Carden Family Fun List: Winter Edition

Let me preface this list with letting you know that I am aware that there are no snowmen in Phoenix, and that they certainly aren't hanging out with cacti. It just so happened that when I drew that graphic I decided a snowman would a.) be easy to draw and b.) a cactus would too.

I realize this list is ambitious, but we have three months to achieve them and I think it's do-able. Many of them are centered around the Christmas holiday, so that makes it easier. And to give our family a jump start I made sure to list "Celebrate St. Nikolas Day", which was on the 6th. Mark one off the list!

So in no particular order of importance, I give you the:

Digital Sketchbook: Peace on Earth

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I recently saw this showcased here. If you get a chance, watch this live version by Casting Crowns. It's the song that really got me into the Christmas spirit. (I'm pretty much in love with any song that has a good choir in the background.) 

Come again?

Um, what's that you said Mr. Weatherman? No, no...I'm sorry, you must be wrong. I thought I moved to Arizona.You know, one of the southernmost states in the U.S? What you are showing me can't possibly be correct, because truth be told, I was sort of envisioning a 70 degree December.

Oh...I guess you're right. I am new here. I should just put on an extra few layers and embrace the chilly weather as I'm sure that my fellow family and friends up North may be just slightly cooler. Just a little bit.

Friday 5 {Weekly Gratitude List}

1. Holiday Decorating: Having guests gave me the motivation to take down all of the fall decorations and put up our Christmas decor. I love how festive it looks right now at our place. All we need to do is get a tree. I'm looking forward to Aliyah's holiday experience and creating some family traditions now that she's older and can really get into it. 
2. Our First Arizona Guests: Aunt Bri and Emeca couldn't stay away from Aliyah for long. We were surprised to find out earlier this week that they were heading our way on a last-minute business venture. Our first guests! They're here until Saturday morning and we are enjoying their company. 
3. Birthday Wishes: I turned 29 on Monday. Sebastian was so good to me and made sure I felt special all weekend and Monday. I received cards from my mom, my brother and his family, Aliyah and the cats (Sebastian may have helped.) All in all it was a pretty sweet day. Now I need to start thinking about what to put on my "Thirty before 30" list. One more year!
4. An Underbooked Flight: On the way home from our Georgia Thankgiving we had a red-eye flight back to Arizona. I dreaded the thought of having a crabby, confined 1-year old on a plane in the middle of the night. I said a whole-hearted thank you prayer to God as we lifted off for giving us an empty seat in our row. It was amaaaaazing. Aliyah still only got about an hour of sleep on the plane, but at least the hours she was awake she was able to stretch her legs. 
5. Baked Potato Pizza: I seem to post a lot of food here, but I couldn't resist. This pizza is absolutely delicious. I don't really consider myself an outstanding cook, but I may need to post this recipe so everyone can experience the joy that is Baked Potato Pizza. 

Aliyah and her PawPaw

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving this year at Oma and PawPaw's house in Georgia. Delicious food, sweet company and lots and lots of fun. More photos and details to come. For now, here's a photo of Aliyah and her beloved PawPaw spending some quality time together.