Miscellany Monday

Happy Halloween!!!

     So, I have to admit that I am not the biggest Halloween fan in the world, but I do enjoy it to an extent. My family and I had a lot of fun last night enjoying chili and carving pumpkins. Here is a picture of the ones we carved. 

 I wish the picture was better. I did the mummy one and the large jack-o-lantern. Jeff did the two small jack-o-lanterns. 

 
     Now that Halloween is pretty much over, I am getting in full Christmas mode. Throughout the next couple of days I will be taking my Fall decorations down and putting my Christmas decorations up. I can't wait!!! Once I get my trees and other decorations put out, I will take some pictures and post them.  Starting tomorrow I will also begin to blast my beloved Christmas music. David Crowder has a new Christmas CD out that I am so anxious to get. Until then, here is a little Christmas song preview;)

Sunday Worship Song

     I can't believe it's already Sunday again; time goes by so fast. It took me awhile to pick a song today, but I've settled on this one by The David Crowder Band. They are mine and Jeff's favorite band and this song actually plays a part in our story as a couple. I hope you all have a blessed Sunday as you praise our wonderful Savior.

Bittersweet Reality

     Well, I'm back from vacation and can't believe how fast time flies. We had such a wonderful time and could have probably stayed a couple more days. However, I was really starting to miss my sweet doggie Starbuck, sleeping in my own bed, and showering in my own shower. So it's bittersweet; good to be back, sad to be back. (Mostly sad to return to work and all the demands that life throws our way.) Anyways, I thought I would share some pictures of our purchases with you. We mostly bought new additions for our Christmas decor, which by the way, starting next weekend my blog will be all decked out with all things Christmas. Call me crazy, I don't mind. To me a month is not long enough to celebrate the birth of our Savior, look at all the sparkling lights, smell all the wonderful smells of baking, and listen to the jolly sounds of Christmas music. At the Lemr household we become like little children during this season. We also got a jump start on our Christmas shopping by purchasing a few gifts. (I will not be sharing pics of these items due to the fact that my family members read my posts and I wouldn't want to spoil anything.)

     A cute snowman tower. I think I'm going to 

     put this beside our Christmas tree.

Snow Owls! These are actually cuter in person and I have

    an idea for them. (I'll share next weekend!)

    A cute Christmas village that lights up and 

   plays music. The Santa also spins around.

 Here are the jeans that I got for only $23!

     We also made many Starbucks runs and did lots of eating out which is a very special treat for Jeff and I. We left on a set budget and actually spent less than what we anticipated. May I also say how much it enriched our marriage. We had lots of good talks in the hot tub and over coffee, and just enjoyed being with each other. If there is any way that you and your spouse can get away for a little while, I highly recommend it. Here are a few more pictures taken from the trip:

  I already miss all of the beautiful scenery.

 I am going to try to make one of these.

 It's mostly made of Styrofoam and felt.

      This was our last day in Gatlinburg:(

     Well, that's all I've got for now. Have a great night!

Sunday Worship Song

     I love this song by Steven Curtis Chapman. He is by far one of the best male Christian artists out there and his songs are so profound. I know I have experienced the Savior's love many times, and have been left completely speechless by it. My prayer today is that you would experience the great love the Father has for us as well. Have a great Sunday!

Some Pics and a Prank

     Whew! Vacation is going by way too fast. Jeff and I have had such a blast and are looking forward to even more festivities over the next couple of days. Yesterday was filled with shopping at the outlets and my favorite Christmas Place. A couple of years ago when we were here we went to Banana Republic (where I will only shop the clearance racks:) and I found a  really nice pair of jeans for $25. This time I found a even better deal and snagged a pair for $23. The pair I got two years ago still look as good as new even after wearing them and washing them many times, so I am confident that this pair will be just as good. At the Christmas Place I purchased this adorable snowman tower and some owl decor (Don't worry I will have pics of these items in just a couple of weeks!) 

     Today we went horseback riding which was so much fun. I told Jeff my dream is to have a log cabin and a horse someday. (I would have definitely done just fine living in Little House on the Prairie times.) There is just something so serene and beautiful about horses and I would love to own one. I however did have quite the scare on my horse at one point on the trail. Jeff's horse bit my horse in the butt and he took off in a full sprint, going downhill. Can you say terrifying? I was screaming, "Whoa, Whoa!!!" over and over again and pulling on his reigns when he finally stopped. Of course it's funny now and Jeff says the look on my face was priceless, but at the time I was by no means laughing. 

     Lastly, we played a pretty funny prank on my mom tonight. My cousin goes to school here in Tennessee and he came to stay the night with us. His brother had this big foot costume that he put on and came charging at us while we were roasting marshmallows on the deck. My mom didn't know what to think. My brother had locked the door so we couldn't get back in and she was screaming, "What is that?! Who is that?! The door is locked!" It was priceless. Anyways, that's all I have tonight. Here are some pics from the last couple of days.

    Me and my sweet Hubby!

    My Mom and me.

 My Daddy and me.

   Aaron, Kathleen, Jeff, and Me.

       Jeff and Me at the Christmas Place.

A cute Christmas tree (This only adds more anticipation for me;)

   My cousin in the Big Foot costume.

                                                    

Gatlinburg Day 2....

And I'm still with these guys!

     Today has been a really fun day. This morning I walked out on the deck and took in the incredible view of the beautiful mountains.

 If you look close at the very top of the mountains, you can see snow.

     We began the day by eating at the Pancake Pantry where I enjoyed a bacon and cheese omelet, and two pancakes. From there we did some shopping, enjoyed a nice cup of coffee, and then came back to the chalet. Since the weather is quite chilly here, the hot tub is feeling perfect. Jeff and I enjoyed about a good hour in it this afternoon while my Mom was grilling out some burgers. When it was time to eat we brought all of but three burgers in because they still needed a few minutes to cook. My mom and brother went back out to get them and found this...

 No burgers, only torn aluminum foil. Proof that we are most likely in bear territory.

     We were going to go back out to make S'mores, but after that we quickly changed our minds. So for now we are just going to lay back and take it easy. Since being here and seeing all of God's beautiful creation, I just keep thinking about this worship song by Cindy Morgan. I hope you enjoy it.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

     

     Hooray!!! We finally made it to our chalet. It's 12:00am, but we made it. I am so excited to be here and am looking forward to shopping, eating, and resting.  I am hoping to post something each day I'm here, so stay tuned. In the meantime I am incredibly tired, my Dad is questioning who drinks peppermint mocha creamer with a look of disgust on his face, and I feel disoriented. Here a couple of pictures we've taken since we have arrived.

       Excuse the crazed look but when you ride in a car with 

         these people for almost five hours, it takes a toll on you.

Marriage Tip Tuesday

    

     Hello Everyone! Considering it is almost 11:00 at night and I have to work tomorrow, I really don't have time or the mental energy to give my Five Love Language's spill. I promise it is coming soon though (maybe next week). So tonight I have decided to keep it short and simple by telling you to pray for and with your spouse on a daily basis. There is no greater gift that you can give your spouse than praying for them. After all, God is the only One who truly knows our spouses needs and hearts. Also, praying together can be very effective as well. There is no greater act of intimacy than praying with your spouse. I can only imagine how beautiful it must be to God when He looks down from Heaven and sees a husband and wife on their knees. Prayer is also a good way to maintain open communication as it will open opportunities for you to ask your spouse what prayer needs/requests they have. Jeff and I pray together regularly and it is definitely something I hold so dear in our marriage. Well, that's it for now. After typing four papers for school I think my fingers, and my mind have had all they can take. I will be arriving in Gatlinburg tomorrow night and am looking forward to some rest with my hubby and catching up with you all. Hope you all have a great day tomorrow.

Sunday Worship Song

     Love this song by Third Day. There is truly no better sound than the sound of our sweet Savior's voice. My favorite part of this song is the opening line, "I ran away from your love, but you waited for me," because that is exactly what God did for me, and I will forever praise Him for that. I hope you have a blessed Sunday. (Sorry the date still says Saturday. I think it's safe to say that since it's almost 2:00 am... it's Sunday. Yes I am a night owl :)

Chicken Pot Pie (and a Great Song)

     First of all let me begin by saying I'm sorry for my blogging absence. This week has been so busy. I have had a lot of homework and we are getting ready to leave for Gatlinburg next week, so I have had lots of laundry and cleaning going on. I hate when I don't get to blog on a regular basis. For me, this isn't just a blog, but literally a blank page for me to pour my heart onto. Just last night I was telling Jeff, "No Miscellany Monday, No Marriage Tip Tuesday, No What I'm Loving Wednesday! My readers are going to think I disappeared." Anyways, I am glad to be back but since I still have a lot to do before we leave next week, this is going to be a short post. I have so many things to share with you. I especially can't wait to share pictures from Shine and will definitely be writing about that either tomorrow night, or Saturday. For now, here is a great Chicken Pot Pie recipe and one of my favorite songs right now. (If you haven't figured it out already, I am a music junkie ;) Also, I now have a pinterest page. Let me warn you in advance this website is so addicting and I could spend hours on it. This is where I get a lot of my crafting ideas, along with a million other things. Please check out my page. Just click on this link http://pinterest.com/lemr317/.

Chicken Pot Pie:

2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite size pieces

10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

15 oz. can mixed vegetables

2 9 in. pie crusts

Mix chicken, soup, and vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the mixture in crust. Top with second crust, fold edges under and crimp to seal. Cut 4 slits in crust to vent. Bake for 25-30 min. at 425 degrees, until crust is golden and filling is hot.

Whenever I find myself doing difficult tasks lately, or things that I just don't want to do, I keep singing this song to myself. Have a great night everyone!!!

Sunday Worship Song

     I heard this song on the radio this morning and I absolutely love it. I am so grateful that God found me when He did, because had He not, I am convinced that my life would be a wreck. I hope this song encourages you as well. Have a great Sunday!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

     Tonight I am loving the fact that I didn't have to go to class, which allows me to share this new segment with you. I have been wanting to post What I'm Loving Wednesday for a while now, but once I get home from class I am ready to just go to bed. Here are a few things that I'm loving today:

1.)My Slatkin and Co. Fall scented candles. My favorite scents are Pumpkin Patch and Carmel Apple. I love when these candles go on sale at Bath and Body Works, and I especially can't wait to smell the Christmas scents. (Yes, I am already getting excited about Christmas. It is my absolute favorite time of the year, and after Halloween, the Lemr household turns into a winter wonderland! :)

2.) I'm loving the fact that Jeff is creating a beautiful fish pond off of our back patio. He is so talented when it comes to doing outdoor projects, and I think this may be his biggest one yet. 

 The finished product is going to look so good. There is going to be a waterfall coming from the right corner, and possibly a little bridge to cross over.

Although Jeff has done about 95% of the work, I did help dig the enormous hole!

3.) Lastly, I am loving my Granny's old oil lamp. I love the subtle glow that it puts off and the memories that the smell of it brings back. My Granny was terrified of storms and I can remember being in her basement with this lit when the electric went out. It is amazing how a smell can bring back so many memories. I miss my Granny dearly and I am grateful that my mom let me have this.

Have a great night!

Marriage Tip Tuesday

     Today I have decided to discuss serving your spouse and different ways you can do so. Acts of service is one of the five love languages that are discussed in Gary Chapman's book called, The Five Love Languages. (I will talk more about these next week.) If you have never read the book I highly encourage you to do so. I had to write a book report on it for my marriage and family class that I have mentioned before, and I am so glad I read this book. Anyways, there are several ways we can serve our spouse, and a little act of kindness goes a long way. Here are some ideas:

1.) Get up in the morning before your husband and prepare breakfast for him. There's nothing like a good meal to begin your day and I'm sure your husband will appreciate it. (And may also want to know where in the world his wife has gone! Haha!)

2.) Maintain a clean home. I know from personal experience how much men appreciate this. More times than not, when I clean house Jeff thanks me and says it makes him feel so good to walk into a clean home. It took me a while to get a pattern down, but what works for me is doing a quick clean sweep everyday and doing more of a deep clean every other day. (Sweeping, mopping, etc.)

3.) Leave sweet notes around the house or in your husbands vehicle to encourage him and thank him for all he does. It's amazing how the right word at the right time can change your day.

4.) Help him keep up with the bills. I know the spring/summer time is very hectic for Jeff and he depends on me to take care of writing out and sending the bills off. By doing this, it is one less thing for him to worry about and it takes a lot of pressure off of him.

5.) Lastly, simply ask him in what areas you can better serve him. You would be amazed at how many conflicts are the result of your husband feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. There is a lot of pressure on men these days and a loving attitude from his wife can really help him out. After all, we were created to be helpmates for our husbands.

 ¹⁸ The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” -Genesis 2:18

I love this song as it reminds me just how much I need and depend on my husband each day. He is truly one of the best gifts God has ever given me.

Miscellany Monday

     I'm sorry this post is so late. When I got home from work dinner, dishes, mopping, etc. took the priority. I have a lot to talk about tonight, so let's begin....

1.) The movie Courageous was so good. Besides Fireproof, it is definitely one of my new favorite movies and one that I would highly recommend, especially for men. The producers did such a good job getting their message across and tying it all together. My prayer after seeing the film is that more men would step up to the plate and be the Spiritual leaders of their home. I feel so blessed and thank God often for the fact that even though my husband may not have a relationship with his biological father, he knows his Heavenly Father intimately and is walking courageously each day with Him. My heart longs for the day I get to see Jeff father our children, and I know he is going to make a wonderful Daddy. He leads me so well and I know he will our children as well. After seeing the movie we had the opportunity to meet and get our picture taken with TC Stallings. TC plays the thug in the movie and he is from Louisville. He said that it was experiences that he had in his past that helped him land the part. He grew up in a gang related neighbor in Cleavland, OH where he never had a chance to meet his brother as a child because he was in jail, and just recently reconnected with his biological father as he was a drug addict. TC said he would ask God many times why he had to be placed in his family and live in such a violent environment, and many years later he now knows the answer. I am so excited I can finally post pictures!

This is a great song by Casting Crowns and is the theme song for the movie.

2.) The Fall party was so much fun. It was so good to see all of my family members and enjoy some excellent food together.

 My sweet husband and me.

 My cute little cousin Izzy with her hot chocolate mustache.

She then decided she wanted me to take a picture of her cross-eyed. She is hilarious.

My dearly loved Mom and Dad.

My sweet cousins (from left) Emily and Hannah. These girls are like my sisters and we have so much fun together. I love them both so much.

My favorite aunts Tammy and Beverly.

3.) Jeff and I get to serve at Shine on Friday night. Shine is a prom for adults with disabilities that my church hosts. This will be the second year for the event. We were able to be apart of the event last year as well, and it is an absolute blast. I truly believe with all my heart that we, the volunteers, get a bigger blessing than the participants. I have to say that it is by far, one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I will never forget one experience in particular that I had last year. There was a man with multiple sclerosis who had a tray on his wheelchair with different pictures on it as a way to communicate. He was trying to tell his escort what it was that he wanted and she was having a difficult time trying to understand him. After a couple of minutes he began to point to the side pocket on his wheelchair where he kept a notebook. The escort got the book out and he handed it to me along with a pencil. I wrote him a short message and read it to him. I will never forget the smile on his face and the excitement that he had over something so simple. It made me realize that I am so guilty of taking advantage of the simple things in life, and put things into a new perspective for me. The theme this year is Under the Sea, and we are supposed to dress up accordingly.  I am going to be a pirate and Jeff is going to dress in Hawaiian/ Surfer attire. Not to worry, I will have pictures of this! 

      Well, I suppose since it is almost 10:00 I will end. I have to get up early in the morning and still have a few things to do before bed. Thank you all so much for taking time out of your day to read my posts. I really appreciate it. I most definitely do not have all of the answers for this journey called life, but I am humbled to be walking right along with you all. My prayer is that you will be encouraged and grow closer to Him. My love goes out to you all!

Sunday Worship Song

     This is such a beautiful song by Casting Crowns. I pray that you will experience the extravagant love of Christ in your life as well. Have a great Sunday!