White Christmas!!

I'm very excited that we'll be having a white Christmas! It doesn't happen too often when we don't, but I'm excited none-the-less! Here's a photo of Abraham and Nathaniel doing some shoveling the evening that it first piled up a bit.

Abigail and I decided to book it for the house to stay cozy and warm...here's Abigail being warm and cozy (and cute...but I guess that's obvious!).

Statistics...and a Contest!

So in the world of blogging--both writing them and reading them--there's this deal with giveaways. I've always felt slightly foolish entering them...until now! Think of the statistics of this. I play the McDonalds Monopoly if I get pieces...yet the chances of winning are SO slim. Many blog giveaways only have 1000 or less people attempt to win the item. Which brings me to why I'm posting. I want a second/third entry into a way cool giveaway that currently have over 6000 comments (chances also slim...but maybe not quite like monopoly slim...)!

You too can enter a giveaway to win an HP TouchSmart computer! Here is the link to MckMama's blog. :-) Here's to me winning! Just kidding...how silly I am!

Healthy Holiday Eats and Sweets Carnival

If you frequent this blog even semi-frequently, you know that I've got my hand in a lot of pots, so to speak. I can't make up my mind about what I'm interested in because I'm pretty much interested in everything! My blog reading is the same way. One great healthy homemaking blog that I read called Keeper of the Home is having a Healthy Holiday Eats and Sweets Carnival. I decided I'm in!! :-)

*Breakfast Bread:

1. Put 3 cups hot water in the blender with 1 whole orange, quartered & seeds removed, but with peel and 2 cups raisins or dried cranberries (I prefer cranberries--the cranberry orange combo makes it seem festive to me!)

2. Let it sit a bit then pulse to chop the fruit. Pour into a large bowl.

3. Add:

2 cups more hot water

2 tbsp instant yeast

1/3 c oil

1/3 c honey

1/4 c molasses

2-3 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 c buttermilk powder

6 c whole wheat flour

4. Jog to mix in the dry ingredients and let sponge with a lid on the bowl for warmth for 10 minutes. (This takes the place of a second rise later on.)

5. Add:

1 1/2 tbsp salt

more flour until the bowl begins to clean

6. Knead for 5-6 minutes.

7. Place in loaf pans (4-5 1.5 lb. loaf pans or 6 1 lb. loaf pans). Let rise.

8. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Each time that I've made this recipe I cut it in half because I've not wanted too much left over. I love to add the dried cranberries rather than the raisins, but I like the tartness. I also prefer to eat the bread toasted with a little bit of butter, but its also great fresh from the oven. Enjoy!

*Recipe adapted from Breakfast Bread Recipe in Hearth and Home by Karey Swan

Huggin' and a Chalkin'

Holidays have a way of stirring up wonderful memories of times with the extended family. One particular memory that's actually making me laugh out loud at this very moment is that of my Grandpa singing the song Huggin' and a Chalkin'.

I'm surprised that such a song ever existed due to its sheer awkwardness! If only you knew my Grandpa and how he sings though you'd understand why its so fun! The link to the Hoagy Carmichael version of the song is found here. You can play the whole song by clicking play over on the right hand side of the screen. Enjoy!

Traditions!

We're starting a new tradition for Advent season this year in the Nathaniel Andersen household...its called the Jesse Tree. We were supplied the information about what a Jesse Tree is by our church's family discipleship department.

The Jesse Tree is similar to Advent calendars in that there is a devotional every day and an element to add to the tree. The concept is based on Isaiah 11:1, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” The Jesse Tree tells the story of God’s faithfulness through the ages, connecting with the birth of Jesus the Messiah. The tree can be as simple or complex as one would want. We decided to go for hands on this year. Here is Abraham coloring our Jesse Tree green.

Now every evening after dinner, Abraham gets to hold one of the paper images while we read the corresponding passage of Scripture. Tonight we read the story of Jacob dreaming about the ladder ascending to heaven from Genesis 28:10-22 and Abraham glued that ladder to the tree. We are excited to be starting this tradition and we pray each night that Abraham would understand its significance and come to love Jesus above anything else!

We have also set up and decorated our actual Christmas tree. A traditional element that we began before we had Abraham and Abigail is to hang a large nail on a red ribbon close to the trunk on a sturdy branch. This reminds us that the purpose of Christmas is to celebrate Jesus's coming to earth and His ultimate purpose of His sacrifice of His life on the cross for our sins.

We also have our stockings hanging over the fireplace and they are truly done this time around! :-)

First Bike Ride in YEARS!!

I just went for my first bike ride in a couple of years! On this nice cold day for such an adventure I made a few observations:

~The "breathable" parts of my tennis shoes actually are breathable.
~Biking makes one go much faster than running thereby creating a constant breeze.
~A wind breaking fabric would be preferable to fleece on such an occasion.
~Biking fast is really fun!
~Air in the tires is essential for a successful bike ride.
~Apparently, I have muscles on the fronts of my upper legs that haven't been worked in a while.
~A lot more scenery can be taken in on a bike ride because its much FASTER than running.
~I like scenery. :-)
~I have squeaky breaks.
~Not many people bike at 3pm on an 18 degree Sunday.
~Pressurized air costs 75 cents.
~My neighbor braved the cold weather in shorts and a tee shirt to take out the trash.
~Biking on the sidewalk is scary; biking on the road is less scary.
~Breeze makes my ear drums hurt.

Why, you ask, would I take a bike ride for the first time in years on a cold December day? Well...I did one of those funny parent things and snuck in a question about MY health at Abbey's 4 month well baby check up. :-) Ever since the first run after our Thanksgiving day 5k, my foot and ankle have been hurting...the doctor said to try another form of exercise until it goes away and then run again. If the pains I get from exercising are moving around...its normal (go figure! maybe that's why they say no pain, no gain). If when I run again and again and again and its always my foot/ankle that hurt, I'm supposed to make an appointment. It was funny to be sneaky, but I just didn't feel like taking the advice seen at the beginning of any exercise DVD/Wii fit Demo/fitness article in magazines/etc. to "see my doctor before beginning any exercise program...". Now I just hope that my foot/ankle heals up, because though I like going fast...I'd like to do another race...details to come. :-)

Christmas Letter 2009

I'm sitting by Nathaniel on the couch in the living room of our cozy little home as I write this letter, slightly at a loss for words. I'm so full of thankfulness for the blessings and challenges that the Lord has given us. I pray we'll be more like Him at the other end of them.

What I most would like to communicate to you is the goodness and grace of our Savior and Lord. In reflecting on the year (and every year past) we see his guiding hand in our lives and for that, we praise him. Here are some highlights of 2009:

January:
~Living/managing at Richfield Square we began searching for houses
~Lisa had lots of appointments for her pregnancy
~Abraham took swimming lessons with Daddy
~We paid off our car
February:
~Nathaniel and I attended the Bethlehem Marriage Retreat and had a refreshing time together
~Dental Appointments :-)
~Nathaniel and Abraham have a showing of the house that we now own
March:
~Nathaniel and I attended Nathaniel's company party at a fancy ballroom
~We celebrated our 3 year anniversary
~Made an offer on our house
~Found out that we were going to have a girl!!
April:
~Closed on our house, quit the apartment management position and moved
~Many, many doctor appointments for Lisa and Baby Girl
~Celebrated Easter in our new house complete with a visit from Lisa's brother Eric
May:
~Had friends over to dinner
~We switch to the Downtown Campus
~Lots of yard work
~Helped Jason and Ami construct wedding invitations
June:
~Abraham's first and second camping trips
~Family gatherings: Hustad Reunion and Andersen Get-together up North
~Lisa started weekly ultrasounds
July:
~Whittemore Picnic in Glenwood over the 4th of July
~Lisa becomes a "Consumer Visionary tm" :)
~Abraham turns 2!
~Abigail Faith Andersen joins the family
August:
~Nathaniel gets to be home for Abbey's first few weeks
~Nathaniel's brother Jason marries Ami
~Lisa visits her cousin with Abbey at the U of M hospital
September:
~We switch our small group to the downtown directory resulting in a new small group
~Lisa's birthday and party--Apple picking, Chili's and Little Women
~Go Fish Kids consignment event found Lisa laughing at herself
October:
~We attended the Diabetes Expo as a family
~Lisa rediscovered the blessing of MOMS (Making Our Mothering Significant) at church
November:
~Abraham, Abigail and Mommy went to the Children's Museum
~Nathaniel and Lisa run Thanksgiving Day 5k
~Lisa got hooked up to her insulin pump
December:
~Nathaniel and Abraham decorated our Christmas tree
~We send massive amounts of Christmas letters
~We host our first extended house guests

It doesn't seem too exceptional when its written out in bullets, but day to day, we are sustained by God's grace. For me particularly, I feel that God initiated huge changes for us in getting the house and switching church campuses/small groups so that I could grow. He brought me out of a place of what must have been excessive comfort so that I would seek Him more fully and find my comfort in His presence.

One element of where the Lord is bringing me relates to Mark 9:24, where a man brings his son to Jesus to be healed. Jesus says that all things are possible for one who believes and the man cries out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" The statement is such a juxtaposition, yet so descriptive of how I often feel. I say I trust God with his plan for my life, but if someone handed me an envelope with a detailed plan of what my life will look like for the next 10 years, I think I'd open it!

All this is to say that God is doing a work in our lives. He's teaching us what an amazing thing it is that he is our perfect heavenly Father. He is all we need. He is what makes us joyful. Its not having a house or friends or a good job or a baby...those are all great blessings, but even with all of that, there is no joy apart from trusting Jesus each day! Praise God that his mercies are new every morning.

We pray that this letter finds you trusting in Jesus for every need including salvation from our sinful selves. Have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Abraham and Abbey in Daddy's Pajamas!

Abraham -- photo taken 10/15/2007

Abigail -- photo taken 11/28/09 For some unknown reason, I waited until the last minute to try these jammies on them and each time, their little thighs were just popping out of them!