A Jam-Packed Weekend

Well, everyone, I hope you had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend. (-:

Ours started off bright and early Saturday as we went to my sister's graduation. She received a BS degree in dental hygiene and was the president of her class. She even got to give a speech. It was great to go and celebrate her and get to see her new house. She is getting married in July. Wow - college degree, new house, new job, new husband! How's that for a busy year! (-:

I went completely paparazzi at the graduation. That pic was from the big screen - as she got her diploma. (-:

Here I am with the graduate:

Some people think we look alike. (-: In fact, at her graduation, her friend's mom saw me in the crowd, without knowing me previously, and said, "That must be Bekah's sister." How's that for similarity? ha. 

Here she is with the whole fam:

Her college also had bag-pipes process in and out ahead of the graduates. It was slightly creepy, but super awesome. They were legit. No one is really sure why they were there, but I'll take it. (-:

After the day of graduation, Sunday was Mother's Day! We spent a leisurely day with Mark's parents and celebrated his sweet mom. Mark's dad cooks the best burgers on the planet, so we ate some yummy burgers and took naps! Karlie got me some beautiful flowers and some perfume with a sweet card. She is such a thoughtful gift giver. What a lovie.

You may or may not know that Karlie is very passionate about missions. She has been to multiple countries, and today she left for India for three weeks to work with an organization called Rahab's Rope. Last night we cooked her favorite meal before she left, as she calls it: "Hot Pockets." Now, it's not what you think. When she and her friends from college were talking about their favorite meals from home, they were all talking about whatever food their moms made. Well, then it was Karlie's turn, and she said she couldn't wait to have "hot pockets," and the girls were like "What?!" And they started saying, yeah, we're excited for cereal, etc etc, teasing her. (-: Karlie didn't realize that Hot Pockets are actually a food item you microwave and NOT what most people would get super excited about. haha. "Hot Pockets" are actually crescent rolls that are flattened and filled with a chicken/cream cheese mixture and then made into a pocket of sorts. She still gets razzed about that one. See picture:

Yes, as you heard from the previous paragraph, Karlie left for India today. I did pretty good until we got to the airport and we prayed for her. Pretty much as soon as we held hands and Mark started praying I started crying. I tried to keep it together so I wouldn't be a big sobfest in front of her other mission friend, but it just kind of got worse and worse. By the time she was in the security terminal I was kind of in the middle of a total meltdown. It was like a piece of my heart was getting on an airplane to India. I've pulled it together now, although it took a few hours. After I came back to work I was riding on the elevator and felt a wave of peace - like the Lord said, "I'm going to take care of her." and I felt much better. I still cried after that, but I think I've gotten most of the tears out - for today. ha. Now to get over this trying-not-to-cry induced headache I've had all day... Thankfully, there are a couple people on her team that have phones and she thinks she will be able to Skype us. She returns on June 5th. Please come soon. (-:

So, those are all of the updates from our neck of the woods! I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of summer and had a great mother's day!

xoxo

~Kathryn

An Easter Tradition

Happy Easter, Everyone! I hope you have a great day, filled with celebration of the resurrected Savior, some egg dyeing and hunting, an Easter basket with all your favorites, and lots of yummy food and wonderful time with family.

This weekend has been perfect. Karlie has been home, and so we had lots of fun family time. On Friday, we slept in, Mark made a yummy breakfast, we went shopping at a fun shop, went to the gym, and then we hurried home to get ready for our family picture photo shoot we had Friday night. We are SO excited to get our photos back. We should have them in about two weeks. I'm excited/anxious/nervous to see them! We tried to be creative in our props, and hopefully they turned out great. Don't worry, you will see them soon. (-: To top off our photo shoot, we had dinner at a local Mexican dive and ate a lot of queso. Yum. On Saturday, we all camped out at a local coffee shop for several hours and worked on... homework. Blah. But we were productive. We also had a yummy lunch at Whole Foods and went to the gym again. Doesn't get much better than that.

Here we are driving around after family photos:

We had a very eventful Easter day. It started off with a wonderful celebration at church - and we were packed to the brim with people. Of course, the Easter bunny stopped by overnight and Karlie got an Easter basket, which had in it an Easter egg dyeing kit. Well, apparently the eggs weren't quite exciting enough for Karlie - she had her own ideas.

Need I say more? Bella is her own Easter egg. (-: She is now fully dry, and fully pink, purple, and blue. She kind of looks like cotton candy.

A really neat tradition that my family has done for... we think around 17 years now... is the Passover Seder. We don't usually do it on Easter Sunday, but it just worked out this way this year. Here is my plate from our Seder:

The stuff on the left is called charoset, and is apples and pecans and I believe honey and cinnamon - it represents the mortar the Israelites used when making the bricks when they were enslaved. You also see some dots of grape juice - one for each of the ten plagues. The egg is dipped in salt water to represent the bitterness of the slavery (I believe), and the horseradish is obviously bitter enough as well! We had already eaten the parsley dipped in salt water to represent the tears of the Israelites.

Here is a picture of the Seder in action:

In this picture, Mark and Karlie are reading a question answer section together and my mom and Doc are looking on. The Seder is always fun, always funny, and always meaningful. You should think about doing it too - we do a simplified version and it's great!

And now we are all relaxing before the crazy week starts back again. I am very thankful for holidays. 

Do you have any special Easter traditions?

~Kathryn

A Year In Review

Well, it's that time - the time to review the year. In order to save some cash, I didn't do a Christmas card this year, so this is the first time I'm really sitting back and thinking about the year.

And, honestly, when I look back, I keep thinking, "This was a tough year." Don't get me wrong, it was a also a great year, but I would be lying if I said it was rainbows and unicorns - and I love unicorns. But it really was a hard year, with lots of lessons learned.

So what did we learn?

Well, I personally learned (and am still learning) a lot about contentment, as you can read about here. This was our toughest year financially. No family "vacation" was taken, there was the start of paying for my grad school, there were more major unexpected financial burdens than usual, and a large portion of the year was spent on "extreme budget lockdown." But I learned that all of our needs are met. And I've learned to live on less. And I think that will be invaluable in the future. Our victory in this area came from me completely paying off my undergraduate student loans. And hopefully, this year, we will make some major headway on Mark's loan. (-:

I learned that going to school full time and working full time is really hard, and also really rewarding. I love  both of these things, but sometimes it seems as though there just aren't enough hours in the day. Sometimes I feel like I get up (late), go to work, drive home, do homework, go to bed (late) and start all over again. Sometimes I think my poor husband is getting the raw end of the deal. But then I think about how during football season this whole entire fall he got to watch every game to his heart's content while I worked on sermon outlines, and then I don't feel so bad. (-:

I learned that I'm not as cut out for foreign missions as other people are. I want to share the Gospel, but maybe not perhaps in places where there are tarantulas in my shower and you have to pour water in a toilet to get it to flush - that is, unless I know without a doubt the Lord is calling me to that. (-: But I also saw the hospitality and generosity of people who were incredibly poor, and was reminded not to take anything for granted.

I am still learning about friendships. I reconciled with someone from years ago, and understand even more fully how important it is to be open and honest with those you love before it gets to the point of no return. I learned the incredible value of seeking to be objective. I've learned lots in this area, but not without some wounds that are still hemorrhaging.

I've learned about family. Family is not defined by blood - but by love and support. And as I sit looking at my family and thinking about the obstacles we've overcome in a year, and the encouragement, love and support we've given, I'm overwhelmed. And I all-too-clearly know that some people won't understand it and they don't have to. But I know I'm blessed.

We learned through some home-improvement projects gone bad that gender roles really don't do anything but cause problems. And that whatever the problem is, we can either fix it together, or play to each other's strengths. (-:

So it's been a tough year. But it's also been a great year. We got our sweet puppy Boo in January and he is such a blessing. I successfully maintained my gym membership for a year and can say I am much more fit today than I was a year ago. Mark learned a lot in his new job and I love him more today than I did a year ago. It's so nice to be married to your best friend. Seriously. Karlie had a great first semester at OBU and got a 4.0! We are so proud of her. I finished my first semester of grad school with a 3.33 and am 20% finished!

The good, bad, and the ugly, that was our 2011.

How was yours?

Happy New Year from the Johnson Family!

~Kathryn

Advent

Well, hello, Christmastime. My, you sure snuck up on me this year. But you are here. And I love it.

I remember being a little kid and decorating our family Christmas tree while listening to Emmylou Harris' "Light of the Stable" Christmas album - still my favorite, by the way. I remember pulling out all those popsicle stick ornaments and exclaiming, "Look at this one!" or "Look at the ornament so-and-so gave me!" as my brother and sister and I proceeded to decorate the bottom half of the Christmas tree (our arms wouldn't reach past the mid-point). There was always an argument over which tree-topper we would use that year - either the star or the angel - and somehow the next morning all the ornaments were spaced evenly on the tree all the way up to the top. I don't know how that happened. (-:

I hope we can all look back and think of at least one happy memory. I don't want to forget mine. I know it's easy to forget - we have gifts to buy, parties to attend, and food to prepare. But don't get lost in the hustle. Take in the magic. The hope. The anticipation. A Savior is coming. He is. He brings Good News and Great Joy!

Find your magic - maybe it's in twinkle lights. Maybe it's in working on gifts to give to your loved ones. Maybe it's in wrapping presents. Maybe it's in sitting by a fire. Your favorite Christmas album. Caroling. Cookie making.

Moments only become memories when we are intentional. Be intentional this season. Stop. Take a breath. Soak in the Gift. Think about the Hope of Advent.

~Kathryn

Thankful

What are you thankful for? No really. Think about it. I've been thinking about it lately. I guess really it's easy because a couple of the things I am most thankful for are currently sitting on each side of me watching the parade with me.

I'm thankful for my sweet husband, Mark. Do you ever love someone so much when you think about it you think you might just explode? That's how I feel. And I'm thankful. He is the most serving person I know - you just have to be around him for a few minutes and you will be blown away by his servant's heart. I am also so proud of him - he's basically a genius. If I have a question about anything sports related, if I need directions, or need random trivia answered, I just ask my hubby and he knows. It's remarkable. And he also gives such good perspective on anything. If I'm handling something in a way that I shouldn't, if I talk to someone in a way that is not kind, or if my perspective is skewed, he gently tells me, and for that I am so thankful. While he supports me, he holds me accountable for my actions. He's my steady beat. (-: I am also thankful that he, like me, doesn't care what other people think. It's kind of a bad combo at times, but boy, we sure have fun. Mark will have random dance parties with me in our music room, he will participate in the girliest of events if it is important to me, and he loves me. And I love him.

I'm thankful for Karlie Ann. I'm thankful that she keeps me on my toes in the way Mark and I relate to one another. I'm thankful for the fresh perspective she brings to life that only someone who has experienced deep loss can bring. I am regularly amazed at her level-headedness and the way she doesn't get wrapped up in so many things girls her age do. I am thankful that she calls Mark or me whenever she needs anything, no matter what time. I am thankful that her calling to missions reminds me that perhaps I should be more mindful of missions myself. Many people really don't understand our relationship with Karlie and I can't expect them to - but I am thankful that our family has been forever changed for the better.

I'm thankful for our home. We regularly say, "don't you just love our home?" It's perfect for us and I love it. Of course I could go on and on about the things I am thankful for.

To sum it up, thank you, Jesus, for everything. For allowing me to be a part of your purpose, and for this season of my life, which is currently pretty great.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

~Kathryn

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Happy November, everyone! Isn't this just a delightful time of year? I think it is. I love all things family friendly, making new traditions, and creating memories. So, we went to the pumpkin patch. I believe this will be a great new family tradition.

Mark and Karlie and I loaded into the Accord and headed toward our pumpkin patch of choice. This particular patch edged past the others due to the simple fact that it actually had real, live camels. That won it for me.

I mean seriously - how often do you see a camel in Oklahoma?

On our way we listened to Linus talk about the Great Pumpkin:

Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see. 

I just love Linus. I didn't see the Great Pumpkin this year, but maybe, just maybe, we will next year.

The pumpkin patch was everything we expected. There were lots of pumpkins in all sizes.

We also took the opportunity to take several goofy pics:

But wait: it gets even better. There was a petting zoo. Who doesn't love baby goats? Precious.

I also decided, since I'm thinner now, to redo my high school senior pics. (-;

We had a great time at the pumpkin patch. We even bought some fudge which was devoured in the car before we made it home. (-: This is one tradition I plan on keeping.

Happy Fall, Y'all! (-:

~Kathryn

Christmas Decor!

So I've been meaning to put up some pics of Christmas stuff for a while, but haven't hardly had the time to do it! We've been enjoying some fun Christmas activities this week and have had more time to relax.

I have to apologize up front for the poor picture quality. My digital camera has now lasted me a solid five years, and it is starting to fall apart. Literally. So whoever wants to get me a new camera, there's one on my amazon wish list. (-:

So, first I will show you my fun new Christmas plates that I got.

I have all 12 (of the 12 days of Christmas) plates and napkins! They are so cute!

And here's the ole tree!

And here's the fireplace!

And here's what you see when you walk in the front door:

And here's the piano:

Oh, and while we're in the music room, I know this isn't related, but I finished our wall o records. We don't have the exact records that we want all in there yet, but we're getting there!

from a distance, here's what it looks like:

So. That's all I've got for now! Here's a Merry Christmas photo from me, Mark, and Karlie!

~Kathryn

Happy Halloween!

From the Tooth Fairy, and, you guessed it, the Iron Chef. (-:

~Kathryn

Woo for Birthdays!

Well, I had my birthday this weekend. I am officially a quarter of a century old. Wow. I know, it's hard to believe.

I love birthdays. Basically, I like any reason to have a party and a birthday certainly qualifies. There are so many different birthday theories out there, but my theory is to milk it for all it's worth. And, my theory is to start giving people a head's up about my birthday about a month prior to the actual day. That way there can be a countdown. And, that way people won't feel bad about forgetting, because the chances of them forgetting are much less. (-:

So, I had a pretty awesome birth month. Jeff and Eric from work got me an aquarium and two fish, which I named Shane and Shane. Shane and Shane are pretty awesome, and they love their cool new home with a super awesome LED light that changes colors. I know you want to see a pic. They are staying at the office so everyone here can enjoy them.

So that gift was fabulous. I even got to go with Jeff and Eric to PetSmart to pick out Shane and Shane. I mean, how cool is that? These are some more of my awesome gifts:

Okay, so you will see a beautiful black necklace on the table in front of Shane and Shane. (Thanks, Valerie!) Then I got some beautiful OSU orange flowers from the choir, and my in-laws got me those beautiful flowers. I also got a cool hanging plant for the apartment balcony (yay!). 

And then I got this beauty. I LOVE it. I mean, first of all, who doesn't love aprons? Especially cute ones?! I am such a sucker for aprons. And this one happens to be from Anthropologie, so basically, I'm pretty fancy now. I have it on in this pic. Here's me and my boss - his family got it for me. yay!!

Isn't it so cute? Hmm.... yeah you can't see the bottom. Dang. Well, I'll take another picture of me cooking soon. And that little green/white string thing Jeff is holding is totally going to become a hair accessory in the near future. 

The best birthday gift is coming today as Jeff is going to moon walk. I am pretty excited. 

So, all in all, I had a great birthday! Yay!

~Kathryn

He Is Risen!

He Is Risen, Indeed!

Happy Easter, Everyone!

~Mark and Kathryn

Best Valentine Ever

According to my local check out guy at Whole Foods, I have earned that title.

I stopped at WF after church today to pick up some things for our Valentine's dinner. I am making an awesome pizza, Pioneer Woman style - it's a tomato basil pizza, and one of Mark's favorites. I was trying to think of something that would go well with the pizza. I thought some wine would go nicely, and then I realized that in our state, you can't buy wine on Sundays. So, after deciding that the sparkling cidars were just too sweet for pizza, I decided to go with some Blue Moon.

As I loaded up all my groceries to check out, I could see the uber friendly cashier eyeing the Blue Moon. He picked one up and said, "Did you get some oranges to go with that?" to which I responded with a laugh, "No, but I probably should..." and he said "You've got plenty of time, go grab some. It will be worth it." So, I ran back off to the produce area and grabbed a couple of oranges. He's clearly a good salesman.

Once I was back at the register, he inquired about the Blue Moon and asked if I would be having some with my Valentine. I said, that yes, in fact, I was, and that I was making pizza to go with it. He looked awestruck. He then inquired, "Have you been reading those magazines about how to make men happy?" LOL. I just to had to laugh, because I then realized that my meal plan was like the ultimate "guy meal" (although this pizza is way better than typical guy pizza). I told the cashier I that my Valentine and I were married, so I didn't need the pizza to win him over. The cashier thought I should get the wife of the year award. He was very impressed with my efforts. Ha.

He continued to check out the groceries. I arrange mine very meticulously when I check out. Boxes together, produce together, cans together, bread, eggs, light things at the end. So, at the end of my groceries, there were a couple of individual cheesecakes and a couple little chocolate raspberry tarts. He got to that and was like, "Man, finishing off the evening right!" and continued to shower my skills with praise.

Well, after all that affirmation, I was obviously very proud of my purchases and figured if Joe Cashier thinks it's that incredible, then surely I can win some brownie points with my sweet husband. I'll let you know if he likes it.

Speaking of pizza, I should go work on that. (-:

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

~Kathryn

Valentine's Day Crafts

Valentine's Day is coming, everyone! I have always loved Valentine's Day, single or not. There was one year where I remember trying to be one of those people that thinks it's commercialized and lame, but it didn't really last. I just love it too much. Basically, I like pretty much any holiday. And I love giving cards to people. Plus I love chocolate. If flowers are involved, it's even better. So, what's not to like? It's either a great opportunity to go out with single friends, or a great excuse for having a night out on the town with your significant other.

Part of Valentine's Day is the giving of the valentine. I made a few homemade cards this year and thought I would share. They are easy to make, fun to personalize, and you get to be creative. Although, you won't think I'm very creative after you see mine, because they all kind of look the same. But hey, I can't win at everything, right?

Basically, the important things are red/pink/purple construction paper, glue, markers, scissors, and doilies. I know, you're probably thinking, who the heck uses doilies. BUT, I argue that doilies are so fun and really make a valentine look wonderful.

Here's our collection of things:

 

Who doesn't want that box of crayons, huh? 120! wow.

Okay, so there you have it. It's especially more fun if you get together with friends to make them.

Here is my friend Dayna working hard on her cards:

She's clearly very into that card. And here I am, working with some fancy paper:

Okay, so do you want to see the finished product? Here's the problem I did realize after I made them. They are too big to put in a regular envelope, so it's kind of making a problem. How am I going to mail them to people? And also, it's officially Friday, so there's not really time to mail them. Dang it. I should have planned better. I blame it on my kidneys. If they had been working correctly I would have been able to go to the post office.

So, here are my cards:

 

Pretty cool, huh? See, and you thought the doilies would be lame, didn't you?

Okay, it's not too late. Go get your construction paper, scissors, markers, and glue and make some valentines! You have two days!

Also, I must say I'm slightly disappointed we only got five questions. Really? No one has a question for us? I'm throwing it out there one more time. Any question you want to ask us we will answer. So think of something if you can.

Happy Valentine's Day!

~Kathryn

2009 In Review (I'm trying to be like all the cool bloggers who are doing this)

As I was scrolling through all the new posts in Blogger, I noticed that "2009 in Review" was a pretty popular post topic. And since I am currently lacking large amounts of creativity, I decided to be a copykat. Ha ha - get it, copyKat (like my name)? (-:

So, really, this year brought a LOT of changes, for the good, and a lot of new aspects.

I started a new job in February working for my church and I LOVE it. And the funny thing is, when I started the job I was nervous that I wouldn't like it. When I interviewed at the church, I already had a great job as an underwriter for an insurance company, and I was very comfortable, loved my co-workers, and was really in a great place. So, when this new opportunity was presented to me, honestly, at first I didn't even think it was a realistic option. But, to appease those who approached me about the job, I went ahead and emailed the church for information. A few weeks of number crunching, wise counsel, prayer, and deep thinking later, I accepted the job and jumped in with both feet. Almost a year later, words can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for my new job and all the blessings it has brought.

The new job was obviously a big change, at least a 40 hour a week change, but a couple of months later another change took place that is a 24/7 change. Mark and I got married in July after over 4 years of dating. I love being married. It is so fun and I always have someone with which to hang out. I couldn't imagine not having Mark in my life and am so thankful for him. I feel like this paragraph should be longer than the one about the job, but then again, I've talked more about marriage and Mark on here in general, so I guess it evens out. If you want to see some wedding photos, see my previous blog posts here and here.

We went on a cruise with friends and family (photos here) in September, and that was so fun. I love cruises. And I love the ocean. And dressing up. And eating enormous quantities of calories. So it's a win-win.

Little Miguel had a rough year for a dog. He developed diabetes and a thyroid problem. He's doing okay, though, and will be turning 14 in a couple of weeks. Brinkley had fun just being a dog. No big developments with him, other than passing his obedience class FINALLY.

My brother got married two weeks after me, so my family had a busy couple of months! (-: They had a beautiful wedding and I have a wonderful new sister-in-law.

And of course, the coolest thing that happened was that I started this blog. Ha ha just kidding. Apparently I'm really cracking myself up today.

I guess that's all for now. Mark and I have been thinking and talking about our goals for 2009, so hopefully those will be coming soon, AND a new Cooking with Kat segment on some olive cheese bread that we will be making for the New Year tomorrow.

Peace out, homies!

~Kathryn

Beneath the Wrapping Paper...

We had such a great, fun, relaxing Christmas. The snow made it magical. Since the presents have all been opened, I thought you might like a sneak peak into the things I got for Christmas this year. So, here are 5 (okay I have to make it 6, I thought of another) of my favorite gifts this year.


The first gift that I LOVE is one that we have really needed, but it's pricey enough that we haven't jut gone out and bought it. Apparently, according to my dental hygienist, I have the tendency to get a lot of tarter on my bottom teeth (thanks to good ole' genes - my dad has the same problem). So, even though I go to the dentist every 6 months AND yes, I DO brush my teeth, I always make sure my hygienist has to work hard for her paycheck. From Mark's mom and dad we got (drumroll, please) an electric toothbrush! A super awesome Oral-B one!!

If you want to be as cool as us, click on the link and get you one. I was very over zealous when I tried to use it after I had only charged it like 5 minutes. Apparently you have to wait longer than that for it to work more than like 10.3 seconds. But so far, I love it, and my teeth feel really clean!

Another favorite gift of mine are actually socks from Mark's mom and dad. Now, before you think that's lame, let me explain. Here's the "before picture" of the socks chillin' on my couch:

And here's the after picture of them on my feet:

OMG. Can you believe it? Basically, you pull them over the tops of your boots and it makes it look like the boots have fur at the top. I had never seen anything like it and I LOVE them. And want some more! (-: I will have to find out where they got them. Why didn't I think of that? I could be rich!

Moving on... here's a gift that Mark especially liked, because, well, we actually got this gift when we got married, and then Mark washed it in the dishwasher and ruined it, so we got another one from my mom and step-dad for Christmas.

I love Wilton Armetale serveware. It's versatile, beautiful, and so functional. I like to make hummus and serve it in this bowl with pita bread. If you want this, click on the photo above and you can have one, too! (-:

One of the other gifts I love and am so glad I got is a book from Mark's parents that I have been wanting for a while.

It's called "Super Natural Home", and it's so good for a beginner, like myself, who is starting to switch things over in my home to being more natural. It's so practical because it goes from room to room in the house showing the things you can do to switch over to more natural things. It even tells which fruits/veggies are the most important to buy organic, and which ones aren't as important to get organic. It also gives the really healthy/natural brands of hygiene products. I haven't read it all the way through yet, but it's really great so far. One of the parts I am most looking forward to is the recommended reading list in the back. I like to learn and do a lot of research on something before I make a decision, so this gives me a plethora (big word points for me) of other resources I can use once I finish the book.

If you are interested at all in being more natural, give this book a try. Click on the photo above and you can order it from amazon. See how easy I make things for you people?

This next gift is one of my favorites because of the thoughtfulness involved. My boss got me a beautiful headband with a flower on it, a pair of earrings, and a Charleston's card for Mark and I. Here we are, at Charleston's, enjoying a wonderful meal, and me, sporting my new headband and earrings. And impressively enough, he picked them out himself. I think that gifts are always more meaningful when that much thought is put into them.

And finally, I got the Pioneer Woman cookbook. If you aren't familiar with the Pioneer Woman, you should check her out. She's from Oklahoma, has a cultic following, and from the looks of my new cookbook, her food can be nothing short of fabulous. I have already found SEVERAL recipes that I am so excited to try. Mark and I looked through the whole cookbook last night and have some things we are pretty pumped about. I'm sure I'll let you know when we try them.

Click on the photo above to give it a try. It will be worth it. I promise.

Whew! I guess that's all for now. I got other gifts that I love as well, but I can't show them all!  What did YOU get for Christmas?

~Kathryn

Let it Snow!!!!

Here's a pic from my mom's house on Christmas Eve!! Yay for a White Christmas!!!!

Me and my sister, Bekah:

\

Did you get snow?

~Kathryn

Merry Christmas!!!!

It's Christmas Eve! In this part of the country, a huge snowstorm is ever so slowly creeping into the area. I've spent the morning watching the news and catching all of the latest updates. The suspense is really starting to get to me. Our Christmas Eve Service at my church is tonight, so it would be nice if the snow would hold off a few more hours so we could have it. But, at the same time, I LOVE snow. Like I LOVE it A LOT. I have the ingredients ready for snow ice cream. This just might be God's "first Christmas" gift to me and Mark. (-;

I think the most meaningful part of Christmas is summed up in one of the last scenes in "A Charlie Brown Christmas", where Charlie Brown is trying to find the true meaning of Christmas, and trying not to let all the materialism get to him. It's so cool, because the show gets quiet, and Linus walks out on the stage with his little blanket, which he sets on the ground to give his speech. This is really interesting, because Linus always has his blanket, but apparently his monologue has enough importance and power that he doesn't need to cling to his blanket for comfort.

With the spotlight on him, he states:

'"And the angel said unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men". 

That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.'

I hope in the midst of wrapping paper, family, and laughs that you, too, remember what Christmas is all about.

Merry Christmas!!

~Kathryn