Merry Christmas

from us....



to you!!!

I'm posting our Christmas greeting a little earlier than I'd like to, but we're moving in a couple days and I don't foresee being able to blog for awhile! It will be wonderful to enter the U.S. again and see our country, our home, our families, our friends. I'm at that point now that my stomach aches from excitement (and sometimes nerves!) I'd like to get the journey out of the way and just be home again. But I don't want to wish away my life - we have to go on the journey before we can get there!

We would really appreciate your prayers for us as we travel during this busy Christmas season, especially for safety as we may be dealing with snowy/icy weather!

Have a beautiful, blessed Christmas! Or as they say here in Croatia.....

Sretan Božic i uspješna Nova godina!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths 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 among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2:11-14

Yummy Lollipops

As I was thinking about interesting things for Clara to play with on our long, boring flight from Paris to Atlanta, I remembered the lollipop she had during Halloween. She loved that sucker and it kept her quiet for quite awhile! But I hated to give her candy that was artificially colored and flavored, so I searched the internet for alternatives. What I found was the company called Yummy Earth!

Two fathers got together and invented organic lollipops and candy because they wanted to give their own children candy that wasn't colored by using chemicals or flavored artificially. They actually color their candy using ingredients like real purple carrots or red cabbage! (But don't worry - you won't taste any carrot or cabbage flavor in the lollipop!) They also use real fruit extracts which gives their candy a very intense flavor. We just received our lollipop order yesterday and all of us are quite impressed with each of the four lollipop flavors. They are really delicious!

While we had to order ours online, their website suggests purchasing their products at places like your local health food or gourmet shop, Whole Foods, Toys R Us, Vitamin Shoppe, or Party City.

Sure, it's still candy, but children do love candy.... and if we are going to allow them to eat candy, it should be as natural as possible, using ingredients that you might find in your own kitchen, not a concoction of dangerous chemicals! You might think I've gone off the deep end, but I think we have to be more concerned than ever about the artificial ingredients that are being added to our foods. I think we have to read the labels, and do our own research, being vigilant about the foods we prepare for our families. The processed junk that is being marketed to us today is a far cry from the real food our ancestors ate. It is hard to eat well when we are surrounded by junk! The junk is always cheaper and more readily available, too. So we have to work at it, knowing that nothing is ever easy. In the end it will pay off, because we will have raised our children to enjoy healthy foods!

Clara is 2!

Two years ago today, God blessed us with a little girl, bringing us so much joy. She continues to bring much joy and laughter to our family today!

It's fun to be 2 because...

She pulls off the top part of our bed posts and sings into it like it is a microphone while dancing on our bed.

She sits on a barstool in the kitchen beside me while I cook and she helps stir, add ingredients, and most importantly clean the spoons and beaters (by licking them of course.)

She likes to give hugs and kisses. But one of her favorite expressions of love is to come up close to your face and give you a lick. If she licks one person, she has to go around to other family members and also bless them with a lick.

She helps unload the dishwasher by standing on the door and handing me glasses, plates, bowls and silverware for me to put away. Then she helps load the dishwasher with the dirty dishes too.

She says many words....
this
that
gone
banky
bed
brush teeth
daddy
mama
her brother's names
book
dog
cat
bye
diaper
floor
and many more too numerous to mention...

She has "the look" for anyone who dares to cross her path when she's feeling a little cranky, and a scream to go with it.

She loves to play with the doll I had as a child, whom I named Jenny. She says "Denny" though.

We are so thankful that God brought Clara into our lives just when He did. We can't imagine our lives without her now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLARA! We love you!