Are you Ready for Christmas?

Are you ready for this wonderful holiday to begin?

I don't feel like I am! I've got packing left to do. All my presents left to wrap. Dishes to clean. Floors to be vacuumed. Dinner's to be made. Yikes! It's all coming to fast!!!!

But is that what this season is really all about? Of course not, we all know that. It's about Jesus, after all it's in the name, Christmas. It's the Sunday school, automatic answer. Whats Christmas all about: JESUS!!

But what does that mean? How do we celebrate his birth? Should we instead of leaving cookies out for Santa leave a birthday cake and a little toy truck out for Baby Jesus? Mmmm mabye..but I don't think so.

Is it enough to simply acknowledge the reason for the season and then go about our day opening presents and eating turkey. I don't think so. We need to be doing more.

So how does this play out?

One thing I *intended* to do was to get an advent devotional. A a month long devotional dedicated to preparing your heart for this special Holiday. I got the devotional, however my time got eaten up by work goblins, homework goblins, and being lazy goblins. But next year I plan on being on top of my devotional *We'll see*!

Another thing that my Hubby and I do is our very first Christmas tradition. We borrowed this idea from his parents *Thank You*. We got a cross from our Christian bookstore that has the story of Jesus on it. We have it hung in our living room and on Christmas morning we will read it together and start our Christmas morning off right with God's story fresh in our minds.

I know that these are not the most amazing mind blowing ideas! But It's been on my mind a lot lately! And I am definitely up to suggestions ;)

I have also been thinking a lot about Christmas & Easter. The two big Christian holidays. I really want to write a devotional that starts the week of Thanksgiving and goes until the week of Easter. The devotional would start with Praising our Lord for all he has done, move into remembering his birth and his wonderful life and move onto His entire purpose for coming to earth: His death and subsequent Resurrection. If there is already a devotional like this, please let me know so I don't write something useless ;)

My challenge to my self and you if you want, is to stretch the Christmas season. This should not be the one day a year that we dwell on his birth and life. Then four months later dwell on his death for one day. We need to daily remember and be in his word. I am not the best at this and many times I have been much better than I am now. But I want to challenge myself to really dive back into daily scripture readings and devotionals. It is essential for a Christian walk and should be something that no Christian is without.

What are some of your Christmas traditions? Christ-centered or just fun (Sometimes it is good to just plain have fun and celebrate being with our friends and family).

Simple Women's Daybok # 6

It's time for the Christmas Edition of the Simple Women's Daybook!

If you would like to participate head on over to The Simple Women's Daybook. We would love you to join in! :D

FOR TODAY...December 21, 2009

from Jami's Daybook

Outside my window...It's getting chilly! And finally, it's been HOT down here in good old Southern California!

I am thinking...How I'm excited to go home and play our new video game ;) Can you say NERD!

I am thankful for...This last semester of classes! (See my last post)

I am wearing...Black flats, jeans, purple shirt with my new purple necklace that my Boss gave me for Christmas, and black jacket.

Iam going...Home soon!! Cleaning, cooking, then relaxing. AND in 2 days we are going home home to visit our family!! :D So excite!!!

I am currently reading...I am about to start Green by Ted Dekker. I cannot believe I haven't read it yet!!

On my mind...My Poor Hubby stuck in traffic :( He Hates traffic

Noticing that...I really miss helping out Sunday morning's in the preschool.. can't wait to start up again in January!!!

From the kitchen...Mmmm Hot Spinach Artichoke dip and home made pizza for dinner :D. I'm finally cooking again!!!

Around the house...MESSSY! We had finals week last week and then a super busy weekend! So now time to finally clean after all the craziness!

One of my favorite things...My Family! Whom we get to see in 2 days! :D

I am creating....I've finally had some time to play around with photoshop. I've been working on a new blog design for our wedding pictures! Below if the header...It still needs work though. But here is the beginning!

From my picture journal...

Thankful Thursday # 6

Thankful Thursday! Soo in case you weren't aware, today is Monday. I am a litttle behind on my blogging this week. It was finals week last week and with Christmas coming up, and we had THE busiest weekend...anyway I'm going to get back on top of blogging! :D

So in light of the end of the semester I am going to say the things I am thankful for this past semester.

1) I am so thankful for my Hebrew professor. I was soo nervous about taking Hebrew. I mean, it's a crazzzy looking language. So completely different than English. However I had the most amazing professor! He lived in Jerusalem for 20 years, he really knows his stuff! Hebrew quickly became my favorite class this semester and I am so thankful for amazing professors!

2)I am thankful for my Ancient Near Eastern History professor. okay well actually my Hebrew prof and history prof are actually one in the same. But I had to mention him twice because he is one of my favorite prof's I've ever had. This class was particularly important to me because I am looking at getting my Master's in Ancient Near Eastern History. This was a tough class but totally worth it! I loved every minute of it!

3) I am thankful for how much my Hubby did this semester! In case you haven't heard, he worked full time and had a full load of units (17 units to be exact!!). I am sooo proud of him! He is providing for us and also working his butt off to finish his degree!!! All the while he is maintaining an excellent GPA...he is graduating in May with honors!! (In fact he is in the top 10% of his class!!! :D So proud of him). And next semester he is taking on even more, 19 units on top of full time work. He will be tired, but I am soooo very proud of him. And the end is NEAR!!! :D

4) I am thankful for my Old Testament Theology & Life and Teachings of Jesus Professor. He is a fantastic professor and while the classes were hard I felt like I really learned a lot! I especially LOVED Old Testament Theology. I feel like a much better writer from taking his courses. Thank You :D

5) And lastly I am thankful for what is up ahead. I LOVE history but I also love Biblical studies. When I began my degree I thought I only had time to major in one of those. so I picked Biblical studies. Well I found out this semester that on top of graduating a year ahead of schedule I also have time to add a history double major!! I am SOO excited. I have no clue how I got everything done to early but I'm very excited. I start my history major in the Spring and I'm soo stoked!!! Thank you Lord for making this happen!

What are you thankful about this semester? Have any particularly good classes or professors?

It's Friday!!

It's FINALLY Friday!!!!!

This week has been far too long!

But I'm looking forward to tonight! Friday night's are our relaxing nights!
While finals just finished this week, during the semester Friday night is the night we don't do ANY homework. Every other night we are, but Friday is our night to just relax and bond.
And that's tonight!!

It has been a brutal finals week...now time to relax!!!

I'm excited, I am going to make some yummy home made pizza! And then catch up on the tv shows we missed the last TWO weeks, then watch a movie and in the mean time..I'm going to play with PHOTOSHOP!!!

I have been in Love with photoshop lately.

Anyone else obsessed with it to?

I need to make a new layout for after christmas, I made this one your looking at by the way :D. And I'm working on installing a menu bar under the header (The beginnings of this are starting to appear). And I need to make a new layout for Our Wedding Photos page.

So new changes happening soon now that school's done!

And also I really really really want Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium!!!!!

*sigh* Maybe for Christmas...next year!

So anyone got any fun plans for this weekend?!?

Any fun Friday night dates?

I have a date with my hubby, some pizza, movies, mabye playing some wii, and my lovely laptop :D

It's gonna be a GREAT night!!

Advent Calendar

I had fun this year and made my first home made advent calendar!
I started making one for myself and decided to make one for the In-Laws..I gave theirs to them over Thanksgiving and never ended up making my own..haha woops!

I got the patter for this from CopyCrafts and I am so glad that I did! It turned out soo good!

The first step, making the tree!

Stephani helped me finish it! She loves crafts like I do! We had fun!!
The ornaments..they took FOREVER to make...haha

The finished product!

On December first the ornaments are all turned over. They each of a scripture on the back that tell the story of Jesus.

Then each is flipped over until Christmas day and by then you have a pretty decorated tree!

This was the first craft project I've had time to work on in a loooong time and it was soo worth it! Check out CopyCrafts' Etsy page Here!

The Simple Women's Daybook #5

Again I am a day late on this...Monday are busy for me I guess. But here it is.
As always if you want to participate you can head over here and follow the directions!

FOR TODAY December 15th...

Outside my window...The sun is shining!

I am thinking...how wonderful these cinnomon candies are!

I am thankful for...Teh Hubyy's physic class working out. We almost hit a snag with him graduating...he would have had to postpone it by a YEAR! ouch! Praise the Lord :D

From the learning rooms...Lots and lots of Hebrew. Final tomorrow!

From the kitchen...I have been a horrible wife the past couple weeks when it comes to cooking. Soo busy! Although I did make a yummy stir fry the other night. Yuumm!

I am wearing...My super cute black boots that I want to wear every single day ;), black pants, pink shirt and black jacket.

I am creating...Not much at the time..it's finals week! lol

I am going...To a Relient K/Toby Mac concert on Saturday for the Hubby's Bday!!

I am reading...The First Hebrew Primer..hehe

I am hoping...to get the rest of our Christmas cards out tomorrow...we'll see!

I am hearing...Someone in the house playing Christmas music... :D

Around the house...Is clean!!! I cleaned a LOT yesterday..now it's all pretty and ready for Christmas!

One of my favorite things...Working in a Christian Enviornment. We had a Christmas party this morning and we actually read scripture and focused on the actual meaning of Christmas!

A few plans for the rest of the week: The rest of finals!!! Then a concernt on Satruday, then dinner at the boss's house Sunday and then finally relaxation time!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

It snowed back home this last week!! Look how pretty! Wish I was home then (although they lost power for 4 days! Not fun!) But wishing for a white Christmas!

Christmas Pictures

I am taking a little break from writing my research paper to share some lovely Christmas pictures with you.

We went up to Apple Hill with the Hubby's family to have some fun getting apples and to drink yummy apple cider. We decided while we were up there to swing by the High Sierra Iris and Wedding Gardens to take some Christmas card pictures. This is where we got married and it was so fun to go up there again! The gardens were beautiful in the fall and our pictures turned out great!! Enjoy :D

By the way I said in the previous blog that I am so thankful that my Hubby is patient with me when taking pictures...here is a GREAT example of that...lol.

Jason with little brother Joren. So cute!

Me with Joren
Our Bridal Party pictures were taken in front of this pond. I Love this picture!

Jason looks so Handsome in this picture!

Beautiful Background!

The spot where we became Husband and Wife ♥

Cute little tables that were set out!

Later that day we took some pictures outside his house

The Beautiful Shelise was our photographer!!! Thanks Shel!!! ♥

Thankful Thursday # 5

Today's Thankful Thursday will be focused on my wonderful Husband because it is his birthday today :D

If you want to join in, click on the picture above and it will go to the Thankful Thursday home page.

So Today is my wonderful Hubby's Birthday! I am so excited to celebrate with him but unfortunately we will not be celebrating very much tonight. I have a 30 page research paper due at midnight and he has piles of math homework to sort through then we have Bible Study at 7:30..lol so we will be celebrating tomorrow!

So...

1) I am so thankful that God brought my Hubby into my life when he did. We were young (and still are) but God knew what we both needed and when we needed it. God has been amazing. People always seem amazed that we are married so young, but for us it was God's timing. I could not image not being married to my Man right now. God's is Good :D

*At our Rehearsal, he looks so Handsome :)*

2) I am thankful for my hubby who is always willing to take pictures! As you can probably tell we take a LOT of pictures! I absolutely love pictures!!! I do all kinds of things with them and have to take a picture everywhere we go. I am so lucky that I have a man who doesn't mind it! In fact most of the time he loves the pictures to...just not when we spend a long time taking them hehe ;)

*One of our Engagement Pictures*

3)I am so thankful for my husband that he always wants to spend time with me. He is so amazing at making time to spend with me. We both have a crazy busy schedule right now (especially him working FULL time and taking a FULL unit load at school) but he ALWAYS has the time to sit on the couch with me and just touch. He is verrry good at giving me his time and attention. Thank you :D

*At his family's house having fun riding the horses*

4)I am thankful for how Smart my Hubby is. He is a math major and is totally science and math oriented BUT he is also good at literally everything else!! lol he is great at languages, spelling, grammar, history, writing papers...you name it! My husband is soo smart and I love having that resource at home that I can pick his brain anytime I want! And just to brag for a minute..a few weeks ago we found out that Jason is graduating with honors! He is graduating in the 10% of his class. I'm SO PROUD of him :D

*Jason with his brother Jean-Marc (Best Man) and best friend Jeremy*

5) And finally and most importantly I am thankful for Jason's heart. He is truly a man of God and does an amazing job at being the spiritual leader in our relationship. He is trying to follow after God with all his heart and encourages me to do the same. God has given us both the strength to follow after him and I thank God for this perseverance!

*My Hubby..right before our Wedding*

AAw!! How cute is he?!?

*In the airport leaving for our honeymoon to Hawaii :)*
*A beautiful picture taken by Dom, thank you*

Happy Birthday Baby!

I Love you so much!!

The Great Flood

This was my presentation for Ancient Near Eastern history. I did it on the Ancient flood stories and their ties with the Biblical account. This presentation is for my intensive writing class and I have been working on a huge research paper about this. So I'm pretty invested.

Haha. Enjoy :D

Ancient Near Eastern Flood Narratives

The Simple Women's Daybook # 4

A day late but here goes:

If you want to join in head on over to The Simple Women's Daybook

FOR TODAY..December 8 (7th), 2009

Outside my window...Sunny but COLD!

I am thinking...How peaceful this little moment is that I can just sit and blog :)

I am thankful for...discovery Digital Scrapbooking. I have so much fun with it! And was able to make a boring presentation this morning fun! Well fun to make anyway ;)

From the learning rooms...Ancient flood stories and their relationship with the Biblical account

From the kitchen...Grilled chicken with something...it's still being formulated haha

I am wearing...My new pink jacket..it's very bright haha, jeans, and my new black boots which I LOVE!

I am creating...A presentation on Ancient Flood stories. Or at least I was creating it this morning.

I am going...home in a few hours to work on some papers!

I am reading...Many, many, many books on Ancient Near East.

I am hoping...That I have a little energy this next week with finals

I am hearing...Normal office sounds

Around the house...things are looking a lot like Christmas :D

One of my favorite things...A warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate on a freezing day!

A few plans for the rest of the week...The HUBBY'S Birthday!!!! Soo excited!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

During our quick trip up to the Sac area to visit our family we wanted to take our Christmas pictures. so we decided to head up to Apple Hill and eneded up at the place we got married :D The pictures turned out great! It's so beautiful up there!!

Thankful Thursday #4

It's Thursday once again and that means, Thankful Thursday!

If you want to participate then just click on the button above and it will take you to the home page for Thankful Thursday! We would love for you to join us.

1) I am thankful for being able to go to college. I had to recently write a paper on academic progress and why it is important. It got me to thinking that I take advantage of the position I am in. So often I just think about that fact that when my hubby and I graduate we are going to have a LOT of student loans to pay off. Yet we are in such an amazing position. As Americans living in the present age we have more access to education than any other people in history! And yet so many people become apathetic about their education. College is seen as a time to party now and to just have fun. Yet they are missing the real point. I am so thankful that God has given me the skills he had to be successful in College.

2)I am thankful for my Hubby. I am a dreamer and I am a planner. About this time next year I will be applying to Grad schools so of course being the person I am, I have been adamantly searching for a school for the past 6 or 7 months. hehe. He is so supportive of me when I'm day dreaming about where I want to go. My most current dream is to attend NYU. They have an AMAZING ancient history program that would be perfect for me and for some reason for the past year or so I have really really wanted to live in New York City. I will most likely not end up there but the Hubby is so supportive of me dreaming and talking about it...a lot!

3) I am thankful for Christmas decorating! The Hubby and had a ton of fun last night putting up our decorations. Our apartment is all ready for Christmas and we are in the Christmas mood :D.

4)I am thankful for our home group at Foothill Church. We have had one thing after another come up the past 2 or 3 weeks and haven't been able to go to bible study. But we are getting back into the swing of things tonight and are excited to see everyone! *Happy Birthday Stevie*.

5) I am thankful for the little moments. I am pretty busy throughout the week. I am taking 17 units and I work 30 hours a week not to mention taking care of the Hubby, cleaning, and homework. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE what I do. I LOVE where I work and most of all I LOVE my classes. I LOVE being a biblical studies and history double major! But sometimes it gets busy and it's those little moments in the day that get me through. Such as being able to take a few minutes and post a blog :). Or waste some time on facebook or sit down and just talk with the Hubby. If only for a few minutes. Thank you God for those little moments.