December Is Here!

22 Days Until Christmas.

     It's December already! Becca actually just ran out of her room and said, "Did you know it's December? Because... I just found out."  A lot happened this past weekend.  We pulled out the Christmas decorations, put up the tree, decorated the house, made cinnamon ornaments, made a snowman, did some crafts, saw Frozen, bought the Frozen soundtrack, memorized the Frozen soundtrack, continue to sing the Frozen songs everyday, all day, Advent AND a new church year started, and I just finished making our Light 'Em Up advent calendar!

(Check out the Piano Guys rendition of Angels We Have Heard On High! It is beautiful and so neat how they do it!)

 

(Before)

 

 



 

(Note from Emma)

cat

mat

rat

eat

emma francis 6

 

(After)

 

 

 

     Sarah, Emma, and I made cinnamon ornaments while we were waiting to decorate the tree.  They were so easy, so fun, so pretty, and smell SO good!

 



 

All you need:

1 Cup of Applesauce

1 Cup of Cinnamon

Glitter (optional, but it shouldn't be)

 

Mix all of the ingredients together.

Put dough on wax paper and then put another sheet of wax paper on top and roll out until thin.

Choose your cookie cutters and then proceed to cut out the ornaments. 

Use a drinking straw to poke a hole on the top of the ornament so you can put a string through to hang it on the tree.

Place the cut out ornaments on a wax paper lined baking sheet.

Place in the oven at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours or until firm. 

 

This is the Pumpkin Pie recipe I used for Thanksgiving that I never shared.   It was the best pumpkin pie I ever tasted, I definitely recommend that you make one!

 

Classic Pumpkin Pie

 

Ingredients

1 disk pie dough (plus 1 disk, if decorating)

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (but if you just don't happen to carry actual nutmeg nuts, ground nutmeg works just fine. :) )

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

 

Directions

 

Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface.  Ease into a 9-inch pie plate.  Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges with your fingers.  Pierce the bottom and sides all over with a fork.  Chill at least 1 hour or overnight.  (Unless you are using packaged pie crust, then you can bake it and just let it cool off a bit before you put the filling inside.)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the chilled dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.  Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are golden, 20-25 minutes.  (Unless using packaged crust, follow the box instructions.) Remove the foil and weights and continue baking until the crust is golden all over, 10 to 15 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and let cool completely. 

 

Make the filling: Gently whish the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, 2 eggs, the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt (do not overmix).  Beat the remaining egg and brush on the crust edge; sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Pout the filling into the crust and bake until set around the edges, 50 minutes to 1 hour (the middle will still jiggle slightly).  Transfer to a rack; let cook completely.

 

I only took about 50 pictures of my beautiful pumpkin pie, but they are unfortunately not on this computer.  But I do have a picture of the snowman that Emma and I made! ...From the day after when it's nose, eyes, buttons, and mouth fell off.  But this is actually the first snowman I've ever made (I don't have any idea how that happened) and it was so much fun.  Did you know that if you make a small ball, and then roll it on the ground, it really does get bigger and bigger? It's not just in movies? It's real life!

 

 

 

I've also finished our Giving Plate!

 

The Giving Plate

This plate shall have no owner, for it's journey never ends, 

it travels in a circle of our family and friends.  It carries love from home to home for everyone to share.  The food that's placed upon it was made with love and care.  So please enjoy what's on the plate then fill it up again, then pass it on and the love holds on to your family and friends.

 

It was so easy to make, and it's a gift that keeps on giving, all year long! 

 

What you need:

1 white plate. (the cheaper the better)

1 Sharpie of any color, but the darker the better

 

To Make:

Make sure there is no oil on the plate, this prevents the Sharpie from staying on the plate after it's baked.  You can use rubbing alcohol to rub it off, but if you just bought it it should be fine.

 

Write the message.  You can even pick a quote to write on the backside too! I put a Mother Teresa quote and the year.  Which is 2013 in case you forgot.

 

After you've finished writing, put your plate in the oven.  After placing your plate in the oven, turn it on to 200 F.  By putting the plate in before you heat up the oven, it prevents cracking.  After the oven has finished pre-heating, set a timer for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, turn the oven off.  LEAVE THE PLATE IN THE OVEN UNTIL COMPLETELY COOL TO PREVENT CRACKING! Once completely cool, take the plate out and rub it with a wet cloth.  If the marker stays on, good job! Then comes the real test.  Put it in the dishwasher.  If the marker still stays on, you have a winner! If not, try again!

 

When we went Black Friday shopping, we went to Michaels, where they had a crazy sale on canvases.  So I have made some Christmas canvases!

 

 

My favorite

I ran out of space with the L.  But that is indeed an L. 

 

Tomorrow we start our Light 'Em Up Advent calendar and Kristi (Our Elf On the Shelf) comes back! We accidentally missed a few days.  But that's ok. 

 

Each day we will open a new bag, and there will be a random act of kindness to perform inside.  We will do it together and we will do it with joy, the only way things should be done! And it is my hope that we will all continue to practice these random acts of kindness throughout the year, spreading light wherever we go.  "Being kind isn't always easy or convenient.  But it has the potential to change everything." (-Cap Watkins)

 

Check back soon for more! Happy December!

 

Rachel Merry



 

 

 

 



 

                            

 

 

 

 

 



"What if today, we were just thankful for everything?" -Charlie Brown

Thanksgiving: Complete.  
26 days until Christmas.

     Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and there is so much to be thankful for.  I am so thankful for my family.  I am so Thankful for my friends.  I am so thankful for our freedom, and for the soldiers who have fought for it; the soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice for it; and the soldiers who are fighting for it right now.  Please especially keep those soldiers and their families in your prayers, especially during the holiday season when they cannot be with their families.  

     Even though Thanksgiving is over now, the time to be Thankful is not.  When is the time to be thankful? All the time. Keep the attitude.  The attitude of gratitude.   All year long.  It makes such a huge impact upon your own life and also the lives of those you come in contact with.  Have the attitude and spread the attitude, we need to start an epidemic! 

     So here's a little overview of our Thanksgiving,   We had some family and some great family friends over to celebrate with us! We had most of the food ready the day before, (If you didn't do that this year, do it next year, because that was really great) so we went to church in the morning and then met up with our cousins, came home and got the turkey (Which we forgot about and were frantically trying different ways to thaw out the day before, but it was really very delicious!) in the oven and did all of the other last minute preparations.  Then our friends came over and we did some cookie decorating and set up a little photo booth,(really just a Thanksgiving tablecloth nailed to the wall.  So easy and so fun, the kids loved it!)and the kids played in the snow.  A good time was had by all! 

Jack

And then there was the cookie decorating…

Out in the family room...

     Around 7:30 when we were cleaning up, Becca, Aunt Shelley and I decided to go black Friday shopping.  So we finished cleaning up, hopped in the car and drove to town.  The store opened at 8:00, and we got there just in time to stand in the line that wrapped around the building in freezing weather for a few minutes! And we enjoyed every minute of it! 

     After we finished at Target, (which took us no longer than 40 minutes, because we are very efficient shoppers and everything went very smoothly) we headed to Old Navy and Michaels.  Old Navy was packed.  Michaels was empty.  I mean empty.  It was open, but it was empty.  When you think of Black Friday, don't you think immediately of going to get crafts? Crazy people.  

     Oh, Christmas is next.  

     CHRISTMAS IS NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's time to put out your trees, decorate your house, listen to Christmas music, and spread the hope, joy, and love that this season is all about! This is a very special time, and so much can be done with it.   You can do so much with it.  What will you do with your time? 

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am thankful for all of you.  Thank you for reading! Check back soon for more! 

Rachel Merry

     

    

Frustrating Sugar Cookies

28 days until Christmas.

1 day until Thanksgiving.

Happy birthday to my great, great friend Hannah Vogt!

 

 

     We started our Thanksgiving food prep/house cleaning so we can decorate for Christmas (Our family tradition is to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, but this year, we are decorating the Sunday after Thanksgiving, if all goes according to plan!) today! We made stuffing, orange pecan cookies, and sugar cookies to decorate with our cousins when they get here.  The sugar cookies are so delicious, but they were SO soft when we were cutting them out with the cookie cutters, that I ended up doing it by myself and it was a little bit of a frustrating experience.  I think I might have mixed up the recipe a little bit.  But that's ok. :)

 

Pioneer Woman Christmas Cookies (I love, love, love the Pioneer Woman!)

(One recipe didn't yield that many cookies, so I would double it if you're baking for a crowd!)

Cookies:

2/3 cups Shortening

3/4 cups Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Grated Orange Or Lemon Zest (I just got a zester and it's my favorite thing ever!)

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

1 whole Egg

4 teaspoons Milk

2 cups Flour

1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

_____

EGG YOLK GLAZE:

1 whole Egg Yolk

1 teaspoon Water

2 drops (to 3) Food Coloring

_____

WHITE DECORATIVE ICING:

1 bag 2 Lb Powdered Sugar

1/4 cup Milk

2 Tablespoons Egg White (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Cream shortening, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla thoroughly. Add in egg and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the milk and mix.

Sift dry ingredients together, then blend into cream mixture. Divide dough in half (thirds if you double your recipe), slightly flatten between two sheets of waxed paper, then refrigerate for one hour (or freeze for 20 minutes).

While dough is chilling, combine egg yolk, water and food coloring to make the egg yolk glaze.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut into shapes with a cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to lightly greased cookie sheet and paint cookies (with a soft brush) with egg yolk glaze.

After brushing with egg yolk glaze, bake at 375 degrees for approximately 6 minutes. Do not allow the cookies to brown.

While cookies are baking, mix powdered sugar, milk and egg whites (which are optional) to make the decorative icing. Remove cookies from oven to a wire rack to cool. Then, using a pastry bag or Ziploc bag, pipe with white icing to decorate.

Note: when making the white decorative icing, make sure that it is thick and somewhat retains its shape.

 

     My favorite radio station, KLOVE, now has it's Christmas channel open on Klove.com! If you've never heard of it, check it out!  It's great and as you will hear if you give it a listen, it's "positive and encouraging"! Here's a few of my favorite ones...  

 

This Is Christmas - Kutless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYVWFZ07-U

Give This Christmas Away - Matthew West Ft. Amy Grant

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cmLOcvWkO8

Better Days - Goo Goo Dolls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5kWoSIBliE

Where Are You Christmas - The Piano Guys (You can find their whole Christmas album at Target or Wal Mart! We got it today.  IT IS SO GOOD!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRqjFcP_aw0

     Speaking of Christmas music, this Sunday is the first week of Advent! (That wasn't really entirely related, except in my own head.  *Christmas music - Advent - Christmas music at church)  we have lots of stuff to do!  But BEFORE any of that we need to enjoy Thanksgiving, of course! We did our Thanksgiving shopping, (in two trips) and both times we missed ALL of the pre Thanksgiving store crazies!!!!!! It was a WONDERFUL experience.  And it snowed again!  Hannah and I were driving and listening to "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", and IT SNOWED! That's never happened to me before! I was shocked! I was excited! It's a moment I'll never forget!

     When we got home from that wonderful drive, I was cleaning my room.  I came across a string of Christmas lights, (which I really, really enjoy.  In our last house I had hundreds, literally hundreds, hanging in my room.) that were really tangled up.  Before I untangled them I wanted to make sure that they worked, so I plugged them in.  I was captured by the beauty of the lights.  There is nothing quite like the pure, white, bright, steady glow of Christmas lights... To me they bring joy, hope, and peace, just like the true reason for the season does.  The two are very related in my mind. :) They were so beautiful, so I just left them plugged in there, in a ball on my floor, and it was wonderful. 

 (This picture does not do them justice, but you've seen Christmas lights before, so you know what I'm talking about.  Right? Or is it just me? :) )

 

 

 

So, I was just finishing getting over the sugar cookie frustration from earlier when my mom comes out and says, "Oh, those were really good cookies you made!"

Then I said, (I made them for when our cousins come so we can decorate them, mind you) "YOU ATE THEM???!?!?"

And she said, "Oh, just the broken ones you left out!!!!"

Then I said, "Oh. I wasn't mad."  

 

 

You may have noticed that I added to the sidebar! You can now sign up to receive an email whenever I post a new blog entry! Awesome, right? And it's so easy, too!

 

     I hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving! I mean REALLY enjoy it.  And by that I mean look around you and realize what you have; look around you and realize how blessed you are; look around you and be thankful! And by thankful I mean the attitude.  Get the 'tude of Thankfulness! Live it and love it!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Rachel Merry

 

 

Sorry, Been Baking!

30 Days Until Christmas.
4 Days Until Thanksgiving.

 (I really love this quote! It's a great reminder that being thankful isn't just saying "I'm so thankful..." it's an act.  You need to show  your thankfulness by sharing it with others! It's an attitude! Have an attitude of thankfulness. 

 

     So, it's been a while since my last post.  That is because I've been baking.  And cooking.  A lot.  I really love to watch the Food Network, and then I really love to cook what I see them make. Doing this brings me so much joy!

 

     So I'll share some of these recipes with you.  Some were great... some were not. 

 

 

 

 

Blueberry Muffins

 

These muffins, I kid you not, were so easy to make, and I've never had better in all my seventeen years of life. Earlier this year we went to pick our own blueberries so we had some fresh frozen blueberries that I used.  I actually made these three times in two days.  They were really good.  I got the recipe from a William-Sonoma cookbook that I'd never looked at until I got food-fever from the Food Network and then read all of our cookbooks. 

 

For the topping:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

 

For the muffins:

7 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen unsweetened blueberries, unthawed

 

Preheat the oven to 375.  Put muffin tins in muffin pan.  Set aside.

 

To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Using a pastry blender or your fingers, (I used my fingers which worked very well especially because the butter is cold and hard to break up.  And we don't have a pastry blender.  What's a pastry blender?) cut or rub the flour mixture just until coarse crumbs form. 

 

To make the muffins, in a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Ad  the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until blended into the butter mixture. 

 

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Ad  the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2 additions, alternating with the milk and vanilla.  Stir just until evenly moistened. (If you over stir, the muffins will be to dense!) The batter will be slightly lumpy.  Using a large silicone spatula, gently fold in the blueberries until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes.  Take care not to break up the fruit.  Do not overmix. 

 

Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, (I used a large ice cream scoop, because that makes sure that the muffins are all the same size, and it's much easier!) filling it level to the rim.  Sprinkle each muffin with some of the topping.

 

Bake the muffins until golden, dry on top, and springy to the touch, 20-25 minutes.  A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.  Cool muffins for 5 minutes (who even does that?) and serve with maple butter.

 

Maple Butter

(Makes about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

 

In a small bowl, with a silicone spatula, beat together the butter and maple syrup until well combines and completely smooth.  Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a recipe my sister Elizabeth is famous for making.  (Thank you for sending me my iPod back!) They are crunchy and chewy and perfect with a glass of milk! Great recipe for kids to help with!

 

Snickerdoodles

 

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. fine salt

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

(Yields about 20 cookies)

 

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

 

2.  With an electric mixer beat together the shortening and butter.  Ad  the 1 1/2 cups sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Ad  the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. 

 

3.  Mix the 3 Tbsp. sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl.  Roll the dough, by hand, into 1 1/2 inch balls. (That really matters, so get out a ruler.  Just kidding.) Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar.  Flatten the balls into 1/2 inch disks, spacing them evenly on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake until light brown but still moist in the center, about 12 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

This apple pie was delicious.  It was runny, because for some reason, whenever I bake pies, I see that the top is perfectly golden brown, and I think, "Wow! That was really quick.  It's perfect" and I pull it out.  And then every time it's a surprise to me that it's runny inside.  But it does always taste good! And it looked so pretty. 

 

     So, besides the baking, I've started making CHRISTMAS CARDS! I love to make my own cards, and this years cards are the best I've ever made, if I do say so myself.  But that's mostly because of Pinterest. 

 

     I had been meaning to go to Michaels to get all of the materials I needed, but then one night, I went into the garage, and right there, inside the door, was a bag.  Inside this bag there were boxes of blank cards, cardstock, buttons, ribbons, and scrapbooking paper.  It was the "Card-Makers bag of Heaven." So I scooped up the bag, pushed the need to clean my room down to second on my to-do list, and spent the night making cards and listening to Christmas music while everyone else was asleep.  It was magical. 

 

 

 

 





     My un-organized card making station.  Working around clutter is better, in my opinion, because it feeds your imagination and inspires creativity.  I love doing crafts.  They are magnifique! (I've also been speaking with a French accent a lot since I've been cooking and baking so much.)

 

     It started to snow again yesterday! In about 30 minutes we go a few inches, enough to have to shovel the driveway and be able to go sledding.  So some of us went out and (well, I shoveled) went sledding and then came back in and enjoyed some hot chocolate and banana muffins.  (I've been making a lot of muffins.)

 

 

 

Becca really doesn't care for the snow.  So yesterday, while it was snowing, I was in the kitchen, and I turned around.  There was Becca, sitting in this box, holding this sign.

 

 

"Handle with care.  Send to Bungalow 13, Bora Bora.  Is quiet.  Will work for an occasional apple sauce and an air mattress."

 

 

     Thanksgiving is in 4 days!!! I can't believe it! I'm so excited.  We're going to have a lot of little kids at our house, so I've been looking for some games that everyone can play.  One that I thought looked really fun was "Who's the Best?" You put everyone into a group of 4 or 5 people, depending on how many you have, and have somebody host the game.  Once everybody is in their groups, the host will announce a category, and each team picks somebody to represent their team.  The category will be something like "the tallest" or "the loudest".  After each team has someone to represent them, the host will then add to the category by saying "Who has the tallest thumb?" or "Who has the loudest snap?" For every round won you get 5 points.  The host keeps track of the points and the first person to 25 points wins!

 

     I also found a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition to start.  "The Giving Plate"

 

 

 

"This plate shall have no owner, for it's journey never ends, it travels in a circle of our family and friends.  It carries love from home to home for everyone to share.  The food that's placed upon it was made with love and care.  So please enjoy what's on the plate then fill it up again, the pass it on and the heart it holds to your family and friends." And it's great because you don't just do it during Thanksgiving! You can pass this plate around all year long!  

 

 

     I hope you are all enjoying this most wonderful time of the year! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 



 

 

Check back soon for more!

 

Rachel Merry

 

 

 

 



 

     

 

 

 

I.R.A.K.

39 DAYS 3 HOURS, 57 MINUTES AND 03 SECONDS UNTIL CHRISTMAS.

13 DAYS UNTIL THANKSGIVING. 

     A few years ago my family lived in Hawaii, and we were involved with a youth group called Club Beyond.  Every Wednesday night everyone would get together and we would eat, play games, play music, and then one of the leaders would give a talk.  One night the topic was "I.R.A.K.", or, Intentional Random Acts of Kindness.  Hearing about this really had an effect on me, because it was obvious what an effect it could make on the world.  The leader that night talked about how important it was to not only think of others before yourself, but to show them that you do.  He talked about how performing an intentional random act of kindness has the potential not only to show someone that you care about them, but if people really made a daily practice of I.R.A.K., it literally has the power to change the world!

 

    

          Think about it.  When someone does a random act of kindness for you, doesn't have a huge impact on you? On the rest of your day? Does it make you feel more charitable? Does it make you want to do the same for someone else? Yes.  Yep.  Sure does.  Yes! Now, think of how quickly this would spread if we all performed one I.R.A.K. every day.  Kindness is contagious and it's not hard to spread.  One small act of kindness, everyday, could make the world a better place.  During this most wonderful time of the year, it's the perfect time to start making a daily practice of I.R.A.K.'s.  It's almost Thanksgiving, start showing people kindness and letting them know that you are thankful to have them in your life.  Just one small, genuine act of kindness everyday.  You have the power to change the world.  I'm starting now.  Will you?

     I made a fun list of I.R.A.K.'s to give you guys some ideas!

1.  Write a note for someone having a bad day.
2.  Tape a quarter to one of those airplanes or trucks that kids always ask to ride on when you walk by them at the store.
3.  Call or send a text to someone that you haven't talked to in a long time to wish them a great day.
4.  On garbage day, tape thank you signs to the trash cans for the garbage men.
5.  Pay a stranger a compliment.  (I do that all the time, it's not weird, it's nice.  :) )
6.  Just smile! All day! At everyone!  
7.  Pay for the person behind you at a drive-through.
8.  Leave some cookies with this note at someone's door. 

 

 

     Since it's almost the day to be Thankful, my family is going to hang up a board in our dining room.  It will be called "The Thankful Board".  We are going to have a big pile of sticky notes next to it, and every day, we all have to write at least thing that we are thankful for and put it up on the board.  This is a great way to get yourself thinking about everything that you have.  It's a great way to really SEE how much you have.  We all have so much.  And we all take so much of it for granted.  Let's change that.  Let's really know and appreciate what we have, and live with an attitude of thankfulness. 

     We are starting to make our Thanksgiving menu! I'M SO EXCITED! I love Thanksgiving.  We have some family and friends coming over and it will be a great time together.  I'm very thankful for them!  What will you be doing for Thanksgiving? Do you have any fun traditions? What are you most thankful for?

     Remember to start doing one I.R.A.K. everyday, and encourage your family and friends to do so as well! Help each other! Love on another! Do it wholeheartedly! Spread joy! Change the world! 

(Pope Francis is really awesome.  He says to go help others, too!)

 

     Thank you for reading, I hope you are enjoying The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year! I know I am!

 

Check back soon for more!

 

Rachel Merry

    

42 Days Until Christmas.

     This morning when we woke up there was a perfect fresh white blanket of snow on everything.  The air was crisp and there was a cold wind blowing.  Winter is really beginning now!  

     Have you made your Light 'Em Up jar yet? We haven't either, don't worry.  :) But I am very excited to get it started! Even if you haven't made your jar yet, you don't have to wait to start spreading joy! This morning Sarah, Emma, and I went out to shovel our driveway and noticed that our neighbor wasn't home and hadn't shoveled theirs yet.  So we went and did it for them so they would have a nice surprise when they got home! However, it got a little warmer and the snow on all of the driveways melted away all by itself, so you couldn't tell. :)  But one of the great things about doing things for others is that you also help yourself grow in the process.  So even though they didn't get their surprise, it was still definitely worthwhile.  While we were shoveling, Emma said, "Oh, this is good.  Mom would be so pwoud of us." 

       When you're making your jar, keep in mind that the things you do don't need to be huge.  They can just be little things, like shoveling someones driveway, sending a surprise note to a friend, or doing something nice for someone in your family.  It's not in the size of the act, it's in the act itself.  The very fact that you're doing it, making an effort for that person, speaks volumes to them.  So every chance you get to do something kind for someone starting right now, do it! And share what you do with others because kindness is contagious and the world could use some more of it! 

     I'll have lots of pictures to share soon followed by recipes and crafts.  I unfortunately left my iPod (which is my camera) at my sisters college and she hasn't sent it back to me yet.  I was told she sold it, but when I asked her she just laughed really hard.  So… (This is a real story, but she didn't really sell it, don't worry.)

     Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Please share what you're putting on your Light 'Em Up list with me!  I would love to know! Go do some good! 

Check back soon for more!

Rachel Merry

P.S. I really love blogging.  It's so much fun, I don't know why everyone doesn't have a blog!