1.  I took square dance lessons when I was around 10.  (yehaw)

2.  I have such a passion for growing in God’s word. 

3.  I love, and I mean love Mexican food!  Especially chimichangas.

4.  I was an EMT with our local fire department. (before kids)  That is how I met my husband!

5.  I like the color purple, coffee, funny movies, christian music, exercising, reading, cooking, and carrot cake! 

Now it is your turn!  Tell us five things about yourself!

B:  be willing to evaluate and start over if need be.  What traditions are your families favorites?  What favorite memories from years past do they talk about every year?  Ask them about holiday foods.  What do they love and not like?  Just because Grammy made a jelly mold every year when you were little doesn’t mean you have to too. 

L:  link up with others to divide and conquer.  Have a cookie exchange, wrapping party, recipe exchange.  I heard of another ” exchange” that sounded very interesting to me.  Host a food exchange.  You have 4-6 friends that each make one thing 4-6 times depending on how many friends are there and than you swap.  This gives you many dinners for the busy months. 

E:  encourage Christ-centered traditions.  Advent wreaths and calendars, devotions at dinner, serve in a shelter, attend a live nativity, Christmas plays and cantata’s.   Read the Christmas story several times during the Christmas season. 

S:  simplify your gift giving. The more gifts people receive the less content they are.   Our kids receive enough gifts from extended family so we started giving them 3 gifts from us.  Jesus received 3 gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh.  What is your gold, frankincense and myrrh?  You don’t have to find the perfect gift.  It has already been given.  Jesus came to earth as a babe and grew into a man that went to the cross and died for you and me so that we would one day be with Him in eternity.  That is the ultimate gift.  When you are looking for those special gifts, pray first.  Ask God to lead you to the gift that will touch that person’s heart and make them feel love.  Don’t fret over giving the greatest gift.  It will rob your joy for the Christmas season.  Give the thoughtful gift. 

S:  scatter kindness during Christmas.  Say thank you.  Fire houses, nursing homes, shelters, soup kitchens, someone who is alone.  Give cookies, cards, candy, flowers.  Take your little ones and let them sing Christmas carols.  Smile and say MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone.  As Christians we need to ditch this “happy holidays” mambo jumbo.   Be bold in your faith.  Know why we are celebrating Christmas.  If you know of a family or older couple that is alone, invite them for Christmas dinner.  The more the merrier!!  Let the love you have for Christ shine for all to see.  Remember that little ones are watching and we set the example and direction to where and what we want Christmas to be in our home. 

I hope these ideas have been fun to read.  I found a great website on planning and prepping for the holidays and I wanted to give it to you.

www.gomominc.com

I have looked around and it seams to be really good.  I can’t wait to grab a cup of coffee, a pen and paper and jot down some notes.  Let me know what you think.  Share some of your ideas for Christmas.  Let’s learn from one another…

The air is crisp, leaves are changing colors and falling and fall is in the air.  There is just something about this time of year.  It starts getting darker earlier and I have to say that I love it.  By this time in the year I am ready to slow down and spend some time in the evening relaxing. 

I wanted to share some ideas I have come across for making your home comfy and warm this autumn season.

1.  Decorate your home.  Pumpkins, acorns, pine cones, and leaves strategically placed through your home gives it that cozy feeling.  It also creates an atmosphere that says welcome.   Candle light is always a favorite.  Place a candle in the center of your table and light them at dinner.  It is calming.  You can use coffee beans or ground unmade coffee to help hold candles.  If you have a mantel (we will in our next home and I am so stinking excited)  decorate it with mini lights and all kinds of fall decor.  There are tons of photo’s on the Internet that can give you ideas. 

2.  Get together your favorite recipes, sit down at the table and plan your menu’s.  Pick out old and new tasty creations to try.  Invite some friends over for coffee, hot tea, or cider and swap recipes.  What a great time to catch up and fill your recipe bin.  Stews, casseroles, roasted veggies, pumpkin crunch, homemade apple butter, main courses and hearty breakfasts.  Fill up those recipe books. 

3.  It is time to clean out the freezer and fridge so you will have room to make and store meals, holiday cookies, and homemade gifts.  Also remember to clean out that pantry.  Look at expiration dates and half used bags of rice, cornmeal, flour and such. 

4.  Stock up.   When you go to the grocery pick up a few  items that you know you will be using this holiday season.  This helps keep your budget in check because you are not spending your entire grocery allowance on baking and cooking items.  Pumpkin, spices, apples, hot chocolate, cranberry sauce, flour, cooking spray, chocolate chips.  Start picking up plastic containers and ziploc bags too. 

5.  Go through closets and donate unwanted items.  There is always someone that can use something.  Coats, mittens, scarves, snow boots…look at what you have, what you don’t need and think of someone to bless with it. 

6.  Look for pumpkin patches and apple orchards in your home town.  These are great day trips.  I know that the pumpkin patches in our town offer hay rides, greenhouses, homemade goodies, some have petting zoo and than everyone gets to pick their own pumpkin.  I have heard that we have a great apple orchard that makes fresh, hot apple fritters on Saturdays.  Yum Yum

7.  Count your blessings daily!!  Remember to look at each day as a gift.  In some way or another we are all blessed.  Pray that God shows you how you can bless others.  Cultivate a thankful heart.  Each day write down 2-3 things your are thankful for.  It could be as simple as the crisp morning air.  The beautiful sunset.  Stop and be aware of your blessing and praise Jesus for what he has done. 

Hopefully you have some ideas to get your home in order so you can enjoy and relax this holiday season.  My next post is going to start a series of posts about the ways we can create a fun, creative, peacefull and memoriable  holiday season.  I really want to learn from one another and so please feel free to post ideas, recipes, thoughts.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

1/4 cup Sun -Dried Tomato vinaigrette dressing, divided

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tomato finely chopped

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

Place a large sheet of foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat.  Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag and coat chicken.  Refrigerate for 10 min.  Grill chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min.  Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.  Turn Chicken over; place, cooked side up on foil on grill.  Top evenly with tomato mixture.  Close lid and grill an additional 8 min.   Enjoy with grilled veggies or pasta.

Blueberry Cheese Rolls

1 pkg. (8oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

4 oz.  ( 1/2 of a block of cream cheese) Neufchatel Cheese

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup blueberries, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal.  Combine cream cheese and sugar; spread onto dough rectangles to within 1/2 inch of edges.  Top evenly with blueberries.  bring opposite corners of rectangles together; press together to seal.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 11-13 min. or until golden brown.  Makes 4 servings, 1 roll each.