Fun Stuff

Surprises

What, you didn’t root for the Steelers during the Super Bowl yesterday?

Ya ya, I didn’t either. But then again, I didn’t care deeply one way or the other for the 49ers or the Ravens. I did cheer for the 49ers simply because my best friend likes them and I know people who live near San Francisco {for me, it always comes down to relationships, I guess}. Truth be told, while I enjoy watching college football, last night I was more interested in the game ending before Downton Abbey began. In spite of that pesky power outage, it did with 15 minutes to spare. Phew!

So, about that cake: Super Bowl Sunday was also my football loving bestie Rebecca’s birthday, and her favorite team is the Pittsburg Steelers. So, I surprised another friend Jamie – aka the cake baking wizard – by requesting a cake for Super Bowl Sunday that featured a team not playing in the big game. {I’m probably the only one in America who did that.} Jamie did an amazing job, and the way Rebecca squealed when she saw it told me she loved the surprise, too. It takes a lot to make my friend squeal, y’all.

Speaking of surprises, I will have a fun little blog announcement this Thursday. It literally involves surprises too, and I hope you’ll be interested in playing along. Stay tuned!

{And if you’re a local girl and want to hire Jamie for her mad cake baking skillz, email me and I’ll hook you up! Her cakes are the best I’ve ever tasted, and I’ve tasted a whole lotta cake.}

So, did you watch the Super Bowl yesterday? Did you watch Downton? Something completely different or nothing at all?

February 4, 2013 4 Comments Filed Under: Fun Stuff

Christmas Tour of Homes 2012

By Kristen

Every other year we dress up in Christmas red and green, or maybe evening navy blue, and head downtown to see the Nutcracker ballet. In earlier years, our whole family attended. But now the two teenage boys have lost that lovin’ feeling for it, so my daughter and I make it a girls night out.

One of my favorite parts of the ballet has nothing to do with dancing. It happens first thing when the curtains sashay open and the Christmas Eve party in the Stahlbaum’s home bursts into view. The set reveals a fancy but cozy party atmosphere complete with a tallest-from-the-forest Christmas tree. I’ve seen the Nutcracker in cities across the United States, and every ballet company interprets the E.T.A. Hoffmann story a bit differently. But no matter how diverse the set and costumes, every production displays an opening holiday scene that lights up the stage.

That’s one reason I adore participating in Nester’s Christmas Tour of Homes. We all celebrate the same grand event, the Story of all stories. But each of our “production sets” – or homes – interprets the celebration differently. I love seeing how you decorate your own home for Christmas. Not only is it lovely to peek at your inspiring scenes, but in doing so I get a peek inside your heart, too.

So, this is me opening my front door wide and saying, “Welcome! Won’t you stay awhile?”

{Like my repeat the sounding joy print on the left? Find it here.}

If you are playing along with Nester’s Christmas Tour of Homes, will you let me know in a comment? That way I can see your dazzling house prettiness, too. And whether you’re participating in the Christmas tour or not, don’t be shy about visiting Nester’s place for hundreds of inspiring Christmas scenes.

Georgie says thank you for visiting {she’s smiling on the inside}.

Last year was my first to link-up. You can see it here:

Christmas Tour of Homes 2011

Merry Christmas, friends!

December 18, 2012 16 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Family, Fun Stuff

When Your Soul Needs to Feel Its Worth

By Kristen

This post is part of a series by Holley Gerth and myself entitled All Things Possible Christmas. You can read more about it here and visit Holley’s place tomorrow for the conclusion.

I imagine how the Christmas story would read if Mary and Joseph were two professionals with PhD’s on their walls rather than two poor teenagers.

We don’t know exactly what Mary was doing when Gabriel delivered the message that she would deliver the Son, but we can assume it wasn’t anything that would have made the Nazareth newspapers.

Joseph was sleeping when God sent an angel to explain the details of Mary’s pregnancy in a dream.

I imagine how the Christmas story would read if God chose Bethlehem celebrities – maybe the Taylor Swift or Brad Pitt of their day – to first hear the news of Jesus’ birth. Instead, He chose shepherds tending flocks in fields, ordinary folks doing ordinary business.

With one hand, God reaches down from heaven and pulls extraordinary from the ordinary. And with the other He tosses up one illuminating star that leads kings to a stable.

From the moment of Jesus’ conception, God turned the ways of the world upside down. He brings the small to big places and takes the big to small places.

From the moment of Jesus’ conception, God made His name Emmanuel – God with us – very real.

Every year Emmanuel means something different. Life peels back more layers and we’re left standing raw until they heal. But God coming down to this gritty, dusty, land of the dying makes every difference in our hope for living. He is with us. He is in us. He is here. ~Emily P. Freeman

Emmanuel means inn doors of the heart aren’t slammed shut, but opened wide with welcome.

Emmanuel means miracles happen in the quiet of our ordinary days.

Emmanuel means our souls have worth.

Emmanuel means all things are possible.

But sometimes I forget all this, so I need reminding in my heart and home. Today, I am giving away two favorite things that do just that. I adore this pendant necklace from Lisa Leonard! If you win, you may choose this “He calls the stars by name” necklace or another single piece from Lisa’s faith collection at DaySpring. Not only are they swoony-pretty, but they match everything and are made of pewter. So lovely! {And just FYI~all Lisa’s jewelry is now 25% off at DaySpring.}

{photos from be small studios}

And have you met the lovely Annie Barnett of be small studios? Not only is Annie a beautiful soul herself, but her clean, classic, and bit-of-whimsy artwork is just glorious. {Annie also designed the picture above for this Christmas series!} If you win, you may choose any one of the Christmas prints above or another from her darling line.

To enter, all you have to do is like both Holley’s facebook page and my own in the handy Rafflecopter tool at the end of the post. By doing so you will automatically be entered to win both items. If you have already “liked” our pages, you will still be allowed to enter the giveaway, just follow the prompts in Rafflecopter. You will need to be signed into your Facebook account for it to work. One winner will be chosen for both prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to both Lisa Leonard and Annie Barnett for graciously donating both gifts for our giveaway!

December 6, 2012 17 Comments Filed Under: Fun Stuff, Giveaway, Holidays, Hope, Uncategorized

7 {Free!} Christmas Gifts No One Will Want to Return

By Kristen

My husband hauls down the red and green Rubbermaids of Christmas happy, and the kids and I busy ourselves decorating. I love pulling out the decorations from their 11 month home almost as much as placing them around the house. Those 4 tidy little containers nestle an accurate sampling of our family’s history in memories.

When I pick out Christmas gifts for others, I like to get something that represents a bit of their own history or who they are now. Thinking how best to do this, I discover 6 things we can give for nothing that mean everything. And the best part? No one will want to return them. They are one size fits all, no assembly required.

1. Give snuggles. Grab fleecy blankets and festive hot drinks and snuggle up outside, even if it’s snowy cold. Cozy up in front of Rudolph or Elf or the fire. Hug your man, your munchkins, or your mama. Even un-touchy feely folks need an arm around the shoulders here and there.

2. Encourage a hero. Send a thank-you message to a military member and his or her family. Doing so pretty much makes you a hero, too!

3. Do your part to give peace and the benefit of the doubt. I’m not gonna lie: I have no problem doing this when you are lovely, but if you are ornery then I want to throw peace and goodwill out the window. While Jesus did not shy away from appropriate confrontation, He always confronted with the goal of better relationships. His motivation was love, His gift grace. What a gift we give by living this way, too.

4. Breath a little fresh air. Open your window or step outside and receive a hit o’nature. Yes, this is a present for yourself, but taking care of yourself is the best gift you can give to those around you. Notice the beauty right outside your window and give thanks to God for placing you in this little corner of His earth.

5. Notice her. Give her a warm greeting, look her in the eye, and ask how she’s doing. Wait for her answer then ask her another question. Share your time and attention and if you have to, your words.

6. Print worthy encouragement. Click here for inspiration and prayers for blessing your family, friends, and neighbors.

7. Savor and suggest good bloggy reads. Next week, I will be doing a special Christmas series with one of the best writers on God’s green earth. Saunter over here on Monday {and maybe invite a friend or two to do the same}and see what possibilities wait for you!

What are some of your favorite free and maybe not so free Christmas gifts? In my not-so-free category, I recently discovered Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine soap. And like a real Christmas tree, this fragrant soap helps take this Colorado dweller to the woods without me having to leave my house. I also have several pieces from Lisa Leonard’s DaySpring faith line on my gift list. Quality + meaningful + jewelry = fail-proof gift. What are your gift suggestions?