FRIDAY FUNNIES

What a great way to end a long week....with a LAUGH! I love to CRACK UP BIG TIME, so this is right up my alley! To read more Friday Funnies, click here to go to Homesteaders Heart.

A Sure Cure

Three Pastors in the south were having lunch in a diner.

One said "Ya know, since summer started I've been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church.

I've tried everything--noise, spray, cats--nothing seems to scare them away.

Another said "Yea, me too. I've got hundreds living in my belfry and in the narthex attic.
I've even had the place fumigated, and they won't go away."

The third said, "I baptized all mine, and made them members of the church...
Haven't seen one back since!!!"

ANOTHER AWARD..FOR ME? AND FOR YOU!

Let my just start off by saying that I was super excited to get this award from Angela @ Angelica Grace Designs!! I've been following her blog for awhile and it is just awesome! I first found her on Ebay a couple of years ago when I would look for custom handmade clothes for my youngest daughter. You'll just have to check her out! You will be inspired to take pictures of everything, and her kids are too cute!! Now, with that said, I've seen this award on other blogs but never knew what it meant (until now). This is the translation of what this award represents....

This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time, and relationships! This blog is exceedingly charming! This kind of blogger aims to find and be friends. This blogger is not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to writers like this one and those nominated below. The rules...deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award.

Now, call me lazy, but I don't want to leave ANYONE out of getting an award. I love giving them as much as receiving them. So...this is how I'm going to tag YOU!! I know it says that I need to pass this on to eight people, BUT, IF YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG...YOU ARE SO TAGGED!!!!! You don't know how blessed I am that people actually want to read what I have to say!!

Oh, and let me add, if are following as of now..you count too!! :)

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I love Thankful Thursdays! There are so many times when I forget to give thanks for even the small things!! This is a great way to put everything into perspective on how the Lord blesses me even when I don't deserve it. To read more Thankful Thursday's, click here.

Iris's theme this week is "Thanksgiving", but I did mine last week on that same subject. So, this week, I will give thanks to random things!

• I'm thankful that my sister and her family are able to visit California at least once a year.

• I'm thankful that my kids and their cousins just start out where they left off. It's like one day has not passed since they've seen each other last.

• I'm thankful for our friends in the Lord. They have prayed diligently for my husband's health, and continue to do so. He had an allergic reaction to something he ate, and caused him to feel like he was suffocating.

• I'm thankful that even though money is tight, God still provides!

• I'm thankful that my mother-in-law was able to hear a solid message at our church on Sunday, and also be greeted in love by our friends.

• I'm thankful for all my bloggy friends! I told my husband it is like an "outlet" during the day since I'm at home all day with the kids.

• I'm thankful to hear my kids playing and laughing. There are so many children who are sick right now.

• I'm thankful for DETERGENT! There's nothing like having a mountain of laundry to do with only one cup of detergent left!

• I'm thankful that I have my favorite creamer for my coffee that I'm going to brew in the morning! Nothing like a hot cup of joe!!

• I'm thankful for all the goodies that my sister brought us from Hawaii!! Yum, yum!
  

COUSINS

I have an older sister (by two years), actually my only sibling, who lives in Hawaii with her husband and three boys, ages 13, 12, & 4 1/2. We have always been close, and she is actually the one who led me to the Lord in 2000. Even when she moved to Hawaii 15+ years ago, we still remained in close contact. We both started to have kids around the same time too (not planned, of course..lol). Our two oldest boys are only one year apart, there's a six month difference between our second kids, and her little boy is a few months younger than my little girl! They come to visit at least once a year (sometimes two) because her husband's family also live in California. In 2001, we lived in Hawaii for almost a year, and I think that's what really solidified our relationship. I was a new Christian, and that made us bond even more!! You know what I mean, it's that "natural" bond you have when you meet another believer! It's such a blessing to have a sister (or even a brother) who share the same faith, beliefs, and ways of raising a family. We know we can come to each other for advice with our families, and it won't be "worldly", but sound, biblical encouragement! Her older boys and my two older children are two (or should I say four) peas in a pod!! I LOVE the relationship they have with each other. They are all alike in so many ways, and just enjoy being together so much! It's funny to watch their interactions with each other. Not only do they have fun, but they are also respectful to each other. They are here visiting right now. They are renting a house down south for a month and a half so they can visit with her in-laws who live there, and for us who live in Northern Cali. She homeschools too, so she doesn't have to worry about schedules..praise the Lord! Last week they were in So Cal, and this week they are here. They're staying with my mom, but her boys are going to spend the night here for the next few days. My kids have been asking over and over, "When are they going to be here?" I told them that they were probably freezing, and that they'll get here when they're ready..lol. We did see them Monday night for a few hours, but of course, that wasn't enough! They could literally be around each other 24/7! I just pray that their relationships continue to grow with each other and in the Lord, and that they will always cherish each other like I do my sister!!

One of my favorite pictures of the "fab four!" My sister took this in 1999. My two kids are the ones in the middle. They were all 3 & 4 years old at the time!!

Present-December 1, 2008. This was taken at my mom's a couple of days ago. Can you tell who is who now?

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

I can't "not" give a little intro to this picture. My son Eli (on the right) takes this game VERY SERIOUS! I mean, so much that he asked if I can find a chess club for kids! On the other hand, Daniel (on the left) barely knows how to play, and doesn't take this game as seriously as Eli. So, Daniel is looking at him like, "What do I do next?" And, well, I think Eli's frustrated/impatient expression speaks for itself! LOL.

Checkmate??

For more WW participants, click here.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

My mother-in-law, who lives in Nevada, was here visiting for the weekend. She stayed at my sister-in-laws on Friday and Saturday, and spent the day and night here on Sunday. Yesterday, she had plans to take a tour in San Francisco. She grew up close to the city, so she always had a desire to go back. She says she could even picture herself living there! My father-in-law, however is the total opposite. He'd probably rather live in a run down shack in the sticks than live there. In fact, he doesn't even like going there just for the sights. So, since she was here by herself for the weekend, she decided she would pay to have a guided tour! She already did some research on her own and knew which company she would go with. All I had to do was call to reserve it for her and drive her to the bart station in the morning that would take her to the city. My husband works in San Francisco, so he walked over to where she got off on bart to make sure she made it okay. After work, he met her back at the same place where she was dropped off at the end of the tour so they could take bart home together. I let her borrow my camera since she forgot hers at home, and she took some really great shots! I'll just share a couple of the more popular "landmarks" that is widely known around the world. So, in case you never get to travel to the West Coast, here are some pictures of a very foggy morning in San Francisco, Californ..I-A!

One side of Fisherman's Wharf

The infamous Golden Gate Bridge

This bridge has the HIGHEST suicide rate! They are planning on putting a net underneath the bridge. Cost? $50 million!!
The red bus is what she was on for the tour
Random street shots

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AWARD

My wonderful bloggy friend, Melissa @ Made In Canada, Living in the U.S., created this new awesome award!! I am one of the happy recipients, and I'm more than honored to pass it on to other ladies in blogosphere! Of course with receiving awards, there are some rules that come along with it. For this particular one, the rules are very simple. They are....

• You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award.

• The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas.

• You must link back to the person who gave you the award.

• You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! :o)

• Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 45; it's up to you. But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going!

Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment on their blog.

Five things I LOVE about Christmas:

1. Recognizing the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ
2. The smell of the Christmas tree
3. My childrens excitement as they open gifts
4. Family
5. Christmas carols
6. Christmas lights & decorations

The lovely ladies I'm tagging are ones that are so awesome at commenting on my posts! There are a couple of them not on here because they have already been tagged by Melissa. So, tag, you're it!

Alicia @ Two B's And Me!
Kelly @ Our Family Ramblings!
Christin @ Journey To a Gracious Woman
Aimee @ Mrs. Chief
Stephanie @ Baseballs and Tutus
Lisa @ Family Life
Stacey @ McCrakensx4
Debra @ Clothed With Scarlet
Susie @ Susie's Homemade
Alicia @ Confessions Of A Snowflake
Angie @ Davisix
Momstheword
Kysha @ Love's School
Laura @ Infinitely Blessed

"Not Me! Monday"

I did not obsess over my blog makeover last week. I didn't get excited everytime I got an email thinking it was Tina (the blog designer) telling me she was done. Pfff..I have way more things to do that take priority over that!

I did not buy fresh basil on accident even though I specifically wrote bay leaves on my list! Of course I know the difference!

I absolutely did not forget which "side" of the turkey the stuffing goes in! Hello! I've been cooking turkeys for years now!

I did not think that Friday was Saturday because of Thanksgiving on Thursday!

I did not bring a DVD for the kids to watch Sunday night (in clss) at church because I didn't want to pick up any toys or mess after the bible lesson. I did not say it was a "special treat." Come on...5 year olds love cartoons!

We did not eat the last of the leftover turkey today even though we've been eating it for the last three days!

To view more Not Me Monday participants, click here!