On to January

Christmas was lovely in its own way, but I honestly think (LOL) that I OVERTHINK it every year.  First, I begin getting in the mood to decorate long before it makes sense and I know then that I will lose my decorating drive soon after that preliminary feeling presents itself.  I do like all of the decorations but what would happen if I ONLY put up ONE tree?  Remind me next year, please.  The fudge tasted good to the girls but I didn't LOVE it like I did when I would make it years and years ago.  Why?  Do my taste buds still work?  Right now I am getting over a really awful cold/virus and I felt horrible for two days (not during Christmas).  I'm tired and a wee bit bored which is saying something because I'm not a real mover and a shaker anyway 😂

I am going to get my hair cut next week because even though a ponytail is easy, it definitely pulls my hair out.  I think my hair has been falling out for twenty years and I'm still not bald so that's good.  I really like my hairdresser.  Our Jenny went to her and she said to Jenny, "Your mom asks for impossible things." 😂 I think it's because I'll show her a haircut but say, "Please leave it long enough to tuck behind my ear."  Evidently, that's impossible.  LOL!

Sondra and I went to the chapel for Advent and it was unlocked and the heat was on!  A win!  We had fun singing Christmas songs and praying.  It really was a highlight of my Advent plans.

 I have a new Happy Planner!  I'm excited about it because I like to stick lots of stickers in the boxes.  I also have a plastic folder that holds lots of 4 by 6 note cards because I like small "canvases" for my doodles.  Brad reminded me about artist trading cards so I ordered some of those, too.  After I put all of the decor in the boxes I will repossess the big table in the family room and make good little messes there. 

It's "Mary Poppins" windy here today and the wind is cold.  I was reading old posts and I noticed that I complained about winter quite a bit in years past, but now I like it more.  I can wait for summer.

How was your Christmas? Did it seem to fly by quickly?  Did you have turkey (we had ham)? Kelli said she would share some split pea soup with us tomorrow.  Yum. I pray that you are chugging along well and NOT sick.  I pray you'll share your January dreams with me ☺️.

Thank you for stopping by! xo

Bouncing Along December

Whoa!  December is marching right along!  I've spent quite a bit of time reading this book for my book group that meets next week.  I can't wait to hear what my friends have to say.  They all love Jesus. They are all VERY good thinkers.  I love being in their company.  SO grateful!

I went to a craft fair to see a young friend's lovely makes.  Isn't this "love bug" adorable?  She is an excellent 18 year old crochet expert!

The "Who" tree below isn't bedecked as of yet.  When I look at my tubs of sparkle I get a bit overwhelmed.  I should have been more organized about putting the decorations away last December.  I'm sure I'll get sorted soon. 

Kelli brought this Father Christmas to me from one of her travels. He's squishy and cute and I was happy to find him in the mish mash that I mentioned earlier! 🤣

I'm trying to keep the pink going in the family room, but this involves moving all my Beatrix Potter stuff and also bears and rabbits.  Please pray the inspiration strikes and I can happily arrange the pink Christmas stuff! ❤️ I thought you might like to see my dolly collection again.  Aren't they sweet? 

Some days are hot water bottle days!  I have this polka dot friend on my lower back and I am enjoying a cup of PG Tips tea (thanks to my English friend Lynn who told me about it).  When Lynn and her nice hubby visited us, I learned how they like their tea.  I loved drinking tea with them. 

Trees and reindeer are perched up high so they CAN see outdoors.  

The "semi-boring, borderline ugly" tree looks good now!  All the bows and candy canes, green and white balls and white lights brought her to life.  Yay!

The skinny toadstool tree is looking a bit clumpy but that's okay.  I'll fuss a bit more. 

Sondra came for lunch and she read a lovely excerpt from a book she gave me and we looked over the Advent cards she'd given me another year.  Next week we are going to try to go to the campus chapel again.  It was locked for a while but I think it might be unlocked now.  I hope so. 

We've been having Sunday night Advent with the girls. Maybe Jeff and Christie and the boys will be able to come this Sunday.  They are swamped with basketball games.  😀

I've been using the Advent book that Brad compiled, too.  He also recommended some polka Christmas carols. VERY sweet!

So soon it will be my sister's birthday on St. Lucia Day.  I shall make a crown of rolls and light the candles.  I wish I could spend Karol's birthday with her, but she lives too far away. 😔

I still haven't set up the Nativity and I have not made fudge.  I will!

Have you been decorating little by little or is your festooning complete?  Have you shopped?  I'm nearly finished.  Have you gone to the post office and waited in line?  Are you thinking about the baby, born in a stable, coming to Earth, the visible image of the invisible God?  Oh, THAT fills my heart with hope!

Thank you for popping by to visit!  I pray that you are feeling lifted up and held fast.  Joy!

When the World Falls in Love . . .

Good day to you!  I am so excited that my friend Gretchen also has this folk song book.  Did you know that "Angels We Have Heard on High" was the first Christian hymn of the church?  I didn't.  Do you keep forgetting to listen to Christmas music like I do?  I aim to fill the air in our home with songs of Christmas today.  I have one tree finished and I'll take a photo of it soon.  The toadstool tree is next.  After that, the "Who" tree which is full of blinking balls and will soon be decorated with lots of pink. 

I'd like to finish this scarf I'm making for James.  He's tried it on, so I know it's almost long enough.

This is the end paper in the folk song book.  Wouldn't it make a good wallpaper for walls (not electronic devices?)  😂

Look at these cute carolers!  Do you ever have carolers in your neighborhood? We don't.  Would you go caroling if someone asked you to?  Hmmmm.  Let's think about that.

Last year I read this cute book and I might read it again.  I also have some Alison Uttley Christmas stories.  Do you have some favorite Christmas stories?

I'm going to put up this whimsical sign. Our halls are getting quite bedecked. 🥰

This plaid reindeer is saying, "When will you release me from this plastic storage tub and allow me to stand near the window so I can look outside?" Soon, little deer, soon!

Some of my photos are blurry because I forgot to turn off the "live" feature.  It's off now.  

"It's that time of year, when the world falls in love . . . "  What do you think that means?  I think it means that the Advent season excites us and feels like home and the reason it does is because it is a taste of Heaven which is to come, maybe soon.  I want to be so excited for Heaven forever, similar to how I feel in December.  I want that good feeling of longing, of homesickness, for my Heavenly Home!  

Today I might make fudge.  I so love that old Fantasy Fudge recipe.  I might find it too sweet, but it can go in the freezer. 

What Christmas task or delight will YOU enjoy today?  Oh!  I just remembered my gumdrop tree that I bought last year!  I'll order some gumdrops! 

Merry, merry, lovely ones! Thank you for stopping in! ❤️ 

 

Another Advent Day

I have an old folk song book and it has a section of carols.  I love the illustrations. Don't you think they are snappy?

I did get the less than beautiful fake tree put up today but I shall decorate it tomorrow.  Do you like the garland below with a cat like Timothy bringing figgy pudding?

This is Day #2 in my stack of Advent cards.  Pinecones are pretty, aren't they?

I came upon some Advent books and Christmas books in a box and this one has some lovely prose about the sacred and holy season.

 I've decided to go a little slow with the festooning of the house.  I don't have to hurry which is nice.  I had dinner with a friend this evening.  She is about the age of our girls and she said that she is tired now that she is in her forties.  😉 She said that there are things that she has to do that she just doesn't want to do because she's tired.  Hmmmmmmm.  I think she is tired because she has so much to do and she doesn't have the luxury of slowing down. She's a mom and a wife and she is homeschooling.  She is involved at her church and helps with other groups.  Every stage of life has its challenges.  I don't have TOO much to do, so I can poke along without feeling rushed.  I'm going to remember to be thankful for that. 

I'm sleepy and ready to crawl into our cozy bed.  I'm already looking forward to my morning cup of coffee ☕️.

I hope you had a happy December 2nd.  Did you do one or two fun things?  Did you eat any fudge?  When I was at a big store today, I went down the seasonal treat aisle and none of it looked tempting or special enough to buy.  I might go to another big store tomorrow and look for some special treats there.  Shortbread in the shapes of Christmas?  Mince pies?  Special chocolate?  We'll see.

Before I head to bed I'm going to say a little prayer for you.

Dear God,

Please may we think about lasting love, growing relationships, tender kindnesses.  Please open our hearts so we will give freely and receive humbly. Please help us cast off the burden of self centeredness.  Give us fresh thoughts that are astonished by ancient TRUTHS.  Thank you❤️ Amen.

Advent Begins! ❤️

Happy Advent Day #1.  This is Kelli's Advent boxes/calendar but because I was at their house last night for a sleepover, I took some photos of their decorations.  

Kelli received this snow globe for a Christmas gift when she was a little girl (and then it was dropped and broken, so we replaced it).  I'm glad we did since now it graces her fireplace.

I don't know where she got this lovely pillow.  Soph and I watch the end of Pride and Prejudice last night.  Now I have watched the whole series (old PBS) with Sam, Millie, and Sophie.  They all loved it. So beautiful.

Tonight we'll gather with the local kids for Advent.  How nice that December 1st is on a Sunday! 

Yesterday I found a bunch of strips for paper chains!  I made one (pastels) for the family room and I'll make red and white chains for the living room. I have such happy memories of pasting strips and adding to a long chain when I was in 3rd and 4th grade, decorating our classrooms back when everyone seemed to celebrate Christmas (but maybe they didn't 🤷‍♀️)

A friend gave me this cute tree candle holder last year.  Isn't it sweet?  I will try to decorate a little bit at a time this year instead of whipping all of it out of the boxes at once.

 

When the girls and their families arrived for Thanksgiving I wasn't quite ready.  I was still ironing tablecloths and I was rushing around in my pjs!  I hadn't even put out the veggies and dip!  Even though we had a frenzied (me) beginning, the food was delicious!  Yay!

Last year, I didn't like my new Christmas tree.  It seemed boring and I contemplated skipping the whole tree thing this year, but of course now I am not thinking that way.  Maybe I will make it a white bow and toadstool themed tree.  Maybe I'll put the bubble light tree in the pink family room.  Maybe the skinny tree can be laden with lots and lots of ornaments.  We'll see!  

The first thing I would like to do is set up the nativity scenes.  Most important. Maybe I will keep knitting my hand knit nativity. I only finished Mary and Joseph last year.  Timothy kept fishing them out of that particular knitting bag and using them for practice gophers (remember Beverly Cleary writing that in Ramona?). They are a little worse for the wear but still cute. 

Here we go, celebrating and anticipating this holy time of year!  Thank you for popping in!

 

PS:  Melinda, if you are reading this, I think you're thinking of Carl Larsson, a Swedish artist.