we're still alive!

We're just in Pulaskifield. 

With no internet.

Cut off from communication to the world.

In case of emergency, you can call our cell phones...

but there is no guarantee we have reception.

Ahhh, the simple life.

With captivating back porch views.

Help-Portrait

Last Saturday I volunteered at an event known as Help-Portrait. This event is hosted all around the world in 54 countries and over 1,000 locations. The idea is, provide a professional portrait session for a family or individual who doesn't have the means to do so. It's as simple as that. Those who are being photographed even have the opportunity to see a volunteer hair-stylist and make-up artist before their shoot. For many, Help-Portrait provided them with their first ever family photo. Have a look at the promo video to learn more.

I was privileged to help with this event and so thankful for my friend, and wedding photographer Julia, who invited me to be a part of it. Since Julia is a photographer and all, it would be best if you read her blog post about the day, it will give you a better idea of what my Saturday really looked like. You can find it, HERE

Below are the Louisville location volunteers and photographers.

Once again, I feel truly privileged to have been a part of this event. Because I helped the families sign up and fill out paperwork, I had the wonderful opportunity to just talk with them, and listen to their stories. Many came from shelters and the streets of Louisville, all with incredible stories that I will never forget. I'm pretty sure I kept Jonny up for a good hour that night retelling the stories I was told. And best of all, we were able to give a much cherished gift to many families this Christmas.

ice skating date/embrace the camera

So I've read this one particular blog for a good while now. It belongs to a gal named Emily, whom, though I don't know personally, I'm sure we could be great friends. That might make me sound creepy, but really she is great, and I love reading about her ever-growing family. On Thursdays she hosts what's known as Embrace the Camera, her way of encouraging mothers/wives to be included in the picture memories they are taking of their families. So I figured I'd give it a whirl. There's a real nice button that I'm supposed to link up to for this, but since I'm not that good of a blogger, well I couldn't figure out how!

Here we are, Jonny took me ice skating last weekend. It was perfect. The last time I was on ice skates, pretty sure I was in seventh grade, I fell down a lot more then. We skated until our feet were sore!

the many faces of emma dearest.

Over Thanksgiving weekend we got to spend a lot of time with my favorite little cousins. There are four of them. But we spent a particularly large amount of time with this cutie pie, Emma. Now Emma is quite attached to Jonny. If you talk to her on the phone she asks for him, "Jooahny?" is what it sounds like. Well Jonny's brother Ian was with us over Thanksgiving, and I think it's safe to say she has found a great friend in him too. 

Jonny, Ian and I spent a whole day with just Emma so I think it's safe to say she got a good dose of attention.

weekend recap.

Well things around here are winding down for the semester. Jonny is done with his classes/finals/papers. Hooray! I am wrapping up with programs at work, meaning Christmas vacation is just around the corner and we're excited. 

We're like holly and jolly...

merry and bright...

Do I need to go on?

We're so excited we bought a 20 ft. Christmas tree!

Just kidding. That's actually a tree at Southern. We had a look at it just before we went to Andrew Peterson's 'Behold the Lamb' concert. And can I tell you, it was phenomenal! 

So many talented musicians were on the stage all to give thanks and bring glory to God incarnate, Jesus Christ, the savior of sinners. 

Here is a great song, sung by Jill Phillips and Andrew Peterson from the set. 'Labor of Love'

 The next morning we went Christmas shopping for our families and friends. After hours spent at the mall, we stopped for some Mexican food at one of the ugliest restaurants I've ever been to. 

But it sure was yummy! 

We were there to celebrate that Jonny had completed his third semester of seminary and we look forward to several more!

And several more dips into the most incredible sauce ever. Please, if you come to visit us, insist that you are taken to Chuy's for this, Creamy Jalepeno Sauce.

They also call it liquid crack. No joke.

And we sat with this guy lurking over our shoulders. Very creepy.

Not so holly and jolly.

And we finished off the weekend, or more like I, finished off the weekend with some baking. 

Two new recipes, one for Raspberry White Chocolate muffins

and another for these, Chewy Chocolate Meringues.

About half of the recipe turned out right, the other half were kinda stuck to parchment paper!

Whoops.

don't think you're a sinner?

I've been listening to a lot of Shai Linne lately. 

Don't know who that is? No Worries. 

I didn't either before I met Jonny. When he first told me he listened to Christian Hip-Hop, I was at a loss for words. 

It is slowly growing on me. I'm talking real slow, like two years kinda slow. 

A lot of it seemed (and some still does) cheesy. A lot of it, I couldn't even decipher. But I've go to say, a lot of it is truly edifying, and also very convicting.

This week we've been listening to Shail Linne's new album 'The Attributes of God' and I really cannot recommend it enough. It's chalk full of biblical truth about the awesome, patient, sovereign, compassionate, merciful, just, faithful, jealous, holy, self-sufficient God.

The beginning of this song has a wonderful excerpt from a sermon of John Piper. It was an excellent reminder of just how sinful I am. 

Billions of people can easily think of big, disgusting habits as sinful. 

But what about your thoughts? 

Do you even give the God of the universe a thought?

Just as sinful as those big, disgusting habitual sins, is the failure to give honor to His name and the neglect to praise the glorious God. 

Here's the track.

And CLICK HERE to listen to John Piper's sermon that is used for the track's intro, "The Greatest Thing in the World"

thanksgiving.

Well folks, I ashamedly do not have many photos to share of our trip to Missouri for Thanksgiving. We did, however, thoroughly enjoy ourselves. 

We left Wednesday around lunch time, and sure enough our stomachs were growling as soon as we got out of Louisville. Have no fear!! We packed a lunch. And Jonny proceeded to eat it while driving using torn out pages of a magazine for a bib.

Have a look for yourself. Captured by my not so snazzy camera phone.

Needless to say, the 8 hour drive was amusing, I'm thankful for a husband that can always make me smile! About halfway there, Jonny looked at me in a panic and said, "So today is Wednesday and that means tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Do we need to have presents for everyone?"

Oh boy. 

We met Jonny's brother Ian, whom we hadn't seen since our wedding in May as well as my friend Sam. Quality time with the Maid of Honor and Best Man all in one weekend.

Upon arrival at the homestead we were greeted by two lovely deer antlers hanging in a tree. 

What can I say? My mother is a fine outdoorswoman.

The next morning I woke up early, flicked on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and got to cooking!

Forty-eight crescent rolls, two pavlovas, a large batch of candied pecans and a broccoli salad were my contribution to this year's Thanksgiving dinner(s). Not bad considering last Thanksgiving I contributed absolutely nothing. I'm learning more and more that you just have to be adventurous. Look up recipes and try them, if it doesn't work... throw it out, modify it, try try again!

So many crescent rolls, I'm sure my parents are still eating them.

The first Pavlova turned out much better than the second. Mom and I found the perfect heirloom silver platter for Pavlovas tucked away in her kitchen!

If you are American and reading this, hope you had a yummy Thanksgiving too!