Happy New Year !!!!

God has been so good ! I actually have become quite relaxed. I know He's in control and I just keep plugging away. It was rough getting a chance to write over the holidays. So much was going on: at home & at work. Just shy of Christmas we ended up losing our assistant manager.. due to unforeseen circumstances. For a few days, I was just beside myself in disbelief & sadness. I pray for him, his family, and the events to come. Weird/stupid decision = rough consequences. I'm still baffled. Then, of course with inventory needing done, holiday customer traffic, and helping to train two new employees. I was busy. For a few days, I ended up sick w/ the stomach bug. That was awful!! Fever first day, throwing up the next day, and then the scoots the day after that. Y U C K !!! I got rest, drank plenty of fluids, and let it run it's course.  All in all, the holidays went great! Mom made food, Grandma made food, and everyone seemed to be satisfied with their gifts. New Years was fabulous too! Michael's mom made homemade stromboli, we played guitar almost all night, and the kids were tooting their little horns at midnight. New Years day - - I cleaned! I organized! I re-arranged! I made pork & saurkraut (tradition). 
It was awesome! Michael came by with some trout. Those were fileted & frozen. We actually fried those up last night! YUM YUM!!!! I used a new cookbook, my new cast iron skillet, and fried every one of those babies up. Soooo delicious! There's leftovers, which I'm royally excited about!

So far, 2014 has been one of the greatest starts of any year. I've come up with a few "resolutions" for this year. I'm rather excited. So far, so good ! Everything is falling in line according to the way I'm being led. <3 God is so good!! Even when the storm is raging - He takes care of EVERY creature great or small! <3

I know 2014 will bring a lot of adventure, excitement, and hopefully some new skills. I am so happy with life now as it is.. I can't possible want it to change.. but here are a few HOPES or so-called "resolutions" for 2014.
**God grant me the ability to continue to love the life You've provided. Help me to lean not on my own understanding and continue to give You all the credit & glory You deserve. Amen.**

RESOLUTION -1) I plan on fishing as much as possible.
RESOLUTION-2) I plan to construct a portable smoker (of sorts) *like a teepee* over my fire pit.
RESOLUTION-3) I plan on acquiring my hunting license and hopefully do some hunting.
RESOLUTION-4) I plan on attempting the process of tanning hides. **I have my instructions. I've read them over several times. I'll need materials and time.**
RESOLUTION-5) I plan to continue blogging - gathering info & possibly construct a rough combination of what may/may not be a book.
RESOLUTION-6) I plan on getting EVERYTHING out of the crawlspace & my parents storage. Throw away what can't be salvaged AND sell off anything unnecessary. I'm going to break the hoarding cycle! ! **all that money will go into a car fund**
RESOLUTION-7) Own a vehicle by the end of May *would be nice*
RESOLUTION-8) Eat clean, train hard, workout DAILY, and lose 50-60 lbs by the end of May. Then maybe another 30-40 lbs after that.. we'll see.
RESOLUTION-9) Grow a bigger, better garden. Yield & store as much as possible. CUT that grocery bill DOWN! !
RESOLUTION-10) REJOICE in all things. Remain positive & steadfast.

That is all... Call me crazy - but I love this life!!!

Catching Up & Loving Life

Well, I am ashamed. Writing hasn't been a priority the past week or two. Holidays are upon us and once Thanksgiving rolled around I became Santa's "Momma Elf" around here. Thanks to a good friend with a truck we didn't have to carry our tree home. He also helped stand it up, trim it just right, and even put the lights on it. I was overly excited. We were going to make applesauce/cinnamon ornaments and etc etc.. and I wanted everything to go smoothly...etc etc.. (Momma Elf syndrome!)  I know that nothing ever does so I was praying for self-control. (it's a daily prayer for me- I want to be slow to anger & let worries/frustrations not bother me so much. I hate when I feel sad, mad, or stressed. I pray God helps me cope with those three things the most.) I failed 3 or 4 times at stringing those lights. At that point I strung the lights so miserably (again) that my friend gently puts his hands on my shoulders, turns me from the tree, sat me on the recliner, SAID NOTHING AT ALL and took off my dis-functional light stringing and strung it himself. It was so beautiful and perfect when he was finished!! I had no words. We had a good laugh about it & it was awesome!  **this may be one of the very first times EVER in the history that is my life that someone (particularly a man) was able to actually handle me / my frustrations / stubborn determination & do something constructive about it without setting my temper to flare** Seriously, those of you that really KNOW me & my journey & interactions with men - you know what a big deal this really is.



Later that evening we struck forth with the making of ornaments. HA HA! Pinterest is an awesome internet resource, but I failed miserably at that applesauce & cinnamon recipe. It would NOT form dough. It was gloppy, sticky goop. Out of sheer silliness & one last ditch effort - I baked a few globs and we all had a good laugh at our glittery cinnamon scented reindeer poop. It was hilarious! It's always a good time with so many laughs when we're all together. I am so grateful for those moments of fun & laughter. Really makes me feel like "home" like we're doing more than just surviving life.. that we're actually living it. I've grown rather fond of these times. Some days I crave them. It's a feeling I keep praying about because I don't know what to do about it. There are just some days that I honestly feel myself slipping into what I call .. "family mode" and I want them to be there. I feel they belong there as part of the adventures - whatever they may be. I really don't care what others think - my friend & his son & his mom are like family to me.  When God told me "strike up a friendship" - that is all I expected. A true friendship. Praise God that is what we have: open, honest friendship. It's truly a blessing. I know God brought our families together for a reason. I am so thankful - grateful - happy: beyond words. I pray that things continue to be happy, joyous, and our times together be pleasant and froth w/ fun & adventure. I don't have to pray for laughter because that's always a guarantee! :)

So, "Momma Elf" gets to back to decorating. I wanted homemade, natural, and simple. HA! Salt dough ornaments went sooooo much better for me. I begged the kids to help but they were "too busy". So.. I set to it. I made a good selection of hearts, bells, trees, stars, and the 2nd batch I put coloring in. Lily did help with the 2nd batch a little. On our tree words are spelled out : MERRY, JOY, NOEL, PEACE and everyone has their name hanging on it too: including our friends. Heck, I found embroidered stocking for our friends (names spelled correctly & everything!) at the Savings Store here in town so they'll have stockings too at our house this year. If I find ones like that with our names on it - I will buy & hang those too. Truth be told I'd love to have 2 sets of stockings. One under the tree for gifts (that are personable: like my Betty Boop one) & one to hang just for merely show (the traditional ones w/ our names on them).  Seriously ! I need help. ha ha! Christmas is my favorite holiday of the entire year.

God has been so awesomely good. I absolutely do my best to stop myself from being negative, down, or stressed. Christmas is my FAVORITE holiday. Why? It's the birth of Jesus. It sparks the beginning of the journey that was Jesus & His life & the events that led up to His ultimate sacrifice - the TRUE power and knowledge of what His purpose is / was / will be forever. The power that is from the manager to the cross is absolutely INCREDIBLE.  The flesh of God walked the Earth - mingled with the people - performed miracles - included 12 incredible men each for their own purpose - the whole time knowing He was going to die for people that didn't know Him, didn't love Him, and refused Him. Talk about an adventurous life! Truly! Awesome! I absolutely LOVE Christmas!! It renews me. It's refreshes the hope & faith that my life, your life, ANYONE'S life and the adventures, ups/downs, ins/outs, the good AND the bad can become a POWERFUL testimony for our Lord and His mighty mercy, power and glory. <3

Matthew 5:14-16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

So, now that I've gotten you caught up, entertained, and even preached a little - I'm going to sit, relax, and enjoy the Sunday God's blessed us with today. Kids are sleeping - I've got a roaring fireplace (on Netflix) and a handful of Christmas DVDs. There's NO telling what I might get into ;)
Love & Joy to you all <3