Random Life from Thankful to Christmas

This was posted on December 31, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

Good morning! I’m way overdue on a Random Life post, so make yourself a good cup of something hot and enjoy a peek into family life. Mid-November brought frigid temperatures early to our area along with gorgeous snow right after Thanksgiving. We packed so much into the last 7 weeks, from work to shipping Finding Change, to babysitting, to lots of special family times.

I’ll share Christmas celebration pictures later!

Signing off until next year! 🙂 Happy New Year!

Love,
Sarah

Jesse at the Apologetics conference with friends.

We ladies went to a local Christmas parade with GiGi the weekend Dad and Jesse were gone.

A brisk Sunday afternoon walk in Weston.

Snow! Some of us were recovering from a stomach virus, but the girls didn’t have it and shoveled the snow. We got about 7″.

The slide was so icy at the bottom the kids shot off and had a blast.

This little guy is adorable! (And yes, we know the child who staged the picture didn’t quite get the spelling correct).

Speaking of Ellie, one evening, while we watched the kids, I let them give Ellie a bath.

You never know who you’ll have around for dinner.

Mary shipped out Finding Change to homes across the world!

Some days just call for quiet and solitude.

Melanie and the girls enjoyed taking part

Puzzle time when we girls stopped in at GiGi’s

Our friends helped with Titus2 projects. We shrink-wrapped *Managers of Their Homes* books and Scheduling Kits.

Nathan took his family for a night away.

Christopher’s family dropped in one evening. Their children memorized part of the Christmas story which they shared with friends and neighbors throughout the season.

The little girls gifted our friends with things right before Christmas.

We took an evening to go out for dinner and then listen to the 12 Voices of Christmas.

After a cold November, December has been mild. This has been great for running off energy!

“And the fruit of righteousness is sown
in peace of them that make peace.”
James 3:18

Happy 1st Anniversary, John and Chelsy Maxwell!

This was posted on December 30, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

Today, John and Chelsy celebrate their very first anniversary! This happy couple is preparing for the birth of Baby Maxwell due next month. Both John and Chelsy have a heart for kids, and it’s exciting to see an arrow being added to their quiver.

Happy Anniversary, John and Chelsy! We love you.

“And whoso shall receive one such little
child in my name receiveth me.”
Matthew 18:5

Elissa Maxwell’s Favorite Christmas Recipe

This was posted on December 28, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas celebration! I’m here to share the final installment of the sisters-in-law favorite Christmas recipe.

Love,
Sarah
PS – Special thanks to Joseph and Elissa for taking the photos! 🙂

Elissa’s Stuffing
Adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe

6 TB. butter
1 large celery stalk (with leaves), chopped (3/4 cup)
6 TB. finely chopped onion
4 1/2 cups soft bread cubes
3/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/8 tsp. pepper

(Makes enough for at least a 4-5 lb. chicken or turkey. You can easily double this recipe to make a larger batch for a bigger bird.)

Melt butter over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until tender; remove from heat. Toss celery mixture and remaining ingredients. Stuff the poultry of choice, then put extra stuffing in a foil “pouch” in the pan next to the bird. Place a piece of foil over the stuffing on the bird to keep it from burning. Brush bird with butter. Cook (stuffed bird) at 350º for 20 minutes per pound plus 15 minutes extra. If the bird is large and takes a number of hours to cook, baste every hour. Enjoy!

“And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there,
and rejoice before the Lord thy God.”
Deuteronomy 27:7

A New Book Smile

This was posted on December 27, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

This picture delighted me on Christmas Day when a sweet mom sent it over. I love to think of all the happy kids who received Finding Change for Christmas!

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will
and to do of his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:13

Merry Christmas 2018

This was posted on December 25, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

We want to wish you all a joyful Christmas filled with gratefulness
for Jesus coming to earth and giving His life for us!

Merry Christmas!
Steve, Teri, Sarah, Anna, Jesse, and Mary

“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:7-8

Sharing Christ’s Love to our Neighbors

This was posted on December 21, 2018 by Sarah Maxwell.

Our yearly tradition of caroling is something we all look forward to — and one that we hear our neighbors do too! Comments like, “It wouldn’t be Christmas without this!” — touch us. It shows what love and joy does. It shows how in the hustle and bustle of everything Christmas, it is good to slow down and remember how important people are.

Mom figured out how many batches we’d need to make of our traditional Poppy Seed Loaves (you can find the recipe at the link), shopped for the ingredients, etc. Mary designed the card, and then we had a work party. We enjoyed having some of our friends visiting, and they added to our caroling party + voices!

I’d love to hear some of y’alls caroling experiences!

Love,
Sarah