Church Christmas Photo Shoot

We started going to a new church earlier this year. We weren't looking to change, but it just worked out as a good fit for us. Ross had been at our old church, Christ Community Church, for maybe 20 years, and I have been going there for 13 - ever since we started dating. 

Our new church, Life.Church is quite a bit different from CCC! It's a satellite campus, one of 39 I believe, and although they don't like to call themselves a "megachurch" one could argue that's what it is! It's very close to our house and has been there for maybe three years. I've always wondered what it's like and one day this summer we decided to try it out. Ross and I both really liked it, as did the girls, so we just decided to give it a try and start going there. We can't say it's our "forever church home" but for now it is a very good fit for us.

I even started volunteering there once a week on Thursday mornings. I help set up the coffee and tea bar area, and make sure all the communication cards are placed on the seats in the sanctuary. (Which, side note...I call it the sanctuary but am very much aware of how I/m dating myself with that, as they refer to it as the auditorium. ;) ) 

They certainly went all out decorating the lobby for Christmas! They have two very pretty photo booth areas set up and I made sure to take advantage of it last Sunday! 

I could do without some of the "image" type tings that come along with a big church like this, but overall I really like it. I love the worship and I love the preaching. We are hoping to get involved with a life group in the new year. I really look forward to that and getting to know more families there. The girls really like the Sunday school and look forward to going each week! 

Texas Sheet Cake

I made a Texas sheet cake for Thanksgiving and it was so good! I love this cake. My Aunt Linda used to make it when we were little and I just loved it! The chocolate taste is just so good. Some years back I found a recipe for it and used to make it quite a bit, but kind of just forgot about it. I thought about it a little before Thanksgiving so made one to take to dinner. It turned out so good, but it is so not good for you! Here's a link to the recipe I use:  https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a11901/best-chocolate-sheet-cake-recipe/

What Date Is It?

My mom sent me this picture last week: 

It's a day-by-day calendar she has in her kitchen that I'm pretty sure I gave her quite a few years ago. Lucy and Molly had spent the night with them and she sent this to me after they went home. I told her that I bet Molly did it because Molly likes to do that to my calendar at home. She said oh, no, it was Lucy who changed it because Lucy made sure that they knew she was changing it to such a crazy date! Kids! 

Family Pictures!

We had family pictures taken with the Ward/Herndon/Wiseman families in October and I think they turned out really good! We went to Joplin and used a friend of my sister's that she had used before. The last time we had our whole family pictures taken was in November 2012, when I was pregnant with Lucy! We'd planned to do these in 2020, but covid (HUGE eye roll) put that on hold. I'm glad we were able to get these taken this year! 

Thanksgiving 2021

We had a nice, low-key Thanksgiving this year. We went to my sister's house in Joplin for a Thanksgiving meal with us, my parents, her family, and her mother-in-law. We ate around 12:45 and then just hung out for the afternoon. We played outside for a little bit, went for a "Turkey Trot," had pie for dinner, and then went home. 

The Turkey Trot 5K we usually do with my Dad on Thanksgiving morning was virtual again this year due to Covid (HUGE eye roll), so we had to do our own. Hopefully it will be back to normal next year! The last few pictures are of a thankful tree the girls made at school and we let them put the couches together on Thanksgiving night for a sleepover in the family room!