Three Days Until Christmas Eve

Another weekend has passed.  Are you ready for Christmas? I have now lost count how many times I have declared,"I am done!" and then found more things to buy for Christmas.  I am now really done because the wrapping paper is finished.  And we were at Walmart yesterday.  (How did I forget the wrapping paper?)

The kids baked gingerbread cookies with Nana yesterday after church.  Today Grace is going to make sugar cookie dough to bake tomorrow.  I want her to make peanut butter blossoms, too.  That should give us enough variety for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. What I do not want to have are tons sitting around for weeks on end.  No, no, no.  Won't do.

The kids went to see Star Wars with their grandparents today.  I had the morning all to myself.  I wrote a long list and only partially got the laundry done, cleaned one bathroom and made one phone call. I thought I could get a lot more done.  I still have trouble walking up and down the stairs with my boot on, but it is the only way I can do it right now, slows me down a little.

I am very thankful to have school behind us for a couple of weeks.  It has been a great semester for my online learners.  Both of them made the honor roll.  I am still very pleased with their school and the kids' work ethic.   I am really looking forward to next semester, too.  Now that we know what to expect and how to keep on track, it is going to be even more enjoyable.

This week will surely fly by.  I wish that I could slow it down a little.  Last year was a horrible Christmas, losing my grandma on the 23rd.  I cannot help but remember the time leading up to her death and of course how much I have missed her this year.  It is such a long time not to talk to her.  She was one of my best friends, really.

Instead of being sad, I will focus on the wonderful things we have this season, health, provision, and most of all a Savior who deserves celebrated.  Have a wonderful Christmas, friends!!

I recently found this picture of my grandma, a few years ago when she was visiting. It shows her vest for life.  She loved Christmas.   

Since Thanksgiving

It truly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here, as the old song goes.  The day after Thanksgiving begins our traditional season of decorating, baking cookies, shopping, going to parties and watching Christmas movies. So far this year has not disappointed on any count.

We have baked and decorated on two separate occasions.  We have watched Elf, Christmas in Connecticut and Christmas with the Cranks.  We have even put up two trees.  We have been out for our annual family Christmas brunch with extended family at their retirement home.  We have ordered our Christmas cards and bought most of our gifts.

This Christmas feels much more joyous in comparison to the last two Christmas' where I lost grandmothers right before.  I was so heartbroken going into those Christmas'.  I lost all my joy for celebrating.  I still really miss them and it is hard to think of future Christmas' without them, but I know they are no longer suffering and I will see them again one day because they both loved Jesus, the real reason to celebrate Christmas.

I'll leave you with some pictures from our home in the last two weeks.  Merry Christmas!!

Labor Day 2015 in Pictures

Sweet Sixteen

This past Sunday and Tuesday we celebrated our Grace's sixteenth birthday.  Sunday was her family party. Tuesday was her actual birthday.  We seem to have gotten away from the friends party, probably because her friends live an hour north.  We did try to arrange a friends outing up north, but it did not work out. We are still working on making new friends here.  :)

Sunday's party was grand!  Her grandmother made her this beautiful angel food cake from scratch.  It was amazingly well decorated.  We had such a feast, too, and lots of presents.

Tuesday, we met Daddy for lunch at Chick fil A near his office.  We also made a library stop, and she spent a big gift card at a craft store.  She picked out marinated lemon pepper chicken, watermelon, salad, and cupcakes for her birthday dinner.  We rented Monster's University, and took a 5 mile bike ride, such a lovely day!

I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. The Lord has big plans for this sweet girl.  

Enjoying the Season

Just seems like Thanksgiving came and went, and now it is full steam ahead for Christmas!  I am constantly amazed at how fast time is flying by.  Really.  Do we not have the same 24 hours a day that we have always had?  How can it be nearing the end of 2014?

She doesn't like the train under the tree. 

This past weekend we had Jeff's company Christmas party at a fancy hotel to attend.  I even got to purchase a new dress!  I have not been all dressed up in a very long time.  We had a great time.  Jeff has nice coworkers, plus there was a pretty decent live band.  Oh, and the food was endless.  Each employee was given a hotel room, but we had to decline since we have church and children to attend to.

We also attended our annual Christmas brunch with dear family who live in a retirement home that goes all out for this event, another delicious buffet and wonderful live piano music.  I ate too much, again!  And we love spending time with family.

This week is super busy, too with a couple jazz band events for our oldest, a mom gathering for me to attend, and the usual activities. I am also excited that we have reached week 17 in our Sonlight. Just 19 more to go. We sure are enjoying all the great books, having just finished The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom.

I think I forgot to mention that I received an early Christmas gift from my mom.  She got me a Keurig!  I had wanted one for a long time, when she got one.  Then I had just about decided that I really didn't want one after all, when she brought me one at Thanksgiving!  We have been having lots of fun trying new flavors.  They are expensive, so we are trying to pace ourselves.

A Big Birthday

Someone had a BIG birthday!!!

He pretty much had 3 days of celebrating.  The day of his birthday, we took him to get his fancy running shoes and had a lunch party with Nana before going to church.  The next day, I took him to pick out his gift from birthday money received, another guitar!

And I took him to McDonald's, his favorite fast food place (I know, I know.) before an evening at karate.  Then on the following Sunday, postponed due to snow, we had another lunch celebration after church.

Every mother says this, but truly, where has the time gone???

This Side of Christmas

Whew, I made it!  This Christmas season was one of our most quiet seasons ever and I have to say that made every moment more enjoyable.  We cut down on decorations, cookie baking, celebrations, just about every thing.  We also did not take a long break from our lessons.  We decided that since Jeff had to work, we'd work, too.  He had the actual holidays off, but not extra days like in the past.  It turned out for the best.  We are keeping on track and that makes me happy.

We are not doing a lot for  New Year either.  We will have a little sparkling grape juice, share a special meal at home, and stay up a little later, but not midnight, most likely.  On New Year's day we are going to finally have our Christmas ham.  We had so much other stuff on Christmas that we didn't need the ham. It will be just us, and that is fine.  I look forward to a quiet day.  Thursday and Friday will be work days, so a quiet New Year is what we need this year.

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas foodie

WW: Homemade

A Birthday To Remember

It was a delightful day to turn thirteen. 

Nana arrived well ahead of the guests in order to make the dainty cupcakes.  (Thank you, Mom! So glad you could be here for this special day.) 

The birthday girl was put to work, too.  She made a platter full of fruit kabobs. 

A gift of fresh lavender added charm to the table.  (It's now planted out front with the zinnias. )

One special touch to the hostess before guests arrived.

Good friends arrive to hang out, do crafts, play piano, paint nails, play goofy games, and eat lots of food!

And, I got a big thank you in the end!  
 

Almost WW: Summer Reading Finished

Trevor completed his summer reading program.  This is significant because it ends his elementary career.  Next year, he'll be in the "older" children's program.  *gulp*  He's been in the library's program every year of his life.  What a milestone! 

First Camping Trip of 2012

Just back from a whirlwind trip to our favorite lake, Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park.  For 24 hours, it was "make the most of every moment."  We'd been obsessing about the weather for a week.  I really didn't think we'd get to go, as we only had a day and I was not interested in going if it was going to rain. 

Thankfully, the weather was absolutely beautiful!     We did a craft at the nature center. We hiked. We played at the beach.  We had Grandma and her friend over for dinner. We watched a sunset.   We enjoyed our camper.  (I wish I could say that we enjoyed sleeping in our camper, but a noisy bird kept us awake off and on!) And then we packed up in a big hurry the next day after lunch to avoid the storm that was threatening our happiness!