Nativity Scene

I have to start this post with a little back-story.  At one of my bridal showers, I was gifted a check.  But this check wasn't any ordinary check.  Oh no - this check was meant to be designated for the purchase of a nativity scene (per order of the giver).  At first I thought it was a little odd, but the more I thought about it the more I thought it was a super neat and different kind of gift.

However, finding a nativity scene in June proved to be somewhat unsuccessful.

Then it hit me to try to find one on Etsy.com.  I knew that I wanted something unique and modern.  Not what you'd usually find.  And we don't have a lot of surface space in our home, so I was thinking some sort of wall hanging.

But my plans were completely rerouted when I found this in the mariascraft store on etsy:

Nativity Scene VIP Panel Cranston Print Works Co. Christmas Craft Panel 9 Piece Set.

I know what you're probably thinking, "That isn't unique OR modern.  And you have to make it yourself.  So what's the big deal?"

I'll tell you if you'll stop interrupting.  ;)

The big deal is that this is the exact same nativity scene my mom made for us kids when I was younger!  I grew up with this thing.  I looked forward to seeing it come out of hibernation every Christmas season because it was such a staple in our home.  And it was plush - so my mom didn't care if or how much we played with it because she knew it was unlikely we'd destroy it.  The real kicker here is that I found the exact same one my mom made in the - probably - early 90s - that it's still around!

So I bought it.  Even though I don't have a sewing machine...yet (more on this to come).  Even though I really don't remember how to sew.

But it turned out pretty neat, if you ask me.

I apologize for the poor quality - I was in too big a rush to grab the fancy camera and just used my iPhone.  But you get the idea.

I absolutely love it.  It's not perfect.  And it's definitely not as good as my mom's.  But it gets the job done.  And I'm incredibly proud of myself for getting it completed within a week and in time for Christmas.

A big thank you to my special helpers on this project - Tiffany and Emily (who so graciously let me borrow her sewing machine and gave me a quick guide on how to sew).  And a bigger thank you to The McBrides who gifted the check to us - we probably wouldn't have ever thought to get a nativity scene if you hadn't planted the idea there in the first place.

And now it sits on the floor in front of our entertainment center, and I can't wait for our future kids to play with it someday just like I did when I was a kid.

Merry Christmas!

Lessons from Chewie

Last night, when we were supposed to be sleeping, Chewie and I were reminiscing over the last 6 months, noting how it feels like just yesterday we were saying our vows.

I was telling Chewie about how he's an even greater husband than boyfriend (which seemed impossible pre-marriage) and how thoughtful he is and how selflessly he does things for me (and others).

Case in point, we have a dinner-dishes arrangement: if he cooks, I do the dishes (and vice versa).  But let's be honest here - I never cook, which means he does.  Which means I'm supposed to do the dishes.  I really hate doing dishes.  It's not a hard job, but I really hate it.  I don't know why.  I just do.  And I complain about doing them.

The other day I realized that Chewie's been doing the dishes lately.  He hasn't said a word about it - he just does it.  And with a good attitude.  Just because he knows how much I hate doing them.  And even though he did the cooking.  (Can you tell one of his main love languages is service?)

Then I realized just how selfish I've been recently.  It took days for me to recognize that he'd been doing those dishes, and I should have realized it right away.  And I've done this in more than one way, too.  It's not just selfishness about the dishes - it's so many other areas as well.  I've been a baby when I don't get my way, like I'm entitled to greater and better things.  And like Chewie has to provide them for me.

Boy, am I ever convicted.  I've been priding myself over being a good wife and person in general, when all I've really done is act selfishly (and pridefully, obviously).

In small group last night, we discussed the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14.  And it was like a smack in my face about how I've been the Pharisee lately, prideful and self-righteous.  Chewie's been so much the Tax Collector, humble and honest.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. (v. 14b)

I'm definitely experiencing this right now, in the not-so-great way.  And I'm so grateful for lessons from the Father through my husband, who teaches me so naturally about sacrifice and selflessness through his actions, even when he's not being intentional.

So this is what I'm working on this Christmas season, learning to be selfless and more gracious and loving.  Which is kind of the whole point of Christmas anyway.  That Jesus came to earth born as a baby, a human, ultimately just to lay down his life sacrificially for sinners like me.

Thank you, Jesus, for your birth and sacrifice.

Candy Cane Stocking Tree Reveal & A Tale

This post is a long time coming.  I've been looking forward to creating this masterpiece for months now.  And it's finally done!

After a few snags and countless hours, here it is!

Isn't it awesome?!  I got the idea from Pinterest, originating at Crafty Vegas Mom.  Hers is super adorable, but I knew I wanted ours to be a bit different.


And here's where I tell you the tale of the Candy Cane Stocking Tree adventure.  It's a fun one.

The Tale

It all started with the idea but no real clue how to make it happen other than to use a fence post and 2x4s.  So Chew-ster and I headed to Lowe's for supplies. 

The first thing we searched for was the fence post.  We searched.  And searched.  And searched.  Turns out, my friends, that Lowe's doesn't actually carry fence posts like the one in Crafty Vegas Mom's picture.  Maybe hers was from Home Depot?  I don't know.  All I know is we had to figure out something else.  

So we bought a 4x4x8 fence post.  Eight feet of fence post.  That's a lot.  But we wanted it to be tall, around five feet - so we weren't too concerned.  And, fortunately, finding the 2x4s was easy.  We bought some paint in red and white, some sparkle additive, and some screws.  

What a hottie  :D

Since we don't have any sort of wood-cutting tools, we headed to Chewie's parents' to use the miter saw they have in their garage.  We cut the fence post down to 8 ft.  Easy.  We then cut the 2x4 into 18 in sections and cut one of the corners at a 45 degree angle for looks.  Also easy.  (Although, admittedly, Chewie did all the cutting.  I watched...from a distance.  Sharp things and I don't get along.)

We got the wood home and immediately went to painting the 2x4s and the fence post.  Tip: sand everything first.  We didn't and paid for it later.  Trust me.  Just do it. 

Painting took a lot of time because it's so cold and damp here that the paint took a while to dry.  And we could only do a side, maybe two, at a time.  Then add another coat to that.  Lots of time.  Good thing I have a patient husband, otherwise I would have screwed it up out of haste!

If you look close, you can see some of the lines.

Fast forward about a day and a half - I broke out my pencil and straight edge and went to town creating the red striped sections.  This was not easy.  I'm not going to even bother telling you how I did it because I'm sure I took the long route instead of the easy one.  There HAS TO BE some easier way to do it, but I have no clue what that is.  I Googled it to no avail.  So, if you figure it out, let me know.

Then we had to go back to Lowe's because we didn't have any painter's tape and needed more paint brushes.  Once we bought those, we taped it all up, added the sparkle paint additive to the red, and hit the road painting.  We probably did two solid coats with touch ups here and there.  

Here's where I thought my life was ruined...or at least our project.  We pulled off the painter's tape, only to reveal that the red had seeped past it onto the white where it wasn't supposed to be.  I don't know if it's the tape's fault or the lack of sanding the wood or both, but I thought I was going to cry.  We'd spent days working on this, and I was ready to see the finished product.  

See the disaster???

Fortunately, my hubby came to the rescue with a brilliant idea.  We bought some fine-tipped angled paint brushes and went to town straightening up the lines and covering the red boo-boos with white paint.  This took a couple of hours.  It was a huge task, but it was so worth it in the end because it turned out so much better!

So much cleaner.  What a relief!

A different angle post-clean-up

Next up, we screwed on the 2x4s at the bottom for stability.  We used a drill and some really hefty screws.  This was probably the easiest part of the whole thing.  We also added some hooks for our stockings, and that was it!

And there you have it!  It was a long project and way more costly than we anticipated, but we absolutely LOVE it!

Our little reindeer buddy who's standing guard

Hope you enjoyed our stocking tree and maybe are even inspired to make one of your own!  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Bucket List 2012

At the beginning of fall, I posted a list of things I wanted to do before the season ends. I made it through several of those things, and I'm not disappointed that I didn't get through all of them - I'm just glad I got to do the ones I did!

The last thing on that list was to make a list for winter. But I've decided to narrow it down to a Christmas list for now. I'll make a post-winter one after Christmas.

Christmas Bucket List 2012

Bake and decorate Christmas cookies with Chewie

Decorate the tree

Drive around looking at Christmas lights

Listen to Christmas music all the time

Finish making plans for our honeymoon trip

Plan and attend a few Christmas parties

Finish the lucrative "candy cane" project (to be posted soon, I hope!)

Make a daily habit of remembering Jesus is the whole point of this season

Go caroling

So that's it for now!  Look forward to several posts in the near future!

Post-Thanksgiving Thankfulness

Oh my - December is this weekend.  When did that happen?!  Thanksgiving came and went so fast.  And I know I'm a little late with this post, but I feel like I need to verbally express the things I'm probably most grateful for at this point in my life.  Some are probably a little silly, others serious.  But the point is...

I'm grateful.

Thankful List 2012

The Chew-ster -

 I'm more convinced every day that he's a better man than I ever could have imagined.  He's such a servant.  And he's smart.  And he's ruggedly handsome.  But most of all, he's my best friend.  I love him more every day, something I didn't think was even possible when we said "I do."  

My parents and siblings - 

Especially in light of my dad's recent accident, I've found a new thankfulness for family and how precious they are to me, even from so far away.  I've been guilty of taking them for granted and assuming they're always going to be around, which is childish.  I'm so grateful for each and every one of them with all of their absolutely unique personalities.  My life would be incomplete without them.

My in-laws -

Adding someone new to the family can't be easy, but my in-laws have been so gracious and loving.  I'm blessed to have a good relationship with my mother-in-law and father-in-law.  They have welcomed me like their own daughter, something I love but didn't expect.  And my brothers- and sister-in-law are all the older siblings I never had.  They razz me like they would a little sister, and I so enjoy that connection.  And I certainly can't forget the many nieces and nephews I've obtained since marriage.  I'm pretty sure they're convinced I've always been their aunt, and I love it!  

My bestest friend, Toni -

There are some days that I feel we are so diametrically opposite that I'm surprised we get along so well, but I'm sure glad we're friends.  She was an outstanding bridesmaid, and she's my constant enabler (which I think every girl needs one in her life).  We always have fun together, but she's also been there for me through some tough stuff (and vice versa).  So glad we're the 2 best friends that anyone ever had.  :)

My career at FBCPO and the church family that comes with it - 

Granted, there are some days I want to pull out my hair, but those are few.  Most days I feel overwhelmingly blessed and honored that the Lord has given me this opportunity and that the church has welcomed me in and made my first year a joy (as well as a great learning experience).  I look forward to what the Lord has in store in the days ahead.  

My Alma Mater -

If it weren't for this place, I'd still be young, naive, and relatively uneducated.  So much of my spiritual and intellectual growth is attributed to this beautiful place.  I miss being there, especially in the fall when everyone is usually going back to school.  This university is such a big part of who I am, and I'm grateful for that.  And I'm especially grateful for the relationships I had there, whether with faculty and staff or friends.

Chicago -

Random, I know.  But the mission trip I took to Chicago during my freshman year of college is what I believe the Lord used to open my eyes to the possibility of missions outside of my hometown but inside my own country.  I don't think I would have ever considered doing ministry outside of the confines of Texas, or even living outside of Texas, if it weren't for that trip almost 7 years ago.  So I'm grateful for the Windy City being a vessel for God to speak to me.

Blue Bell Ice Cream and the local Outback Steakhouse that serves it -

Besides my family and their dog, this is probably what I miss most about Texas.  I mean, ice cream in general is just delicious.  But this stuff.  This stuff.  Oh man.  Excuse me while I clean up the drool from my keyboard. . . And the only place I can get it up here is at the Outback Steakhouse in Bremerton, WA.  Bless you, Outback.

Of course, there are many, many other things/people I'm grateful for, but these top the list right now.  And I'd be lying to you and myself if I didn't include them on this list.  

I hope you're as blessed as I am and have even more reasons to be thankful.  

And now, with the Christmas season's arrival, you can count on some fun projects to be posted in the near future.  I'm currently working on two that involve wood and paint (and more money than I expected) and have another one that's got a big nostalgic touch to it.  I can't wait to share them with you all!

He put a ring on it...

For those of you who haven't heard yet...

Matthew proposed!!!

That's right - I'm getting married.  :D  We're super excited and can't wait to celebrate with family and friends.

Since most of you don't know the story of how he proposed, I'll share it with you.

On our first date (about 3.5 yrs ago) he took me to the observation deck in downtown Port Orchard (where we live).  And it's an absolutely beautiful spot that quickly became one of our favorite places to go and look out over the water and talk.  So on Saturday night he took me back there, and we talked for a little while.  Then he told me he brought me there to remind me of where we began, told me he loves me, and then got down on one knee and asked the classic question, "Will you marry me?"  And, of course, I said yes...with a squeal.  :)

And now we get to celebrate the holidays as a newly engaged couple.  And I get to look at my sparkly ring all the time!

We hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Christmas musings

It has been busy around here recently.  Christmas is just around the corner, which means holiday shopping and Christmas morning service planning for me.  I finally finished my online holiday shopping, which was nice to have under my belt.  And tonight is the first rehearsal for our Christmas morning service here at the church.  On top of that, I still have to get the "normal", week-to-week stuff done.  So it's been hectic.

But I can't complain at all.  I like being busy.  I'd rather be busy than bored.  Not that I don't enjoy rest every once in a while.  I just don't like having idle hands.

Recently, the thing that's kept my hands the least idle are homemade Christmas presents.  I know what you're thinking, "Wow.  She's cheap."  And there's some truth to that.  However, that's not the motivation for these gifts.  I found these particular gifts on Pinterest and knew that they would be perfect for certain people, better than something I could buy.  Fortunately, I have a boyfriend who gets excited about my projects and likes to work on them with me, which has been helpful since some of these have been more involved than I expected.  So Chewie and I have been working on gifts for a couple of weeks now - we do a little bit every day.  Slowly, but surely, our projects are coming along.  And I plan to share them with you on here soon after they've been given to their recipients - I don't want to spoil the surprise for them!

I'm super excited because next week, Chewie and I are hosting our 2nd Annual Christmas Movie Party!  Last year about this time we invited a bunch of friends and had a spontaneous Christmas party and watched some classic Christmas movies on a big screen at the camp where Chewie works. We had a great time, and I think it was a pretty big success, so we decided to do it again this year.  And this year, our movie of choice is one of my faves: Elf.  If you haven't seen it, you are SO missing out.  It's super kid-friendly, but it appeals to all ages.  Anyway, I'm crazy excited about this year's party.  I've got some fun themed treats planned.

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday festivities - I know I am.  It's such a happy time of the year, but at the same time it's sobering.  The whole reason we celebrate Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  And the purpose of Jesus' birth here on earth was to die for mankind.  I was brought to tears yesterday as I pondered this thought.  I know we don't usually reflect on the death of Christ like this until Easter, but I couldn't help but be reminded of why he was born.  And how my sin and shortcomings make me so undeserving and unworthy of the gift of Jesus and his salvation.  But oh how wonderful it is to know that, in spite of my unworthiness, God loved me so much that he sent Jesus here as a little baby to save the world!  It's absolutely beautiful.

Happy Christmas!

When will they realize...?

I'm starting to wonder when the world will realize that I'm brilliant.  As I've been working at the church, several occasions have arisen where I've had a stroke of genius or fixed a copier issue, and when Pastor J watches in wonder I've explained to him that I'm brilliant.  And he laughs.  But it's true.

Consider this scenario: Chewie gave me a Kindle for Christmas - woohoo!  But all the cases for Kindles at Best Buy (where he bought it) are expensive, and I want time to find the perfect one.  The whole reason he gave me my gift early is so that I can have it for my plane rides to and from TX for Thanksgiving, but I would hate for it to get messed up during travel, like if it was in my purse or something.  So, being the brilliant person I am, I did a little "research" on Pinterest (the best website ever) and found a crochet pattern for a simple cover and whipped one right up (and even added buttons)!  Problem solved in an hour with supplies on hand.  You can't tell me I'm not brilliant.

Ok, ok.  So maybe I'm not brilliant, but can we agree that I'm at least creative? :)

In other news, I saw Breaking Dawn: Part 1 yesterday with Chewie's mom, and it was SO good.  It was a little graphic, which was why we were so surprised that there were several young children there.  I have to say that I'm incredibly envious of Bella & Edward's wedding - it was like a dream!  And Christina Perry has a song on the soundtrack that is incredible - give it a listen (and get a sneak peak of the wedding):

Tomorrow is our annual Agapefeast at church, which is basically a Thanksgiving potluck, and I am super duper excited.  Yummy food and fun table decorations and good friends and church family.  Can't.  Wait.

Also, I'm flying home Monday morning for Thanksgiving!  I can't wait to see all of my family and our dog.  I miss them all, and I haven't been home for Thanksgiving since college.  So this should be really fun!

On the flip side, I won't be home for Christmas this year - the first time ever.  I have mixed emotions about it.  I need to be here because Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, and we are having a Christmas morning service at the church.  It'll be nice spending Christmas with my church family, but nothing is quite like Christmas with my family.  So I'll be spending the holiday with Chewie's family and my close friends, which is the next best thing to spending the holiday with my family in Texas.

Anyhow, hope that you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving and enjoy giving thanks to the One who gave us all we have to be thankful for!

It's short because I'm busy...

This morning, our senior pastor informed me that church life is super-duper busy between October 1 and January 1.

Autumn Fest.

Thanksgiving.

Christmas.

New Year's.

I think I believe him.  I am so busy with ministry stuff right now that I can hardly keep my thoughts straight.

But I love it.  I love love love what I'm doing.  I was made for this.

I hope you're finding joy in the busyness in your life right now.