Christmas Was Filled With...

Lots and lots of family!!!

New Quilts for Michael and Payton. All the grandkids on the Berger side recieve a quilt from Granny at some point in our lives at Christmas. I recieved mine a few years back.

My adorable Grandma.

My new boots and Dad's new machete!!! It fits!

Great style.

A Christmas elf (it's a pillow:))

A new toilet and faucet from the grandkids for the cabin! Surprise!!

Andrew's ribbon bra??

Cousinly fun with legos!

 

 

Lots of laughter!

Gingerbread Man Contest 2012

Last year at Granny's house on Christmas Eve, we started a new tradition of building gingerbread houses.

Well, Aunt Kelli decided that GIANT gingerbread men were on the list this year.

Vote by commenting below to determine a winner of these beautiful masterpieces!!!

This is a Greek Goddess Gingerbread woman.
Created by Kelsey and I

This is a Santa Claus Gingerbread man.
Created by Zoey and Jackson

This is an Elf Gingerbread man.
Created by Payton and Jonas

This is a skeleton Gingerbread man.
Created by Danielle and Kimi.


This is the size of the gingerbread men compared to the icing containers that you write with. They were huge!!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!!

The Kress Family

Jodi approached me one day and asked if I would take a couple of shots for her Christmas card. Over time, it snowballed into taking Christmas card, family, individuals of the kids, and pictures of her extended family(which I loved:)). Thank you for the opportunity Jodi!!!

12 of my favorite things about Christmas

 

This post goes in no specific order of my favorites. I just love everything about Christmas!!!!

 

 

1. Our new Christmas tradition of building gingerbread houses at Granny's on Christmas Eve. (photo circa 2011)

 2. Seeing the reaction on someone's face when you give them a gift!

 3. Those awkward Christmas card photos:). And family!!!

4. My dad's boss wraps gifts for his guys evry Christmas. He uses double sided tape and has the best wrapping I've ever seen. They get a pen and two ties EVERY year. I look forward to this!

5. Fudge. That's all.

6. The little Christmas village on our corner cabinent that consists of a mini tree and mim's Thomas Kinkade houses!

 7. Our door way filled with Christmas cards from friends and family. We had to move to both sides this year!

8. I love wrapping presents!!! I try to make them extra pretty:) I also love to give gifts and come up with ideas for people!!!

9. (Terrible picture, it was cold) I love these two signs that we have had for ages!!! They are pratically falling apart, but I refuse to let Mim leave them in the attic.

10. I LOVE OUR CHRISTMAS TREE!!!!!!!!!!!

11. This stuff gets me through the good and the bad. I thrive upon it. Go to the store and buy some peppermint bark!! Then come back and finish reading this:).

12. And last, but certainly not least, celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Conselor. He's my favorite:)

Eighteen Years

Yes, I'm going to write myself a birthday post. Only because I had such a wonderful time and feel so blessed by everything my family and friends did for me on my special day.

P.S. I'm an old fart now. :)

On Saturday night (not my birthday), my parents, cousins, seester, Hannah, and Brenda ventured off to La Fiesta. We ate to much, laughed a little too hard, made plenty of memories and all felt like puking upon arriving home. It was fantastic:).

Sunday was another blessing because my 3 and 4 year olds from Church participated in a Christmas program and were dressed up as little angels! Aren't they adorable!?

On Monday morning, I got my first text from Bailey at 11:58 PM on my phone though she says it was 12:00 AM on her phone. So, she wins if anyone was keeping tabs.

I arrived at school only to see a picture of my cute 6 year- old self in the Tiger (school newsletter) and a Happy Birthday Wish!

I had leftover Mexican for lunch (YUMMO!) and then barely made it through the rest of the day. School is exhausting when you're an old fart like me.

Upon arriving home, I walk in the door and there is a trail of Reese's cups leading to my room and a sign that read "Birthday Girl: Follow the trail for your birthday surprise!" I reached my room and opened the door to the lovely Warner family shouting "surprise!" It was such an awesome surprise! (thanks Jeff for being the creative one! :)) Rylie made me gluten-free cake pops and the kids all made melt-a-bead creations for me. Jack drew me this picture, explaining that it is a unicorn about to eat a flower! I love it buddy:)

Soon after, Bailey, Kristen, and Jess came over and we headed out for some Bdubs and Ice Cream! Many a fiasco occured and we barely made it home through the ridiculous fog!

Mim, Pap, and I hung out the rest of the night and watched a Christmas Movie:).

Oh, and Kelsey wrote me this lovely birthday poem in Spanish (my request) and I'll be so kind to translate for you!

Así que sé que no soy poeta,
Pero quiero intentarlo por ti.
Y esto es muy duro,
Así que voy a terminar aquí.

¡Feliz cumpleaños! Te quiero. :)

Translation:
So, I'm not a poet,
But I want to try for you.
and this is very bad,
So I am going to stop here.

Happy Birthday! I love you:)

Didn't she do a nice job?


All in all it was a splendid birthday and I want to thank everyone who made it so!!!!

Peace on Earth...

Mary or Martha?

The story of Mary and Martha in the book of Luke never ceases to amaze me.

Martha invites the Lord inside and continues cleaning the house for the visitor that is ALREADY THERE! How did she miss that? Mary sat at the feet of her Lord hanging onto every last word that spilled from his Holy lips, and the Lord was honored by her.

When Martha complains to Jesus, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” He replies, "Martha, Martha you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Mary made the wise choice by enjoying the time she had with Jesus, her Savior, while Martha was distracted tidying up.

Are you going to ignore the time you have to spend sitting at the feet of Jesus? Pastor Tim delivered a message at an Emmaus gathering this past week about not getting too caught up in the preparations of the holiday season, as to not ignore the opportunities you have to listen to the wise. Godly mentors, elderly relatives or friends who have known the Lord for a time are perfect examples of Jesus. Sit at their feet, listen to their tales, enjoy their wisdom and fellowship and you won't regret it.

Please don't get stuck in the "If I can just get past Christmas" mood. You'll miss so much! Savor the life and time that God has given on this earth, with these people.

I need to remember not to become distracted by the glamour, decorations, gift-giving, and preparations for this very special season as well.

Don't miss out on the joy, savor it.

Peace on Earth.

Coconut Oil

A good friend of mine uses coconut oil on her face every night before she goes to bed. She sleeps in it and wakes up with a hydrated and moisturized face.

I've always been a skeptic of this because wouldn't adding oil to your face make it oily, not moisturized?

I was wrong. Don't listen to my skepticism. I tried it last night because this winter air kills my complexion, and it worked wonders! Even after one night!

"The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial and soothing properties." (taken from http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html).

If you don't believe me, believe them ^^^. I encourage you to check out this website of you are interested in how to use use coconut oil to solve the problems above.

Nothing too exciting is happening around the Berger household other than the Christmas decorations are up and beautiful!!!!! He is the reason for the season:).

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Peace out, girl scouts!