I don't think we even got a full inch and its suppose to be in the 50s today, but guess what....NO SCHOOL! So the boys are enjoying a day at home. But they deserve such a day. Computer Geek takes a English College class Monday-Thursdays before school starts and Football star has football practice Tuesdays and Thursdays before school starts. That means they have to get up at 5 am on those days. So we will enjoy this 1st Snow day of the Winter season!
This picture says it all. We are definitely on the road to success. Our first "Getting Healthy" week was a success!! Today is weigh-in day. I was a little nervous for us all to weigh in because we had such a crazy weekend. Big D and I were at the camp grounds. So we were at the mercy of the cooks. We just prayed and made good choices. It wasn't easy passing by the biscuit and gravy at breakfast. Eating a cheese hamburger with no bread and passing by the cobblers at lunch. Computer Geek had two LAN parties. A lot of junk food to have to refuse. But our good choices paid off! I lost 7 pounds. Big D lost 10 pounds. Computer Geek lost 6 pounds. It is never easy, but the rewards are great! I personally always feel so much better when I am eating healthy. If you are working towards "getting healthy", hang in there. The benefits are better than that chocolate cake tastes! I PROMISE!
I saw this at YellowRose's Garden. I don't normal do these, but this one looked fun. Since I really didnt have anything else to blog about today, I thought I would give it a try. 
Big D and I are leaving this afternoon to the church's state campground for a Bible seminar on 1 Timothy. 
Finally all the goodies from the Holidays are gone. I can start yet again my long-time battle with my weight. I have battled with my weight my entire life. Since I was a child. I have been on almost every diet known to man. I remember when the only diet soda was TAB! Talk about gross! I am so thankful for Diet Mountain Dew!
Well it was "back to the old grind" for all of us today. The holiday vacation is over. We all had the look of dread on our face as we got ready for the day. 
I want to wish all my family and friends a "Happy New Year". How many of you made New Years Resolutions last night?? I don't actually make New Years Resolutions per say, but I do make a mental list of a few things I would like to "try" to change about myself in the new year ahead. 
Wow, can you believe that today is the last day of 2005??? Where did this year go??? Seems like the older I get the faster time goes. Wonder why that is? When you are young, it seems like you have all the time in the world. I can remember when I was in school it seemed like from Monday to Friday was like months away. Spring, Summer and Winter breaks seemed a life time away. Now I turn around and an entire year is gone! Time is so precious. I try not to take it for granted, but I know we all do from time to time. 
It's difficult to believe that Christmas is over already! As a mother and a wife, it seems like I have prepared for several weeks. Baking cookies and candies to send to family and friends. Shopping and wrapping gifts. Going to several Christmas get-togethers and parties. Going to Christmas plays and concerts. Shopping for food for our Christmas dinner. Filling out Christmas cards and mailing them. Then before you know it, "bam" it's over! I have had a very wonderful and blessed Christmas. I got a lot of amazing gifts. Big D and the boys always do their best to spoil me. I even cooked my very first Christmas dinner by myself. We had Ham, Turkey, Dressing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs, Rolls, 
Before I even got out of the bed this morning, my mind was on Christmas. First thing I thought of is "what was Mary thinking this morning, thousands of years ago, as she woke up?" Still pregnant with our Savior. Was she thinking about all the things that still needed to be done before the delivery of her son? Or did she have everything ready? How was she feeling? I know as a woman when it gets close to "that time" our body begins to tell us to get prepared. With her womanly instinct did she know that soon she would be giving birth to Jesus??? How excited she had to be! Remember how it felt the first time you became a mother?? The excitement of holding that new baby! Knowing you created something so amazing and wonderful. Now imagine being Mary. Not only are you giving birth to a wonderful baby but a baby that is one day going to save the ENTIRE world. WOW! Today is the eve of when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. As a mother, I can only imagine what Mary was thinking on this day. 
What you do for your kids! A couple weeks ago Computer Geek commented about how he wished we could have Lefsa (also spelled Lefse)for Christmas. Lefsa is a Norwegian flat bread made out of potatoes. Kind of like what a Mexican corn tortilla is like. After it is fried on the griddle(no oil,)you spread a thin layer of butter (or margarine) and sprinkle sugar on it then roll it up and ENJOY!! It used to be a Christmas family tradition in Big D's family every Christmas, but since his Grandma died we haven't had it in several years. So here I am (non-Norwegian)trying to make it. I am not much of a baker (or chef)so I had flour EVERYWHERE trying to roll out this Lefsa. It was fun as all 4 of us (with Princess Lacey under the table watching)sat at the table trying to make this Family treat. Big D was the fry man, Computer Geek was the gopher and helped supply the flour, Football Star and I did our best to roll out (or pat out) the Lefsa. After all the Lefsa was fried and the huge mess cleaned up, we each tried 1 piece of Lefsa as a treat for all our hard work. It was a joy to see Computer Geek's face light up as he tasted it. He and Big D both said, "Taste just like Grandma's". Wow what a compliment for me. Computer Geek didn't want this tradition to be lost from his generation and his future family. I am so glad that I gave it a try. What we do for our kids!!
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Tonight Big D and I went to our first Christmas party of the season. It was one of several Christmas parties for his work. I really enjoy going to this Christmas party because it is at a swanky Country Club. So we put on our "Sunday best". We started attending this Christmas party about 7 or 8 years now. The meal tonight was a New York Strip steak (mine well done-Big D's medium), baked potato, salad, and cheesecake. Yummmm! As always, it was a very good! Then after everyone is finished eating, we play "Dirty Santa" (the gift exchange game). Oh now let me tell you, I love to play this game, but I do NOT love to play it when they set NO limits! There were a few gifts that were the "hot" item (a flashlight, small tool kit and utility knife). These people were persistent in getting what they wanted. So these gifts went around I know 20-30 times! That is why I like the rule 3 strikes and the gift is out rule! It was fun but after a while its like geeze its a cheap $5 gift, if you want it so bad go to Wal-mart and buy it! Big D came home with a Cinnamon Apple candle (He knew he had made my night because I absolutely love candles!) and I came home with a $5 Wal-mart gift card. Anyway, like I said we had fun and had several laughs. As always, as long as I am with Big D, I have a good time. 
You never know how blessed you are until something happens to REMIND you. Yesterday morning we woke up to a broken Heat Pump. It was the coldest day of the year so far here in Tennessee. It was in the mid-teens. Not a good day for the heat to be out. It was very difficult to get the boys motivated to get ready for school. I don't blame them. I, myself didn't want to come from out of the afghan! But after they realized it would be warmer at school, I think they were ready to go! After the boys left for school, Princess Lacey and I decided to pile up on the couch with 3 heavy blankets and just watch tv. Forget trying to do housework and laundry when the house was 30-40 degrees. About 10:30 tho the sun began to shine and warmed up the house just enough where you could move around. Big D came home about 2:30 from work and replaced the breaker. I am so thankful it was just a $25 breaker not something where we had to replace the Heat pump. NO time is a good time to replace a $5,000 unit but Christmas time is the worse. But thru all of this, it has made me very thankful that I have a good home to live in. I have a wonderful husband that works hard to take care of me. (yeah I work too, but he is the bread winner)
I had to take Lacey to the vet this morning. When she woke up, she kept shaking her head and her right side of her face and ear didn't look right. I didn't let the boys know as they were getting ready for school that I was afraid maybe she was having a slight stroke. So I just picked her up and laid hands on her and begin praying for her. Yes, I said I prayed for my dog. The bible tells us that what concerns us concerns the Father. Our Heavenly Father cares even about the little things, even a dog. Bible also says cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you. Yes, there are many more important things I could pray for, but at that moment Lacey was important. As I finished praying, I looked up and Football Star was praying along. I knew Lacey would be ok. She just has a bad ear infection. So a few days of TLC and a few special treats, she will be back to new. When I told the vet about my thoughts of a stroke, she told me that is normal for dogs when they have an ear infection to look like they are having a stroke.
around our house. The guys got down the Christmas stuff a couple of days ago, but we have been too busy to decorate the tree. I can't believe there are only 24 days until Christmas. I love this time of year because its when my Savior was born. Sometimes we are so busy this time of year that we forget to take time remember why we celebrate this holiday. "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" that was my mom's favorite saying. As I make my Christmas shopping list for those that I love, I think about the one true gift. Jesus, God's gift to the world. The world would love for us not to remember Him on His special day. If it were not for Jesus, we would not have Christmas. As your schedule begins to get hetic with all the Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, and Christmas decorating, please take time out to thank God for the ultimate gift! 
Lights of my Life
