If you're looking for some inspiration on Advent...

Here's where we were a year ago(=.

This last weekend

we celebrated sharing life together for a long time.  Little Cindi turned 30!  I met her when she was a tender 16.  Too many memories to walk thru...You'll have to come over to hear them sometime.  We ate for 5 hours at Nellcote, brother John's  amazing restaurant(who we are incredibly proud of too) and then stayed in a fancy hotel.  It was amazing and we are both still relishing.  But to my Scrappy sister, I love you!!!   This makes me think of life together!

Around the water cooler of the Warken's

This is what's being talked about... Sorry  that we have sunk to new levels, but walking around the house I can usually count on someone singing this song.  The fox says, 'TGIF!'

Chalkboard paint project #1,578,489,458.....

Lots of chalkboard paint projects out there, and that's because it's wonderful!  I painted the front of my pantry with it and write our dinner menu and a fun quote  or verse of the day.  It's provided inspiration and accountability (as in I have to follow thru with what the menu says I'm making).   

Why we do what we do.

Tonight I will be sharing with a group of ladies DIY projects and also why I think it's important.  I thought it would be a good time to share the same with you.  You see everyday I read dark stories, sad news and the bleak reality of the world we live in.  But then I create something, or share a beautiful meal with friends and family and it reminds me of the truth and beauty that is also present.  Thank God for light in darkness!  A DIY project seems pretty trivial a thing in light of government shutdowns and one more tragic shooting, but if we share light  and open our homes in grace and kindness, it's just a little sliver of Heaven here on Earth.  So we paint, write, plant, and create in the hope that through our small expressions of beauty the Father of light will be seen.   So go share a meal with friends and think about all the lovely things that do surround us.  It's important!

   

My Friend's Story: The Dark Stretch

One of my very best friends wrote a book that I want to share with you all.

My friend's name is Randi and she is sweet, thoughtful, genuine, a hard worker, a devoted wife and mom, a Christian, caring, down to earth, musical, funny, and kind. That is just to name a few! We grew up together in the Adirondacks, went to school together our whole lives, played basketball and volleyball on the same team, laughed and cried together, made so many funny memories together.

 

After going away to college we both came back to our old stomping grounds and got to spend a year together as young married couples. We had a blast that year along with other friends that stayed around after getting married! This was pre-kids, people, which meant doing whatever we felt like doing. Tubing down the river, game nights, playing volleyball, swimming, riding horses (not my favorite thing), cookouts, just hanging out late!

Then, we had to move to VA for Kurt to start medical school. The group started having their own little families and life went on. Randi and I stayed in touch and made sure to visit every time we were in NY visiting family. One summer when we were visiting NY, Kurt and I were walking up to a rodeo that is part of the camp my family has been involved with my whole life (Word of Life) when we saw an ambulance pulling away. We soon found out that Randi's husband had been in a bad accident while riding his horse at the rodeo. My friend Randi was about to embark on a journey no one would want to go through.

This book, The Dark Stretch is their story. It's a story about how God brought them together and through His faithfulness kept them together through something imaginable.

I'm so proud of Randi for sharing their story with all of us. She is an amazing writer, something I never knew about her, and I know you will fall in love with this book. So many I know that have read it, say how they can't put it down.

I'm so thankful that God has kept our relationship close. She is a true friend and one I would want everyone to know better. 

Here's some links you should check out

The trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5t-lh_Vv1k&feature=youtu.be

Where you can buy: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Randi+Stump

A little cheating never hurt anyone...

except in marriage, school, competitive sports, ok cheating usually hurts everyone.  However I'm talking cheating in canning applesauce and tomatoes.  Did you know you can just freeze them?!? It's amazing and easy and all fear of botchalism is removed.  That's a good day in my book!  For the applesauce just wait til it's cool and then pack it into a freezer bag. Tomatoes can be put in whole.  Once you pull them out rinse them and the peel will come right off. I made tomato sauce last night by pureeing  frozen tomatoes, onion, basil and parsley.  Once on the stove I added greek yogurt, garlic, paprika, and sharp cheddar, so good!  Happy Freezing!