The Garveys

Zoo time

2010-11-05T10:21:00.001-07:00

- Stephanie

2010-10-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

I guess this is turning back into a monthly update blog. :)

Happy last of October! :)

David turns 5!

2010-10-01T12:10:00.001-07:00

We've hoped and prayed for our boys, especially David, that they would have hearts like Nehemiah: to call families together, to work, to protect, to rebuild.

October 1st, 2005 changed my life forever. I'd never known that kind of pain, accomplishment and love that came in the wee hours of that morning.

Full Name: David Michael Garvey.

David: (Hebrew) “Beloved of God.” A man after God’s own heart, a righteous king.

Michael: (Hebrew) “Like God” Archangel, greatest of warriors. Likened unto God.

David Michael: From the lineage of our father’s, David Guy Cools and Dennis Michael Garvey.

Garvey: (Gaelic) "Rough Peace."

This year was David's first camping trip.

This year was David's first time catching a crab.

This was David's first year getting to play baseball at the cabin.

This was David's first year trying to ski.

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Then said I:

“Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.”

Abby!

2010-09-03T10:59:00.000-07:00

My boys love Abby. And so do I. Okay, our family loves Abby. We had the fun job of driving her to her new home in Colorado Springs for a teaching position. We miss you Abby! Thanks for the fun road trip!

Caracals, Tigers and Lions. Oh my!

2010-07-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Brothers.

2010-07-07T22:56:00.002-07:00

Nephews!

2010-07-07T22:56:00.001-07:00

David roasting his first marshmellow.

2010-07-06T10:11:00.001-07:00

Mommy and Liam

2010-06-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

At our friends, Craig and Liz, wedding!

Ready to take on summertime!

2010-06-23T09:26:00.001-07:00

Summer!

2010-06-23T09:18:00.001-07:00

Our first day of sun and Liam is out playing in the hose by 9 am! :)

Crazy cheetah child

2010-06-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Scars and Stilettos by Harmony Dust

2010-06-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

I recently read one of the most heart breaking and beautiful stories I've ever read:

I literally could not put this book down. I read it in one setting and lost a lot of sleep that night because of it, but it was so worth it. Through her personal story, Harmony Dust, shows the struggles and hopelessness of children (and adults) who grow up in poverty, neglectful homes, sexually saturated childhood and a structure of abusive relationships. It hurt my heart as she told the story of wanting something different nearly her whole life: yearning to have someone tell her she was loved and mean it, as a child needing the basic security of a safe home and food. This touched me personally because we are looking to adopt out of the foster care system and most of the children in foster care currently are from those exact circumstances. My future children could be experiencing what Harmony experienced. The amazing story of transformation is that Christ saved her from being trapped in her life as an exotic dancer and gave her a new identity in Him. Gave her love for the people that were still in the clubs, and with her husband and church striding with her, founded Treasures an organization that seeks to provide help to women in the sex industry that want to be free from it. Truly amazing.

But the thing that stood out to me a lot was that the way she found herself looking for Jesus, was through a stranger at a ballet class that became her friend and drew her towards Christ's loving arms. Can we all be like that please!? My brother in law recently said, "To think that as God is drawing sinners to Himself through perfect love, I will drive them away with my judgmental heart." That's most of us. Before I read this book I definitely would not have been as compassionate towards an exotic dancer, but now I want to be like her ballet friend that saw her as God saw her, a treasure.

Here is some of the truth that God has taught Harmony about women that she uses on the Treasures website:

She is valued...
She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
Proverbs 31:10

How precious are your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
Psalm 139:17-18

She is loved...
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
Jeremiah 31:3

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:39

She is purposed...
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
Psalm 138:8

She is redeemed...
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, (s)he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Truth About God

He is faithful...
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
Deuteronomy 7:9

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Deuteronomy 31:8

He is gracious...
God is all mercy and grace-- not quick to anger, is rich in love.
Psalm 145:8

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

He is mighty...
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 46:1-3

He is caring...
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed.
Psalms 34:18

He is comforting...
As a mother comforts her child, so I'll comfort you.
Isaiah 66:13

And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes.
Revelation 7:17

He is near...
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18

More wedding fun!

2010-06-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

We should always do beach weddings! It keeps the kids so easily entertained. :) The boys loved finding so many sea creatures, including the hundreds of jellyfish. The orange one, we were told, they shouldn't have picked up because they can still be deadly. Fortunately this was not the case.

David rocking his dance moves at a wedding.

2010-06-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

David Painting

2010-06-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

2010-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

We went to Whidbey Island

2010-05-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

It seemed like the longest part of our drive up to Useless Bay, for the wedding I was shooting, was waiting to get on a ferry. Do not, I repeat, do NOT try to catch a ferry on Friday night. Whew. We had to wait through 3 ferries before we finally got on one. Fortunately, I had a good book and my husband had a craving for ice cream - so the boys were able to get out of the car for a little bit.

Once we actually got on the ferry, it was great. The boys thought it was pretty magical because we were on "the biggest boat in the world" and we got to see a spotted seal out on the water. The ran off all the sugary ice cream throughout the weekend. More pictures to come of all the sea creatures they collected. :)

Me and my silly boys

2010-05-24T19:49:00.001-07:00

Skater David

2010-05-10T20:05:00.001-07:00

Garvey Mission Statement 2010

2010-05-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about having a mission statement for myself, for our family and our home. Then I saw this post about mission statements, and asked Michael if he would want to make one with me. It made for an awesome date because we spent 2 hours hashing out who we want to be. You should try it! :)

Garvey Mission Statement 2010

In order to glorify God in our home and bring His love to those who we come to know, we purpose to create a loving and peaceful environment that nurtures happiness though generosity and hospitality. We purpose to provide guidance and inspiration to our family and others to as we discover and learn new things together. We purpose to create a safe home through intentional kindness, words and thoughtfulness. The endeavors we choose to be a part of, whether career or education, should reflect our great God through personal creativity, thoroughness and intentionality.

Oregon Coast

2010-04-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

We got away to the Coast for a little bit before Michael's trip to the midwest and just in time to celebrate Liam's birthday. We had lots of fun. It was great to enjoy each other and smell the ocean air. We only stayed 2 days but we lived it up. Our favorite parts were sitting in the huge hot tub and watching the sunset or wave jumping during the warmest part of the first afternoon. At Seaside there are a bunch of swings out on the sand, so here's a picture of David having a blast. :)

Liam is THREE

2010-04-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

2010-04-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

I guess this is what I look like from a 4 year old perspective. Good to know. :)

My sweet firstborn who loves pictures picture ALMOST as much as I do. :)

He's quite kissable!

2010-04-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

David!

2010-04-01T18:11:00.001-07:00

2010-04-01T18:10:00.001-07:00

I love him. :)

Liam's scrape

2010-04-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

Seems like everything is happening to Liam these days. :) He got knocked in the face with a stick.

Liam and the mouse

2010-03-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Liam brought this inside today. I'm not sure if Michael or I screamed louder. Michael hurriedly escorted him and the mouse outside while I grabbed my camera and snatched this picture as they were on their way to dispose of the large hideous rodent. Yuck.

Oregon Zoo

2010-03-10T15:32:00.001-08:00

Us.

2010-03-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

Right now Michael and I are in San Diego, California getting ready for a sweet, rockin wedding. (Happy wedding day, Nathan and Amanda!) Wish us lots of sun! We get a few days to our selves while our boys stay with their grandparents. So, here's to that as well!

Jeni Mount Cookies

2010-02-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

I'm partial to these cookies a lot because of who made them all the time (Jeni Mount) and also because they are super easy, fast and yummy! (yes, I know they're not healthy for you, but everything has at least one downside, right?)

1 cup butter (fluff and cream)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons water
3 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups of flour

With a spoon mix in 1 and a 1/2 cups chocolate chips and some nuts if you want.

On a floured board press cookie dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with heart or star shaped cutter and put onto an non-greased cookie sheet.

Cook at 325 for 18-25 minutes until just the edges are brown.

Cool a bit...

Then either shake in a bag of powered sugar or drizzled melted chocolate chips on top.

"Jumping the HIGHEST IN THE WORLD"

2010-02-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

David is reading words and writing letters.

2010-02-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

David is doing famously well with school. It makes my job so easy. I'm so proud!

He can read 2 sentence stories.

He can write almost all of his letters. He prefers capitol letters.

He does very well at reading comprehension, too.

According to him his favorite part of school is "I looooooooooooooove crafts!"

get your anti-procrastination on

2010-02-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

Shout out to FlyLady.

I started following them on twitter to gently remind me to clean my house every day and WHOO they do it. They guilt tripped me into getting my anti-procrastination on today. I think what usually happens in our house:
It starts clean...
I get lazy ... it gets dusty
We get busy ... it gets dirty
I get overwhelmed ... it becomes a monster
I lay on the couch thinking "anti-procrastination Wednesday" ... it is still a monster
I turn on some music and get to work ... it gets clean again.

BUT- if I just picked up and cleaned up stuff for 15-30 minutes a day would I ever have to live in a dirty house again? Probably only on rare occasion. :) So, here's to cleaning little bits of my house from here on.

Do you have a house keeping technique?

Tea time.

2010-02-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

For me, this represents a great day. Sharing the best Chai in the world (Mt. Rose Herbs) with the best honey in the world (wild Austrian honey) with someone close to me.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

2010-01-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE recipe
by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Makes 8

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Individual Chocolate Mousse
2 ounces solid semisweet chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place eight 6-ounce (3 1/2-inch diameter) ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray; set aside.
Stir flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add egg, milk, oil, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water; mix on medium-low speed until smooth and combined, about 3 minutes.
Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Run a knife around sides of cakes; unmold. Cakes can be refrigerated, wrapped in plastic, up to 1 day.
Trim each cake to 1 inch high. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut eight 10 3/4-by-4-inch strips of parchment paper. Wrap a parchment collar around base of each cake, keeping bottom flush with baking sheet. Secure each collar with tape; set aside.
Transfer bittersweet-chocolate mousse to a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (such as Ateco #808). Pipe a 1-inch layer of mousse into each parchment collar. Refrigerate until mousse is set, about 20 minutes. Repeat with milk chocolate mousse, piping on top of the bittersweet chocolate mousse. Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
(I got tired of putting the collars on half of them...so we made them open face chocolate mousse sandwiches. )
Microwave semisweet chocolate until slightly warm but not melted, about 30 seconds. Scrape at a 45-degree angle with a vegetable peeler, forming curls. Before serving cakes, remove parchment collars.

(End result! SO PRETTY. Ans SO rich. I couldn't even eat a whole one ... in one sitting!)
MOUSSE Recipe
by Martha Stewart

This recipe makes two kinds of mousse: bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate.

The egg yolks in this recipe are not fully cooked. It should not be prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.
Ingredients
Makes enough for 8 cakes
- 3 1/3 cups heavy cream
- 8 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Salt
- 7 ounces milk chocolate, melted
Directions
Put 1 2/3 cups cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate 1 hour.
Put 4 egg yolks into the clean bowl of the mixer fitted with the clean whisk attachment; beat on high speed until pale and frothy, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water to a rolling boil in a small, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until clear, large bubbles form, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Carefully pour hot syrup down side of bowl. Raise speed to medium-high. Mix until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bittersweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt with a rubber spatula.
Add one-third of bittersweet-chocolate mixture to whipped cream; whisk to combine. Add remaining bittersweet-chocolate mixture, whisking until completely combined. Press through a large-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard any solids. Repeat entire recipe, substituting milk chocolate for the bittersweet.

Living life.

2010-01-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

2010-01-27T07:18:00.000-08:00

Very, very excited about the amazing story that I get to review in a couple of months:

Life, Inspite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice
by Kristen Jane Anderson as told to Tricia Goyer

Tricia is an amazing author and this true story of how God used this young woman's life is going to be ah.ma.zing.

Trucks and Rainboots

2010-01-25T12:53:00.000-08:00

I love my snuggle bugs!

2010-01-23T01:43:00.000-08:00

We made strawberry coconut ice cream. YUM.

2010-01-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

2010-01-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

2010-01-22T01:34:00.000-08:00

Ever since we left Colorado I have severely missed the sun, blue sky and fat fluffy clouds. Thank you, Lord for this gift in Oregon amidst the forecast of rain! :)

Reading and Writing

2010-01-21T21:24:00.001-08:00

David continues to excel at reading. Today I started on training him with letters. I think he did pretty well! :)

- Stephanie

My two little knights (in not so shiny armor) ;)

2010-01-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

He's almost 3!

2010-01-21T13:34:00.000-08:00

I was checking some lighting options outside and ended up with a cute picture of Liam. He's a sweetie, but is also very mischievous and just now realizing that he doesn't want to do everything that Mom wants him to do. :P We're working on it. :) haha.

He DOES like having pictures taken of him. Last night he kept saying "take pidure a me!" I love him.

David goes to a Knight and Princess party

2010-01-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

Aren't these girls lovely!? (and baby Jack, too)

2010-01-19T16:10:00.000-08:00

Liam and Michael sword fighting

2010-01-19T11:18:00.001-08:00

Ali

2010-01-16T03:58:00.000-08:00

Look how cute my husband is!

2010-01-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

He said he was almost as nervous on our

5th anniversary as he was on our wedding day! :)

Olivia Grace

2010-01-14T15:45:00.000-08:00

Glenna Fashions

2010-01-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

Want fashion advice? Ask Glenna.

Happy 5th Anniversary to us!

2010-01-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

After yoga, lunch, massage and coffee (which I would qualify as a good day!!), Michael shocked me with taking me to a shmancy hotel and having my wedding dress and a tux delivered there to have professional wedding pictures done (something we didn't do for our wedding). He borrowed an amazing peacock feathered veil thanks to a wonderful veil-maker friend(!) and even bought me incredible shoes to go with it (a really silly thing that I've wanted so I could wear them and think of our wedding). That would have been way too much as it was, but he also had gotten me a cute little 40s cocktail dress and a small black veil to go with that, too. And we had a second photoshoot thanks to our amazing photographer JocelynElise! Then we had a romantic dinner downtown and he re-proposed (those of you who have heard our proposal "story" will laugh right now, but I want to say that even though I didn't have a story then to tell, it reminded me what was really important. Committing to marrying Michael. Not having a story. Stories are great, but not the point of engagement.) with a wedding band that matched my engagement ring (never had one of those, either!). I cried. It was so sweet and he totally overdid everything. Typical Michael. :) Our room had this ginormous ROUND bed and tons of windows overlooking downtown. After breakfast in bed, we headed back to normal life. I love him. I would love him even if he hadn't done any of that, but he did and it was wonderful.

I'm so spoiled. So, so spoiled.

See a sneak peek of the pictures here!

Christmas Eve joy

2010-01-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

My grandparents and parents bought the boys an Ikea Trofast for Christmas. It was probably top on my list, but I snuck it on to the boys list so I could get other things for Christmas. ;) haha. They love it because they can play on it (pictured below) and I love it because they have a place for ALL of their toys (there are individual bins WITH LIDS that slide in).

I love these pictures. Their cousin got in on the fun, too.

Hooray for husbands making dinner with children!

2010-01-05T14:41:00.000-08:00

Boys. I love mine.

2010-01-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

Sisters

2010-01-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

I want Emily's glasses, so I can look cute like her!

The Zoo

2010-01-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

Epic train track to celebrate New Year's Day.

2010-01-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

The boys love, love, love their trains. Michael got them more for Christmas and this is the only thing that keeps them occupied for over 30 minutes at a time. I think they think it's an only boy thing they do with eachother and dad. I think I'll keep letting them think that. :)

Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake

2010-01-01T10:25:00.000-08:00

I totally just made this on New Years Eve. It takes LONGER to make than you would think (it's worth it!)-- so note to self and others: make it the day before you want to eat it. Looks like we'll be starting out 2010 eating it instead of ending 2009 with it. :)

_______________________________

Crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies or 9 ounces of homemade chocolate wafers
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
7 tablespoons hot melted unsalted butter

Ganache
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
20 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur

Filling
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee crystals
1 1/2 tablespoons ground whole espresso coffee beans (medium-coarse grind) (I skipped this, increased the espresso powder instead)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
3 large eggs

Topping
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

A handful of chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)

Make crust: Finely grind cookies, chopped chocolate, brown sugar, and nutmeg in processor. Add butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, scraping down bowl occasionally, about 1 minute. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Wrap plastic wrap around fingers and press crumb mixture firmly up sides to within 1/2 inch of top edge, then over bottom of pan.

Make ganache: Bring cream to simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and Kahlúa. Whisk until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Pour 2 cups ganache over bottom of crust. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature to use later for decorating.

Make filling: Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended. Scrape down bowl, making sure you get to the bottom, where little pockets of unmixed cream cheese love to hid. Beat in flour. Stir rum, espresso powder, ground coffee, vanilla, and molasses in small bowl until instant coffee dissolves; beat into cream cheese mixture. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between each addition.

Pour filling over cold ganache in crust — it will go nearly all of the way to the top, don’t panic. Place cheesecake on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until top is brown, puffed and cracked at edges, and the center two inches moves only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about one hour. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Cool 15 minutes while preparing topping (top of cheesecake will fall slightly, making room for topping). Maintain oven temperature.

Make topping: Whisk sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Pour topping over hot cheesecake, spreading to cover filling completely. Bake until topping is set, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Refrigerate hot cheesecake on rack until cool, about three hours.

Run small sharp knife between crust and pan sides to loosen cake; release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Spoon reserved ganache into pastry bag fitted with small star tip. If you’d like to make an approximation (perhaps less rushed?) of the above decoration, pipe 6 diagonal lines atop cheesecake, spacing 1 inch apart. Repeat in opposite direction, making lattice. Pipe rosettes (or, uh, stars if you realize you do not have the energy nor inclination to practice rosette piping at that hour) of ganache around top edge of cake. Otherwise, have fun decorating freely. Espress(o) — ow — yourself!

Garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired. Chill until lattice is firm, at least 6 hours.

Do ahead: Cake is best made a day ahead, so the flavors have time to settle. The cake also takes enough time to make that it’s best not to rush through it the day you want to serve it. It can be made up to four days ahead. Wrap loosely in foil, forming dome over lattice; keep chilled.

from smittenkitchen.com

01/01/10

2010-01-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

It doesn't feel like anything has changed. It's still raining outside and my children are still arguing about who ate breakfast the fastest. My husband is still working and my hair still needs to be done. I still need to figure out what's for dinner and if I can put off grocery shopping any longer. But even though life goes on with the normal - something has changed.

New day. New Month. New Year. New Decade.

and I get to spend it with them \/

Goodbye 2009. You've been great.

2009-12-31T12:03:00.000-08:00

10 years ago today I was a silly 14 year old with the bestest friend in the world. Liz and I snuck out to our friends old beater BMW with bottles of sparkling cider and toasted the night away. I realize how simple my life was then. I never imagined interning with TeenPact. I never imagined marrying Michael. I never imagined traveling with him. I never imagined being a photographer. I never even imagined blogging. I never imagined all the other wonderful people that could make my life seem so full. I never imagined living anywhere else. I never imagined what it meant to be a mom. I never imagined wanting to adopt a child. I never imagined how God could change my life. Wow. Happy 2010, people!

Worship Music

2009-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

is blaring out of my computer and filling our house. I need this today. I need to remind my soul and my mind that I am here to bless the Lord.

I so need God.

Thank you, Lord, for an amazing husband and this sanctifying process called parenting. :)

My siblings co-op graduation

2009-12-29T10:08:00.000-08:00

Ellie Grace

2009-12-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

Puppet Show - Christmas Story

2009-12-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day at the Garveys

2009-12-26T18:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T02:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a wonderful year. Full of challenges and happiness. We pray God's richest blessings on you as we celebrate the birth of our Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Love,
The Garveys

12 Pearls of Christmas - FULFILLED IN CHRIST

2009-12-24T02:52:00.000-08:00

by Jen Smidt

This is without a doubt my favorite time of year. I love everything about it: glowing lights, fragrant trees, cheerful carols and cherished memories. One special Christmas memory and a song lyric add a depth of worship and gratitude that I will treasure in my heart forever.

Thirteen years ago, when I gave birth to my firstborn son - the staggering reality of what exactly Jesus offered to us in the gift of Himself became most tangible. As I held my newborn baby boy in the Christmas candlelight, tears flowed as I tried to comprehend that my Great and Glorious God took on this frail, infantile form for me. Never before had I truly understood the magnitude and humility of His incarnation. As if occupying a small, utterly dependent body of flesh wasn't enough, He ordained that His first place of rest be in a dirty feed trough. Why there? God could have chosen anywhere to rest His tiny head...and then the song playing on the stereo pierced my heart with a moment of clarity: That dirty manger is my heart too...

Jeremiah 17:9 says, "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Jesus can.

God chose to have His Son enter the world in a stable and be laid in a filthy slop trough so we could know that our sinful hearts are not too lowly of a place for Him to occupy. He understands so much that He was willing to be lain in that rough and smelly receptacle so we could begin to understand His love for us. Understand that He desires to indwell our dirty hearts and make them pure and clean.

As His chosen children, we are given the gift of Jesus - we are now IN HIM.

Galatians 2:20 it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Celebrate! Party! Worship and Adore Him during this Christmas season. We have been brought near and the trough of our soul has been cleansed and filled with the most precious of gifts - the Righteousness of that Baby boy born in Bethlehem.

Fulfilled in Christ

Luke 2:7 she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger...

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Jen Smidt is a 16 year veteran of redemptive marriage to Phil and a 13 year veteran of sanctifying mothering of Jake, Nate and Ellie. Writing, teaching and revealing her ongoing need for Christ keep her humble. Find more of her encouragement on her blog Recognizing Jesus.

12 Pearls of Christmas: Slow Down, Pray & Give Thanks

2009-12-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

All Decked Out For Christmas
by Maureen Lang

One of the reasons so many of us love the holiday season is that it's just so...pretty! Twinkling lights, shiny ornaments, packages that glisten with bows and fancy wrapping. Our houses are trimmed with wreaths and glowing trees, and the neighborhood lights up the night with strands of icicles and glimmering reindeer.

Even we get decked out for the holidays! Chances are most of us will attend at least one party this season, and if we don't usually don clothing or jewelry with a bit of sparkle, now's the time to take a chance with something that reflects the holiday.

Smiles are another reason this season is such a popular one. They accompany that familiar greeting-Merry Christmas! Smiles go with the gifts we give and with the gifts we receive. Smiles go with the old Christmas carols and classic movies we watch every year.

The holiday season is a time when everything can seem amplified. But what if we're all decked out on the outside, from the sparkling clothing to our best effort at a smile, and on the inside we're anything but happy? If life isn't what we expected it to be, the gap between reality and our happy, hopeful expectations seem wider when everyone around us is laughing through the season.

I know there are as many reasons to be unhappy as there are to be happy, and I wouldn't begin to have the answer to make this season bearable for everyone. But I do know a few things that have worked for me:

Slow down. What? During the busiest time of the year? Yep. I know when I feel completely overwhelmed it's because I'm pressuring myself to do too much. So I try to plan ahead, settle for less than perfection, do my best without driving myself and everyone around me crazy. Choose what's really important and let go of the other things. And I've adopted my aunt's favorite saying: "However it turns out, that's how we like it." Works wonders on attitude!

Pray. As my pastor reminded me this weekend from Psalm 34:18: the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. God may not deliver us from our troubles, but He promises to stay beside us-in fact, closer than when everything seems hunky-dory.

Find a moment to give thanks for what you do have (without looking around at those who have more).

This last point deserves a moment of reflection, and is something I'm still learning to do. I have a child severely handicapped by Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic form of mental retardation. For years I thought I'd accepted his condition. I obediently said to God, "thank you even for this," since it taught me many things about adjusting to the life I've been given rather than the one I might have chosen.

But as my son gets older, I see new forms of acceptance making that feeling of gratitude more genuine. I think I'm finally letting go of some of the hopes and dreams I had for him, my oldest son. I can no longer imagine him any other way than the way he is, even though I'd be first in line if a cure is ever found.

I still think it's a good thing to give thanks in all things, even if it begins out of obedience rather than tender gratitude for whatever thorn we live with. But realizing it's okay to grow into that gratitude was a blessing to me.

Maybe some of the bruises on our spirit seem tender during the holiday season, a reminder that all the glitter on the outside might not light us up on the inside. My prayer is trust Psalm 34:18. Let's lean on Him this season-He's right here beside us!

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Maureen Lang grew up loving to tell stories, and God has blessed her immeasurably to be able to tell them to a wider audience these days. For the latest goings-on, please check her blog!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Perspective

2009-12-22T06:47:00.000-08:00

A Soggy, Jolly, Holly Christmas
by Melody Carlson

One of my most memorable Christmases started out as a natural disaster. But isn't that a bit how a pearl is formed? An oyster's soft easy life is disrupted by the invasion of sand, but something good comes out of it. When I was eight, we experienced the worst flood in recorded Oregon history. It was only a few days before Christmas when our streets became shallow rivers and the governor proclaimed a state of emergency. My sister and I assumed the flood was simply our new water-world playground and didn't understand the seriousness of washed out bridges and downed power lines and submerged homes. But when we realized this flood was about to nix our usual three-hour trek to our grandparents' home near the coast, we were not happy.

Naturally, our mom, a single parent, protested the sensibility of holiday travel (most of Oregon's rivers were involved in the flood). But Christmas at Grandma's house was our favorite event of the year. And thanks to our persistence, Mom finally gave in. We piled into the car and headed out. Flood waters climbed higher the closer we got to the coast. And at one point the road behind us was closed and the one ahead was flooded and about to be closed as well. The state policeman told us we could cross "at our own risk." We followed a Volkswagen Bug into the water-then we actually watched the bug floating away! Of course, there was nothing to do besides plow on through the water, which appeared to be nearly two feet deep! Fortunately we had an old heavy Chevy that did not float away, but the water seeped in and pooled on the floors.

Fortunately, we made it safely to the grandparents. But once we arrived, we learned there would be no Christmas tree because the road to the woods was closed. Then my grandpa picked up his ax and led us outside where he chopped down his prize holly tree planted in the parking strip. I stared in horror, thinking Grandma was going to have a fit. But then he explained the city had told him to remove the tree for traffic visibility. So we had a twelve foot holly tree for Christmas. It was a little prickly decorating it, but with its shiny green leaves and red berries, it was the most beautiful tree ever! So what started out as a disaster turned out to be a soggy, holly, jolly Christmas after all.

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Melody Carlson, author of Limelight, Love Finds You in Sisters, The Christmas Dog, 86 Bloomberg Place, Diary of a Teenage Girl, The Carter House Girls, and much more... http://www.melodycarlson.com

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Help & Support

2009-12-21T06:46:00.000-08:00

Calling Elizabeth ... HELP!
by Tricia Goyer

Mary, the mother of Jesus is one of the most well-known women of all time. She was also a teen mom facing an unplanned pregnancy. This Christmas we will see evidence of Mary's story all around us. And as you hear it through Christmas songs and Christmas shows think of three things:

1. Mary was signed up for a big task she wasn't prepared for.
2. Mary no doubt faced criticism from people around her.
3. Mary found someone to turn to - a friend who could help Mary to succeed in her new role. It was Mary's older cousin Elizabeth.

Elizabeth played an important part in Mary's life. We know this because the book of Luke begins by telling us Elizabeth's story first. Elizabeth was the wife of a priest. She was very old and had no children, but God blessed her in her old age by allowing her to get pregnant. After Elizabeth's story comes Mary's story ... another surprise pregnancy. Can you imagine what a shock that was to everyone who knew both women? (Yes! I'm sure you can!)

The cool thing is that the angel Gabriel told Mary about Elizabeth's surprise pregnancy. It's as if he was saying, "Look, there's someone in your same situation. Turn to her. She can help you."

Mary did go to Elizabeth. In fact she lived with her older cousin for three months. Elizabeth was the first one who rejoiced over the child Mary held within her womb, and I imagine Elizabeth was there to encourage Mary as she coped with the idea of becoming a teen mom.

Like Mary, each of us should have people in our lives who we turn to for help, support and encouragement. Being a mom isn't an easy thing, and facing an unplanned pregnancy is even tougher.

When I had my son Cory I was 17-years-old, and there were a group of women from my grandma's church who supported me. They were the first ones who showed me that the child that was growing inside me was a gift. They gave me a baby shower, and they fought over holding my son after he was born.

As my son grew, there were other women I looked to ... and most of the time they didn't even know I was watching. One of them was Cheryl. Cheryl was patient with her children, she gave them big hugs, she laughed with them and played with them and I modeled myself after her. The thing about finding mentors is sometimes we can observe them without them even knowing. And if we're really lucky they enjoy their role of giving us advice.

Later, when I had two kids, I met a friend named Cindy. She and I were the same age and we became quick friends. Cindy was a support to me because we traded babysitting, talked about parenting problems, and we encouraged each other. She was someone who was walking the same road as me, and her advice helped more times than I can count.

No matter who we are, or where we live, each of us can look around and see the people we have in our lives. Some may cheer us on, some may guide our parenting, and others may just be there to walk along side us. If the mother of Jesus needed someone to look to for support ... shouldn't we? Everyone needs someone to provide a little help and support.

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Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-one books including From Dust and Ashes, My Life UnScripted, and the children's book, 10 Minutes to Showtime. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like Today's Christian Woman and Focus on the Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in the mountains of Montana. Connect with Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Intervenes

2009-12-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Answer
by Susan May Warren

Whos, Here, we are Whos here, smaller than the eye can see. Whos here, we are Whos here, I'm a Who and so is she...

I've always wanted to live in a musical. When I was a kid, I loved Oklahoma, Sound of Music, West Side Story. I seriously thought that, if the moment was right, maybe the stars aligned, people would break out into song and dance.

I was sorta right. Because in my house, one needs to be able to talk in movie lines and song lyrics to effectively communicate. At any moment, someone might break out with a quip from the Princess Bride, or Finding Nemo. They might sing Tomorrow from Annie, or My Favorite Things like Julie Andrews.

But, most recently we've found ourselves speaking in "Suess"...

It's suppertime, son, and the time is near To call far and wide the sneetches who hear Just the sound of their bellies, the whir of their gear The Gurgles and Burbles that give them great fear Tell them all, tell them loud, tell them clear Their hands they should wash, check their face in the mirror Because the food is now ready and it's time to steer Close to the table, where they'll find hot gribbles here.

Why, you ask? Because David and Sarah are performing in the community theater's production of Suessical the Musical, a hilarious conglomeration of Dr. Suess' fun work, from Horton hears a Who to Horton Hatches an Egg.

As the Christmas season draws close (and the songs from the play linger in my head), one line has stood out to me... "We are here, we are here!" You know the story - that part where, after everyone has called Horton names and they're about ready to boil the speck that contains Who-ville, Horton calls out to the Whos to send up a cry to prove themselves as real. "We are here, we are here!"

It strikes me that sometimes we can feel like Whos...smaller than the eye can see. Tossed hither and yon by the wind, helpless and facing being boiled. Tired, perhaps, or alone. Wishing someone might find us and pay attention.

Someone has, and that's the good news about Christmas. Because we don't have to "make ourselves heard," like the Whos. In fact, even before we realized we were headed for the cauldron, God intervened. God demonstrated his own love for us in this - while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8). That's what Jesus is all about - he's the answer to even the unspoken cry of our hearts, saying, "I am here, I am here." Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

So as this season approaches with its whistles and bells I hope you hear the voice where the Mighty One dwells -- down deep in your hearts, so nothing can shake the knowledge of his love, given all for your sake.

Merry Christmas from Susie May Warren

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Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of twenty-one novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep's Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader's Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota. www.susanmaywarren.com Check out her Christmas Novella, The Great Christmas Bowl.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: He is Always Enough

2009-12-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas in a Barn
by Mary DeMuth

The Christmas of 2006 we were homeless. We didn't have keys. Not to a car, not to a home. We'd flown halfway around the world, leaving behind a ministry we toiled over. Much, particularly in our hearts, lay in ruins.

Some friends had a camp, and on that camp stood a barn. In the corner of the barn was a tiny apartment, flanked by this caboose and hundreds of acres of Texas pasture. We'd never been there before, so we followed directions at night, making plenty of wrong turns.

When we found the place, we drove a borrowed car over the cattle guard toward what would be our home for a month. String lights illuminated a small porch, a window and a door in the corner of an aluminum-sided barn. We hefted large pieces of luggage to the apartment.

And when we opened the door, Love welcomed us.

The place, usually completely unfurnished in the winter, was decked out with just the right amount of beds, couches and tables. The pantry was full. We had dishes and garbage cans, and cups and forks and food. But even more, we had a Christmas tree. Friends had hijacked the place, decorating it for Christmas. Cookies preened on the table.

I will never, ever forget that Christmas. We had so little. We felt the painful burden of failure. But we were loved, so terribly and wonderfully loved.

Christmas felt right there, in a barn. We heard the nickering of horses, the meowing of kittens, the clop of hooves against the barn floor. Chickens and goats and cows served as a holy object lesson of the incarnation. Although we were warm and clothed, we understood more keenly the Savior's homelessness, how He left the splendor of heaven for the sodden earth. We experienced barnyard life alongside him, without much to call our own except our Heavenly Father and our sweet family.

He was enough, that Christmas. And He will always will be.

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Mary DeMuth writes fiction and nonfiction. Her latest book, A Slow Burn released in October and she has a memoir entitled Thin Places coming out in February of 2010. You can meet her: http://www.marydemuth.com, http://www.thewritingspa.com, on Facebook and Twitter!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

2009-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

Making Work At Home Work: Holiday Strategies
by Mary Byers

As I look ahead to the approaching holiday season, I thought I’d share a few suggestions for you to consider for your business.

• Give yourself a break. Most employees get time off for Christmas. Sometimes I give myself time off, too. But I'm not always intentional about it. This year, I'm going to actually mark off a couple of days that I'm gifting to myself. I'll turn on my auto reply and get myself out of the office. I know it will feel good and will be rejuvenating for me.

• Make a list of office supply and equipment needs. I know it is difficult to spend money on work when you need to spend money on holiday gifts. But there are two great reasons to make work related purchases this month and next. One, there are great sales. Two, if you've had a successful year in 2009, you can reduce your taxable income by purchasing things you need (and want) for your business.

• Consider developing a one-page plan for next year. I spend one morning each December writing a one-page business plan for myself. I simply identify four or five initiatives that would help my business. I capture them on paper, jot down my action plans, and post it on my wall. This helps keep me focused throughout the year.

• Set a financial goal (unless it will make you a slave to your business). I set financial goals for myself early in my business. But I abandoned them when they became the be-all and end-all for me even though I had two preschool aged children. Instead, I focused on taking the work that came my way. No more, no less. Now, however, I've started setting goals again. And I'm pleased to report that I had my best year ever in 2009! Don't be a slave to a goal. But consider setting one if it will motivate and encourage you or if you have something special you're saving for.

• Take time to be thankful. I am grateful I get to work from home. Sometimes I forget my gratitude when I'm overwhelmed or behind in my work. But I don't want to lose sight of what a privilege it is to run my own business. I plan to keep this in the forefront of my mind as I approach this holiday season.

Mary Byers is the author of Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof. Sign up for her work at home blog at www.makingworkathomework.com.

12 Pearls of Christmas: Faith, Hope & Love

2009-12-18T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Pearls We Pass Down
by Holley Gerth

Ten years ago my Grandma Frances went home to heaven in her sleep just before Christmas.

My Grandpa carefully handed me a brightly-wrapped box on Christmas morning and said, "This is her gift. Now I want you to have it."

I opened the lid slowly and tears came to my eyes as I saw a lovely string of pearls.

My Mom gently helped me fasten them around my neck. As I ran my fingers over each one, I thought of my Grandmother and all she taught me through her life...

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

FAITH

At age twenty-nine, my Grandma contracted polio and learned she would never walk again. She had a husband, two little girls, and a future suddenly very different than she imagined.

A pastor came to visit her in the hospital. He said, "Frances, this can make you bitter or better." She often told that story with a sparkle in her eyes as she said, "I chose better." I learned through her example that faith is a choice and with God we can thrive through anything.

HOPE

My grandparents took a leap of faith and started the first Christian bookstore in their city with a small kiosk in the center of a mall. Over the next few decades that little kiosk grew into a large and successful store that touched countless lives.

Many of my favorite childhood memories are of curling up in the back room with a stack of books. My Grandma taught me hope is like a small seed and, watered with prayer, it can grow into a huge blessing for many.

LOVE

For fifty-six years my grandparents shared a life together. I adore these two pictures because one is taken when they were dating and the other just a few weeks before she died. The twinkle in their eyes is still the same-and that's not easy in this world. They faced their share of challenges, like my Grandma's disability, but always got through them together.

My Nana also loved her family deeply. When I went to college, she often wrote notes to me and signed each one, SCTH (Stay Close to Him). She showed me love is a commitment that begins with Christ and then overflows to everyone else in our lives.

I still miss my Grandma Frances, especially this time of year. Sometimes I pull out her string of pearls and hold them in my hands. Then I think about how we're all creating our legacy as we live. And while the difficulties we face may seem hard to understand now, God can turn each one into beauty that blesses our family for generations.

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Holley Gerth - Cofounder of (in)courage, editorial director for DaySpring, author of Rain on Me, wife of Mark, lover of Jesus, friend to YOU.

Visit Holley at Heart to Heart with Holley or follow her on twitter as @HolleyGerth.

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12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Wrapping presents

2009-12-18T14:35:00.000-08:00

We draw names for Christmas for my extended family. We decided to let the kids draw pictures on the wrapped boxes (we wrapped with packing paper and paper bags) instead of doing the stamping this year. All the squiggles are from Liam and all the pictures or letters are David's. They had a blast and it kept them busy for about 30 minutes! :)

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Provides a Way

2009-12-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

A Long Ago Christmas Memory
by Patricia Crisafulli

The old farm on a dirt road in the backwoods of northern New York State was described to me so many times, I can imagine the place, even though I never saw it: the big frame house with the wide porch, the pair of maple trees out front, and the barn in the back where my grandparents kept a cow or two, pigs and chickens, and a team of work horses.

That old house came alive for me in dozens of stories that my mother told, of how she and her sisters grew up there during the Depression. The stories had that long-ago feel not only because of the years that had passed, but also because of the era: tales of riding in a horse and buggy in the summer and a horse and sleigh in the winter. My grandfather owned an old Model A Ford, but the tires were patched beyond repair and there was no money for gasoline.

One story that has always stayed with me was of a particular Christmas in the early 1930s, a time my mother remember as the "depths of the Depression," and there was no money. In order to pay the interest on the mortgage, to keep the bank from foreclosing on the farm, my grandfather needed a relatively small sum. The amount I remember being told was $13, but for the little they had in those days it might as well have been $13,000.

Tested by trouble and sorrows, my grandparents relied on their deep and abiding faith. As Psalm 34 tells us, I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. The answer to their prayers was to be found right in their own backyard with gifts of the earth. My grandmother went into the woods to gather bushel baskets full of ground pine, with green sprouts like miniature boughs that spread in great patches along the earth. From willow branches she made hoops, around which she bound the ground pine to make wreathes.

She sat up all night making wreaths, enough to fill a large hamper basket, which my grandfather strapped to his back. At four in the morning, he hopped a ride on the milk train into Syracuse, where he went door-to-door selling wreathes. Night after night, my grandmother made wreaths, and day after day my grandfather sold them.

As Christmas approached, my grandmother had saved coupons that came in tins of coffee to get a Kewpie doll for her daughters. The only other things she gave them were mittens she knit herself.

Then on Christmas Eve, my grandfather came home from the last day of selling wreaths, exhausted but relieved. The farm was safe for another year. From what he had earned, he had a dime left over, which he spent on his beloved wife to buy her a powder puff. That night, my grandmother gave him her surprise: enough money from selling butter and eggs all year to buy four new tires for the Model A Ford.

Hearing this story as a child, my head was too full of the Sears & Roebuck "Wish Book" catalog to really comprehend it. As an adult, I try to fathom living with no money at all. What lingers in my heart, however, is the love of my grandparents for each other: the dashing young American soldier in World War I and the beautiful French girl he met overseas and then returned to her country to marry.

Many years, thousands of miles, and untold hardships later, that love continued. During a very dark December, they found a way together to keep the farm and the family together. And so it would always be for them.

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Patricia Crisafulli is a writer, published author, and founder of www.FaithHopeandFiction.com, a monthly e-literary magazine with stories, essays, and poetry to inspire and entertain.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas: Home

2009-12-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
by Virelle Kidder

My mother had remarkable zeal for Christmas. Weeks in advance, she would come home from teaching school and bake late into the night. I helped clean the house and decorate the tree while my older brother Roger wired the house with Christmas lights, transforming our humble red house into a place of magical beauty. Following the church candlelight service, a crowd of happy people crunched through the snow to our house for cocoa and cookies.

We were, like many, quite alone in the years after my father left. Our Christmas open house was my mother's supreme effort to make us feel complete. It almost worked.

Despite years in church and Sunday school, God was more a distant relative I wished I knew. I grew up with a gnawing sense of incompleteness, and longed to find meaning and purpose in life. Strangely, it was shortly before Christmas years later that it found me.

My husband Steve was fully absorbed with his new job at Johns Hopkins University, and I was home with a two year old. We wanted friends, but were both hesitant when Steve's officemate his wife invited us to attend their church. We had nothing in common with "religious types," but Steve said, "Let's be nice and go just once."

Sitting in church that Sunday, my temples pounded. Hymns and Scripture verses long ago ignored called to me from my childhood. Could others tell I didn't belong here? Oddly, I felt jealous of their peace. They looked happy.

First thing Monday morning I began tearing through the unpacked boxes in our basement. At last, I found my mildewed Bible from fifth grade. I resolved to read it cover to cover. I opened to Genesis, chapter 1. Same old story; I've heard this a hundred times, and quickly slammed it shut.

No one told me God could hear my thoughts. A soft Voice whispered, Why not read as if it were true? I opened my Bible again. Suddenly I was listening to the most interesting person I had ever heard. By afternoon I was still reading in my pajamas. I couldn't stop.

I read for weeks until one day, a picture popped in my mind of a beautiful old house with wide porches, brightly lit at night. Music, laughter and lively conversation carried onto the porch where I stood in the dark, peeking in. I saw a feast and a fire on the hearth, much like the Christmas open houses from my childhood, with one important difference. There was a Father here whose face mirrored love and warmth at His children's presence. This was God's family, and I desperately wanted to be inside. But how?

A voice taunted, Why would God want you? You don't fit in this crowd! It was true. I considered giving up. Instead, I marched upstairs to our bedroom, knelt down and prayed out loud, "Lord, help me find the way! Please don't let me go!"

Verses I'd read made sense. Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Our friends explained that God already knew I was a hopeless mess and loved me anyway. Opening the door to Heaven was a gift that cost God everything. It was on the cross Jesus died to pay for my sins. He rose again to prove forever that He is the Truth. Weeping at such love, I knelt and gave Christ my life. I found that, with or without a happy family, no one is ever complete without Jesus.

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Virelle Kidder is a conference speaker and the author of six books and numerous articles whose passion is sharing the love of God with women around the world. For her latest books, please visit her at www.virellekidder.com and www.meetmeatthewell.fm

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas - Just God

2009-12-16T07:48:00.000-08:00

A Tangible Reminder
by Mary Byers

Last year I read Me, Myself, & Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer, creator of the Veggie Tales video series. I was interested because my children grew up on Veggie Tales. But I was also interested because somewhere along the way I noticed Phil Vischer was no longer with Big Idea, the company he founded. I knew there must be a story there, so I picked up the book.

Though millions of children can sing the Veggie Tales theme song, Big Idea no longer exists. After expanding too quickly, the company was forced into bankruptcy. Vischer writes about the experience in his book, which is part memoir and part business tutorial. And it's a touching example of how one man encountered grit and allowed it to be turned into grace.

At the end of the book, Vischer outlines the lessons he learned from the rise and fall of Big Idea. In part, he shares, "I was ready to be done, if that's what God wanted. To just rest in him and let everything else fall away. At long last, after a lifetime of striving, God was enough. Not God and impact or God and ministry. Just God."

His words convicted me. As an author and speaker, I realized that I'm often more focused on my deadlines or my next speaking engagement than I am on God. I have it backwards. God first, then everything else will fall into place.

It's a powerful message for us as women, too. When we focus on God first, we'll have everything we need to handle whatever is happening in our families and our lives. As Vischer reminds us, God is enough. As we approach Christmas, I'm reminded that this is the time when God shared his Son with us-a tangible reminder of his love for us. And a reminder that when we have him, we have everything we need.

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Mary Byers is the author of Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof. She offers advice and encouragement for moms work from home for profit at www.makingworkathomework.com.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas - Home

2009-12-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas - God With Us

2009-12-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

LISTENING FOR CHRISTMAS
by Deb Kalmbach

I used to be the queen of over-commitment, and December brought out the worst in this malady. It was as if I were poised at an imaginary starting line, and when I flipped the calendar page, I was off and running--the December dash!

You could hardly see any white space on my daily planner it was so jammed with events. Kids' Christmas programs, church programs, and endless lists of things-to-do obscured my calendar and my vision to see what really mattered. Each day when we hung another ornament on our Advent tree, I felt my chest tighten, and my breathing get shallower. Only single-digit shopping days left...Panic mode was about to set in.

Of course I was singing in the Christmas choir. I love music, and the heavenly Christmas anthems we sang. The neighborhood cookie exchange was an annual tradition. Forget about the old standards, chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies. Let's talk about jam-filled tea cookies, chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls, or iced sugar cookies with colored sprinkles. My kitchen looked like a Martha Stewart test kitchen gone awry.

My head spins just thinking about it. I usually felt so frustrated and exhausted by Christmas Day, I barely enjoyed the celebration. I repeated this drill for many Christmas seasons, before I finally decided to step back and think about why I was trying to accomplish the impossible. I learned to take a deep breath and accept the fact that I can't do it all-and I'm much better off if I don't try.

That's probably why I'm writing this. The tendency to revert to this frenzied pace by mid-December is still a challenge. I need to be reminded of the quiet simplicity of this season, so I can hear the age-old message once again.

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel! Our God is with us. If we can stop long enough to listen-we will hear the invitation that beckons us to come, to wait, to get ready for our coming King.

No doubt, December will be as busy as ever with gifts to purchase, trees to decorate and carols to sing. But this Advent season, I pray that in the midst of everything contending for our time and attention, our hearts will be moved and our senses sharpened to rejoice in God's greatest gift.

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Deb Kalmbach is the co-author of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So-Perfect Marriage and the author of a book for children, Corey's Dad Drinks Too Much. Deb and her husband, Randy, make their home in a tiny town in Eastern Washington. Visit Deb at her website or blog.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas - Life Beautiful

2009-12-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

Life Beautiful
by Margaret McSweeney

During a quiet moment after Thanksgiving, I started reading my parents' stack of love letters that I recently found in a storage box. As a Christmas gift to you, I would like to share my father's words to my mother written to her during Christmas 1949. This incredible "hug from heaven" has been a tangible affirmation that Pearl Girls has true meaning and great worth for women throughout the world. I pray that God will continue to bless this ministry and outreach. May we all realize that the grit in our lives can be transformed into grace through the love of God.

This is what I found written on a tiny folded card inscribed with "Christmas Greetings" on the front:

Christmas 1949

My Dearest Carolyn,

Truly a jewel is a thing of beauty, but a life that is lived to serve others and to glorify our Christ, such as yours, is my dearest, a far surpassing gem in radiance and beauty.

Pearls to me, symbolize this "Life Beautiful" that you have achieved, Carolyn. Each pearl is a result of a great hurt to the oyster's life. But the little mollusk builds an iridescent coat around this source of hurt, and as a result, the precious pearl comes into being. Life is like that too.

If we, like the pearl, can make of our hurts the basis of a thing of beauty, then we can bear witness to an on-looking world how Christians can overcome through Christ, blows that are seemingly insurmountable.

At this happiest season of the year, I give thanks to God for you, Carolyn - my Pearl of Great Price.

Your Claude

Isn't this an amazing Christmas Pearl? I hope this message has touched your heart, too. Another Christmas gift I would like to share with you: My father's lessons on leadership. These can be found on my guest blog post at Michael Hyatt's website.

During this holiday season, decorate your life with Christmas Pearls --- strands of God's grace-reminders that nothing can separate us from his love, not even the grittiest of circumstances.

And please celebrate the "Pearls of Great Price" in your life through Post a Pearl. It's a fun and free gift that you can share with special people who have been a blessing to you over the years.

Merry Christmas!

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Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. She's the founder of Pearl Girls and a published author. Please visit www.pearlgirls.info for more info. You can also find Margaret at her writing blog, From Finance to Fiction or on Facebook and twitter.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Make your own elderberry syrup!

2009-12-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

All credit for this post goes back to Donielle. I stole this recipe from Naturally Knocked Up (http://www.naturallyknockedup.com) because I want to remember it for future reference! Check their website for GORGEOUS picture illustrations to go along with the recipe and keep reading to learn about natural remedies for sickness or fertility and lots of interesting facts! :)

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What you’ll need:

1/2 cup dried elderberries (or one cup fresh)
1 cup honey
2 cups water
(mountain rose herbs also recommends grated ginger, a cinnamon stick, and a few cloves in their video all of which have warming properties that would be beneficial especially when you’re already sick!)

Take a 1/2 cup of dried elderberries,place in a pan with the 2 cups of water, along with any other herbs and spices (I used a cinnamon stick this time) bring to a boil, and then let simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes.Once reduced (about half – give or take. It doesn’t have to be exact science) pour through a mesh strained and then just use the back of a spoon to squeeze out any juice left in the berries.Add in the one cup honey and stir until combined. (personally, next time I do this, I’ll wait for the liquid to cool down a bit before I add it in. Raw honey has so many great healing properties to it, I don’t want to damage it with the heat.) Once thoroughly combined, just place into a storage jar and keep in the fridge!

It will last for a couple weeks in the fridge, so make only enough for those weeks as it can go bad. Cost wise, it cost me about $4.00 for about 16 ounces. Much cheaper than the small $14.00 bottles at the store!

Benefits of Elderberry Syrup:

Contains 3 different flavonoids. Flavonoids are effective against at least 8 different strains of the flu virus!
Helps boost the immune system.
It stops the production of hormone-like cytokines that cause inflammation.
Studies have also shown that elderberry reduces excessive sinus mucus secretion, and some even suggest that elderberry can help lessen swelling of mucous membranes, improve sinus drainage, and decrease nasal congestion.

Thanksgiving.

2009-11-30T16:57:00.001-08:00

I have a lot to be grateful for this year. Most of all I am grateful for Jesus, my Lord and Savior, for a husband that loves me, for my children and that God provides richly in friendships no matter where in the world he calls us to be.

We had a fantablulous weekend with family and friends. I'm pretty sleep deprived at the end of it, but it was totally worth it. Watch our picture blog for Cools clan pictures and winner shots from the Turkey Bowl.

And that concludes the 100s of pictures

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that were on my phone from the summer! :)

More happy mornings.

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Scenery at our house

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Breakfast!

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I love who and what I get to wake up to!

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made some great food at the Edlins and saw Emily and Danielle!

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Made a quick Ikea trip

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We went to see Ali and Abby and got to eat Pumpkin Cookies! :)

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Idaho>Oregon

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Utah>Boise

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First day of the drive back to Portland

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Colorado>Wyoming>Utah

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The Mosleys threw David a birthday party the night before we left

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He really liked the cupcakes.

The Garveys

Zoo time

David turns 5!

Abby!

Caracals, Tigers and Lions. Oh my!

Brothers.

Nephews!

David roasting his first marshmellow.

Mommy and Liam

Ready to take on summertime!

Summer!

Crazy cheetah child

Scars and Stilettos by Harmony Dust

More wedding fun!

David rocking his dance moves at a wedding.

David Painting

We went to Whidbey Island

Me and my silly boys

Skater David

Garvey Mission Statement 2010

Oregon Coast

Liam is THREE

David!

Liam's scrape

Liam and the mouse

Oregon Zoo

Us.

Jeni Mount Cookies

"Jumping the HIGHEST IN THE WORLD"

David is reading words and writing letters.

get your anti-procrastination on

Tea time.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE recipeby Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Directions

Ingredients

Directions

Living life.

Trucks and Rainboots

I love my snuggle bugs!

We made strawberry coconut ice cream. YUM.

Reading and Writing

My two little knights (in not so shiny armor) ;)

He's almost 3!

David goes to a Knight and Princess party

Aren't these girls lovely!? (and baby Jack, too)

Liam and Michael sword fighting

Ali

Look how cute my husband is!

Olivia Grace

Glenna Fashions

Happy 5th Anniversary to us!

Christmas Eve joy

Hooray for husbands making dinner with children!

Boys. I love mine.

Sisters

The Zoo

Epic train track to celebrate New Year's Day.

Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake

01/01/10

Goodbye 2009. You've been great.

Worship Music

My siblings co-op graduation

Ellie Grace

Puppet Show - Christmas Story

Christmas Day at the Garveys

Merry Christmas

12 Pearls of Christmas - FULFILLED IN CHRIST

12 Pearls of Christmas: Slow Down, Pray & Give Thanks

12 Pearls of Christmas: Perspective

12 Pearls of Christmas: Help & Support

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Intervenes

12 Pearls of Christmas: He is Always Enough

12 Pearls of Christmas: Faith, Hope & Love

Wrapping presents

12 Pearls of Christmas: God Provides a Way

12 Pearls of Christmas: Home

12 Pearls of Christmas - Just God

12 Pearls of Christmas - Home

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE recipe
by Martha Stewart