(daybook)

For today...

Outside my window... it is gray and cold, a typical winter day.

I am thinking... about the family of my friend, Debby.

I am hearing... the snowblower outdoors.

I am thankful... for a wonderful Christmas with precious family times.
God is good!

I am remembering... to treasure the little things.

I am wearing... jeans, T-neck, Alaska hoodie, socks and slippers.

I am going... to be writing in my next Remains of the Day journal.
This one. I adore new journals...all fresh and new!

I am hoping... that Rachel and family arrive home safely later today.
ETA: They arrived home this afternoon.
:)

Around the house... cleaning and tidying.
Lots of snow, too!

One of my favorite things... leftover yummies from the holidays.

For more daybook entries, click the logo on my sidebar.
--->

(finally home)

My friend, Debby, went home to Jesus early this morning after a very long battle with MS.
Rest in peace, dear one.
Rest in peace.

* * *

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26

(Happy Christmas!)

♥

(last minute crafting)

I saw the little mushrooms here.
*Scroll down that page for the link to a tutorial.*
Had to try them.
After all, I did finish all the other Christmas projects.
Sooo, I gathered all my supplies this morning and sat in front of the TV and watched Martha and Say Yes to the Dress.
I made eleven.

Then I had to put on the wellies and trudge through the knee high snow out back to snip some pine for this arrangement.
I'm a happy camper now.

♥

I may need to make more.
Later.

(meme)

1. Hot Chocolate or apple cider?
Hot chocolate!

2. Turkey or Ham?
Either.

3. Do you get a fake or real-you-cut-it-yourself Christmas tree?
Fake and prelit!

4. Decorations on the outside of your house?
Wreaths on the doors.

5. Snowball fights or sleddin’?
When I was a kid? Sleddin', for sure!

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping?
Depends on the downtown.

7. Favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies?
Love the old ones.

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music?
Never. Too. Early.

10. White lights or colored lights on the tree?
White!

11. Go to someone else’s house or they come to you?
The house is open for the ones who are free to join us.

12. Do you read the Christmas Story? If so when?
Yes...before we open the gifts.

13. What do you do after presents and dinner?
Clean up and veg...play games with the young ones.

14. What is your favorite holiday smell?
Real pine and evergreen...peppermint, too!

15. Ice skating or walking around the mall?
Umm....how about curled up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate?

16. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day?
Both. It depends on who is here...& when they arrive.

17. Favorite Christmas memory?
Watching the wonder on my kids' faces when they were small.

18. Favorite Part about winter?
The beauty of the season...and wearing my warm, cozy clothes.

19. Ever been kissed under mistletoe?
Absolutely!

(completed wips)

In between sewing projects, I had to get out the glue and glitter to make this.
One old hymnbook + small cardboard circle + hot glue + spray adhesive for the glitter + scallop circle punch + one piece of tchotchke = a treetop star for Jessica!

This Raggedy is ready for wrapping.
Yay!

*****

Only three more presents to complete.
I can do this.
!!!

(one week...)

One week to finish.
How are you doing?
Have time to share a cuppa?
Coffee's in the kitchen.

♥

(doing the hair)

...on this Raggedy Anne for my granddaughter, Talyah.
The dress and pinafore are next!!

***

The names of Jesus ornaments are finished!
Yay!
I gave them to my son last night - an early Christmas present for his family.

***

The sun is shining and the snow has subsided.
What a nice change for this day!

***

Hope you are enjoying this special season,

(w-i-p)

~names of Jesus tree ornaments~
You may remember these.
I am nearly finished with another set.

**They are made from painted wood, wire and a bit of raffia.

(little skater)

Here is just one of the little skaters I posted about last week.

* * *

I was sick in bed yesterday.
Not a good time to be sick.
Too much to do.
I'm feeling better today...and am tackling the list again.
!!!

Happy Monday, my friends.

(thirty-what?)

Happy Birthday to my oldest.
Thirty-something years old.
I'll leave it at that.
Like these photos, Rachel?
Knew you would.
♥

Love you to the moon...and back again.
xox

(handmade)

One of my readers asked if I made the angel in my blog header.
These ornaments (including the angel) were all crafted by a local artisan, Nancy Zastrow.
Her work is perfect in every way.
Every year, I try to buy something to add to my NZ collection.
I have more things, but these were the most handy to grab for a photo.
What did I buy this year?
The Santa on the right.
Click the photo to get a better look.
They are charming.

♥

We are getting a respite from the snow today.
It is beautiful and sunny for a change.
Nice.
Very nice.

(belated birthday)

Last night, we finally celebrated our Z-boy's fourth birthday.
We missed the actual date last week while we were in San Antonio.
Oh well...every kid likes another celebration, yes?
Auntie J made the moose cake.
(He likes moose.)

He could hardly wait to eat his cake and open his gifts.
Aunt J gave him music chimes.
I think that all the kids will enjoy them.
(Notice big sis waiting her turn.)

This gift, chosen by Pop-pop, was a huge hit.
It's a double barreled shotgun for our own Cowboy Small.
It even makes the noise when you shoot it!
The noise is so important to a four year old, don't you know.
At the end of the evening, he took his noise toys home.

YES!

* * *

How soon they go from this to shoot-em-up-bang-bang-noise-toys.
*sigh*

(icicles)

*the view from the back door early this morning*

*the view from the back window*

The snow and ice will be removed from the deck later today.
I thought the kids would like to see these photos before the hubs goes to work on it.
Poor guy.
All he has been doing since we returned from our trip...is move snow.
!!!

* * *

I am still working on stuff.
Sipping coffee.
Listening to Christmas music.
How about you?

(in between...)

I have no idea why I wait to do these things.
In between the sewing projects, I am working on these.
To see the finished product, go to the link with Elizabeth's tutorial right here.
Even if I don't finish all of them, I will be happy with a few.
Off I go to give them a finish spray...then back up to the "hidey hole" to sew.

* * *

FYI: We have four feet of snow outside my window.
:o/

(♥)

Mimi ♥s Lydia.
What's not to love about this sweet little face?

* * *

BTW:
It is still snowing here.
We must have gotten an additional foot of the white stuff overnight.

(incredible!)

I knew it couldn't last.
We left last week with nary a snowflake in sight.
Temps were in the high 70s for our week in San Antonio...and then we come home to this.
The hubs just dug the car out (stuck in the middle of our street), since the plows had not been out yet.
Craziness.
One good thing we came home to:
Jessica surprised us with the Christmas decorations completely up and looking fabulous!
L♥ve that girl.
*
*
*
It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Thanks, J.
xo

(heading home...)

...tomorrow morning.

See you later!!

(breakfast treat)

Our son took the hubs to Lulu's this morning.

They brought home this yummy, three pound cinnamon roll!

It was still warm.

Mmmm...

(sweet)

Lydia adores her daddy.

*

*

*

We are enjoying our get-acquainted-visit with this little darlin'.