Good morning.  I have a very sad heart this morning because Lola is still missing.  I cried myself to sleep last night.  We have looked and looked for her. Jeff looked for her.  Jenna looked for her.  My mother-in-law and father-in law looked for her.   We put flyers in all of our neighbors mailboxes and e-mailed a picture of her to the dog pound in case they pick her up.  I miss her terribly.  Could you please pray that we will find her or that she will miraculously make her way home?  That no matter where she is that she is safe?  No she doesn't have her collar on that has her name tag.  We took it off because it was causing a huge irritation to her neck.  If you can think of anything else we can do please let us know.  I will update on here if we find her today.  I am keeping the faith that she will be found.

The parade was a lot of fun last night.  We sang Christmas carols with the kids and wished everyone a Merry Christmas as we went by and waved.  It was great seeing so many people that we knew.  Here are some of the kinder staff having some fun....Shelly Osuna, Patty Watson, Netty Ramirez, me, Jessica Silva, Lisa Alloway, Carla Paramo and Bethany Shirley with her dog Gus.

Today Jenna is coming over with Tyler and we are going to bake cookies.  Tonight is the big "Gilbert" Family Christmas party that Mike's brothers put on every year. Mike is smoking some meat for the party today.  So looking forward to that.  Then my work is having their Christmas party tonight too.  So after the one party.......we are heading over to the other party.  Looking forward to that one too.  It will definitely be an evening filled with laughter which I need right now.

I want to wish my brother-in-law Gregg a very "Happy Birthday" today!!!  I am looking forward to seeing you very soon.  Have an awesome day!!

Since I won't be blogging tomorrow I want to also wish my very sweet friends Ginna Gaddis and Genelle Billings a "Happy Birthday" tomorrow!!  Have a lot of fun tomorrow ladies!

Chargers play the Cowboys tomorrow..........Go SAN DIEGO!!!!!!!

Have a super day everyone!!  Today is another gift from God and He is so Good!  Thank you God for your comfort when we are so sad at times.

What Christmas activity are you doing or working on this weekend????

3:00 NEWS:  Lola (our dog) has been missing since this morning.  Could you please pray that we will find her and that she will be okay?  I will keep you posted.  Thank you so much. 

Good morning!!  Here is a picture of my little guy just smiling for Nanie!  He does this every so often but catching it on a camera has been hard.  I finally did yesterday.  He is such a punkin.  This Nanie loves him so much!  He is always a happy little guy too.

Tonight is the Christmas parade of lights in Imperial.  I will be on a float with the other kinder staff at Waggoner and about 100 kindergarteners.  So if you don't have any plans for tonight, come on out to the parade and watch.  Should be a lot of fun!

Christie Ellis.........Thank you so much!  It is beautiful!  I am going to wait and open one each day for the 12 days of Christmas.  You are so talented and thoughtful.  Love it!!

This is going to be another busy but fun weekend.  We have two Christmas parties to go to, baking cookies, church and of course the football game.  Hopefully I will get some wrapping done too.  Have a fabulous Friday everyone!!!  Today is another gift from God and HE is so Good!!  Thank you God for being the reason for the season.

Have you seen Santa yet???  Where did you see him??  We did.....at the mall.

Good morning!!!  Oh my gosh....oh my gosh.....ooooohhhhh............. myyyyyy..........goooossshhh......the kids musical play last night was so very cute!  I loved every minute of it.  They did a wonderful job!  I have capability to put pictures on again and I had to share a couple with you.  Here are Ryan, Jenna and Tyler playing Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.  When they walked out onto the stage and sat down I started to cry happy tears.  I was thanking God so much for being healthy and for being able to be there to see this precious moment.  I was over whelmed with happiness and joy!  I just love the Christmas season and hearing the telling of the story of the birth of Jesus through little children.

Here is another picture with a couple of angels and wise men and a camel head.  So cute!

I need to let you all know that I am receiving all of my e-mails but since we got the new computer Monday night I haven't been able to send out any e-mails.  Hopefully Mike will have that fixed tomorrow.  Just please know that I got them and will write back soon.  Please know that I have added the prayer requests and I am praying!

Denise Rogers and Tom Wright........awesome job last night!!  Michelle Sexton....my hat is off to you for putting on such a cute and well done show!

Have a super day everyone!  Today is another gift from God and He is so Good!!!  Thank you God for laughter!

Do you have a nativity scene set in your house for the holidays?  Yes I do!

The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  From Luke 2 

Good morning!!!  How is everyone's week going?  I have had lots of pictures to share with you but can't post them right now.  Our old computer died on Monday (bummer) and we don't have everything transferred to our new computer yet.  Hopefully Mike will have that done this weekend.  So I am hoping to get some pictures up next week if not sooner.  I wanted to share with you another favorite cookie recipe I make every year.  It is delicious!  I make a ton of different cookies but always make this one.

ALMOND SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Cookies:

2/3 C Sugar

1 C Butter, softened

1/2 t Almond Extract

2 C Flour

Glaze:

1 C Powdered Sugar

1 1/2 t Almond Extract

2-3 t Water

Filling: 1/2 C of your favorite jam

Heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, butter, and almond extract.  Beat at medium speed, scaping bowl often until creamy.  Stir in flour until well mixed.  Shape dough into one inch balls.  Place on a cookie sheet, with thumb make an indentation in the center of each cookie.  Fill each indentation with a little jam, bake 14-18 minutes until edges are slightly browned. Let stand one minute, remove from sheet and cool on rack then drizzle with glaze.

If you happen to have a favorite cookie recipe....please share it with us all here.  I would love to try it!

Everyone that has been giving me prayer requests lately......I have them in my book and I am faithfully praying!  leslie@mgilbert.net

Terrie O.....Loved the gingerbread cookie ideas that Colton brought!  It had you written all over it!  Super idea that I will steal and use in the future!  Very fun!!

Tonight is the little kids Christmas musical at our church where my little sweet Tyler will be baby Jesus and Ryan and Jenna will be Joseph and Mary.  I love to watch little children sing.  Really looking forward to the program tonight!

Have a wonderful day!!  Today is another gift from God and He is so Good!!  Thank you God for the birth of your son Jesus!

Are you listening to Christmas music in your car??  I sure am!  I love it!  One of my favorites is Oh Holy Night.  What are some of your favorites??

When they had seen him, they had spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them in her heart.  To be continued....

Good morning!!  Wow did it rain a lot here yesterday!  Then the cold wind kicked up.  Anyone see any snow yet where they live?  I wanted to share this sugar cookie recipe with you all.  It is so good!  Susan Beach gave it to me when my kids were little and they have been our Santa Claus cookies every year since.  It is the Cookie Monsters recipe from Sesame Street.  Once you try it you are hooked!  The kids loved decorating sugar cookies every year for Santa.  We made a huge mess in the kitchen and I loved every minute of it.  Great memories!  Ones that I plan on teaching Tyler too.  Do you have some great memories of baking Christmas cookies with your kids or as a kid growing up?

COOKIE MONSTER SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:

3/4 c. softened butter
1 c. sugar 
2  eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
Put the butter into a bowl; measure and pour sugar over the butter.
Squish the butter and sugar together with a fork or pastry blender until totally blended.
Gently break open each egg, and pour each into mixture in bowl.
Measure and add vanilla; blend mixture with fork again.
Measure and add flour to the mixture in bowl. Measure and add baking powder and salt, and sprinkle each over the top of the flour in the bowl.
Mix it alllll together with the fork, or with Very Clean Hands ;-) Chill the dough for at least an hour.
On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 " thick and cut into shapes.
Ordinary-sized cookies bake at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes.
If you make Giant Cookies, reduce heat by 25 degrees (375 Degrees F.) and baking time may be double, or nearly 15 minutes (check towards end of estimated bake time).

Our church is putting on a little Christmas program with the kids on Wednesday and Ryan, Jenna and Tyler are going to be Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.  Isn't that cute?  Of course I will be there to take pictures!

I am running late again so I need to go.  Have an awesome day everyone!  Today is another gift from God and He is so Good!!  Thank you God for your unconditional love for us.

Do you have a count down calendar at your house for the kids?  Do you put treats inside for each day?

When the angels had left them and gone to heaven the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about."  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in a manger.   To be continued.....