Christmas Market

The Christmas Market

 

Our church co-hosts this market and this

marked our second year!

The Market pulls a very large crowd usually....

 

This year, however...

 

Our region was hit with record-low temperatures and snow the day before. This unfortunate turn of winter weather kept many potential shoppers at home...

not to mention a bedlam football game here in the

sports-crazed state of Oklahoma which was played in a stadium 

exactly 42 miles from the market in 24 degree sub-chilly weather. 

"The Table" at the First Lutheran 2nd Annual Christmas Market

 Well, actually, I forgot to take pics at the actual market....

so these pics are from the table in our church foyer the next day. Since we didn't "sell-out" at the Market, we loaded up and carried the market back to all the sweet folks at VWC!



Rice Krispie Christmas Trees



 The week leading up to the Market was certainly busy!

Many sweet ladies helped me create many Christmas goodies so that we could bless MK's for Christmas,

...Missionary Kids...

(aka rock Stars)

that are living abroad helping their parents

reach the lost with the gospel!

 

I think we all spent LOTS of time

W-R-A-P-P-I-N-G

all those goodies in

L-O-T-S

of small bags

from the Hobbly place.

Another view of the delicious goodies

 Almond Joy Reindeer

Milano Cookie Santas

Hoping your holiday was filled with

a LATTE of coffee and 

a LATTE of sweets!

Take care...

God bless... 

Long time...No See

"May your cup runneth over with joy,

 

love, and laughter.

 

Oh and really fabulous coffee!"

 

~Champlain coffee.com

Trunk or Treat Book Monster

Yes, I understand that it's almost Christmas...

But, since I've been away so long, I thought I'd give you a QUICK update of my LATTE life since I've talked with you last.

So, I have been privileged to teach/lead a camp for 20Somethings--called Hyphen in June.



"Trunk" Fire truck from Kildare, OK



 

I also had the opportunity to attend our Oklahoma Camp Meeting in July where over two thousand people gather in Mustang, OK to worship God together, hear uplifting preaching and informative teaching.

 

 

 My mom and her "trunk" of everything

 

In late summer, I had a job re-assignment. My principal, Mrs. M., asked me to take on the role of CSI--which basically means, I am a Curriculum Specialist. I was thrilled and stressed all at the same time. Thrilled to finally use my newly acquired Master's degree of Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas-Arlington. Stressed to completely take-down my classroom and sandwich my stuff into an office--in one week.
 

My mom and I enjoying a "moment" at the end of the evening

 

In September, we had the opportunity to travel to St. Louis, MO to our General Conference. While in St. Louis, we had the pleasure of seeing many friends in ministry scattered throughout the fellowship. We were able to take our Urshan College kids to lunch as well as spend the day shopping on the St. Charles Riverfront with my dear friend Kelley. Our guys were finally able to join us for a L-A-T-E lunch after the business finally concluded. Conference was inspiring with the message to get back home to tell someone about Jesus!

Two little Veggie tale sweetie pies at the Trunk or Treat

In October, our church hosted a Trunk or Treat on Halloween night. The event started at 5:00 pm in a ferocious wind that threatened to tear every decoration off its hinge! We kept up the fight and pushed through to a great evening for families around our church facility. We were blessed with over 350 families that came to eat freshly popped-buttery popcorn, purple and green cotton candy and delicious hot cocoa! Families were able to sit and watch some Veggie Tales as they ate their delicious treats.

All in all, we handed out candy to over 1,056 people!!! We had almost TWENTY "trunks" for the Trunk or Treat with the First place going to my sweet next-door-neighbors--the Minions!

First place winners and recipients of the $25 Freddies Custard Card

 

That's me and my two sweet friends who helped me with taping my "monster" into my trunk!

 

 After this long absence, several people have made the comment to me, "Hey Val, have you ever thought about starting a blog?" So, I have decided to jump back in and attempt to post a new thought at least once a week--on Fridays.

The glowing book monster "trunk" that won 2nd place!

 This year has been filled with great memories as well as struggles. I am attempting to remember the better times more than I remember the struggles. At the moment, I am preparing to make three pans of fudge for a sweet lady that sampled my wares last week at the Christmas Market. She contacted a lady from our booth to request to purchase three pans of three different types of fudge. I was thrilled since our venture was to make money to send to MK's (Missionary Kids) for Christmas!

Perhaps next week, I will post the story of the fudge-making (disasters and near-misses) from last week and the Market from Saturday!

Stay well...
 
        Stay sweet....

                Drink a LATTE of coffee!

Thank You Kelley!

Since this is my FIRST post, I am dedicating it to my friend, Kelley Dibble, over at www.kelleyhighway.blogspot.com.

It has been her blog that I have followed for the past few years and have learned so much!

So, I am SHOUTING out....Thanks Kelley for the push....



Kelley on the beach "writing" a message to me on my graduation day!

...for me to finally move beyond "paralysis by analysis" and make the decision

to BLOG and...

share my life, which is rich and FULL and overflowing...

and my love for coffee with the world!