Bright Stuff

 Happy Lazy Week to one and all!  Oh, maybe you aren't lazy, but I am!  When I say lazy I really mean, "I'll do what I want!"  I'm eating oranges and below you'll see all the mushrooms I ate!  I have declared 2012 The Year of the Toadstool.  I am on the lookout for toadstools because I am a forest and fairyland fan.  I just can't get enough of toadstools.

 I am one of those people who isn't shy about purchasing gifts FOR MYSELF.  Smile.  I ordered this and then I didn't get any emails about placing my order, so I decided maybe it "was not to be" and then this lovely print mail sack came in the mail today!

 Inside was THIS!  Woo hoo!  This is the very coolest bag I have ever owned.  Cath Kidston stuff is so very tempting.  One of my dearest UK friends has sent me CK goodies before and now I have a few little accessories to put in my bag!  One of my dear Italian friends has also sent me lovely CK stuff.  Oh, I love my new bag!

 Speaking of toadstools and all things happy, I have made quite a bit of progress on my pixie hat!  The wool is Lion Brand Martha Stewart. It's called roving wool.  The color is: poppy.  Love that!  I'll show you the finished product. I have a brilliant idea and it's not going to be just any old pixie hat!  

 Here is another present I gave myself.  Oh yes.  I have a paperback version and I love it, but this is a good format for my reread of one of the most tantalizing descriptions of hamlet life.  

 This book was also a Christmas gift and Lisbeth Zwerger is one of my all-time favorite illustrators.  She's amazing.  I find her work so inspirational.  I did a little copying.  FUN!

 I went over to our Jenny's house today because she was feeling horrible due to a cold.  Samantha Rose was mellow, so when she napped, Jenny and I took a nap on their fancy foam bed.  Ahhhhh!  WHAT a delicious nap!  
Then off to the grocery store for dinner ingredients.  Did I tell you my mom and dad sent us a Lobster Gram?  Yes, we dined on lobster tail and clam chowder, crab cakes and cheesecake last week.  Today, I "thought" about buying lobster tails (on sale for $5.99) but just purchased a pound of shrimp instead. I really should live by the sea.  I do love the food that swims in the ocean!
Anyway . . . when I commented over on the wonderful Susan Branch's blog I said that I think the new year will mean FLOWERS for me.  Why not?  I love spring.  I love summer.  I think that even though we don't usually eat them, we should buy them occasionally to feast our eyes.  Don't you think so, too?  I leave you with my flower purchases.  I hope they brighten YOUR day, the remainder of your week, and your NEW YEAR!
I have stories to grade for my students.  We wrote Cinderella tales and made books.  I'll show them to you very soon.  I made one, too!
Bye bye dear neighbors!  Thank you for visiting me.  I so appreciate it.

Joy Days and Joy Nights

 Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.
           ~ Carl Sandburg

 Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.
                      ~ Madeleine L'Engle

 You have to sniff out joy. Keep your nose to the joy trail. 
                             ~Buffy St. Marie

 The grownups are tired, but the children dance!

We've had a lot (I mean A LOT) of food and happy fun and now Granny needs a few long lazy mornings and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  

Our four kids gave us a priceless gift.  Remember the "I Am From" poems?  They each wrote one and Jeff framed them all.  Bill and I wept and wept.  Here are a few excerpts:
Brad writes:  "I am from the adventure lived out. I walk as my father and mother walked before me hand in hand with the living God."
Kelli writes: "I am from nightly family dinners made by hands that never requested applause."
Jeff writes:  "I am from hammocks along the Mekong, to frigid Denver winter mornings.   I am from a family often spread around the world, all moving towards Jesus, in their own way."
Jenny writes:  "I am from trips to the Happiest Place on Earth.  I am from bad decisions that were forgiven.  I am from parents who never stopped loving."
They wrote more, all personal affirmations of their connections to us and each other.  Oh, I love them SO much and I am so thankful for our family.  
I am thrilled to watch the little dancers dance.
Thank you for popping in today.  It's so very nice that you are interested.  It really is.

Food and Fun

 Is tomorrow really Christmas Eve?  Yikes!  The week has flown by!  I had my school prayer group over for lunch on Monday.  We had FUN!

 I'm very interested in toadstools now, so I'm on the look out for polka dots.  

 I found my little people!  They had been missing for two years and I found them in a cup when I opened the china closet!  Whew!

 I served good old macaroni and cheese to the ladies.

 Cinnamon buns!

 Spinach salad with almonds and cranberries

 Don't faint.  I actually finished a knitting project.  Look at Millie Rose riding her bug rocker and wearing the sweater that took so long for granny to make!  Yes.  It's a little small.

 We've been buried in snow.  Look how high it is.
Last, I've finally figured out how to ripple.  It's fun and addicting, too.
I keep thinking of things I forgot while shopping.  Back to the store . . . again.
I wish you a sweet celebration of Christ's birth and quiet moments to say some private hellos to Him.  All this hustle and bustle and baking and cooking and wrapping and washing dishes and EATING beyond fullness . . . well, if it's all for HIM, it's all good.

I've added all my favorite blogs to the bottom of my page.  I wish everyone would post every day!  I never tire of reading what you have to say!  Honest!
Happy Christmas!  

Ratty, Mole, and Toad in California!

Kim at Oh, for Heaven's Sake is giving the Willows the royal treatment!  Californians are very hospitable!  I've always thought so! 
Take a peek at their recent adventures here.
Thank you, Kim!

Week 4: A Childlike Christmas

 Hello childlike friends!  Welcome to week #4 (the final week!) of "A Childlike Christmas"! Hasn't it been lovely?  I think so. Today I present you with some lovely illustrations created by people who (I feel sure of this) LOVE children, just like us!

 Jane Dyer is a beautiful illustrator.  The way she draws and paints a bed . . . well, what child would kick up a fuss over bedtime if they lived in these two paintings?

 I love the faces in the Norman Rockwell above! The dog!  So cute!

 Do you recognize the carolers here?  Richard Scary!  Favorite.

 Yes, with visions of sugarplums!  This is a Lisbeth Zwerger.  

     The Grand Tour is currently progressing in sunny California.  Kim at Oh, For Heaven's Sake has the boys right now.  Stay tuned for a blog post soon.  I love them, don't you?  Badger.  He's a good old badger.

A few weeks ago, we were at a friend's house and they just happen to have this dream puppy.  She is the softest little wiener dog I've ever held.   I am not getting a puppy for Christmas, but for all the children who are . . .  hooray!

Thank you so very much for joining in and giving your attention to all the "Childlike Christmas" bloggers of 2011.  It's been absolutely delightful. I shall raise a mug of hot chocolate to you right now.  I'm off to watch It's a Wonderful Life.  

See you soon!  Hop to and fro with my buddies on the sidebar.  

(BIG HUG!)

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!"

~ Charles Dickens

Back to Christ! Back to Christ!

"A personal Jesus accepted means salvation; a personal Jesus obeyed is sanctification; a personal Jesus followed is a life of brotherly kindness and true philanthropy; a personal Jesus reigning in the heart is the fullness of peace and joy and power.  The bells of Bethlehem ring one note; the Christmas carols are all calling aloud the same note:  Back to Christ!  Back to Christ!"
                           ~ T. L. Cuyler

In this moment, we can open the door of our heart to the God who came near!
Joy to the world!


I'm joining Floss for a final Pause in Advent.  You are kindly invited to pop over there for many good pauses.  

Happy Christmas Thinking

 Woo hoo! This is my last day of school and now I have a two week stay at home!  Yippee!  We are supposed to wear ugly sweaters today, but I think it's kind of a mean idea, don't you?  Why make fun of Christmas sweaters?  I don't get it. I'd wear my Santa hat but it would make me very hot.  I think I'll just put some wacky ponytails in my hair and wear the Santa suit jacket.  Done.

 We've been listening to The Nutcracker.  Have you ever been to the ballet?  It's lovely. 

 Today Bill is going to be our guest speaker.  He's going to tell my students about kids all over the world.  Yahoo!  After that (well, between class periods) I'm in charge of a birthday lunch for one of the teachers, so I have to set the tables and make the salad.  Busy! It's fun to sit around the table with people.

Soon I'll be holed up in our mouse house and I can't WAIT!  Oh, there are many things to do, but I won't think about them just now.  Let's live in the moment.  The moment is good.
I wish you orangey whiffs and long drinks of hot tea!  Maybe you could hold hands with someone wearing red mittens or smooch another someone under the mistletoe, which reminds me that I need to buy some!  Bill is exercising to "Let it Snow" right now and I hope it does very soon!  Candy canes all around!