The ChristmasTea at CCGV

Here's our worship ensemble for the tea. Belinda, Candace, Demell and myself. These 3 are sisters. We decided to go with matching jackets this year!
Me & Terri
Me & Julie
The gang...Becca, me, Julie & Terri. What a blessed 3 nights this was. Thank you God for these amazing friends that you have blessed me with. There is nothing better than having true friendship!

Every year our church hosts a Christmas Tea. It is simply amazing. The speaker, the food the music and the spirit of God are all over the top. Because the church has grown so much this year we had 3 nights for the tea to be able to accommodate over 700 women. It is so amazing to be a part of this event. If you are in the area please consider checking it out, it is an absolute blessing!

Pooped!

This is one of Missy's favorite spots. She was wiped out! She's 9 months old now for those of you who were wondering. What ever happened to "She's never gonna be allowed on the furniture!!!" I'm such a push over, but she's so darn cute!!

Snow Dog!!!

Lexi's very first snowman at 8yrs old. She was so happy!
Missy, our snow dog.
Missy ate the almonds that were falling off the snowman. She also gave him a gastric bypass as she wouldn't stop digging the snowman's belly.

Missy got some new coats for her first snow. She fought it at first but then gave up and went about her business. I love her in pink!!!

Are we in Las Vegas?????????????

This is at 4:00 before it really started accumulating. A 7 minute drive home from work took me 35 min. The roads were slick and the drivers were very cautious. Did I mention I got stuck in the middle of the road?????????? Yikes!



this was at 4:00 when I got home from work, can't believe this is my house!
SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOHOOOOO! OH WHAT FUN FOR THE KIDS!!Cameron humoring me by the tree, all he wanted to do was play, not take pictures!

Lexi's always up for a picture.

I have better pics in the evening when it was at around 3-4 inches but uploading is very slow right now, so I will try later. Missy had a blast too. Her first snow. At first she barked at it, later she enjoyed running around and chasing snowballs.

I also have pics of the aftermath this morning. Because we are not used to this kind of cold, all of our trees which took 8 yrs to grow are destroyed. Now I know how my mom feels in Florida when a hurricane hits, so sad!
The aftermath. The tree that has been growing for 8 yrs! Waaaaa! Here are the kids this morning!
This was last night at around 6:00 and it was coming down hard!Lexi making her very first snow angel!

Devotion from Streams in the Desert

Good morning my friends. It has been a long time, I apologize. I have not had much time for my hobbies but am doing very well. Being in the classroom after all these years has posed some challenges but nothing that can't be overcome. I have been getting every sniffle, cough and cold imaginable but God is good. He sure is teaching me resilience.
I do however think of all of you often. I wonder when I will create again and wonder how your lives are and what God is doing. Please leave me a message if God is doing something in your life, I am so encouraged by that.
This morning in my quiet time I read a devotion from Streams in the Desert that really spoke to me. I know times are tough right now for so many and it is often difficult to see the light. This devotion put a beautiful perspective on things. Sometimes the darkness can be the most beautiful place to be, it's all how you view it. Here is the devotion:

In the famous lace shops of Brussels, there are special rooms devoted to the spinning of the world's finest lace, all with the most delicate patterns. The rooms are kept completely dark, except for the light that falls directly on the developing pattern, from one very small window. Only one person sits in each small room, where the narrow rays of light fall upon the threads he is weaving , for lace is always more beautifully and delicately woven when the weaver himself is in the dark, with only his work in the light.
Sometimes the darkness in our lives is worse, because we cannot even see the web we are weaving or understand what we're doing. Therefore we are unable to see any beauty or any possible good arising from our experience. Yet if we are faithful to forge ahead and "if we do not give up" (Galations 6:9), someday we will know that the most exquisite work of our lives was done during those days when it was the darkest.
If you seem to be living in deep darkness because God is working in strange and mysterious ways, do not be arraid. Simply go forward in faith and in love, never doubting Him. He is watching and will bring goodness and beauty from all of your pain and tears. J.R. Miller

The shuttles of His purpose move
To carry out His own design;
Seek not too soon to disapprove
His work, nor yet assign
Dark motives, when , with silent tread,
You view some somber fold;
For lo, within each darker thread,
There twines a thread of gold.

Spin cheerfully,
Not tearfully,
He knows the way you plod;
Spin carefully,
Spin prayerfully,
But leave the thread with God.
from the Canadian Home Journal

To you, all my friends, from church, school, family and cyberspace, I pray blessings upon your lives and the joy of the Lord to fall upon you.

Hugs,
Melanie

Grand Opening!!!

www./folderfun.ning.com/page/grand-opening

Check it out. I love this site. I highly encourage file folder games as an inexpensive tool to engage your child in the learning process. They are adding to the library weekly. They have more pre k and kindergarten right now but you can adapt them to fit your needs if you are creative. They have a blank pumpkin template that you can use to adapt to the skills you are working on. So check it out and print away!!!

Thank you girls!!!

Here are some cards that I have recently received in the mail as well as this special wall hanging
Ok, This one really made me cry. This wall hanging was handmade by Adrienne. When I went into my classroom on Fri it was in a pink gift bag on my front table. I first opened the beautiful card, how cute is that Bella????????? Then, when I opened all the bubble wrap I found this beautiful glass frame with my favorite scripture on it. Did you know that was my fav scripture Adrienne???? I totally know that was the Lord. I was so touched and blessed, I couldn't help but to get emotional. I am so clinging to this verse right now in this particular season of life. Thank you my sweet and talented friend.
Love the Bella from Adrienne!
This cute card came from a SCS birthday RAK from Amy
These 2 came from my SBS sister Tracy.This Sarah Kay card came from my SBS sister Shazza, check her out on my sidebar under SBS time to craft. I absolutely love these images and would love to get my hands on some. How cute is this card. Oh I love it! Thank you so much!!!
This card came from my girlfriend LeighAnn, isn't it cool??? The circle in the center is a peekaboo window. Thank you for the thank you card Leighann!



Thank you all for thinking of me. Tomorrow is my birthday for those of you who thought you missed it. I will be turning 36. I never will get too old for cards, that's for sure. Thank you for blessing me!


Hugs,

Melanie

Some vacation pics!

Thought I'd get a picture in our cabin before it got too messy


Day one from the ship - Key West, Fl
Just a couple of the towel animals left by the room attendant, too cute!

It took us about 2 hours stop and go to get all the way around cozumel on a scooter




I couldn't resist. I made Vic stop to pose with this statue! This is a gym we passed in Cozumel.

What an awesome Creator!!!! Thank you God!!!

All the earth declares His glory!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought it would be a cool reminder of the scooter to include the mirror in the picture
The last of the beaches before heading back to the port
We stopped to enjoy the beach, but the water was pretty rough, nearly took Vic's shorts off!
Margaritaville in Cozumel

We stopped at a light house to take a quick pic in Cozumel
I love you hunny. Happy Anniversary!

Sept 17 we celebrated our 9 year anniversary. We were in Cozumel that day! Wow, thank you Jesus

We also went to Belize in Central America but I had to buy a disposable camera because I left my charger at home and my camera died. I still haven't used all the film on it.