I Still Can't Believe the Cardinals Lost that Game!

I have had the pleasure of playing fantasy football in our family league for the past couple of years. I actually really enjoy it and am becoming quite the football fan! Having my own team has really motivated me to be interested in, learn about, and watch football. This certainly serves and blesses my husband! Recently, we have been playing college football on Playstation 2 and Jason has been teaching me all about positions, plays, and strategy. The more I learn the more I like it. My Dad also has season tickets to the Arizona Cardinals and we have become quite the Cardinals fans! Last week, Jason and I played each other in fantasy football and had the chance to go to the Cardinal's game on Sunday. Thanks Dad! It was a fun and excruciating all at the same time! The Cardinal's were supposed to win and instead they stunk! All in all though, the game was really fun. Here is a picture of us at halftime. If Jason looks disinterested, maybe it is because Larry Fitzgerald just caught a 48-yard hail mary touchdown pass and he is on my fantasy team! Ha Ha! But my gloating didn't last long! Jason creamed me! 130 to 94! Oh well, it is probably for the best! I love you honey and thanks Dad for the tickets!

Cause Baby It's Cold Outside!

Well, finally a little bit of chilly weather here in the desert! The Christmas tree is up and the Christmas music playing loud and clear! Some favorites are Ella Fitzgerald and Lous Armstrong singing, "Baby It's Cold Outside," Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, and Whitney Houston all have great Christmas albums, and I love the Sovereign Grace "Savior" Album.
I have always loved the holidays, but having kids adds so much more excitement to them. We were leaving Costco the other night and it was the first time we really felt cold going to the car. So I looked at Abby and said, "Yeah, it is Christmas time!" She looked at me with a big smile and said, "Yeah, Christmas time!" It wasn't until we got home that I realized there was some confusion. We pulled into the driveway and Abby starts crying and screaming, "No, go to Christmas!" She thought Christmas was a place. So, how do we explain holiday? And even more, a holiday season? And much more than that, the meaning of Christmas? Kids bring such a different angle to life! So Jason drove around the neighborhood and showed Abby all of the Christmas lights and did his best to explain. When we got home, we put up the Christmas tree and somehow, some completely unknown way, she associated Christmas with Superman! Don't ask, I don't have a clue! So it took even more explaining to get her to stop calling it the Superman tree. What a cute kid!

Thanksgiving Festivities!

Well, we had quite the full day of fun, family, and festivities on Thanksgiving Day! Jason started the day by playing in his annual Turkey Bowl with some good old friends of ours. Then it was off to his family's house for our first Thanksgiving dinner. As per the usual traditions, we had lots of turkey, mashed potatoes, football, and an afternoon nap! Then it was off to my family's house for more turkey, mashed potatoes, and, mmmm sweet potatoes! Ooooh yah, gotta love Thanksgiving! Soon after this excessive indulgence in lots of yummy food, we had birthday cake and celebrated my brother's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday Timmy! Although I am certainly thankful for all of the food, I left the day so thankful for the family that God has so richly blessed me with! For reasons too many to name, I love you all! And for our church... I am increasingly thankful to God for our local church, for our humble and wise pastors, for our dear friends, and for our small group that we love to serve! If we didn't have our families to celebrate with, we could have been with so many great and wonderful people that we love! And all of this purchased for us on the cross! My greatest treasure, my greatest deliverance, my greatest need taken care of, the thing to certainly be thankful for the most, my dear Savior Jesus Christ!

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
(Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Written by Robert Robinson)

Praise the Lord for his all redeeming love on this day of thanksgiving!
Here are some pictures from our day.
Jason's Family:





My Family:

Zoo Lights!

Last week, we went to Zoo Lights with Jason's sister and her family.  It was a rather enjoyable beginning to the Christmas Season!  Cool, but not cold, Arizona weather, Christmas music playing throughout the park, and of course, lots of Christmas lights!  

November Arizona Day at the Park

It is amazing how fast weather changes! Today the weather is cold, but just last week we had the most beautiful day at our neighborhood park! You've gotta love Arizona. The middle of November and we are still at the park in the beautiful sunshine! I put Katie in the stroller and Abby pushed her baby in her stroller next to me. It was adorable! Abby loves the park and we got some great snapshots!

Katie is cruising!

Check her out! She is everywhere! It sure doesn't take them long!

Gilbert Days Parade

This morning the girls and I met up with my sister, Tracy, and her youngest, Maddie, at the Gilbert Days Parade. We had a great time! All different kinds of valley organizations and local officials paraded down downtown Gilbert. We saw lots of horses, dance groups, marching bands, girls, boys, cubs, and any other kind of scouts you can think of, about a dozen different rodeo queens and "miss somethings", charity groups, mayor, city council, Sherriff Joe, and local businesses (just to name a few). From our curbside seats, we got lots of little treats passed to us; including flowers, beads, candy, flyers, church invites, and coupons! Most of all, we just had fun chatting, waving, and cheering people on. Abby cried when we left and with the saddest frown said, "Gooo Baaack!" He He! I couldn't help but chuckle!
Abby loved all of the horses!

She was a good little waver!

This was a really cool train thingy that had a great band on the back!

Lots of marching bands!

They had several of these great old and restored army vehicles! They were really cool!

Abby, smell the flowers!


Katie liked the flowers too! Then she tried to eat them!

Ooooh, free stuff!

Abby's version of "Say Cheese!"

Us all together enjoying the festivities!