Saudi Arabia Pudding..

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Jordan and I decided that on Wednesday afternoons we would get her girls (Kead & Sayla) together with the boys I am watching (Hays & Will) and bake! Jord bought this really cool book that has easy-to-make desert recipes from all over the world! So far we have only gotten to do one country- Saudi Arabia... we cooked vanilla pudding (I don't remember the real name) and the kids loved it! I am so excited that we are doing this... it gives us a chance to teach them about different countries, cultures, and food, as well as pray for the different countries. Hays keeps asking me, "Bret-ney, remember when we made that Saudi Arabia pudding?... that was good, we should do it again!" Hopefully we will get to soon!

a day of fun!

this Valentine's day Chase and I decided to spend all day on Saturday together (we had all sorts of meetings & my mom came to town on actual Valentine's day)! The morning started out with Chase cooking me my favorite breakfast... pumpkin pancakes, fried eggs, Cinnamon Swirl Dunkin Donuts coffee, fruit & orange julius all while watching "When Harry Met Sally", then we went and saw 1/2 of "Valentine's Day" (the movie theater & the whole block that it is located on lost electricity... so we will have to go finish it another day!), had cupcakes & watched "Hangover" with Amanda, and we completed the night at my favorite place... La Diosa! (a really yummy wine bar with live music and great food!) Also, the bag at the top is the Valentine tote I made Chase... a spin off an idea I got from: kojodesigns. To say the least we had a full fun day! No matter what Chase and I do or who we are with I LOVE just being with him. I am blessed to be married to my best friend! Happy (late) Valentine's Day!!

FINALLY...

it snowed while I was in town! For the past two winters it has seemed like we missed all the snow storms... whether it was in Albuquerque, Dallas, or Lubbock- we have been in the opposite place from where it snowed...but not today! I am loving it... I love how quiet it is outside when it snows, I love how clean it feels when it first snows (until it melts..), I love what snow brings.. scarfs, warm drinks and fires in the fireplace (not that we have one, but still...)

Anyway, just wanted to share a few pictures from our front yard!

scrapin' queens!

Brooke & I got to scrapbook ALL day on Saturday! Do you know happy that makes my heart?.... very happy! I love to scrapbook, I love my sister, and I love that we share this hobby together now! Ignore our non-make-up faces and scrub clothes, but notice the matching paper cutters (which my dad thought was great! and I do too...) and big wonderful mess!

thanks for a great weekend Brooke, Dad, Linda, & Chase!

a new phase in life...

my life is completely different than it was last year... I have a lot more free time to help prepare Chase and I to "go". We are starting our support raising and partnership development process. It is such a blessing that I have the time now to devote to all that this process entails. With this new found free time that I have, I have been trying to prioritize my time and make sure I make the most of it.. please be praying that I would do this well and serve Chase well in the process.

two weeks ago I started nannying the Hubik boys (Will- 9 months & Hays- 3 years old)! I am loving it! They are such sweet boys... I am learning how to play basketball, football, "bad-guys", and all sorts of other boy activities. Hays has a great imagination & is all about sports and Texas Tech- which of course I love! Will is a really great baby... he plays, giggles, pulls up, gets really excited when something funny happens or a toy makes noise... Enjoy some of the pictures I have taken thus far of these precious boys!

(left) Hays as "Raider Red"... Will posing for a picture at a game (right) Hays as Santa Claus... Will asking Santa for a book for Christmas- notice his beard... Jacob's sock! (all Hays' ideas!)

(left) Hays with his gift bag to collect gifts for all the children! (right) "Santa" eating his cookies

(left) sweet Will's toes! I love them! (right) Will pulling up on the chair

others Christmases...

I know this is a little late up here are a few pictures from our "other Christmases" this year! We are so blessed that we got to see all three families this year! thanks for all the great memories-- we love you all!

(left) Ben & Hagan playing with their new toys! (right) the McGough/Walker boys!

the McGough/Walker girls!

(left) Wonder where Colt gets it from?? (right) the whole family! Yey for finally having a group picture! thanks for cooperating with me everyone :)

our "little" Christmas together.... we opened stockings and a few other gifts in our living room a couple days after Christmas.

Dinner in La Mesa with Dad, Linda, Shawn and Krystin

(left) on our way back for the Chipmunk Squequel!

Orlando fun!

we had a GREAT time in Orlando! thanks for all your prayers!

the conference was super encouraging, we learned a ton and now have a grasp for what is next in our journey. due to the security in the area that we want to serve in one day, we will no longer be posting any specific information about our journey on this blog anymore. However, we will be starting to send out update newsletters and emails, so be on the look out for those. if you read this and think we do not have your email, please leave a comment with it on there- thanks!

we met a ton of great people while we were there. here are a few pictures of what we did...

amy, me, jord, & jenny on the dock at the lake

(this is also the lake the chase & drew went canoeing on)

we watched movies & played games with our new friends!

the campus was also a KOA (Kampgrounds of America)

the campus & a duck!

Urban Flats!... this REALLY good flat bread pizza place- delicious!

love these girls!

gotta love starbucks, scarfs, and sweaters on the beach!