Day 17

 

Today I am going to highlight on of my most favorite, favorite blogs.

Jessi over at Naptime Diaries has kept me sane, inspired me and has such a huge heart for the Lord.

She has an awesome print shop with a mission to put scripture on walls across the world.

 

It's a funny thing to feel like you know someone and not really know them -- but I am so happy that she opens up her life to us!

 

 

Right now she has some BEAUTIFUL advent calendars for sale in her shop.

Go there and buy one. It will serve you well as we remember the real reason for the season. Mine should delivered soon...I am SOOO excited to get it!!

 

 

 

Any way we can keep

Jesus as the center of our home is GLORIOUS!!

So really-- go buy it!

Here's the link -- ADVENT CALENDAR

 

 

Until tomorrow my friends!

Day 16

 

 

Today I wanna highlight one of my

favorite, favorite, FAVORITE jello salads.

It's great anytime of the year,

but we will be having some for Thanksgiving.

If you haven't had it before, give it a try.

You won't regret it --

hopefully you won't become addicted:)

 

 

Thank you Chef In Training for photo and recipe:)

 

Ingredients 

• 2 cups crushed pretzels (I used the checker shaped ones but you can also use sticks)
• 3/4 cup butter melted
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 16 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 16 oz. cool whip thawed to room temperature
• 1 (6 oz) box Strawberry Jello
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 cups strawberries sliced

Instructions

1. Combine melted butter and sugar. Stir in the crushed pretzels. Press evenly on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and cool whip. Beat until smooth. Spread over pretzel crust. Make sure to get the cream mixture tight against the edges of the pan to prevent the jello mixture from seeping through.
3. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from stove and add jello. Stir until Jello is dissolved. Add sliced strawberries. Pour over cream layer and put in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Until tomorrow my friends!!

 

7 day catchup -- day 9-15 oops!

This Countdown Through November was

supposed to help me with blogging on purpose...lol.

 

Being a mommy has a way of creeping into all of my time,

so today we'll do a 7 day catch up

for days 7 through 15.

Think of it kind of like the 12 days of christmas ...Ha!

And as a BONUS...I am having an EARLY black friday sale, just for you--the blog readers.
Use code COUNTDOWN for
20% off in the etsy shop through 10pm tonight!!

That makes christmas cards only $8!! GO...CHECK IT OUT.

On to the countdown!! 

 

Make your house smell WONDERFUL!!

 

 

Check out this site with some simmers that smell amazing!

 

For days 10, 11 & 12 ,

here are 3 great fall crafts for the kids!

 

 

I know that Karis would LOVE these!!

 

Alright-- so on to day 13!

 

 

Found some cute,

inexpensive table decorations!

Check these out!

 

 

Layered Corn, Beans and Peas - Here

 

\

Pretty Pears - here

 

  

Dried Corn and a candle - here

 

 

Now, your house smells GREAT, you've had fun with the kids AND decorated your table...

whats next??

 

DAY 14

 

A free print FROM 

Not Too Shabby Prints!!!!

If you have trouble printing ,

heres a link to the shop...

message me here or there and I

'll email you the file!!

 

DAY 15

 

We have officially caught up!

 

And for today, I want to encourage you

to go and get family pictures taken.

If you are local, in Virginia,

check out Locked Garden Photography here.

Locked Garden has taken all of our pictures

since I was pregnant with my first little lady.

 

So gather your families, big or small,

and make the time to get it done!!

 

Here are just a few of ours from over the years --

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until tomorrow!

Don't forget about the sale in the etsy shop!

 

DAY 7 & 8

 

 

Alright....we are on day seven and eight today -- I missed yesterday--oops! So, let's checkout what's on for today!!

 

PUMPKIN ROLLS!!

 

classic fall desert....and SUPER DELICIOUS!!

 

Buy one to help minister to veterans here, if you are local...

if not, make one. Here is a recipe for one off of a blog.

It looks delicious!! You will be so glad that you did!!


AND FOR DAY 8...

TEA!
 

 

Tea Kettles, Pots, Pitchers...I have become increasingly fascinated by tea kettles and pots.

Buy one and drink some tea today.

AHHH. It will feel like fall!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Countdown through November- Day 6

If you are just joining us,
we are on DAY 6 of Countdown through November.
Each day through November we are going to find something
cute, crafty, fall-ish or fun for the kids to highlight during my FAVORITE season!

Lets see what we've found for DAY 6!!

 

 

This is one of my most favorite things I have stumbled upon to do with the kids for Thanksgiving! We haven't done it YET, but we are...as soon as I can buy some aprons. These would make great early thanksgiving gifts for grandmas from the grandkids to use for thanksgiving cooking...

Check out the cuteness!!!

 

 

 

Here is a link to the plain aprons .

You can order from hobby lobby for only 4.99!!

 

Just for more fun, throw together that little turkey kitchen towel...

for those who don't sew, I am sure hot glue or fabric glue

can accomplish the same thing!

 

Love you guys much...enjoy this fall day with your families and kiddos...

and GO VOTE!

 

Come back tomorrow for some

FREE stuff

and DAY 7!!

 

 

 

Countdown Through November

 

Been brainstorming a way to help myself to blog on a more regular basis...

life seems to take over...

I'm sure you know all about that!!

Today I'm gonna start countdown through November!!

I know I'll have 5 days in one today, but then we'll be caught up.

Get your coffee, lunch or midnight snack and let's do 5 days worth now!!!

We'll find some fun fall crafts, food, clothes and house stuff...lets go!

 

 

 

Buy a SWEATER

I LOVE sweater weather. Will definitely miss it in Hawaii!! 

You don't have to spend a lot of money on one...YAY...

take a trip to Goodwill or Salvation Army 

and buy a sweater!!

 

Make a card and Mail it to a friend!

I love getting cards or mail in general.

Take some time to send snail mail! And... MAKE A CARD!!

 

Get some free thanksgiving printables

 here at Kind over Matter

 

Make your house pretty with these FREE printables!!

 

 

 

 

Eat some fun veggies!! A TURKEY TRAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mommies...do something for yourself today. Get this:

LIP STAIN

 

 

 

 

You will be glad you did!

 

I Needed This Today

My devotion this morning has wrecked my life again. Wanted to share it with you.
May Jesus keep wrecking it over and over again until He comes.

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14).
They were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfil their prayers.
They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost,
and He sent them sorrow;
they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish;
 they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts;
they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes;
they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace,
sitting by “as a refiner and purifier of silver,” until they should reflect His image;
they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to give up what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, “who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.".”
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot’s portion, not Abraham’s. If they had halted anywhere–if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back–what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
–Anonymous.