Two Special Birthdays

{Scott's mom, Lindsay and my mom}
Today is my precious Mom's birthday! How blessed I have been to have been raised by such a selfless, giving and fun woman.
She does so much for others, she always has. My Mom has been quite a role model for me and I really, really appreciate it now that I am a mother myself. She has loved me like no one ever could. It took her nine years and many surgeries to even have a baby (and here I am!) She LOVES my girls...I mean LOVES them!

Her 36 years of teaching Kindergarten certainly prepared her for grandchildren! She and Lindsay have an especially close bond. She came to stay with us after Lindsay's illness and subsequent brain injury. She rocked that baby and loved on her like only a grandma could.

She {and my dad} have paid for my children to attend a christian school, what value could ever be placed on that?

She has been a wonderful part of my children's lives and I am so thankful that they know her so well!
My mom has taught me to overcome difficulties with laughter and grace.

How blessed I am to have such a wonderful Mama! I will be forever grateful that God gave me to you! I love you!
Happy Birthday!!

My sweet husband shares the same birthday as my mom! December 8th must be reserved for special people.

I am so thankful to have found this guy who would become my husband and the very wonderful father of our three girls. What a patient and selfless man!

I can't even imagine how it must have felt that day that the third girl came along...
Scott has always been so good to his own mother and now he is to the rest of his girls too! God created him with an extra dose of patience and love to be able to live with 4 females! I do believe that Daddys that have all girls are a special breed.

There couldn't be a more patient, hands-on,

sweet Daddy!

Oh how blessed are the lucky girls who get to call you Daddy and have you as their protector and guide through this world.

The way you serve others and give without reserve is an inspiration to all of us!

You were the gift on December 8th!

{you always make the ordinary days fun for the girls...even the girl dog :) }
and I am so glad to be riding down life's road with you!
Happy Birthday! I love you XOXO

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Redneck Apple Dumplings

While Shae was home over Thanksgiving my mother-in-law, Dottie, had us over for dinner. She made a yummy dessert that I HAD to get the recipe for.
She hesitated to give it to me though. I wondered what the big deal was....
After we "oo-ed and aw-ed" enough over the delicious treat, she finally shared the recipe with me. Dottie's college BFF from Bob Jones University, Jean, had given her this recipe. Jean lives in Tennessee and Dottie always raves over Jean's "darling house", the way she decorates and especially over her cooking!
But this recipe just CRACKED ME UP! It sounds so disgusting, almost. Somehow it works and is so delicious! The copy of the recipe Dottie gave me doesn't have a title, so I have affectionately named this dessert, "Redneck Apple Dumplings" and you will soon see why!

2 Large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
2 (10 ounce) cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar (eek, I knowwwwww! )
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle of Mountain Dew (told you! REDNECK!)
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll starting at the smallest end. ( I think they might look cute rolled from big end to small end too) Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla then pour over the dumplings. Pour the can of Mountain Dew over the dumplings and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
Before serving, spoon some of the "sauce" from the pan over each dumpling. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Yummm!!!

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Turkey Trot/Turkey day

The annual Redding Turkey Trot took place on Thanksgiving morning, so Scott took Anna and Shae to get a little pre-meal exercise.

It was a beautiful morning after a week of rain and cold temperatures. The foothills had snow and the Fall leaves were still colorful.

They did the two miles with ease. There were so many people that you had to walk most of the time instead of run. Lindsay and I might join them next year, we stayed home to get the house and food ready for company.

My girls are so blessed to have a Dad who will do these things with them!

I am sure it felt good to get moving early in the morning!

The Sacramento River Trail is a beautiful location for such an event.

Shae has enjoyed FOOD (in general) the most this week at home, college food just isn't the same. It's back to "The Rot" this week for her!

After our feast Brad, Beckie and Austin tried out the Wii Just Dance game...Hilarious!

It was sure fun having all my chicks back in my nest for the week. I already miss Shae, but she will be home in 3 weeks!

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I'm Thankful

Lindsay has really suffered while Shae has been at college. Her simple, innocent mind can't really grasp how far away Virginia is or when Christmas is. Shae was originally only going to come home in December.

But when Grandma Welms heard about how hard it has been on Lindsay (here she is in Shae's bedroom doorway) and when I told her that Lindsay asks every morning "is Shae coming home for Christmas today?", she insisted on buying Shae a ticket home for Thanksgiving.

I managed to find a ticket coming home on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and leaving the Friday after Thanksgiving. (I am already dreading the goodbyes)

We decided to surprise the girls...and we managed to keep the secret! We took a little "shopping trip" to Sacramento with the girls and Scott's parents. We stayed in a hotel and then went to the airport the next morning....to "pick something up". Scott is a private pilot and flies down to Sacramento to drop off and pick up staff kids a lot, so it wasn't unusual to go to the airport.

Scott had them come inside to "help", Anna was first to see Shae!

Then Shae walked up to Lindsay....

Lindsay jumped into Shae's arms!

It was the purest expression of JOY ever!!

We took a little ride to the mall with Shae being clung to by Lindsay!

We had to visit the Apple store and ride the merry go round.

On the way back to Redding Shae had her much anticipated first meal in California-

In-N-Out!

We drove the two hours home.

Lindsay wasn't letting Shae out of her sight!

Thank you to Grandma Welms for sending us this sweet package!

(and you don't even get to see her!)

This will be a Thanksgiving none of us will forget. What fun to pull off a surprise!

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift"

2Cor. 9:15

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Liberty Girl

When we got to Lynchburg for the wedding Shae had the next few days planned out for us.

There were certain places she wanted to eat and places around campus to show us.

Papa stayed at The Mansion right on campus so he and Shae had a few meals before we got into town but she saved the yummy Italian place for us!

The next day Scott's dad spoke in Dr. Wheeler's EVAN class in the seminary. Dr. Wheeler's daughter, Kara, is Shae's roommate! It was a class of ministry majors, so they listened intently as the veteran of youth ministry shared.

At the end of Gordon's talk Dr. Wheeler called his leaders up to lay hands on and pray for Scott and Gordon and our ministry. It was such a special time.

Fall is so beautiful in Virginia but we missed the best week of the colorful leaves I think. The LU monogram still takes your breath away, no matter what time of the year it is!!

A "Must See" on Shae's list was the LU Baseball office. We met Coaches Daniels, Toman and Quinn whom we have heard about non-stop! Shae LOVES her job there and she LOVES the coaches. We were able to deliver the baseball blankets that day too!

I think Shae might actually like working better than doing homework!

Apparently she has some skills too!

She shared her talent of popcorn making with us, and there was a steady flow of cute boys following their noses to the popcorn machine. Smart girl, that one.

We HAD TO go find Ed Gomes on the football field while we were in town. He is one of Scott's very favorite people from his days with Liberty Football. Ed is the team chaplain and they are one lucky team to have such a dynamic Christian man working with them.

The new stadium is unbelievable!

It was fun watching the boys running plays and practicing for the next day's game.

Shae was slightly offended by the fanciness of the whole football department...even the elevator was huge and fancy!

She was a great tour guide and we had a wonderful time just seeing her in her new life at Liberty. It was so nice to see how well she has adjusted to life in Virginia {without us...}. It is also reassuring to this Mama to see that so many people are looking out for her in my absence! I hope we can go back again soon!!

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