Merry Merry Merry

 Hello holiday merry makers!  December is sailing by, isn't it?  My mama sent me a pattern for a prayer square.  Isn't it nice?  I think it's just for holding, kind of like a clinging cross.  
When I sit, I sit here.  I'm usually surrounded by books, journals, knitting, stickers, pencils, and coffee.  I think I may have a tendency to sit a little too long.

 I've been working on my Advent journal.  It's a "junk journal" by design, but I am filling it with thoughts of Advent.

 I found a recipe for date bread in that Ideals publication.  It was so tasty.  Too tasty.

 The four kids cannot agree about which Christmas troll is theirs.  I like groups of four.  Smile.

 More of my journal. 

 We've had an eventful December with children's theater shows, chorale concerts, small group meeting, Christmas party for Community Bible Study leadership council, and soon we'll have grands about and then Christmas!  Wow!  
This one is completely worn out.  He enjoys many naps and looks adorably cute so he receives boundless love.

 

How is your Advent coming along?  Have you been baking?  Addressing Christmas cards?  Watching movies?  Taking walks?

Thank you for stopping by!

I am brewing up The Jolly Postman's adventure.  It's going to be very wordy and very sweet.

Merry merry merry to you!

LOVE!   

It's the Holiday Feeling

 We've been busy with shows!  Look at cute Scuttle and Soph the lovely mermaid sister!  Aw!  They did a beautiful job singing and acting!
I found a very nice new hairdresser.  She is a Community Bible Study connection.  We had such a great time chatting as she applied the foils. At first I was a little taken aback because the low lights were a bit dark, but now the shade has faded a bit and I'm getting used to it.  It's definitely worth doing on a regular basis because it's affordable and Paige (the hairdresser) is so fun to be with!

 A few Christmas decorations have found their place in our homely house.

 Bill had a really fun birthday.  We met three of the four kids in Longmont for lunch.  Jeff couldn't get away from work so he and Christie came for dinner that night (a few photos down).

 Brad and April and the kids came for dinner after that!  Aw!  So much fun!

 Last weekend was another show.  Aren't the bird girls cute?

 Millie Rose played the part of Jojo.  The scenery was stunning.  We're so proud of our Kelli for putting all of this together and pulling off the big productions.  Her heart for the kids is warm and true.  Kids come to Joyful Light Theater practice and learn more about Jesus while they make friends, learn songs, and have fun acting!

 After baking bread and eating bread, I'm back on my fish and fruit diet.  I feel better when I avoid gluten, but sometimes I really want baked food.  Do you?

 It's snowing like crazy here today.  It's a big winter storm.  But wait!  It's not winter yet!  Oh well.

 Here's the cute Jeff family getting ready to eat Grampy's cake!  Thanks, Christie!

 I am going to enjoy my own little Advent celebration starting Sunday.  I made a junk journal and I'm going to record my Advent ponderings each day.  Remember?  I'm going to read the book of Isaiah from chapter 39 on. I'm going to read other Christmas words like the fun magazine below.  Do you remember this publication?  Poems and cozy art, recipes and such.  It reminds me of my childhood days which I do love to think about during the holiday season.  I am so appreciative of my mother and how she kept the season so holy.  She didn't buy into the "magazine" picture-perfect Christmas. She ran Christmas programs at church, she gathered greens and candles and led us in Advent evenings.  We opened our gifts on Christmas eve, surrounded by grandmas and a grandpa.  We always attended Christmas Eve candlelight services and Christmas Day services, too.  Sometimes our junior choir sang.
It was just as it should be, a celebration of our Savior!  That's what I want my mindset to be for the month of December.

 

I am still planning The Jolly Postman's blog event.  I think Kim from Sarah Lizzy's might join in (Australia), Annie from Scotland, Lisa from Minnesota, MK from North Carolina, and Heather from Indiana! 

It will be in January (after all my Advent doings).  It will include writing and making envelopes and telling stories.  YAY!

We're having Kelli's family and Jeff's family for Thanksgiving.  Yesterday the grocery store was a mad house!  SO BUSY because of the pending snow storm.  

I might make my pecan pie today, but I don't have corn syrup so what am I going to do?

I'm going to clean and tidy, scrub and shine.  I'm even washing the covers on our old sofa.  

Do you get started with your cleaning and then realize that there are way too many things to do than you really have time for?  I always do.  Always.  We'll make some dents in it though and shining up the house is very rewarding.

I'm thankful for YOU! You've read this far!

My sweet friend Lori from Washington (I've known her since she was in high school) sent me this lovely book.  She remembered that I gave a copy to her long ago.  Now her son has read it, too.  Isn’t it gorgeous? Yes, it'll be part of my quiet Advent celebration, too. 

So, next is all the red and green, the sweet music, the cards and letters, a gift or two, maybe a granddaughter tea party, and candlelight, lots of candlelight.

Thank you for stopping in and showing interest.  That's so very nice! 

A Postman Idea

 I finished a pair of mitts!  Do you like them?  They are a little bright, aren't they?  They were fun to knit using fat wool.

Look at Mr. Bigpaw!

 We had a lot of fun on Halloween!  Isn't Miss Bug an adorable Mary Poppins?

 And Millie Rose was a cat (from Alice, you know)

 Sam aka Harry Potter!

 James and Noah were too fast for Granny's photo taking skills.

 I went to Colorado Springs for a special Community Bible Study leader retreat.  Isn't this an amazing cloud?

 Here's Mr. Noah waiting for James at the bus stop.

 I have an idea for a blog event.  Would you be interested in a lightweight package containing The Jolly Postman and a bunch of envelopes coming to your house?  I'm still deciding about what each recipient would add to the portfolio before sending it on.  The postman would stay with you for a few days or a week and then you'd send him on his jolly way to the next person.  There will be more details but let me know if this sounds fun. 

 It's the month of pumpkin pie!  This was our Jenny's birthday pie.  It turned out so well, so I am planning on baking Thanksgiving pie this year.  Every year I say, "No need for pie because our peeps don't really appreciate it." Not true, I guess!  I'll make a pumpkin pie, a lemon pie and maybe an apple pie.  I do like making and baking pie.  I am going to order mince pies again for my December tea times.

 

I'm going to read the book of Isaiah during Advent.  

Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." NIV

I want to steadfastly consider that GREAT LIGHT that chases away the darkness in my heart.  That's how I wish to celebrate Christmas. 

Even though my stomach hurts because I ate a few nuts, I'm heading outside to walk in the sunshine.

Thank you for stopping in, sweet friend.  

Thoughts of a House Mouse

 I thought you might like a bowl of cherries.  Cherries make me feel bloated but I do think they are absolutely gorgeous.  God's fruits.

 Don't you love this illustration?  Ernest H. Shepard was a beautiful illustrator.  This one reminds me of that lovely tidy mood that hits me about five times a year.  LOL.  Pooh's legs being used to dry the tea towels.  Rabbit so busy with his wash tub.  Well, it is the cozy season and time to order our homes in preparation of the holiday season. 

We had book club this week.  I picked the book and they didn't really like it.  Oh well.  It was one of those afternoons when I run out of steam after throwing myself into cleaning and shining all morning.  It's okay.  I am 61 years old and I don't have the stores of energy I once had.  All that to say . . . there were flowers around and having ladies over to have snacks is always very nice. 

 English muffin bread and raisin bread.  I think it's time for some Russian tea and a piece of toast. I'm trying to eat things that are easy to digest because it's time for my routine procedure (you know the one that requires cleansing) and it's scheduled for Tuesday.  Oh well.

 When I had Lynn and her husband here and then our Australian friend, I used little pitchers for their milk when they were having tea.  I just dump my chosen creamer into my mug (straight from the refrigerator), but it was kind of fun to be fancy.

 Why don't YOU stop in for tea?

 I didn't have as much sewing to do for Kelli's upcoming productions because she has many very generous helpers now.  I still put it off and put it off and finally prayed that God would give me huge verve to sew.  He did!  Both Sam and Lizzy play the same role (in two different casts).  So I made just one costume for them.  Aren't they cute?  I had to make the mayor of Whoville's costume, too.  And Mrs. Mayor.  All done now!  YAY!

  

I may have shown you this before but Timothy has a thing for the shower drain and I think it's so funny how he paws at it, loosens it, and then takes it away (in his mouth!)
It's snowing today and he's cold.  I hope we can still drive to our small group tonight. The roads might be bad.  I love our small group peeps. They are young and full of love. Listening to them speak fills me with hope.  

 

God be with you, kind reader.  I'm not sure who is coming for Halloween, but I'll take photos of the little darlings that DO come.

Have you eaten any Halloween candy yet?

Do you like donuts and apple juice?

What do you have for dinner on Halloween night?

Thank you so much for popping in.