Memory Ornaments

I have seen those pretty ornaments on Pinterest with the curled pieces of an invitation or birth announcement in a clear glass Christmas ornament.  I have always wondered how you can easily read it all, though.  There are just some things you want to be able to revisit and read!

This year I decided to make memory ornaments for my boys.  I bought clear plastic ornaments at Michael's and then wrote out memorable moments for each boy over the past year.  I Mod Podged these onto the outside of the ornament and then stuffed the clear ornament with Burlap.  The top will have a tag eventually that says, "Carter 2012" or "Micah 2012." 

A burlap ribbon tied at the top would be pretty, but I didn't have any at home.  White ribbon looked nice too.

Carter had a fun year of firsts:  started first grade, learned to read, lost first tooth, played baseball/t-ball for the first time. . . Micah also had some fun things to remember:  Potty trained, started preschool, started speech, and learned his ABC song. 

I also added likes and dislikes to the lists.  Since all this is pasted on the outside of the ornament, I easily can go back and remember the highlights of each year as these ornaments dot our tree.

Start your own family memory ornaments.  They will be fun to revisit each year and the beginning of a fun family tradition.

Beautiful Decline

Romans 8:18-25
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

It is getting scarier and scarier to look in the mirror in the morning.  Wrinkles, skin splotches, gray hair--things aren't staying put together the way they were fifteen years ago.  I have daily medicine for my thyroid and vitamins to help keep the germs at bay.  I am reminded often that this physical shell is not going to work forever.  Even with exercise, diet and hard work, we all fade physically.

My husband made the observation that we hit our peak physically in our teens and twenties, and the rest of our lives are a slow (sometimes fast) decline.  Rather than be depressed by this, he pointed out the positive to what God has put in place.  Because we age, we spend most of our wiser years being reminded by God that this earth is temporary, that our world and our bodies are cursed with sin and death, and that we need to focus on eternity and the more important eternal status of our souls. 

Through aging, God motivates us to have faith in Jesus as our Savior.  Our mortality and physical failings should prompt us all the more to know we cannot rely on selves and our good works.  We are incapable and frail.  If we can't keep our health and physical appearance in check, how can we save our souls?  It reminds me of the Matt Redman song, You Alone Can Rescue, that opens, "Who, oh, man, can save himself, his own soul can heal?"  No one.  We can't.  Thankfully, Christ gave us righteousness and paid for our sin on the cross if we repent and have faith in what Jesus did.  Our souls can be saved through Him.

I often think that this fact explains why the world is so obsessed with physical perfection, makeup, cosmetic surgery and youth.  The world does not want to dwell on God, the sin plaguing us all, and the need for a Savior to repair the separation we have from God.  Blemishes, wrinkles, gray hair, extra pounds, and disease are reminders that we die and physically fail because of sin.  We are cursed by sin and separated from our Creator.  Such physical problems remind us we need a relationship with God.  We need a Savior.

Though it is painful and hard to age, as Christians we can find hope in the experience.  We can realize the world is slowly fading away, just like our bodies.  It is a beautiful decline to those in Christ, to those with the promise of Heaven.

Hebrews 6:19-20   "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

Birthday Flight

My birthday was at the end of September, and my sweet hubby surprised me with an afternoon flight to Catalina for lunch and pictures.  Our sweet friend, Jason, has his pilot's license and offered to  fly a rented plane for us. 

We took off in a rented 4 seat plane from Orange County and landed in the "airport in the sky" for lunch, a short hike and some picture taking.

What a fun hubby I have!  He completely surprised me, and it is a birthday adventure I'll always remember!

Enjoy the pics!

Getting ready for our adventure

Flying in the cockpit

The beautiful coast of Catalina Island

Twin Harbors, Catalina Island

Enjoying lunch on the patio at the airport in the sky

Taking a mini hike and enjoying the island

Airport in the Sky with my sweetie

The historical hanger at the Catalina Airport

The controls were so interesting!

Our thoughtful pilot, Jason

A Night Away in Julian

We had a perfect fall weekend, even though the temperatures were still in the high eighties and low nineties.

We left home on Friday night and had a family get away in the quaint little town of Julian.  Julian is a historic, beautiful, little town in the middle of the southern foothills of Southern California. It is known for its annual Apple Days and the many apple orchards all around.

We had apple picking time, a tour of a gold mine, "gold" panning, a mini train ride, and lots of good country cooking and eating. 

If you live in Southern California, set late September or early October aside for a day trip or quick weekend to Julian.

Here's a little documentary in pictures.

We picked organic apples at Apple Starr farms.  The boys loved it.

The apple trees were filled with tons of apples ripe for picking.

Success!

Cheesy posing

What a beautiful day!

The downtown district in Julian is so quaint and cute.

We visited Smith Ranch to do a train ride, "gold" panning and tour a gold mine.

The little train we rode up to the gold mine.

The Smiths collect historical artifacts on their ranch.  This flag has only 48 stars and dates back to Roosevelt's time, and the cannon is from the Mexican American war.

 

Micah LOVED all the educational lessons they were teaching.  We got to feel the equivalent weight of a brick of gold.

They got to pan for gold.  When they found the "gold" nuggets, they took it into the general "store" and traded it for licorice sticks.

Micah wanted as much "gold" as possible so he could get lots of licorice.

They had a rope bridge obstacle course which Carter loved.

They had a historic gold mine on their property dating back to the late 1800's.  We all took turns going inside and seeing the quartz veins running through the walls and ceilings.

Carter and Micah got to ride into the mine on an old fashioned mine car.

I got to wear the obligatory hard hat. . .

Another view of the historic downtown buildings.