Happy New Year

2009 is swiftly coming to a close! And all I really want to do is stop the clock! We have just spent the last 3 glorious days celebrating Christmas with our dear daughter, Amanda, and her wonderful hubby, Joshua! with only one day left before their return northward... I am deeply desirous of halting time. ... stretching it out to get to do all the things I had planned to do over the long months since their last visit..... but that will probably never become reality! Something will always happen... like life... to forestall our best laid plans. Today it was waking up to fresh fallen snow that had to be shovelled and cleared from 2 properties... thankfully it was a slight snow but it still knocked us out of our specially planned day. Oh, well, we still got to just enjoy family togetherness... doing,,, helping,,, serving,,, and loving... and what better way to see out this year with the hopes and prayers for a brighter new year! Love to all who visit here and God bless you mightily in 2010!!!!

Tonight

Tonight!
We've been waiting for tonight for quite some time...
Our emotions at full throttle, our expectations....sublime!
We've put off Christmas... held it back these past few days
Waiting for the children... to our Father we sing praise!
Its grand to spread out Christmas...
its a time of expectancy
and waiting makes the advent all the sweeter....
Learning patience ... counting the blessings along the way
until that knock upon the door
thoses faces through the pane. ...
and Christmas arrives..... a little late...
oh, but oh how wonderful.... to share... and love... and make memories anew
all to His marvelous glory
another precious child for whom we celebrate!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

December 28th

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window... There is a brisk wind that makes it feels like 26 degrees! Brrrr! The temps will be falling throughout the day.... a good day to stay indoors!



I am thinking...tonight when Amanda and Joshua will come.. after dinner and stay until Saturday morning! Yippee!!!

I am thankful for...too many things to count... God is good...all the time....all the time.... God is good!

I am wearing... a long yellow sleep shirt and my long cosy terry robe. I havent decided about the day as of yet. Ill probably don a pair of jeans and a sweat shirt!

I am remembering... to pray for a couple of special prayer requests for good friends who are going through unusually difficult trials right now!

I am going... to try to make this Christmas week as special and loving as I can.. Our Christmas actually begins tonight!

I am currently reading... I have nothing going this week

I am hoping... to stay in a healthful balance this week with all the festivities

On my mind...the nasty beginnings of an upper respiratory flare-up Ive been battling all weekend... pumping zicam and pain relievers.... I refuse to be sick this week!

Noticing that... the lines around my face are more and more pronounced! Yikes!!

Pondering these words...

Between whom there is hearty truth, there is love.

Henry David Thoreau

From the kitchen...

slow baked ham and apple sauce cake



Around the house... tidy up and set the Christmas table mop the kitchen do a couple loads of laundry

One of my favorite things~ snow~ I have with our host on this one

From my picture journal...


Last year's Christmas table
For more daybooks visit Peggy's site!

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday!

Hark the herald angels sing!!! What a glorious Saturday..today the day after Christmas....
we have enjoyed so much gaiety and joy this holiday season already and for us Christmas ...our family Christmas hasnt even come!
On Christmas eve Lynn and I enjoyed a quiet...sweet time with my parents.. We had gone to Bellacino's earlier and purchased a large pizza which we kept on hold...then we rejoiced at our Christmas eve candlelight service at church.... so beautiful and filled with the promise of the gospel!
Then we grabbed our pizza and visited with mom and dad.


The food was simple but delicious and the fellowship full of reminiencing and song.
I told mom it was like BA time... time before Amanda when it was just the four of us.. hopeful for a time when the Lord would honor us with a child but happy in our life together as it was! As we sat around the Christmas tree and fireplace singing...

the kids were arriving by train elsewhere and were beginning their holiday with Joshua's family...
Then Christmas Day dawned.... cold and rainy with the threat of ice most of the day. Lynn and I never gave up the hope that our special time with everyone would not be delayed. Baking and decorating tables ...creating a festive tone was paramount to our day's activities!
Just knowing that soon the family would be all together made the day filled with joy and happiness!
As guests arrived...each bringing their own kitchen specialties... our tables were soon laden with sumptuous holiday delights!











Praise the Lord..He kept the temps above freezing and all our plans came to fruition!
It is hard to believe though that as hard as it rained yesterday the ground is still white with snow... our beautiful white Christmas!

The great part of it all is that next week.. when the kids come to us that's when our real Christmas will begin!!! HEEHEE!!!

So that brings me back to today!! I was up early and off to prayer group this morning! we had so much for which to be thankful... yet so much for which to pray! ...our families...
our church... our nation! But we are most thankful that our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is available making intercession for us by the throne of God.. that we can take it all and lay it before His feet. What a Saviour!

For more PS visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!!

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas Eve and Amanda and Joshua are on their way home now... coming in by train! How exciting! We'll see them Christmas Day! The family will be getting together here tomorrow night... praying for moderating temps! Traditionally, my mom and dad hosted a Christmas eve family gathering. but I am hosting it on Christmas night this year and mom is still providing her some of her Yuletide specialties! Here's the menu:

Ham and Swiss Biscuits Sausage Balls
Cheese ball with Crackers

Bacon, Egg, Dried Tomato Canapes
Chips and Dip
Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Brie
Pecan Tassies
Fruit Cake
Cheesy Ranch and Traditional Chex Mixes
Fruit Punch
Mulled Hot Cider

This year we will be having an intimate family communion service to celebrate and remember our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

James Pierpont. publ.1857 

It came upon the midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth

To touch their harps of gold!

"Peace on the earth, good will to men,

From heaven's all gracious King!

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come

With peaceful wings unfurled

And still their heavenly music floats

O'er all the weary world;

Above its sad and lowly plains

They bend on hovering wing.

And ever o'er its Babel sounds

The blessed angels sing.

Angels We Have Heard on High

Angels we have heard on high,
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear? Refrain

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King. Refrain

See him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love. Refrain

Matthew 1:18-23 The Birth of Jesus Christ

¹⁸This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

²²All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."

Luke 1:26-33 The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

John 1: 1-5The Word Became Flesh

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning.

³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood^[a] it.

Joy to the World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods,
rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.

Why Jesus Came into the World John 1:6-10

⁶There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.^[a]

¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him

Isaiah 53:1-10

¹ Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

² He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

³ He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

⁸ By oppression ^[a] and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;for the transgression of my people he was stricken. ^[b]

⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes ^[c] his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin's womb:
Very God,
Begotten, not created; Refrain

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God
In the highest; Refrain

See how the shepherds,
Summoned to his cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither
Bend our joyful footsteps; Refrain

Child, for us sinners
Poor and in the manger,
We would embrace thee, with love and awe;
Who would not live thee,
Loving us so dearly? Refrain

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing; Refrain

Communion Luke 23:32-49 (New International Version)

³²Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."^[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

³⁵The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

³⁶The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

³⁸There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

⁴²Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[b]"

⁴³Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Jesus' Death

⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

⁴⁷The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man." ⁴⁸When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. ⁴⁹But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Hebrews 9:11-14

The Blood of Christ

¹¹When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here,^[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. ¹²He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,^[b] so that we may serve the living God!

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me"

"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins"

“For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do show the Lord's death till he come.”

Instrumental:Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears

Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, thou rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of of hell thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave

Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here
And drive away the shaves of night
And pierce the clouds and bring us light

Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, Thou Key of David, come
And open wide our heavenly home
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery

Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might
Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height
In ancient times did'st give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe

Chorus
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee O Israel

.Issac Watts

Instrumental:What Child Is This?

What child is this, who, laid to rest
On Mary's lap, is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant king to own Him,
The King of kings, salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The Virgin sings her lullaby:
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

Matthew 28:16-20

The Great Commission

¹⁶Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Acts 1:4-5; Acts 1:8-11

⁴On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵For John baptized with^[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

⁹After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

Sing Silent Night

Only for Amanda

would we venture out to the mall today! All I can say is..."Thank goodness for mail order!"
Lynn and I both felt like aliens in a strange land ...it had been that long since we had actually stepped foot at the major mall in the area. I myself avoid it like the plague anyway, but today it had to be done...so Lynn came home about 3 and we started by stopping in at mom and dad's


to clean off their car and check it out for Amanda and Joshua to use while they are in town.

Then we were off to the mall. The interstate became more and more congested the closer we got.. until we came to the first exit.. where the traffic was backed up on the off ramp.... on my... we started praying the next exit wouldn't be quite so bad.

at least there we did make it onto the access road but there the traffic became snarled... drivers showing their impatience and lack of consideration for their fellow man.

Once we were actually on the property the huge mountainous piles of pushed, filthy snow blocked our view as well as took up valuable parking spaces. These monstrous eyesores will probably still be haunting us come February!


Then we made it our business to hie ourselves right to the task at hand and scurry on our way right out of there.. lickety split. well, as lickety as it's possible through myriad throngs of dazed teeny boppers, harried moms pushing squawling baby buggie, and disgruntled dads laden with tons of packages. i was just a little skittish about taking any photos there.. if you know what I mean... then it was a madhouse trying to make our way to one of the two exits out of there! Argh!
The yucky salt spray on the window sort of compounded our discomfiture!!


After the wonderful comfort food of the Roanoker Restaurant... we finally returned to the placid serenity of our own little community...far from the madding crowd!

AW!!! Now let the Christmas festivities begin... shopping is officially... OVER!

Baby, it's Cold Outside

Yesterday about 2pm it started to snow! Lynn had come home early from work to load up some firewood on the front porch for easy accessibility.

About an hour later it was really coming down!

I was glad I remembered the birds!

I beleive they are happy, too!

Dinner last evening was so joyous as we absorbed the beauty around us!

Yesterday was the perfect day to finish decorating the sunroom!

As evening came upon us the snow continued to pile up like so much whipped cream!

Then it was morning.. with 15 inches on the ground!

Some neighbors were much more industrious than we! But they are expecting family this weekend... maybe!

We have little reason to tackle that!

Besides...we can't open the door!

So why not just sit back,relax and contemplate ...Christmas!!!

Pink Saturday

AW! Today is the last

Pink Saturday

before Christmas. This week, Beverly asked that we share a favorite family tradition! Family is what Christmas is all about isnt it?

As a child it was all about going to grandma's... see all the cousins... favorite scents, foods, activities like caroling, telling stories, giving recitations, then all of a sudden those days were over and as young adults the time came to make new traditions.

For several years Lynn and I as a couple would go spend a week in the country with my parents. His parents had passed and our traditions included a special aunt and her daughter who was unattached who lived nearby. Low key but wonderful Christmas revolved around going to the little country church for a very intimate candle lighting service with sweet, sweet carols then on to mom's for opening gifts on Christmas Eve. Mom served shrimp cocktail, potato salad, sausage balls, ham biscuits, strawberry pretzel salad, chips, and dip, and coconut cake, and fruited punch. Then along came Amanda and these festivities became even more wonderful, sentimental and ingrained in our holiday tradition. Then when my parents moved to our hometown and Amanda was dating ...engaged... the celebration continued on Christmas Eve at mom's house, and we enlarged our gathering to include Joshua and his parents and a few very close friends.
We always included going to mom's church for the Christmas Eve service until a few years ago when Amanda and Joshua started playing their violins at a gig at the Midnight service at a gorgeoous presbyterian church in town..


but that was before they moved away to New England.
This year mom is just unable to host the party anymore.... so the venue is moving to our house..... and this year it be be held on Christmas night.... these days one must be flexible and not ruled by the calendar... the menu will hopefully remain much the same... there will be singing and candlelight and quiet contemplation of the holy birth and wonderful advent of our Lord around the fire...

and there will be a few gifts. But our separate family gathering... just my parents and the kids will reconvene the week after Christmas this year. We'll choose a day to be "Christmas Eve" during the time Amanda and Josh are with us to just sit around the Christmas tree and sing carols and make merry, but then we will have our traditional brunch on "Christmas morning".

I usually prepare 2 sausage, veggie quiches, fruit salad, sweet rolls, and cranberry/ orange walnut scones.

Currntly this is our most precious family time. Then we convene around the tree and open gifts and Santa's.

But who knows how time will demand a shift again in coming years. One thing is certain time changes and life brings its many seasons.. one must learn to adapt and keep Christmas in the heart and spirit through the changes. The main thing is to preserve the love, and the simplicity of the sharing in the most holy season of the Christ child and what His advent means to us..

Well, that's it for Pink Saturday during this 2009 advent season. just remembering these wonderful memories out me in the Pink! Have a wonderful and most joyous Christmas.. until next time! Happy Pink Saturday! For more visit Beverly at How Sweet the sound!!

Skywatch Friday

Yesterday the sky right above our house was heralding the snowy forecast which we are anticipating today here in Virginia... a foot of snow at least as a nor'easter tracks up the coast! I love it!!!!!
Visit Skyley for more SWF!

Word Filled Wednesday

Visit Critty Joy for more WFW!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY... from Schotzy's Daybook

Outside my window... a foggy, lazy start to a late autumn day... the temps promise to be a bit warmer, no threat of rain

I am thinking... only 10 more days until Christmas.... so much yet to do!

I am thankful for... family, friends, hearth, and home

I am wearing... still in pj's and robe this morning

I am remembering... Christmases when Amanda was home... the excitement of baking, wrapping, hiding and secrets, planning together.

I am going... to church to pick up some poinsettias to deliver to shut ins today, then the retired teacher's Christmas luncheon, tonight is the P. Buckley Moss Christmas party

I am currently reading... who has time to read... I did purchase Debbie Macomber's newest Christmas novel, Angels at Christmas... but no time!

I am hoping... for a snowy winter, I'll borrow Peggy's sentiment... I love snow!

On my mind... I am caught up again in the age old desire to create that wonderful Christmas feeling again this year.... if there was only a magic formula.. I know that I only really need to keep Christ center most and saturate everything with love...I want my daughter to love Christmas and have wonderful memories just as I have.... but I can never recreate those for her... mine are so precious, rare, and old fashioned.... sitting around the wood burning stove in Granny's living room, sleigh riding on the farm with myriad cousins, 5 kids piling into one bed in grandma's basement...eating grandma's Christmas cake, ginger bread, granny's apple sauce cake with caramel icing, triple layer coconut cake, homemade egg custard...singing carols around the spinet... going on a caroling hayride... I mean how does one compete with those.... we live in such a different age....

Noticing that... the lines and creases are getting more and more noticeable

Pondering these words..."The Master begins where we leave off." from Stream in the Desert


From the kitchen... partying tonight at Montano's

Around the house... if there is time, more wrapping, straightening and perhaps hanging another set of lights on the sunroom tree in preparation of hanging those decorations... then all the trees will be done!!!

One of my favorite things... planning and executing... as energy allows...

From my picture journal...

The carolers have come out from the village singing, "Gloria in excelsis deo!"

For more SWD's visit Peggy !

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

These early days of December are fraught with all kinds of festive activities! Parties with wonderful friends...

delectable foods

gorgeous decor


all of which inspires one to get on the stick at home and get something done....
so off to get the tree...

getting the other tree up as well...

putting Lynn to work with the additional lights

hauling out the decorations

That's one down!

let's take a break and head over to Bellacino's looks like Christmas there as well.... Someone is starved!

Gee, let's take some home for tomorrow, what say???

so there is more inspiration... to work on the outside a little bit!

Up goes the banner...O Holy Night!

Up go the wreaths o'er candled windows...

Trim another tree or two...
and then time for another break....
off to church for our Christmas pageant!


Angels lift their crowns before the Christ Child...

Because A baby Changes Everything!

Lest we e'er forget the true meaning for all the hub bub! The advent of our precious Lord and savior!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords!