Hello, December!! I can’t believe we are in the last month of 2016! Now, I’ll admit, we crammed more than the average people into 2016, so it’s been a great year, but a busy year!

I cannot express to y’all how much I adore the Christmas season. It is one of my favorite times of year, and the decorating and baking, and food is just the best! We’ve had our Christmas tree up for a few weeks already, so know I can concentrate on the other decorations around the house (and maybe I’ll convince hubby to help me with some outdoor decorations! 😉 ).

And here are the faves this week!

1. She Reads Truth- Advent Study 2016- Christ Was Born For This

 

I’ll admit, up to this point, I’ve probably had a more shallow understanding of Christmas and it’s true meaning. I don’t think it’s ever really clicked for me that the story of Baby Jesus isn’t really standalone, and that it is the first movement in our greater story- the story of the ultimate sacrifice playing out to save us from the most hopeless existence.

I’ve done a few other Bible studies through the She Reads Truth. I use the app, but they also have resources online (www.shereadstruth.com), and print resources you can order. Typically I like printed options better when it comes to books and studies, but I’ve found that if it’s on my phone, I’m more likely to keep up with it because I don’t have to worry about carrying something additional with me. (Does anyone else use the Biblr app and then hope people don’t just assume you’re goofing off?) The Advent study started this past Sunday (but it’s not too late to catch up!!), and they release a daily scripture reading with a study commentary each day.

The focus of the study is the importance of prophets, and how Jesus is the ultimate prophet because He is both the messenger and the message. A few weeks ago, I started reading a Bible study first thing in the morning to better set my mind for the day (instead of checking Facebook or my email), and this was the new choice this past Sunday. So far, I’ve loved going through each day getting a little closer to the true meaning of Christmas!

 

2. Cody Johnson- Gotta Be Me

A couple of weeks ago, Steven came home playing the new Cody Johnson song “Wild As You” on Youtube on his phone non-stop. He has declared it his new favorite song. He has even gone so far as to request it be played at his funeral. (We’ll see about that one…)

So, when it came time to get some tunes ready for our Thanksgiving road trips last week, instead of just buying that song, I decided to get the whole album. My personal favorite is “With You I Am”, which is the radio single out now.

As I’ve mentioned, we are big Texas country fans, and Cody Johnson is one of the best Texas country guys out there. Check out this album for some good Texas country!

 

3. Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Dishes

 

Have I mentioned how much I adore Christmas? I think part of why I love Christmas is because of traditions, both the keeping of and starting new. This is mine and Steven’s fifth Christmas together, but our first Christmas married and our first Christmas in our house, so we are starting to form traditions for our family.

I love every opportunity to be festive, and loved my mother-in-law’s Christmas dishes during our Christmas meals this past weekend. They are passed down from her mother (Granny), and feature sweet Christmas trees on them. She also had four decorative plates on easels in her kitchen that I loved.

And then I opened one of my Christmas boxes and found the exact same Christmas dishes as the plates she had setting out! These are gorgeous, and I’m so excited to be festive!

This is a 12 piece set with service for four. The dinner plates all feature the same pattern around the rim, but each salad plate in the set features a different vintage scene. If there’s one style I love, it’s vintage. The bowls are nice and big with a design on the inside and outside. They are sturdy, heavy dishes that I think will stand up to the test of time. I look forward to using them for many holidays to come!

We had our taco soup in the bowls Wednesday night, and had our beef and broccoli with steamed rice and egg rolls on the plates Thursday night. And chances are we will continue to use them through to Christmas!

Walmart has these sets, and they are currently on sale! Check them out here.

 

4. OPI Suzi Nails New Orleans

So, I don’t necessarily love the name, but I love this color. In my mind, this color (and my reasoning for picking it this time of year) is called Ode to The Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s probably better as a summer color (I don’t know why I always think bright and pastel colors for spring/ summer, and dark and rich colors for fall/winter, but I just do), but I think it can be pulled off for the opening of December. Plus, it’s still in the 70s here, so we’re not getting a ton of winter yet anyway. Except this morning when it was 35* outside when we woke up and we did not have our heater on inside. My little self did not want to get out of bed!

So, needless to say, I think this is a great color if you are looking for something bright this Christmas season! I can hear the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy starting now!

(And PS- here is the At Home Shellac Hack again if you need it!)

 

5. The Big Boo Cast

I’m not one to ever say I’m technologically inclined. I know some people live and breathe for podcasts, but I’m really not all that familiar with the concept. I think I had to record one for a Brit Lit class in undergrad about something, but that was so long ago, I don’t even remember the details.

All that to say, I stumbled upon this, and this is one of the few podcasts (I’ve discovered one or two more since this) that I will make an effort to listen to.

Sophie Hudson (Boo Mama) and Melanie Shankle (Big Mama) are two of the best bloggers, writers, and speakers I know of. I’ve mentioned them before, as I love their books and other things, but the fact that they are friends in real life just sends me over the top. Every so often, they link up to do a podcast together- The Big Boo Cast.

It’s a little Seinfeld-y, in that it is often a lot of talking about not much at all, but somehow they are so funny. Often when I listen, I think they are conversations I could easily see happening between me and my best friend. And then I think, why don’t we record podcasts? But that’s another adventure for another time.

I’ve listened to them for about the last 6 months whenever they come out, but recently I’ve gotten so tired of the same junk on the radio during my bi-weekly hour commute, that I started downloading the podcast archives and listening to the past episodes. And they beat the radio, friends.

If you are looking for a laugh or two, just check out an episode. You can find them in the podcast app, and they both have links on each of their blogs for each episode. I personally recommend the one where they discuss Tiny House Hunters to start. 😉

 

And for your weekly update on our boys…

Gump took naps in multiple laps at various times over the last weekend/ week…

 

And Ruger got acquainted with the west Texas crane population…

 

And the girls just hung out doing crafts and having fun!

See y’all next week!