Day 6 ~ Shopping

December  6~Shopping

Each Christmas season     I try to    reorganize my  decorations,,,   get rid of  the old and   frayed... unless theya re   traditional  treasures  passed down through the family... which  I love.And  if I see something I   love  for the new season  I  will  think about getting it...  when I  saw  this  Victorian  couple at Cracker Barrell,  it was love at first sight...  a must have....my daughter says that's fine as long as I get rid of something else... 

For   giving  we   really     like to  either give  gift cards or do most of our shopping online..

is our best friend!

For   our  listening pleasure.. this is  our   new music

Click off the  music at top  to listen to this   song from  the  Cd!

Friday Fave Five

                   

                     Joining with  Susanne   today   on  this fun  meme! 
1.  Today  I   fell in love with  a new couple.....     I have incorporated them into my  Christmas  merriment...  they a re so jolly and  fun-loving.... May I introduce Theodora and  Huxley Fox.

2.  Aw... what  a lovely feeling.. no choir practice  tonight... but we had    some the last few nights....  because tomorrow  is the  big day.   The   orchestra    tunes up....    it is going to be   wonderful!

3.  I hope we go  out to see some  Christmas lights tonight...  there  does seem to be  quite a bit more this year than usual....   I love   this time of year....   so family oriented and joyous!

4.  One of my favorite  candle light  scenes... is the candle lighting ceremony at church...

   

5.  I am beginning to think of  Christmas menus....  like     Christmas  morning  quiche!

       

Or  Christmas   Cranberry Orange Scones

                                                 

and   Christmas  table  settings!

Capturing December Day 5~Joyous

December 5~ Joyous 

We have so much for which to be joyous!

Firstly,     we  rejoice in coming of our Lord, and  that  in Him  we  have our salvation....forgiveness  of our sin,  and  eternal life.

We rejoice in God's gift of family  together
both our   own  physical  family

and our spiritual   brothers and  sisters in Christ!


We rejoice that  our children  are    well situated  both   in  her  circumstances,  their family, and  in the Lord!

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee
God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Opening to the sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light of day

Hallelujah we adore You
Hallelujah

Capturing December~ Red

December 4~ RED

One of my very best friends   loves  her little  girls...

  two of the most precocious dachshunds....  and since her  birthday is  right around the corner...  I thought of   this   in celebration of red!

One of my favorite   Christmas  recipes   is red!

 

Brandied fruit
here are  the  ingredients  and depending on  the amount of  fruit needed I  adjust amounts  as necessary to taste

I did not peel any of the  fruit

Stick cinnamon

4 lady apples quartered  

4 pears quartered   

Dried apricots sliced

Dried cranberries

Orange juice and Brandy

Stew  this all together  until  fruit is  cooked  but  not   too much

add in the 

Lemon or orange zest

Hodge Podge

My  first HodgePodge  of   December!

1. Did you watch The Charlie Brown Christmas special Monday night? Who's your favorite Peanuts character and why?"Most psychiatrists agree that sitting in a pumpkin patch is excellent therapy for a troubled mind."~Linus
Would you agree?

I love   this Christmas  Special.... but I am saving it until I am with our  kids... I love how Linus tells of the true meaning of Christmas! That is what makes this  show  so very special... I also  ever since the first time I viewed this show,   have  had an  affinity for the most scraggly  Christmas tree...  Mostly  we use artificial trees now,  but  when I buy  a 'real' tree,  I look for the one that needs a good home!

My favorite  character is Sally..  I love how love springs eternal  in her for her sweet Baboo!

Would I agree with the wisdom of Linus? Yes. Linus has proven by his understanding  in many areas to be   a  young  fellow of wisdom....  I imagine for him  to sit in a pumpkin patch  his hope is unwavering  and  his faith is strong!

2. Describe a sound from your childhood. What does this sound bring to mind?
I remember  living in my childhood home...  with the windows wide open  from spring through  fall...  the  wondrous sounds form  the outside  filtering in....  the mockingbird's songs that awakened me each morning,   the   breezes  through the trees,,  the  scratching  branches against the panes that  always sent a chill up my spine until I remembered what it was....  the sound of  rain   in the downspout... Life today  is so different...   we live in closed up houses... all locked up against  the unknown... in seasonable weather the  whirr of the  a/c drowns out the  peaceful  sounds     gifts of  the Lord  in His creation.  I treasure those  childhood memories....  so small  yet so  vital to  my  memory of a kinder, gentler time!

3. You've won a trip to a winter wonderland...would that excite you? Which one of the following would you most want to experience (or which one would you dislike the least)-see the Aurora Borealis in Norway, stay in Sweden's Ice Hotel, go dog sledding in Lapland Finland, take a winter wildlife safari in Yellowstone or celebrate Winter Carnival in Quebec.

I am  such a loner type person.. Being in the midst of  revellers isn't  my cup of tea. I   long to  experience  those   wondrous   blessings  of God in his creation  and to get  to  see the  Aurora  Borealis would be awesome.   My second  wonderland  adventure would be to go dog sledding...  I suppose while we are in  those Nordic  climes  I should take them both in, eh!

4. Who or what keeps you humble?
I   laugh as I read our host's    reply.....   indeed,  I believe one of  the marriage partner's  principle   obligations is to  keep   our humility in check..   At least  my hubby  really  does   that  job quite well..   And I, he  as well... I suppose that is how  we complete and compliment  one another!

5. What part of preparing for Christmas do you like the most? Explain.

I love the  act of  buying,  addressing and sending cards out... over the years  our mailing list has  grown and grown....  even though many  don't  like to keep it up.... but, I do,  because I love  receiving them, as well..But I suppose that  the best part of  preparing for Christmas   for me is  every little  detail that  I   hope  prepares the way for  the Spirit of Christmas to resound   with happiness and  joy   around the house....  special  lighting,  special  sights, sounds,  aromas,   it sets  the perfect climate that sets this season apart from all others.As I write this  it makes me think that is exactly  what  Father God  through Christ is doing in heaven right now...  preparing a place for us...  in all its glory   to demonstrate His   mighty love and  preparations  for His cherished bride...  He told us   before he left that we went to prepare a place for us....  Not  that our  home is glorious  but  every   detail is plied with  love, hope, and expectation!

6. Gingerbread-yay or nay? Is making a gingerbread house part of your family holiday tradition?

I love gingerbread...  but have never  made a  gingerbread house....  and doubt I ever will..But my  grandma   loved ginger  cookies,  and she made  gingerbread   cakes...   something I have always   considered very old-fashioned and  is forever more linked with  my memories of her...  She had the cookie jar filled with  those cookies for us kids.... But there were so many of us I  tried to  be the one to find the jar first to make sure I got one.Alas,  no one in my family cares for   them  so  I  don't usually make them... But if I did, they'd be like grandma's  the soft chewy kind!

7. What's one thing you want to start, do, or complete before the calendar rolls into a new year?  
I believe this will happen  as long as  God is in it and all  goes  according to plan....  that is to hold and  love on  our second granddaughter....  our lil Christmas baby.... sent to redeem   Christmas for our family...  for my daddy  passed  Christmas  2013  and my momma   last year on the  27th.   This  Christmas is filled with the promise of new life and wonderment!

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Even as I sit here   typing about  Christmas  as  we have known it and expectations  of  Christmases to come,  the radio  is reporting   yet again an active shooter  in California... and I am reminded of the  tenuousness of the   world we live in....  One would wonder  where is  the peace and joy...  It is only   by the power of   Christ,  seeking His will for our lives,   and    and having   a strong relationship with Him  that  peace and joy are  available in abundance  to  those who believe!  Peace and Joy   in a  tiny bundle   who came   to  his own hometown and no one  accepted him....   will  we,  today!  

December 2~ Favorite Christmas Moive

December 2  Favorite Holiday Movie

Of course my favorite traditional   Christmas  film is the all time   favorite.. White Christmas!

Who could not be charmed by

  

 and  when we're together as a family we love to  sing our rendition of  this   wonderful   song

But  in today's  fast paced   world  there are many other   wonderful   movies thanks to Hallmark and I do enjoy  many of them a s well!

THis one which is part of a series,  I love!

As you might  know I  am  an incurable romantic  so  these sappy stories  suit me to a tee!

Looking forward to this one!

But I  can not wait to be charmed by the one  that  Ive never seen before.. those are the most delicious!

PHoto a Day~ December 1

I found this   great photo challenge  a couple of years ago  and  I am   thinking it would be fun to  give it another try....  I helps to click off the days  sort of like an activity  advent calendar!!!!!Anyone who  wants  to  join me   feel free..  The person who had this doesn't  blog anymore.

December 1, 2015

I wish  I had  an  awesome view today....  but alas... it has  rained hard all day...

So, this is  our view from the front door today...  looking out across  a soggy  school yard...

On a recent year it looked more like this:

or   this year  when  it   snowed  for a couple of days...

I would even prefer  a stormy sky to  skies of gray!

But on this first day of December .... it is what it is....and the rain  doesnt look to let up for a cople of more days....  But the dear Lord says in His word, ' Be thankful in all things!!!!" So  Thank you,  Father, God  for   the abundance of water  that is washing  the earth  and    building the water table here....  I should not  be  glumy....  but praising you for the abundance of your  blessings to us!!!
Unrelated to this  post I just found  one that is  active  for anyone interested...here.