blooming where i'm planted.

when i do one of those self-evaluations - which i'm notoriously bad at; i come up with ten million things i need to change and work on (and then don't even know where to begin to start)... "chief of sinners" comes to mind - it reminds me all the more of the Cross and Christ's extended grace.  thankfully, i'm also reminded of this promise found in Philippians: 

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

i'm so very thankful for this promise.  God is working in me to change, shape and conform me to His image.  one thing i've noticed lately is that my discontentment issues are slowly being chipped away and i'm learning the beauty and peace that contentment brings.  

ever since i moved away from my home in california i've missed it and would love to move back.  i grew up there; all the memories of my dad are left there, and it's just plain home.  after going home for a visit i'd always return dissatisfied and (almost) hateful towards where we live now (charleston, south carolina).  i could find every reason not to like it.  i wanted hills and mountains not low-country.  i wanted a beach with cliffs not just a plain, flat beach.  i wanted cool comfortable temperatures all year round, not humidity and heat indexes equalling 110 degrees every summer (okay, so maybe i still want that).  

my old home in california.  (can you see why it's hard not to miss it?!?)

after our last visit to california this past november, i was bracing for more discontentment.  but instead, i found myself not comparing south carolina to california (remember, comparison kills contentment!).  instead, i embraced the south for what it is and the beauty it offers... i found myself actually appreciating it and even thinking about how i'd miss it if we ever move.  this is such evidence of the Lord's grace, working within me, chipping away the ugly to replace it with something better.  and how could i ever be dissatisfied knowing that i'm right where God wants me, for this point in time for His pleasure and purposes.  so yeah, you could say that i'm blooming where i'm planted.  : )  i'm happy to end 2010 in this frame of mind.  

look at my new home... it's different, but just as beautiful...

folly beach, sc 

downtown charleston harbor

oh, and get this!  i won a painting of our house from becky at farmgirl paints (i'm sort of obsessed with her, she already knows it, so there's no sense in hiding it).  she is insanely talented, makes beautiful jewelry and paints too.  (i know, it's hard not to be jealous... for goodness sakes, i just talked about contentment.) you really should visit her etsy.  i am just beside myself and can't wait to see the painting she creates!  it will be another reminder to me about blooming where i'm planted.  : )

our home. (the christmas decor is still up... that's what tomorrow's for.)  

i hope each of you has a sweet new year's celebration and may your 2011 be filled with blooming where you're planted.  

miscellany monday

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1. oh the joy of christmas!
i've come to the conclusion that it is quite tricky to get pictures of all the happenings with a baby in my arms.  it's even harder to capture a still moment of my hunter the toddler.  but, such sweet times, nonetheless...

some of kelly's sweet family!

four generations: my grandma, my mom, me, my sister, and sage.

part of my crazy family.  ; )  sage is d-o-n-e.

sage got a baby doll. she already adores it.

this is how hunter's highchair tray has looked at every meal since Christmas.  he has to eat with at least four toys.  yes, he is obsessed with thomas.  

2. family fotos.
my sister-in-law arranged for a friend of hers to take pictures of our family as a gift for kelly's parents.  it was a major feat considering the pictures included six children under the age of five.

from left to right: our family / kelly's sister, becky, her husband, jason, and their girls, taylor and camryn / kelly's sister, cindy, and her husband, billy, and their girls, libby and gracie.

 our family.  i posted this in black and white the other day.  i like the colored version too.  the fact that both kiddies were looking in the same direction is a major accomplishment.

other than the fact that the both of us tried to look natural and completely missed the mark, i like it.


3. my baby love.
i just love her.

4. and baby, it's cold outside.
we had snow yesterday.  that makes it twice in one year.  in charleston, sc.  it's the south.  home of the humidity, even in winter.  usually.  can you say global un-warming?!

our house getting a dusting.

look at the flakes!

hope is born

no matter where you are in life, what you're going through, there's a reason to celebrate because Christ is our hope.  Christ has come so that we may have new life.  He brings Good News of great joy.   

this is one of my favorite Christmas songs, written by andrew peterson.  he says it all a million times better than i ever could...

"While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around

"Fear not!" said he; for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind

To you in David's house this day
Is born of David's line
The Savior who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be the sign:

The heavenly babe you there shall find
to human view displayed
All meanly wrapped in swaddling bands
And in a manger laid"

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Christ is born
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Christ is born

"All glory be to God on high
And to the earth be peace
Good will henceforth from God to man
Begin and never cease"

(While Shephards Watched Their Flocks by Night, Andrew Peterson)




seacoast, a church in our area, created this amazing video... depicting the Christmas story without spoken words.  it's beautiful.

God Revealed - Christmas Eve Sermon Bumper from Seacoast Church on Vimeo.

merry Christmas  

from our family to yours!

miscellany monday

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1.  glove love.  my two sisters-in-law and i had a girls night out the other night.  it was loads of fun.  my sister-in-law, cindy, gave us presents of glittery nail polish and these fantastic gloves:

i instantly feel cool when i wear them.  don't mind this "trying to look like i'm not staging a picture" when i'm really staging a picture picture.  oh yeah, and pretend like that tv switcher is not there.  (do you call it a switcher?  remote?  clicker?)  back to the girl's night out.  i love my sisters-in-law.  they really feel like sisters.  what a blessing.  love you cindy and becky!

2. dinner and a movie.  we had a sweet date night in honor of our 6th anniversary last night (which, by the way, thanks for all the sweet anniversary wishes!).  we went to my favorite cafe restaurant and then saw narnia in 3D.  it was our first 3D movie, our first movie theater outing in over a year, and our 3rd date since sage was born.  yes, this was a very big night indeed.

enjoying our quiet car but missing the kids all at the same time.  : )

i drool over this place.   love it.  i ordered shrimp and grits.  delish x100.

3D is so cool.  and narnia?  superb, of course.  um, i couldn't believe how much movies cost.  $27 for two adults.  ridiculous.  good thing we had a gift card, otherwise our budget would've murdered us.

3.  cookie cupcake exchange.  my friend, rachel, is hosting a cookie recipe exchange.  love this idea.  the only thing is, i'm bending the rules and sharing a cupcake recipe.  it's so good and i like it better than any kind of cookie.  really.  the best part?  it's vegan (egg-free) so my little hunter can eat it!  the cake is so moist and this frosting is the best recipe i've found.  my bestie, julie, found this cupcake recipe and made it first, just for hunter.  how sweet is she?!  now we never want to bake with eggs again!

Mom's Chocolate Cupcakes
from food(dot)com (and many thanks to julie for finding this!)


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup oil
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vinegar


click for instructions.

Classic Buttercream Frosting Recipe:

from savory sweet life.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened
3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

click for instructions.

to you.

another year has passed.  and we're still living life side by side and walking hand in hand.  i'm more than grateful.  our story was written by God and my heart is overjoyed with the gift He's given me.  

i love you, johnny/kelly/father of my children/handsome.  i probably don't share enough about what a gift my sweet husband is... i could write posts like this one forever.  

and as we celebrate six wholesome years of marriage, (on the 19th) i'm praising God for the blessing it is to be mrs. graham.  i look forward to many many (and many!) more beautiful years of wedded bliss.  

this song that my brother-in-law wrote is my prayer for the rest of our lives... that our lives, our marriage would be acceptable to the Lord.  and thank You God for all that You have done in our lives!

"words can't describe, 

songs can't convey

all You have done

we stand amazed

so may our lives

for the rest of our days

be acceptable to You."

(from the song: words can't describe, written by: billy foote)

miscellany + monday.

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1. sagey baby.  

she is officially half a year old.  it was all a blur.  i have a feeling that five years from now i'll look back on these beginning years of babies and wonder what happened.  that's what a blogs for, though!  in honor of her sixth month birthday, she can be summed up in six words: cutest thing ever and high maintenance.  but oh do we love her!  with great sorrow, comes great joy... she smiles bigger than ever but also cries louder than ever.  the more she can look around and see her brother, the happier she is.  oh, and she pretty much prefers to be held by ONLY her parents.  and she would prefer to be on my hip every waking second of the day.  i can't say that i mind;  she is so precious to me.  and our trend of big babies continues... she's in the 90th percentile.  mommy is getting buff.

2.  please pray.  

a dear part of our church family is having an unexpectedly tough christmas season (which reminds me of this post written by my dear friend, rachel, whose husband battled cancer five years ago).  imagine one day everything being seemingly fine, and then finding out that your 4 yr old has cancer and needs immediate surgery and chemo?  few of us could even begin to imagine what it would be like to traverse such deep waters.  my dad died of cancer, but it's way different when it's your child.  your baby.  the one that you spend your days protecting and nurturing.  visit their family blog and pray for precious ansley.  she is the cutest four year old i've ever laid eyes on.  pray that the peace of God would dwell richly in their hearts and lives in the midst of extreme hardship.

3.  reflecting.

and now i'm reminded that life can change in an instant.  what was once priority becomes null and void.  no matter what, God is faithful and is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He is God over all.  He is the same God after a cancer diagnosis that He was before.  and i'm also reminded to hug my kids as much as possible, spend more time with them, worry less about the laundry and more about showing my children Christ.  and as our family is in town for the next few weeks for Christmas, i'm going to enjoy being with them more than ever and cherish every single moment.

good ol' st. nick.

image by patrick mahoney

with little kids in the house, we have debated back and forth about how to deal with santa and christmas.  christmas is about Christ.  we don't want our children to think otherwise.  we also aren't keen on the idea of telling our children that santa slides down our chimney to bring them presents every year, only to find out later it was a lie...  (no offense, if you do)  it just doesn't sit well with me.  in reality, st. nicholas was a faithful, giving servant of Christ.  i want my children to know this.  and to know that st. nick is a wonderful example for us.  

mark driscoll, founding pastor of mars hill church, wrote an article for the washington post summing this up and outlined exactly how, kelly and i, as parents, are going to redeem santa in our household.  driscoll explains:

"Since Santa is so pervasive in our culture, it is nearly impossible to simply reject Santa as part of our annual cultural landscape. Still, as parents we don't feel we can simply receive the entire story of Santa because there is a lot of myth built on top of a true story. So, as the parents of five children, Grace and I have taken the third position to redeem Santa. We tell our kids that he was a real person who did live a long time ago. .."  click to continue reading.

what does your family do? 

miscellany on monday

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1.  lost in mommy land.  

we are a real life berenstain bear family... with slightly smaller tummies.  : )  i refer to hunter as "brother bear," sage as "sister bear," and you guessed it, myself as "mama bear."  papa bear my hubby thinks this is weird.  i think it's being a mom.  

2.  i like.  this:

and they didn't pay me to tell you.  that's how much i like it.  it's way healthy especially with a tasty flax seed crust.

3. glory to the newborn King!

 i adore this time of year and the celebration of advent.  the house is festive and full of cheer.  i feel like a kid again having kids and watching them take in the Christmas season.  advent is all about celebrating the Savior's birth.  i think a lot about mary, Jesus' mother, during this season.  she was so trusting and willing, able, and ready to serve God without questions.  when the angel appeared to mary to tell her of the virgin birth, her response was full of humility:

 “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.  -Luke 1:38 ESV

wow.  no wonder why she had found favor with the Lord.  and now, in this point in history, we know that mary gave birth to the Servant King, JESUS, who bore our sins and shame as He was nailed to the cross.  we celebrate His birth that led to the Salvation of the world.  this Truth and Reality is the reason to celebrate Christmas!  so bring on the celebration!

this is the best nativity for kids (fisher price's little people nativity)... my aunt bought it for hunter and sage.  i highly recommend it.

i love stockings hung on a piano.  normally it's the fireplace (of course) but i'm liking this more...

4. bowtique bowtique.

my adorable friend beth opened an etsy.  it's so beyond cute and full of tutus and bows.  everything is made with the best quality and craftsmanship (and beth is a perfectionist so all the items really are perfect)!  go check it out.  

and all the preggy ladies say yay!

no, this isn't a cute way of telling you i'm pregnant again.  

a good blogger doesn't write an entire post (a novel like post, at that) about a recipe she found on a food blog.   but lets be real... as a mother to a 5 month old and a 21 month old, you better take what you get. 

and much to my husband's sadness, i haven't gone julia child on you.  i know with two recipe posts in two weeks i totally had you fooled.  what i'm going to tell you about is in honor of all the preggy ladies out there.  girls, i know how hard it is to go 9 months without consuming raw cookie dough.  wait, do i really need to use the word raw there?  if it's dough then it's clearly raw.  ahem.  so, yeah, it's hard going 9 months without cookie dough.  so hard that with my 1st babe i couldn't do it.  i did sneak a few bites of dough.  and then felt like i would be dead by the morning or arrested by the FDA.  much to my surprise, neither happened.  although, now my son has a severe severe SEVERE egg allergy to which i feel responsible.  dang eggs, why do you have to be in almost every baked or unbaked good?! 

well, i have news for you.  cookies don't need eggs.  so there.  thanks to my new friend, joy i've been made aware of this.  okay, she doesn't know i exist so maybe i can't be qualified as her friend.  but she's like the popular girl that everyone wants to know and be.  so i'm telling you that she's my friend so you'll think i'm cool too.  she is brilliant and came up with a piece of pure divinity... frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls dipped in chocolate.  have you died and gone to heaven yet???  with one bite, you will.  

wait, do you hear that? It's a choir of pregnant women uniting with one voice proclaiming hallelujah and r.i.p. to no cookie dough for 9 months.

before getting to the recipe, i have a few matters of book-keeping to attend to.  to further my case and emphasize the point that i'm so not going julia child on you, let me remind you that it is quite important to make sure you have all the ingredients necessary before you start a recipe.  i know, i know, you're thinking, duh.  of course.  you learned that in kitchen 101.  well, i didn't take kitchen 101.  as a consequence of this reality, after creaming my butter and sugar i noticed i was fresh out of vanilla and also out of my "go to" vanilla substitute (maple syrup).  instead i used water.  which, i'm pretty sure if i had taken the previously mentioned class i would've known better.  soon after, i realized i did not have  the necessary1/2 cup of peanut butter.  i really only had 1/4 cup.  but there was no turning back now.  i continued on with my lacking peanut butter and figured it would somehow still taste good.  and guess what?  it did.  lucky us.  but, the good news is, i know it will taste exceptionally good if made with all of the ingredients in their proper amounts.

another matter of book-keeping - i was really excited about this recipe because i wanted hunter (my egg allergy boy) to get his first taste of chocolate chip cookies.  it was going to be monumental.  well, it would've been a better experience if the dough wasn't rock hard frozen.  just saying.  

and now i'm going to quit babbling lest you think that i'm not only a bad blogger, but also a bad baker, and mother.  

but seriously, if you want to be tempted with every post, go visit  joy the baker.  (thanks manda, for introducing me to joy.  i owe all my extra calories to you.)  and now i must go work out.  

mine don't look as good as joy's...

but she doesn't have a cute sous chef like i do. : )

chocolate chip cookie dough balls, by joy the baker

(makes 9 large balls)

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda (i know we’re not baking them, it’s for flavor)

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup Greek yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping.  click for directions.