Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Prayer for Israel

I got this email from Todd (a friend that Ryan actually lived with when he first moved out to San Diego) and wanted to pass it along to ask for your prayer support for Israel.

As many of you know Isr@el and H@mas are engaged in a war as of Saturday. Please remember to pray for Isr@el during this time. They have sat back long enough while H@mas (a terrost organization bent on the destruction of Isr) launched rocket after rocket into Israeli towns, targeting innocent civilians. Now Isr. has no choice but to use military force to put H@mas out of business. Isr@el has recruited thousands of reserves into active duty (males remain in the reserves until they are 50 years old). I talked to my good friend there and he said it's pretty tense. There's a chance he may get called into action too.

Please pray along with me for the following things:
-Wisdom and discernment for Isr. leaders as they make very important decisions.
-Angelic protection of Isr. troops as they fight an evil terrorist org.
-Protection of civilians on both sides of the battle.
-That Isr. would draw near to God during this time and that they would come to know their Messiah.
-That the Palistini@ns would come to know the peace that only Jesus can bring.
-Lastly, please pray that my friend Hani would not get recruited to war.


I can't help to think how amazing and Soveriegn God is. He allowed us to go to Isr and get all the footage we needed for our promo film on Isr surfers and get out just in time.

The promo film will be done by tomorrow and I hope to have all of you over to my parents house to get a sneak preview sometime in January. I can't wait for all of you to see it! I will send out an email with a date and time.

Thanks,
Todd

Monday, December 29, 2008

DONATE TODAY!!

Only 2 more days to donate for a Tax Deduction for 2008.

I'm 30% of the way to my goal... Would you like to help??

Dear Friends,

Last year I participated in the AFSP's 2007 Out of the Darkness Community Walk and once this year's information was announced I made sure to be one of the first to sign up. I hope to raise even more funds for AFSP this year and hopefully with your help will be able to meet my higher goal.

I will be joining with thousands of people nationwide this fall to walk in AFSP's 2008 Out of the Darkness Community Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I would appreciate any support that you give me for this worthwhile cause.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is at the forefront of research, education and prevention initiatives designed to reduce loss of life from suicide. With more than 32,000 lives lost each year in the U.S. and over one million worldwide, the importance of AFSP's mission has never been greater, nor our work more urgent.

I hope you will consider supporting my participation in this event. Any contribution will help the work of AFSP, and all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation please go to the AFSP Community Walk site here (http://www.outofthedarkness.org/) and search for my name(Carlee Padot) in the Participant field on the left hand side of the page. You can then click the "Support This Participant" button on the page.

Thank you for considering donating to this wonderful cause!

Carlee

Support Me!

We're BACK!

We are back in Sunny San Diego!! I have posted all of my pictures. I didn't take a lot of them (well, there are like 120, but I didn't take them every where we were I guess is a better way to put it). Check them out here.

Wednesday morning we got in about 5. Mom and Dad picked us up at Metro and we got in the car to head to Temperance. We sat in stand still traffic for a little over an hour because of some major accidents (I guess they saw that there was like a 3 car pile up on the way tot the airport and thought it would be cleared by the time we were heading back - it wasn't). We got back, hung out a little, then went to Monroe. We met up with my mom's parents and had lunch and did gifts with them. We then came back, played a lot of Scrabble, ordered pizza, and then went to the candle light service at Crossroads.

Thursday we woke up early (well, like 8am) and opened gifts. We then got ready and went to my dad's mom's house in Monroe. We ate lunch and did gifts there for a couple hours and then went to Toledo to serve dinner at the Cherry Street Mission. It was nice to be able to serve and give back on Christmas. I think we probably served about 300 meals to the homeless.

Friday we woke up to ICED roads and were planning on renting a car to drive up to Ryan's sister's house in Rochester Hills but because of the weather we decided that my mom would drive us up to Ann Arbor and Ryan's dad would meet us there to take us the rest of the way. The roads were terrible (we were driving about 15 mph most of the way) and we ended up meeting in Milan. We finally got up to Rochester Hills and did gifts with Ryan's parents and his sister and her family. We hung out with them for most of the day making pizzas, playing games, decorating cookies, etc until my parents drove up and picked us up for the Pistons game. We went to Auburn Hills from Aaron's house and watched the Pistons take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are the worst team in the league and we only won by 2 at the last second (literally there was two tenths of a second left when AI made the winning shot). It was fun to go to the game though (and mom actually got Ryan tickets for the Clippers Pistons game in a couple weeks in LA so we will be heading up there to cheer on our Pistons then too).

Saturday we hung out a bit, then went to the movies. We saw Valkyrie, which was a good movie. We then went home and changed to head to the Toledo Zoo. The weather had been crazy the whole time we were back and they were predicting 60 and rainy for Saturday. We decided that we would go to the zoo if the rain held off and by 6 it was still dry so we took our chances. We got through most of the zoo when the DOWNPOUR hit. It only rained really hard for like 10 minutes but in the first minute and a half we were drenched to our core. We had a lot of fun and it was an adventure like always :).

Sunday we went to church and then came back home to pack everything up. Our flight was at 5:40, so we decided to leave by about 3:30. Stacey and Gabe (her 6 week old baby) came over from 1 to 3:30 to hang out, which was great since I hadn't seen her since my shower in July. We watched the Lions Packers game while she was over and then went to the airport. All of our flights were smooth and on time.

All in all, it was an AMAZING trip, but of course, too short. Make sure to check out some of the pictures if you get a chance. I am sure I will probably be able to post more when I get the rest off of Ryan's camera, but for now this will work :).

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Merry Christmas!

I am signing off for the next few days - HURRAY!! Ryan and I will be jumping on a plane in less than 10 hours (and hopefully will be in Detroit tomorrow morning by 5am, praying there is no weather than may delay our travels). I won't be updating my blog until after I get back (probably Monday afternoon), but don't worry, I am sure there will be tons of pictures and stories to post after we return. Have a MERRY Christmas!!

Friday, December 19, 2008

VOTING STARTS NOW

Ryan and I went and painted plates last weekend. Tonight we were able to pick them up. Of course, we want to know which you like best: Santa or Snowman?








Voting is open until Monday @ 5pm (PST). Santa or Snowman?

Elf Yourself

Check it out!!

Disco:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards


Classic:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

MJ's Christmas Party

Check out Mr. MJ at his Day Care Christmas Party!!






Thursday, December 18, 2008

Pictures

Went out Tuesday and took some pictures around town:




















GG Christmas

A few pictures of our Growth Group:




Poster Promo

The promotion the night that we go to the Pistons game is a SHEED POSTER!!



Merry Christmas to US :)

Home for the Holidays

We are heading back to Michigan in less than 6 days!! WHOO HOO!! I know me and my madre are both 'too esscited to sweep'

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Weather

Okay, I know Michigan is getting the white stuff, but we are just getting the wet stuff here... Another storm filled day... Here is an article about Monday's storm...

Storm batters region
Rain, wind, snow create messy day

The first big storm of the season walloped the county yesterday with record rain in some places, blustery winds, snow and cold.

Before most of the system moved east late in the afternoon, it downed telephone lines, caused flooding, closed streets and turned freeways into hazardous stretches of road.

Throughout the county, many areas received more than an inch of rain. Two inches fell on Mira Mesa and El Cajon.

The storm was stronger than usual because it landed a direct hit on Southern California, which typically catches the tail end of storms that strike farther north.

“Northern California really didn't get a whole lot out of this,” said Brandt Maxwell, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “It was all Southern California. So we got the full brunt of the system.”

Coastal areas received wind gusts rivaling those in the mountains. Gusts reached 44 mph in Cardiff and 35 mph at Lindbergh Field, Maxwell said.


The rest of the article here.

Go Michelle!

Good triumphed over....Vicky. And Heba.

Michelle won $250,000 and the title of "The Biggest Loser" tonight, overcoming a childhood traumatized by divorce and, perhaps more importantly, beating out two fellow competitors who were seen as two of the most conniving and unappealing contestants in the show's history.

"I earned it," said Michelle, who joined the show as a duo alongside her mother, Renee, and immediately became a fan favorite both because of her doggedness in the gym and her kind, forgiving demeanor. Michelle had been estranged from her mother for years after her parents' divorce. America had a front-row seat as the two repaired their relationship and lost a combined 216 pounds.

Michelle alone lost 110 pounds, or an astonishing 45.45% of her body weight, to win the game and become only the second woman to win "The Biggest Loser" title.

For fans of the show, though, Michelle's victory was all the more sweet because it came at the expense of Vicky and Heba....


More of the article here.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Krochet Kids

Krochet Kids International is a youthful movement fighting poverty by producing and selling distinctive, life changing products.

This movement was started by a group of university students compelled to LOVE, to help, and to have fun doing it. Help make a difference

OUR VALUES

People: We desire holistic freedom for our people to grow and enrich their lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Our Product: We believe in quality, handmade products that not only bring comfort and style, but serve as a vehicle for social change.

Love: We believe actions rooted in love bring lasting and powerful change. Our model for love is that of the ultimate servant: Jesus.


Check them out here.

Xmas Survey

Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Tis the Season to be NICE!



1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
- Trying to cut down on the waste, so this year it will be canvas, reusable bags, etc

2. Real tree or Artificial?
- Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree?
- We put it up 2 weeks before Thanksgiving :)

4 . When do you take the tree down?
- This is the first time I have had one of my own... Ryan said we could keep it up all year, hehe...

5. Do you like eggnog?
- Yummy

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
- Ummmm I am not sure

7. Hardest person to buy for?
- Kyle

8. Easiest person to buy for?
- Ryan

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
- Nativity scene ornament from my grandma

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
- Mail Christmas cards and a letter.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
- There a couple... Hehe

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
- Elf

13. When do you start shopping?
- All Year LONG

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
- FO SHO

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
- Cookies?

16. Lights on the tree?
- White twinkles

17. Favorite Christmas song?
- ALL OF THEM

18.Travel at Christmas or stay home?
- Traveling back to Michigan

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?
- Yeppers

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
- Target Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
- Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
- The crowds of people

23. Favorite ornament theme or color ?
- Red, silver and white

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
- Pizza delivered and then eating it cold the next morning

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
- To make a difference

26. Who is most likely to respond to this?
- Probably no one

27. Who is least likely to respond to this?
- Ryan

Pic

Ryan sent me a mid-day picture to brighten up the gray day!!



What a great hubby I have :)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Blueberry Muffins

Here are the blueberry muffins I made this morning... It was a box mix but then I sprinkled fresh blueberries on the top of them... Ryan said they were yummy :)