A Flurry of Goodness

With the holidays here, my blogging has been pretty non-existent.  With just starting this new blog, 

I didn't want that to happen.  BUT, that's life and now I carry on!!!  

That's one thing this year I'm going to try to work on... 

B e   E a s y   O n   M y s e l f!

  

This year was especially wonderful.  Our daughter came home from Hawaii, as well as her boyfriend Shea, to stay for one week this Christmas.  I am so grateful for the time we do get together now that she is living so far away.  This photo shows just how much love is shared between our family.  The grand kids love being together, and love holidays, especially all the goodies!!   

I just had to post a picture of the most wonderful & delicious thing I make at Christmas...

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies.

These little gems are so delicate yet are full of rosemary flavor.  

My daughter is eating Gluten Free, so unlike the usual shortbread recipe I use, I found

the best mix ever, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookie Mix.   The cookies were perfect!!  

    What could be more perfect than all of our 

F I V E children being together for Christmas!! 

With our daughter living so far away, and all of our son's & daughter-in-law's lives so busy and full, we are grateful for this holiday that is made so special by all of them able to be here for Christmas.  

This make all our hearts so very full!

Pictured from left to right:

David, Chris, Lizzie, Andrew and Daniel 

"Five months...hello, five months!!"

(If you've seen Father of the Bride, you know that line!)

WELL...Lizzie and Shea got engaged while here!

This was the most delightful 

happening of the season.

We are now diving into wedding planning as they are looking at a  spring wedding here in North Carolina!! 

  Now that the holidays are over, and we can put our feet up and breathe a bit.

Dean had the most meaningful idea of writing out what we are thankful for that happened in 2013.  

Sometimes life hands you situations and experiences that are not what you had hoped for.  Bottom line, some things just really suck.  BUT, listing those things that 

WERE GOOD and BLESSINGS, written down with a thankful heart, 

is an avenue that then the Lord can use to send that miracle that you are looking for and make you aware of all those things in your life that are so very great.   

This Grateful List is hand written & a bit sloppy,  but hangs on our refrigerator to remind us of ALL that the Lord HAS blessed us with...bottom line, it is much.  

My hope, is that 2014 will be one that draws us closer to Jesus, in those small ways,

and the ones that are extravagant, and that HIS purposes will be fulfilled in ALL of our lives!!