Yup....I wrote a Christmas letter

I lost the majority of my address list when my laptop that crashed. 

So I have spent WAY to many hours trying to track down address'. It was getting so close to Christmas I just figured anyone that I could not find would just have to settle for reading our blog. . . . so here is the front and back of both our 

Christmas letter and our Christmas card.  

 {and I apologize if you cannot read the small print, I made it as large as the blog would allow. To make it larger simply hit cmnd and + and it will enlarge your screen}

 Have a blessed Christmas friends!

Its Christmas. . . ALREADY?

I can tell you how fast this year has gone for me, but when my kids are telling me that they cannot believe its Christmas already. . .thats when I know it really has been on fast forward!

This year has been a gift in so many ways. Change is never easy. But if nothing ever changed, we would all still be pooping in our diapers like big babies!

The funny thing is. . . when we are kids we LOVE change. 

We count down the days until we can date, drive, wear a bra and grow up! 

But something happens as we get older. 

We stop embracing change and we learn to welcome the comfortable, familiar, secure, stagnant. 

I have learned so much in this one short year

Growing up often has many growing pains, but the maturity that follows is priceless

No matter your age, life will never stop changing

My security or comfort will never come from life or people

My TRUE security and comfort can only be found in a God who NEVER CHANGES

 God is the only thing I will ever know that is steady and secure. . .

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God,

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, 

who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~  John 1

It is because of this that we celebrate. So Merry Christmas, 

and may you have a blessed year to come

Christmas Cupcakes ~ with a twist!

Its that time of year that everyone is busy shopping & baking & shopping & crafting & more shopping and just plain BUSY! So I love when I can find something fun to do with the kids that seems to slow down some of the busyness that this season tends to bring. 

Enter Cupcake Christmas trees!

I saw the idea on pinterest {of course}and I WAS going to post the link, but it has vanished.

 I searched my entire history and cannot find it now :/

But here are the things we used..

Cake mix (any flavor)

icing

sugar cones

aluminum foil

bunt pan

cupcake liners

sprinkles

Use two layers of foil and poke the cones through both layers 

Fill the cones about halfway. I overfilled some of them and they were still fine, but you just have to cut off the excess cake later.

After they had cooled a bit I cut off the rounded tops {and fed them to nearby children}

Once they have cooled completely you cover the cone with a thin layer of icing 

Then you can just roll them in the sprinkles and place them upright in a cupcake liner

and no project would be complete without

my handy dandy crafting/sewing/baking/creative genius sidekick Sabrina!

[she is almost as yummy as these cupcakes]

These were so much fun. And quite tasty I might add. The kids were only disappointed that they did not get to eat them all! But all the salesmen at GT's store sure did not mind. 

Merry Christmas!