Wisdom Teeth

       In September, I had my wisdom teeth extracted.  The actual process wasn't too painful; the toughest part was the next few days, when my mouth was EXTREMELY sore!  One funny moment, though, came when the dentist was in the process of taking my teeth out.  He asked me if I felt any pain, and since I couldn't talk (he had already numbed my mouth) I just shook my head "no."  Well, he took that to mean "yes," so he gave me another shot of the numbing solution!  I never did tell him that he misunderstood me, but the result of the extra shot was that my mouth stayed numb a little longer than it would have otherwise!  And a numb mouth basically means that the sides of your mouth feel like rubber, and your tongue is VERY lethargic!  Simply put, talking while in this state is next to impossible.  And not being able to talk is extremely annoying, especially when you live in a large family!  

       Talking, though, reminds me of a Bible verse I read recently, which says, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)  This verse is a good reminder to talk less!  

       And here are a few photos of me in my swollen condition-

       All together, it really wasn't that bad.  However, I am thankful that this is a once-in-a-lifetime procedure!

Christmas Eve

   I know my blog has been lying dormant for a LONG time, so I am going to give ya'll a bunch of pictures to make up!  These photos are from our Christmas Eve dinner, which is my favorite meal of the year.  Our family has a tradition of making appetizers for Christmas Eve, and it's a blast having everyone in the kitchen at the same time!  Here are some photos......

Bean Dip by Joshua (He ALWAYS makes this for Christmas Eve, and we ALWAYS enjoy it!)

Jalepeno poppers (by Chels)

Allison and Liz made the chocolates.  In case I've never told ya'll before, chocolate is my FAVORITE "food group"!

Taylor made twice baked potatoes

The fried mozzarella sticks turned out to be a "fried mozzarella blob," but it tasted good nonetheless! 

Veggies (Arranged by our dear mother)

Mushroom/Jalapeno Quesadillas (Made by Denver)

Stuffed mushrooms(Also by Denver)

Spinach/Artichoke dip (Hudson and I are big buds, so we help each other make a dish on Christmas Eve!)

Carson's usual dish is fried shrimp.  By the way, if you've never done so, you really should study about the health benefits of eating shrimp!  (JUST KIDDING!!!)

       Allison made delicious kabobs with mozzarella, salami, tomatoes, and pesto.  Yum!

       And a couple of my favorite pictures from the day.....

Elizabeth manages to get into more than her share of messes!

A good reminder to check what your clothes say BEFORE you put them on.  You never know who might take you literally!

We may all look peaceful in this picture, but some of us men were running out of patience (I mean, seriously, the food was getting cold and we decided THIS would be a good time for a family portrait?  But then again, that's what happens when your sister is a photographer!) 

       Praise the Lord for family, and most of all for the gift of His Son!