12/31/11

 

I realize I have been MIA for a few days but I am sure everyone has been busy doing other things.  The school Powerpoints have overtaken my days.  I will get to the favorite Christmas gift once I finally work on all of my Christmas pictures.  Y'all just don't realize how many hours I have been on this computer working on those Powerpoints.... along with my brother.  :)

It is the last day of 2011.

I seem to always reflect on the past year with my last post.  I guess today will be no different.

2011 started with a "bang" with me having a "drive-thru" appendectomy.  Now, that was a way to start the year off right!

Thankfully, through this year I have not lost any other organs.  I would really like to keep my remaining ones if at all possible.

This year has had its ups and downs just as any year does.

I am thankful for the lessons the Lord has taught me this year.  There are things I learned at 40 that I had never realized before.  Just continues to show that all of life is learning.

I continue to see the blessing that Sweet Man is to me.  I would be lost without him.  He has been with me in good times and bad with constant love.  He was made for me.

It has been a joy this past year to watch Wesley and Mikayla mature in many areas.  They are changing so much.  My heart's desire is for them to continue to grow in the Lord and learn to lean on Him early in life.  These next few years will be some hard ones and they will need Him to get them through.

I am surrounded by many friends and they bless my life.  I pray that 2012 keeps those friendships stronger and deeper.

I want my walk with the Lord to continue to grow in ways that I never thought possible.  I know God has promised me He will never leave nor forsake me.  He has shown me that so many times through this past year.  I have been constantly reminded of Jeremiah 29:11 in the last few weeks.  I think it only fitting to remember that for the coming one as well.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

What a comfort to know that no matter what 2012 holds for any of us, God is there.  He is experiencing everything with us and all things work together for good in His timing.

May the Lord bless you and keep you all.  Thank you for reading another year of my life and thoughts.  I pray you will stick with me in 2012... and I really would love to hear from you all more.  :)

Happy New Year!

12/27/11

 

I am still working on Powerpoints for school.

You are going to have to wait for the unveiling of my Christmas present that caused me excitement.  

Hope you can wait....

12/26/11

 

On this day after Christmas.....

I am reveling in one of my gifts that I will show later.

I am taking care of a sick little guy - strep throat.

I am working on Powerpoints for school with my brother.... who has saved me much time by helping me look up the info.

I am eating some of my salsa with chips.

I am washing sheets/towels/etc.

I have watched several episodes of Hoarders: Buried Alive and realize how pitiful most of those people are.  They truly have a mental illness that is heartbreaking.

I am not looking forward to taking down my Christmas.

What have YOU done today?

12/25/11

 

I thought this fitting for Christmas Day when I read it in my devotions last night.

Merry Christmas to all!

Enjoy:

Although Christmas is celebrated as a joyous holiday in many places around the world, the world's response to the real message of Christmas is anything but merry.  The response that King Herod has in the Bible passage of Matthew 2:1-8, 13-16 is more like the way the world really responds to Christ.  It's sad but true.

King Herod felt threatened by the birth of the King of the Jews.  He even sent his soldiers to kill the new baby in the ruthless slaughter we read about in Matthew 2:16.  Herod did not want anyone to take over his authority.  He wanted to be in charge.  Like most people, he did not want to give up all the power he had.

Humankind often responds the same way to Christ.  Did you notice that in verse three, all Jerusalem was disturbed, with King Herod?  People reject the message of Jesus because they don't want to give up control of their lives.  They think that acknowledging the need for Jesus will cause them to begin a new life that is sentimentally religious, or it's old-fashioned, or at the very least boring.  They think if they accept Jesus as Savior, all they'll end up doing is sitting in a stuffy church pew in a suit, listening to a preacher talk about eternal hell fire.

But as Christians, we see it differently.  As a believer, we know that we needed Jesus to die for us and save us from our sins.  Now that we have acknowledged that fact, we can live the life we were meant to live - a life that includes a vital, life-giving connection to God and blessings from God.  Instead of anger or fear, the Christian has a heart that is filled with love for the baby that was born so long ago, and gratefulness for Jesus' willingness to die for the sins of the world.

~Dwell Devotional, Saturday, December 24, 2011 

12/24/11

 

Here is one of the ornaments we have always kept from our first Christmas together.  We bought our first ornaments at the Eckerd Drug in Cary.  Our first tree was not like our tree today, but it holds a special place in my heart... ugly large red bows and all.  There are four of these original ornaments remaining.  We didn't have a Pinterest or even the internet when we were married so that we could get nifty creative ideas.  ha!

As you share memories with your loved ones this Christmas season, remember to hold them fast to your heart just as Mary did when her Christ Child was born.  Let us remember the reason for the season and enjoy the true Gift, Jesus Christ.

12/23/11

Our tree in all her glory with lots of presents underneath.

 

This truly is a miracle that pretty much all presents are wrapped and under the tree.  We normally don't have that happen.  Last year when trying to wrap them early is when the Christmas tree fell on ME as I was wrapping.  I just didn't have it in me to try that again.

I am thankful that Sweet Man took the "gift wrapping bull by the horns" this year and wrapped 98% of what you see under that tree.  The day my brother and I were in the kitchen cooking/baking all day, Sweet Man was in the garage with his table set up and was wrapping away.  (He chose to be in the garage just so you know....)

My friend, Gretchen, did a post the other day on her beautifully wrapped gifts.  She is exceptionally talented in many areas and this was just another glimpse of that talent.

Let me "splain" how the Fowler's wrap gifts.

My gift, no pun intended, is not in the wrapping of presents.  I am doing good to get them wrapped much less put a bow on them.  Because Sweet Man wrapped most of these this year you have bows.  Don't hate that they are the stick-on variety.

 

If it were not for the stick on variety, most people would not have bows.  I honestly don't know what happened in the gene pool because my Mom can do some pretty fancy bows. 

She has great ability in that area.  

Me... not so much.  

I have two best friends that get into the beautiful wrapping and bow-putting of gifts.  

Again, me.... not so much.

I do think I hold a record for oldest Christmas wrapping paper.  See that below that is of the kids on the paper with the gold bow?  Sweet Man said that was the last of the 16-18 year old wrapping paper.  

Yes.  You read that correctly.

When we were first married I would always go right after Christmas and buy lots and lots of Christmas wrapping paper with my Mom.  Over the years it became quite the stockpile, except it wasn't used as it should because of these reasons:

1.  We didn't have a lot of gifts to wrap... especially when we were first married and didn't have the money to buy many gifts.

2.  We didn't have kids until 7 years after we were married so that took care of a lot of non-wrapped gifts.

3.  I can use a bag and throw some tissue paper in it quite well.  Maybe THAT is my gift!

So, there you have it... the Fowler Christmas rendition of gift wrapping.

May you walk away from this post laughing... or thankful you aren't the only one that wraps the way we do.

How do YOU wrap your gifts?

12/22/11

Yesterday I enjoyed my Christmas tree.  The lights were so pretty and were my main source of light for the cloudy day.  It was just nice to sit and enjoy the tree... when most of the time we seem to hurry by it.

I thought I would show an ornament that my class made on craft day this year.  I fell in love with it and will probably do this one each year.  

It is a "time capsule" ornament.  The ornament is one of those that is in halves so you can add things into it.  I took pictures of all of my students and we placed that on one side.  The other side was a piece of cardstock where the kids wrote out what Christmas meant to them.  In between we placed balled up shiny metallic green paper.

Since I loved it so much, I decided to do it for Wesley and Mikayla, too.  Now that they are older, and have so much more work to do in school, there is not a lot of time for "cute crafts" like they did in their younger years.  With this being their last year of elementary I wanted to remember it.  I photographed them and had them write about what Christmas means to them.  It is my "time capsule" of them right now. 

I have many photo ornaments of the kiddos over the years.  They are some of my favorites that I enjoy going back in time with each year.  This will just add to that collection of memories.

12/21/11

I am officially on break.

I slept in... on purpose.  I awoke around 4:30 like normal but made myself go back to sleep.

I have decided to spend the day in my pajamas just because I finally can.

I wasn't going to do much today, but the house was screaming CLEAN me, so I listened and have been cleaning up.... along with the help of the kiddos.

Speaking of those kiddos....

Here is the "Christmas card" pic of the year.  It looks so calm of these crazy kids of ours... 

Little do you realize what I went through to get that ONE shot.

Let me share just a few of my favorite outtakes of that day.  Believe me.. there were many....

This one was halfway decent....

Not too bad, either but Molly was coming to greet us around that time....

We definitely had a lot of laughs getting that one Christmas shot.  I do love these two younguns.  They are more precious to me than gold.

 

If you took a picture this year of your crowd, how many photos did you take before you got the "right" one? 

12/20/11

 

I have been thinking on this verse for a week or so ever since I taught this portion of Scripture again to my students:

Luke 2:19 - But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Can you imagine what Mary felt the night Jesus was born?

I know as a mother the feelings you experience after giving birth are overwhelming.  There are so many emotions that overtake you.  There are things that even now I remember about that day that I hold in my Mother's Heart and will never forget.

Here is Mary, she has just given birth to her Savior.... the One who would take away her own sins.  Yet, He is also her son.

Soon after Jesus is born, there are shepherds that come to worship Him.

You know that had to shock Mary and Joseph when those simple men came to bow down before her son.

I wonder what she thought.  

I wonder what she felt.

What I felt had to be miniscule compared to her thoughts because she knew why He had come... to take away the sins of the world.

Here is "Mary, Sweet Mary" by Selah.  It is beautiful.

In listening to Christmas music this season this song has struck me more than in years past.  I look forward to Heaven where I can ask her.

12/19/11

 

I do love the lights of the season.

How fitting that as we celebrate the birth of the Light of the World, we have lights that brighten our homes and communities.

I have been reminded this past weekend just how important our light to this world really is.

When Jesus was born, He was born in a dark world.  A world filled with fear and hate because of the Roman Empire.

Our world today is also filled with fear and hate.   It is a world that has gone topsy turvy... what once was right is now wrong and what once was wrong is now right. It is a world that gets darker by the day.

I was appalled this past weekend to view a "skit" on a Saturday Night Live video I saw online.  It was making fun of Tim Tebow and how he constantly gives credit to the Lord for what he has been able to accomplish.  I watched the skit basically to see what the world's view of Tim Tebow really is.. and it made me sick.  It depicted my Savior in such a way that made me angry.  Our Lord is so merciful is all I have to say....

 

We as Christians must teach our children to be a light in this very dark world.  

It starts at home.

This past weekend Steve and I had the opportunity to talk at great length with Wesley and Mikayla about their attitudes and behaviors.  It was a wonderful parent moment where we continued to explain to them that we are not their friends, but their parents right now.  

I will not apologize for having strict expectations for my children.  

I will not apologize for teaching my children that things of the world are not on what they should be focusing.  

Our children are not perfect, but I am thankful for their listening hearts when we share with them as we did this past weekend.

We both shared with them that they have to trust us enough when we tell them no or tell them things they do not want to hear.  In learning to trust us when we guide them, it gives them a time of learning obedience to the Lord because He is their Heavenly Father Who will sometimes tell them no and things they do not want to hear.  

I want to protect them, but I also know the world is all around them.  

They must learn to be that light.

To walk away.

To stand up for what is right.

Jesus came to be the Light of the World.  Let us help spread that Light as we live our lives and rear our children for Him.

John 8:12

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

12/18/11

 

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Emmanuel - God with us

He is with us.

Yesterday.

Today.

Forever.

Praise the Lord for His Son!

Enjoy this song by Chris Tomlin~

12/17/11

 

I love this Hallmark tricycle ornament.  It brings back memories of Wesley and Mikayla's when they were little.

Today we were off celebrating Christmas with Steve's Dad.  It has been a day of traveling around.  

Now, we are watching The Polar Express together.  

Mikayla is drinking hot chocolate by the fire.  She said "Now, this is a true Christmas night!"

I hope these moments go down in their Christmas memory bank...

12/16/11

 Apparently I am turning into Betty Crocker.  Who knew that I would be doing this????   

 

 Here are my cupcake creations for the kids program Christmas party at church this past Wednesday night.  I did use a box cake mix because of time for the cupcake itself, but the buttercream icing is homemade and I got my groove going with some decorating.  I have never done this before, so I was quite tickled with the results!  Let's just say... they were yummy.  My next thing to tackle will be making the cupcake itself from scratch.

 

(One thing I did learn.... red food coloring is NOT fun to work with in icing.  It did not want to cooperate....)  :)

12/15/11

This is one of my favorite ornaments from the kids.  It is actually one I did in my classroom years ago, but I loved it so much I took one of the extras and had Wesley and Mikayla decorate both sides.  This is Mikayla's side as you can tell.  I always love when they write their names.  It makes my Mommy Heart smile.

 

I thought I would share some favorite Christmas carols.... in different words.... to see if you can figure them out.  Tell me your answers in my comments section.  I really DO love to hear from you!

1.  From dark 'til dawn, soundless and sanctimonious

2.  Celestial messengers from splendid empires

3.  In a distant bovine diner

4.  Universal elation

5.  Ornament the enclosure with large sprigs of berry-bearing evergreen

6.  O miniature Nazarene village

7.  May Jehovah grant unto you hilarious males retirement

8.  Those of you who are true, come here!

9.  Are you detecting the same aural sensations as I am?

10.  The diminutive male of less than adult age who plays a percussion instrument

11.  Primary Yuletide

12.  Heavenly cherubs announcing in song - listen!

13.  Reigning monarchs of the Far East

14.  Proclaim it to the hills

12/14/11

Last Friday night we made our annual trek to Meadow, NC to see the Meadow Lights.  The candy store gets us all giddy....

We love the fact that they portray Christ's life.  It is done with old mannequins from department stores, but it is boldly proclaiming the true meaning of Christmas.  The picture below shows Jesus as the Last Supper and then the scene of the cross is next to it.

This is all just on the drive in... so you have much to enjoy while you are waiting in traffic to park.

Being with some of our best friends made it a wonderful night.  It is still hard for me to believe I taught the young woman that is standing next to Steve.  She is precious to us!

The lights are even more fun when riding in the train that you see below.

We waited in line for 45 minutes... we couldn't believe how many people were there!  We had to do something with our time so we photographed ourselves, of course.

This annual tradition makes wonderful memories for us.  Love it!

12/13/11

How about a visit to my kitchen?

This past weekend was the Christmas bake/cook time for the gifts I give to those who help me at church, school, or just friends in life that you want to give something to, but can't afford to give something to the entire family.

My brother always comes down and helps me.  It is our bonding time... and his laughing at me time.  We always have some "moments" and this year was no different.  From dill accidentally falling in sudsy water to me dancing around the kitchen to "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" when I had been in the kitchen almost 13 hours, and me realizing that jalapeno's cut up in the food processor are quite potent when you take off the lid, it was a day of fun memories.  He helps me find the recipes and we go from there.  He is impressed that some of what he has tried to teach me through the years has finally sunk in... well, almost.  :)

This year the theme began with my jalapeno jelly I made this summer.

I decided a "Feliz Navidad Fiesta" would be a good gift for people to enjoy.

Let's start with some Roma Lime Salsa.

I learned to fall in love with my food processor in ways I never realized before.

That is some good stuff cooking on that stove!

This would be the ingredients for the Fiesta Relish... which included vinegar, these items, corn, dill (thankfully it was washed from being dropped in suds) and some other spices.

We had so many things going on in the kitchen that I took a picture of the salsa in the jars, but not the Fiesta Relish so sorry about that.

Here you see the beautiful Fiesta Relish in the pot cooking.

I also made Tijuana Triangles to be used with the Fiesta Relish.  Yummmmooooo......

There had to be something sweet to go along with all of this Fiesta Yumminess so we made Coco-Nut brownies.  The brownies were thick and the top had a combination of brown sugar, walnuts, pecans and coconut mixed together and crumbled/pressed on top. 

 

 Then I packaged them up to get them ready to go out!  I even included "instructions...."

 

Are you hungry?

Sorry about that....  :)

12/12/11

I was going to come up with a wonderful post today.

Really, I was. 

Unfortunately, what is going around in my head cannot come out because my brain is a little frazzled at the moment.

You see, we have been practicing the second grade Christmas play for a month.

We have had practice pretty much every afternoon that we have been in school for that month.

Tomorrow is the Dress Rehearsal and Wednesday is the main performance.

We are tired, but I think we are ready.

Just two more times and we'll be done.

We can do this.

Until then, I apologize for this rambling post.  I think you can understand....

12/11/11

 

Luke 2:10-11

And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people; 

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

12/10/11

 

Since I can't get this song out of my head I thought I'd share again this year.  Maybe now I'll have others singing in their heads with me.....

12/09/11

This ornament is one from my childhood.  It is one that brings back sweet memories of how I loved to linger around the tree.  Mom had a whole set of these, but I am not sure where all of them ended up.

 

As I have been teaching my kids about Jesus' birth this week, I was reminded of something. 

The shepherds were the first to hear of Christ's birth.

I realize about now you are saying, "Uh, yes... that is common knowledge, Kellie." 

Bear with me as I share with you....

Shepherds were the "lowly" people of that time.  It was not a glorious job to watch over those stinky, stubborn animals.

If Jesus had been born in a palace, where truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords *should* have been born, those "lowly" shepherds would have never darkened the door of the palace.  They would never have gotten to see the Christ Child.  It is a beautiful picture that any can come to Christ.  It can be anyone: rich, poor, weak, strong.

What I haven't thought as much about before is that shepherds came to Jesus first.

How many times do we see in the Bible where it says the Lord is our shepherd?

A shepherd would go after just one sheep not in the fold.  

A shepherd watched over those sheep to keep them from danger.  

A shepherd was always there for his sheep.

 How fitting that shepherds would be the first to see Jesus!!  They were a picture of Christ themselves!  They had to lead those stubborn and straying sheep just as Jesus leads us.... His stubborn and straying people.

I am thankful for this new "view" of that first Christmas.

John 10:14,27-28

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my Father's hand.

12/08/11

 

This gingerbread ornament always makes me smile.  My Mom gave this to me along with the "boy" version years ago.  

Let's do some randomness today:

My hair was not cooperating this morning.  In fact, it looked horrendous.  Therefore, I decided to just throw it up in one barrette and just "deal with it."  Do you want to know I had the most compliments on my hair today???!!!  My children both told me they loved my hair like that and then teachers and some of my students said the same thing.  Now, I could take that as they don't really like my hair in its other way, but I'll just take it for the compliment it is. haha.  Of course, I did have one of my kids ask me if it was a real hairdo.  I said it was a wig.  :)

I had something special happen with a student today.  It made my heart happy to see a child who had struggled in something finally succeed.  

I finally cleaned this house tonight after 3 weeks of not getting it done.  (I did, however, clean the bathrooms in that time, but not the whole house...).   I have said it before and will say it again... we live in our home.

I am hoping to finish our Christmas cards tonight.  I don't like having that hanging over my head.

I am enjoying my Christmas lights on the tree, TV armoire and mantle tonight.  Too many nights we are so busy or I am too tired to enjoy them.  Tonight I am soaking it all in....

Play practice went really well today.  We actually got through the entire play for the first time... we perform next Tuesday and Wednesday.

I get to make cupcakes next week.  I can't believe I am giddy over making homemade frosting again.  Who am I and what have I done with the person who didn't like to do that sort of thing?

Tomorrow night we get to go see the Meadow Lights.  Unless you live near me you probably won't get that, but just know it is a yearly tradition we do with some of our dearest and closest friends.  It is supposed to be cold, too... and I am glad.

I really need to get to those Christmas cards....

12/07/11

 

Here is one of our favorite Christmas songs.  

It is one of our favorites because it has Canon in D by Pachelbel in it.

Steve loves that song because it was in our wedding.

Now, isn't he SWEET?!

Of course he is... remember, he is my Sweet Man.

This is by the Transiberian Orchestra.

Enjoy: