"C"

Okay. This post took me a while to get around to...Sara assigned me the letter "C" for a meme she posted. If you want to play, leave a comment on this post letting me know, and I'll assign you a letter. You write about ten things you love that begin with your assigned letter, and post it at your place. When people comment on your list, you give them a letter, and the chain continues on and on...

Cake!!!!!!!!! I'm not going to bore you with ALL the kinds of cake I love because the list could go on and on. I like them all--pretty much! I'll just say that a traditional white wedding cake (ALMOST as important as the punch I mentioned here) with vanilla butter cream frosting is my absolute fave. Carrot cake--not so much.

Flair #4

Comfort Food. (Here we go again.) Cornbread. Baked sweet potatoes. Fried foods (can't help it). Fresh baked bread. Homemade soups. Cobbler. Pizza. Mac & Cheese (not the blue box kind). Pie--all kinds. Spaghetti or lasagna or really just about any kind of pasta dish. Cereal. (I mostly eat it dry, but I like Cookie Crisp (oh, look! 2 more C's!) with MILK.) Hot cocoa with marshmallows. Hmm...toasted marshmallows. Hmm...Smores. And...hello!? Chocolate! (Duh.) That scene on Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with the chocolate river used to make me drool as a child, and I'm not much better off as an adult. But I'm not a fan of chocolate ice cream or chocolate pie. Not sure what happened there. Last but certainly not least--cheese. Show me a party tray with a variety of cheese cubes on it, and I'll show you one happy girl, let me tell you! String (haha), Gouda, Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, Feta, Cottage, Cream, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Blue...Just don't try to talk to me after I've approached the cheese tray. This much cheese doesn't do wonders for my breath. Or yours! Just sayin'...

Chris Tomlin Concerts. I've been to two. Both were amazing. He had Louie Giglio and Matt Redman with him at both, and are they ever a great team! Both Chris and Matt are quickly becoming legends in the Christian worship music world. If you've ever been to a church where they play contemporary music, then you've most likely sung either a Tomlin or a Redman song. I'm not going to make a list (and you KNOW I'm really having to hold myself back here), but my point is that these guys are some gold medal song writers. Teamed up with Louie G., they are downright outstanding! Great music + great preaching = soul-stirring, Spirit-filled, life-changing worship!! If you ever have the chance to see them, do it! And take some friends, especially unbelievers. Here are some video clips to give you an idea:

Now go to YouTube and search for more Louie Giglio. All of his stuff is great! Go ahead--I'll wait.

Cleaning. Well, let me clarify. I enjoy cleaning when I'm not terribly distracted by others' needs for my attention and when I'm not in a rush because of someone coming over. Granted, that doesn't leave too often. So maybe I should say "Cleanliness." Yeah, that really IS what I love. I like to wake up or come home to a clean--everything put away, counters, sinks, and toilets scrubbed, dishes washed, fridge well-stocked, floors swept, laundry done--house. We just had our community group from church at our house last night, so my house is CLEAN!! (well, mostly) I should take a picture before it gets gross again.

Christmas. I know. Everyone loves Christmas--and for all the same reasons: the smell of the freshly-cut tree, the lights, the music, the pretty packages, what's in the packages, the food, the food, the food, the parties, the smiling children, family time, the cards, the photos, the crisp wintry weather, the romance, the Savior's birth. Praise God for Christmas!

Waiting patiently

Cotton Candy. Oh. My weakness. Pink, fluffy goodness. Pure sugar, I know, but you have to admit this stuff is wonderful! When Paul, Gabe and I went to the Giants game in San Fran I waited around too long to buy my cotton candy from the guy who walks the stands. Next thing I know we were in the 7th or 8th inning and no one else was coming with cotton candy. I was thinking, "Nuh-uh! I gots to have me some cotton candy!!" I ran all around that stadium looking for someone selling it, and you know what I discovered? The vendors have a special room down in the basement where they gather during the 8th inning to start counting their money. And it is there that they store their leftovers as well. Good thing I was persistent, because the ushers were kind enough to give me directions to the secret room where I could get my fix. (They probably felt sorry for the pregnant woman on a mad hunt for sugar!) Of course, I missed the whole end of the game. But guess what? Worth it!

Don't you just want to bury your face in this? Nah--pretty sticky.

Cold Stone Creamery. DEE-licious!! Here's a place where I'll actually try different things. And 9 times out of 10 I like what I try. Love the mix-ins, though I usually take a less-is-more approach. Have you tried Blueberry Muffin? With a little yellow cake mixed in, it is JUST like eating a blueberry muffin, albeit a very COLD, creamy blueberry muffin. My favorite flavor? This wouldn't be hard for you to guess: Cake Batter! Ha!

Flair #5

Chivalry. I'm a girl. Of course I love chivalry. For instance, my husband always drives--so I can rest and relax (well, as much as one can with a car full of little ones)--there is never even a discussion about it. He even opens the door for me (a lot of the time). He doesn't wake me on Saturdays, gets up with the big kids, fixes their breakfasts, and spends time with them, which gives me a chance to sleep in--with the littlest baby cuddled up next to me. (Yes, I've noticed, Honey. Thanks! You're the best!) He's teaching Noah to open the door for Saylor and to let her go first. He's got his hands full with three sons to bring up, but I have no doubt they'll all be regular Prince Charmings...eventually.

Cute kids. Who doesn't love cute kids?! And I just happen to have FOUR!

Where's the FOURTH you ask? Well, this picture was taken by my mom (aka Mimi) as they waited for Baby Atticus to come home from the hospital.

Christ. Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. What can I say? I could never adequately express the love He deserves from me. He bore my sins and the sins of this world and died an excruciating death on the cross because that was God's plan to save us--because He created us and loves us. It's all about God and not at all about me, and I am so thankful. The rest of this post is totally empty and frivolous comparatively, because...really...who cares??! Christ is ALL I need.

I could totally keep going: cookies, candy, comforters/covers, caramel, clementines, Cozymel's, cameras, capers (both the pickled bud AND the restaurant!), cuddling, ciabatta bread. Boy, this post is almost entirely about FOOD! Perhaps this explains those lingering baby pounds. Could be...!