It's a "peppermint" world............

OH. MY. WORD.  I am seriously in peppermint heaven.  The only problem with my peppermint addiction is the phrase "limited edition".  On the other hand, maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

Look what I found this week at Target.  And, no I didn't buy any.  Thankyouverymuch.  I still have quite a stash in the freezer from last year!

And, look what I found two weeks ago at the grocery store.  And, yes, I most certainly bought some.  In fact, right now, I have 8, yes EIGHT, bottles of this in my fridge.  Hey--they're good until March.  Don't judge.

And, finally, last weekend, after our very unsuccessful attempt at trick or treating in the rain, we took the kids to Chick-Fil-A in a sad effort to salvage their evening.  I tried one of these.  I shouldn't have.  They are DELICIOUS.  I can assure you with almost 100 percent certainty that I will have way too many of these before they retire to "limited edition" heaven until next year.

And she was sorely tempted........

Oh the post-Halloween temptation.  For some reason, this verse keeps coming to mind...

For we do not have a high priest 

who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, 

but we have one who has been tempted in every way, 

just as we are—yet was without sin.

But, strangely, I'm not finding much comfort in that passage these days.  Somehow, I just can't imagine that they had Kit-Kats, mini Baby Ruth bars, and bite-size Snickers in ancient Jerusalem!  Sigh...........

Only in Carroll County.......

Saturday night before we headed out to trick or treat, we enjoyed pizza with friends.  On our way to their home, we stopped at the local Royal Farms to grab some pop and chips.  Sawyer, dressed in all his hippie costume glory, insisted on accompanying me into the store.  (Yes.  I was thrilled.)  We chose our items quickly and went to stand in line and wait our turn to check out.  As we were waiting, the following conversation transpired in front of us between the cashier (a woman) and a customer (a man), who appeared to be spending his life savings on lottery tickets.

Customer:  Hey, C, take that mask off.  The sign says you can't wear your mask into the store.

Cashier:  Why don't you take yours off?  Yours is worse than mine!

Customer:  Yeah?  Well I'll go home and get my teeth.  Then I could be Dracula.

Cashier:  Want to borrow MY teeth?

By now it was my turn to check out.  Thankfully.  I stepped up to the register, trying to elbow Sawyer so he would stop gawking.  At the same time, an OLDER lady walked up behind us and said "Peace, man." to Sawyer.  In true Sawyer fashion, he didn't utter a word, just gave her the peace sign and looked away.  She laughed at him, then nudged me and said "That was us just a few years ago, huh?"   

WHAT?  After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I said "Not me.  Thank you very much."  And pushed Sawyer out the door!

Then, to top it all off, as we drove to their home, we passed the Gamber Firehouse with its lovely sign proclaiming "Carroll's Best Bingo."  Yikes!  Who says all the rednecks live in Frederick County!?!

E is for "Excepted"......

Of course, I know it's "accepted" but that wouldn't work with my "E" theme, now would it?  So you'll have to bear with me........

We are so proud and excited to announce that Brooke was accepted at our alma mater, Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.  Lord willing, she will start there as a freshman in the fall of 2010. 

I have to admit one minute I'm very proud and the next I'm very sentimental, thinking about her leaving home and wondering where the years have gone?  But we are so excited to see what amazing things God has planned for Brooke.  We are thankful for her sensitivity to HIS leading in her life and look forward to the years ahead.

We love you Brooke!  Way to go!!

E is for.....

Eternity--which I will spend with Jesus Christ in the new heaven and new earth.  I pray for the rapture regularly!

Eclair Cake--one of my favorite desserts!  And mine is the best because I make my very own from-scratch chocolate icing.  I'm sorry but eclair cake with canned icing is just wrong on so many levels.  Honestly, canned icing is just wrong--period.  But that's another post!

Estee Lauder, Sunflowers perfume--it will always and forever remind me of my mom.

Etienne Aigner--all the rage at my small private school in the 80s.  I had one of these and one of these and my mom had one of these, which I distinctly remember rummaging through looking for Velamints during some very long sermons! 

Epi-pen--which I carried with me everywhere for ten years, due to a severe allergy to bees.  Thankfully, I never had to use it!


Evergreen, first book in the Werner family saga, by Belva Plain--a World War II historical fiction series that I read in high school.  Some of the best books I have ever read.  In fact, I may have to read them again soon.  In all my free time, you know.

Evenhouse, Gwenyth M.D.--the lovely British doctor/midwife, who delivered Brooke.  I loved her.  She was amazing.   

In Every Season.......

All of my life

In every season

YOU are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship
(Desert Song, Brooke Fraser)

The Hair Ball

Last weekend, Brooke had the amazing opportunity to participate in a local breast cancer fundraiser put on by a local salon and appropriately titled the "Hair Ball".   The spa owners attend our church and graciously asked Brooke to sing at the event.  Of course, she was thrilled to oblige, and Jeff and I were able to sneak in the back and hear her sing "The Climb" and "Anyway".  She did a great job!

We are so proud of Brooke and the chances she has been given to use her talents.  Last week, we were excited to hear that she was invited to sing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as part of a small choral group, during their Christmas production of The Polar Express.  We are so grateful for these opportunities that God has given her!