Christmas Already?!

I am not generally one of those people who breaks out the Christmas music and decorations right after Halloween ... or even Thanksgiving! We're lucky to get our Advent calendar up on time - December 1st! One thing I do like to plan ahead on, though, is Christmas cards. I don't always send them out, but I am planning to this year. I love sending (and receiving) photo cards because you get the card and family picture all in one! I save the ones we receive from the previous year in the Christmas decorations and it's one of the highlights of decorating - seeing the pictures of everyone's family and how much they've changed over the last year.

When I do order Christmas Cards, the first place I look is Shutterfly - they have a great selection of cards that are beautiful and whimsical; modern and traditional. I'm trying to narrow down my options for this year and here are my favorites:








If you would love to order Christmas cards from Shutterfly, too, you're in luck! They are having a fabulous Black Friday special - 10 FREE cards! The details are that the offer is valid for one-time redemption per billing address and valid for 10 free 5x7 flat stationery cards OR 10 free 5x7 folded greeting cards only. Customers must choose only one of the two offers. Taxes, shipping and handling will apply. Offer ends November 25, 2012 (11:59 P.M. PST). Just click this Black Friday Special link to claim your cards. Use the coupon code BLACKFRIDAY.

If you don't usually send Christmas cards, Shutterfly also has lots of other special offers available!

****
Just so you know, this post is sponsored by Shutterfly! 

Crazy Child

The other day I found myself telling our littlest blessing, "Don't pile things on top of the cat!" 

Here is a list of what she had managed to balance on our poor old (almost 15) cat: a pair of boots, a coat, a necklace, a toy gun, a pair of sunglasses, a cane, a baby doll, Legos, part of a tea set, and an index card. Bless Daisy's heart.

"'Ook, Mommy! Daisy's wearing a neckwace!"

As an added bonus, I would like to give you your very own autographed souvenir photo of our little rockstar, in case she is one day famous.

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Saturday Jeff took us all on a drive into the mountains. We drove up farther into North Georgia, then up into North Carolina, about 2-1/2 hours away. Of course, we didn't drive straight there, so we were gone most of the day!

Our handsome boy.

Kaity with her "Just Like Me" doll, Ally Kate

Selah, refusing to look at the camera.

Me and the best lookin' fella in the US of A.

Selah was fascinated by this little "house", a bridge over a little creek.

The bridge was at the little place where we ate lunch, Bella's Junction Cafe. Our food was delicious!

Exact quote from this little mess: "See that cow! That's MY cow! I'mma ride that cow!"

Dry Falls in Highlands, NC.

Walking behind the waterfall!

While we were driving, Joe kept asking Jeff to speed up, and Kaity kept asking him to slow down!

Sisters! Kaity and Joe climbed up the mountain so little sister had to go, too!

Hail the conquering hero!

At one point on the drive, Joe was chatting with Kaity when he paused and said, "I just used unproper grammar!" We all laughed and teased him about that!

A New Creation!

Yesterday morning, Kaity, Joe, Selah and I had our usual Bible time that begins our school day. At the close, we always take turns praying aloud. When Kaity and I finished, it was Joe's turn. After a moment of hesitation, he prayed  the sweetest prayer ... "God, please come into my heart and forgive me for my sins."

"...because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:9-10

We are rejoicing in Joe's salvation! He's been asking questions for quite a while, and usually concludes with telling us he's not ready yet. It's been some time since he asked us anything, though, so this prayer was definitely a surprise! The next step for him is going through a "New Christian" class for kids at our church - a four-week study of salvation and Christian growth and discipleship. After that, he'll be baptized -a Greek word meaning "immersion in water" - symbolizing his new life in Christ. Baptism offers a beautiful picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ:

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 19:4

I called Jeff to tell him the news, and when he arrived home, he asked our son about what had happened that morning. Teary-eyed and shy, Joe said, "I repented of my sins!"

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17