16 and 50

 Birthday season is here! For the Gimenez family the majority of our birthdays fall in the first half of the year. So we stay pretty busy celebrating!

First up was Silas. This guy turned 16 this year🙂 I can't believe it's been that long! Especially since we announced that we were expecting him on this blog. 

He had been planning his birthday "cake" for a long time. He wanted a pecan pie without the pecans. Is there such a thing? So I did my homemade pie crust and then the filling for the pie and poured it in without adding any pecans.

And the result? I don't think I'd try that again!🙂🙂

Next up is Patrick. This year he's celebrating 50 years! We had to celebrate his birthday a day early because we had a trip to SeaWorld planned 🙂 He enjoyed a chocolate mousse cake surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He loved every moment!

Then it was off to Orlando! We arrived and went to Disney Springs. I still can't believe it's free to get in there! We enjoyed walking around and looking at the shops.

Then we had some delicious fish and chips. Except for Silas. He had a chicken sandwich 🙂

It was such a fun evening! It was chilly and the lights were still up from Christmas and it was beautiful!

The next day was even chillier and windy as we headed into SeaWorld.

We rode a bunch of roller coasters,



And saw a bunch of shows!

It was a chilly day but it warmed up beautifully.

And I think the trick to small crowds and short lines is going to SeaWorld in January when it's really cold🙂

It was so fun🙂

And I pretty much lost my voice for the entire next week!

 

Family time really is the best time!

How have you been reading?

 Where do get your energy?  For Patrick's birthday I bought him an Espresso machine. He's loving making some super strong coffee for the two of us each afternoon. But honestly we are at the age that if he makes it too late in the day, we have a hard time sleeping that night. It gives us that much energy! 

As a Christian lady, where do you get your spiritual energy? I guess I could leave of the "where"  of that question and just ask, "Do you get your spiritual energy?" Are you strengthened spiritually every day? 

I think we know the "where" part. That's God's Word. We really know the "why" part too. We know that we need strength from the Lord to live this life, this week, this day and even this hour. Moment by moment we need strength from the Lord!

So if we know we need to be in God's Word, let me ask, "How has it been going for you?"

Here are some thoughts to consider as you go to the Bible each day: 

Read on Purpose!  Set a time. Reading the Bible won't happen by accident. Our flesh is just too strong. We need to set up a time that will be our time to read. It helps if it can be a quiet spot. For me, that means waking up before my family. That extra 30 minutes has become a treasure to me!

Read with a plan! That doesn't mean you have to have a schedule that you cross off everyday. Sometimes I do that, other times I have a different routine, but have a plan of where you want to read. This year I am taking a book a month and reading it over and over and saturating myself with it. I love it! 

Read Slowly and Thoughtfully! This isn't a race to finish and then be done. This is time with the Lord! Let it sink in. Choose to think about it all throughout the day. Let it effect your heart not just in the morning, but all day! Write down the verse that really spoke to your heart and read it aloud often that day. Put in on the fridge, on a mirror or as your lock screen. Choose to think about what you've read! 

Read out loud! Sometimes it's good to get by ourselves and just read it out loud. I like to do this outside. It's amazing when You read it with your eyes, say it with your mouth, hear it with your ears, let it soak into your mind, then it affects the heart. 

Read it so that you can pass it on! Choose to speak about what you've read to someone. Pass it along. Your kids need to hear it. Someone you meet may need to hear it. When we have good news we just can't help but share, right? It should be that way when we read God's good news to us too!

Sister Friend, just read it. You won't regret it, I promise! 

Rooted -VSIBC's theme for 2025

 I love when the new year rolls around and we get to unveil our new theme at church! Joshua works hard at developing a theme and he and Patrick work together towards goals set for a year. Then we have a vision service on a Sunday night in January. After church that morning I take down all the Christmas decorations and put up decorations having to do with the theme So it could be ready to be revealed that night. It is so much fun!

This year our theme is Rooted

We are wanting to strive to be rooted in Christ and have deep roots!

They have also developed a point and award system throughout the year where you could read the Bible, commentaries, listen to messages, read missionary, biographies, and a host of other things to get points towards earning a reward.

Everyone is jumping right in and reading and growing and working at making our roots go deep!

The building is also coming along Amazingly! They put up the steel framing so now we can see the walls of where things will be.

 When you see the outline of the walls it just makes everything look bigger and it's getting so exciting

 We are working as God provides the money and it's so good to see him provide every step of the way! 

Giving Mam-maw's Rooster a Shower

 I've been asked before if I collect roosters. That would be a no. I guess it was assumed since I have a large ceramic rooster and hen on top of my fridge that I must collect them. But I do not. I really don't want them all over my house. But this set I love. It was a set my Mam-maw had on her fridge. 

I was so thankful that after she passed away, it was given to me. I love the reminder of the kitchen they once sat in. It was a place where all were welcome. And anyone and everyone could be fed. It was a place where we played games. And a ton of them! We loved playing Phase 10, Racko and Aggravation in the kitchen. It was a place where everyone gathered, felt included and loved, and wanted to linger. Just being together was a blessing. That's what I want for my home and my kitchen. 

That rooster and hen are a good reminder to me. So when I took them down during Christmas, I realized they definitely needed a shower! It was nice to get them all cleaned up. 

I sure do miss my Mam-maw.

"Christmas" with Mom and Dad

I said that my last post would be my last on Christmas.  It sort of was. :o)  Each year at New Year's my parents come to visit and we celebrate Christmas with them.  It's such a perfect time for them to come!  It wraps up our holiday perfectly :o)

We enjoy dinner together then exchange gifts.  Mom and Dad are so thoughtful and buy many things for each of us.  It's so sweet.  They do this for all of their children and grandkids.  How do they do it? Mom starts early!  I mean summertime early.  I love it and want to be like her when I grow up. :o)

Then we just enjoy some time together.  They love looking around at what's happening on Storybook Farms, they enjoy our property, and especially enjoy their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

 And just like that, Christmas was over.  Now it's on to 2025!  It's going to be a great year!!

Christmas...just one more post!?

 I am so behind in my posting and I can't believe January is almost over and I'm still posting on Christmas! My intent is to get up caught up now! So hold on to your seats as I post everything that happened to us in the last couple weeks of the Christmas season. It was just so full I can't skip over any of it! 

We enjoyed lots and lots of cocoa as the weather turned cooler.

We also decided to spend an evening at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala. It is such a gorgeous place! I love all of their Christmas lights.

It was in the '50s which is pretty chilly for us. Floridians!

3 days before Christmas we made sure we had all of our shopping done as we prepared to have Gimenez family Christmas. It was amazing!

We all get together and have breakfast, then exchange gifts.  These times are a treasure to a Momma's heart.  I am cherishing these times!!

The boys were adorable this year and were so excited about everything!!

The girls loved their Little House on the Prairie bonnets.

And I loved this bracelet from Brenna!!! She bought one for me and one for Beth with her book covers.  I love it!!

Beth also planned some Candy Cane Games for us 6.  It was so fun and so competitive.  I wish I could say my team won (Me and Silas.) But it was fun anyway!!

VSIBC's Candlelight Service was beautiful!!! And so meaningful.  It was fun to dress up.  But it was so timely for us to stop and really reflect on the true meaning of Christmas!

Christmas Eve night we drove around looking at Christmas Lights.  Then, we went home for some snacky foods. We tried to make a butter candle.  It was interesting!!  Then, we opened stockings and gave our stocking gifts for Jesus.  

Even though my kiddos are older, I love how they still all sleep in the Living Room together for Christmas.  

We woke up bright and early Christmas Day.  And the first one up???

Patrick!! He was just as excited as everyone else!

Christmas Day we played, played, played.  It was wonderful!!

That night we went to Denise's house for Christmas Dinner.  It was so delicious!

Then, I caught these two eating the cranberries off of the birthday cake for Jesus!

And just like that, and too quick, Christmas was over....or was it??