Yarn Along

My local yarn store is having a sale and I was able to go.  ALONE.  I love it when my husband is home!  I got him a eggnog latte as a "Thank you."

I bought fingering weight yarn to make this beret for Callie and these handwarmers....probably for us to fight over. :)  I may have to go get some more yarn.  When those first became popular, I thought they were silly, but last year I borrowed her pair from Target a couple of times.  They do come in handy.

I've never knit with this kind of yarn before.  It and the needles are so tiny!

As for reading, I am finishing up the Chesterton book.  It also has readings for the Twelve Days of Christmas.  I had no idea until a few years ago that those days are after Christmas and not before.  I had never heard of Epiphany or Three Kings day either.  I would love to add that to our traditions, but it's hard to add to an already very full season.  I do love the idea of it though.

I also plan to start reading Putting Amazing Back Into Grace in earnest.  It is borrowed from our pastor and I need to return it.  I just got sidetracked with the holidays.

Joining in with Ginny today at Small Things.

Christmas 2011

Remember that summer theme of "unpredictable"?  I think that God really wants to deal with me and my illusions of control!  There was a last minute "glitch" and we ended up being home for Christmas.  This has never happened before and it was really strange.  But mostly good.  Since Cameron had been gone for four weeks, it was nice to be here, all together, just soaking up being with Baba.  We had him all to ourselves and if he ever had any doubts of our love and devotion, I'm sure those have been eradicated.  Kate wouldn't let him out of her sight and she was accused more than once of "hogging" him. :)  I warned him before he came home to brace himself!

Callie set up this "Barbie Nativity".  It totally cracks me up every time I walk by it.  I hope the Lord is laughing too and not getting ready a bolt of lightening.  You can see the full Christmas story by clicking here.

When Callie was about four or five and he had been gone, I remember her waiting outside the bathroom door anytime he was in there.  I think she did that for a few days.  That's how Kate was this time.

The girls kept saying "I can't believe we both got horses!"  They are very easy to please which makes it a joy to shop for them.

I hate reading fantasy so this was to Cameron and Callie from "Santa".  Callie will enjoy having some one on one time with Cameron!

Our only complaint was that it was not a white Christmas.  Kate thought Christmas equals snow, so we explained that it isn't always the case, it just had been the last few years.   We got that present today though and the girls wasted no time getting out there after breakfast to play in it!

After three attempts, I think I have finally made a quiche that we all can agree on the cheese to spinach to egg ratio!   We also had gluten free cinnamon rolls and donuts over the weekend.  The cinnamon rolls could use some tweaking, but with enough icing, they weren't too bad. LOL

It was a very memorable Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas From Our House to Yours

{This Moment}

He's home!!

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama.

Busy Elves

Making gift tags.  Someone please remind me next year not to get out the glitter. :)

Our Advent tags with a different (simple) activity each day

Styrofoam wreath wrapped with fuzzy yarn.  Thanks Mother!  Opinions needed....add another flower or two or not?

Slip covered pillows took no time at all.  Just hem and overlap finished edges in the back center to make an envelope style opening.  These can be easily taken off and stored for next year.

A perfect recipe for helpers

Also the perfect one for me to make and not nibble on since I don't really like peppermint.

Although I did have a hard time not fighting them to lick the chocolate off the spoon!

Merry Christmas!!

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Technically speaking this is a terrible picture.  But if you could have heard the squeals of laughter and the giggles you would know it is a beautiful picture.  These three girls would not stand still one second for a proper Gotcha Day photo!  They were just too excited.  After the initial "I am too shy and I can't talk to you" moments that is.

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"Advent and Christmas Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton"

I am really enjoying this book.  I know very little about Chesterton and have never read, or even wanted to read, anything by him or even that type of book, but I am definitely planning on looking for more of his writing at the library.  I had wanted to read some type of Advent devotional this year and just did a search on the library's website.  I really had no idea what I was getting, but I'm so glad that this is what I got.

This book has just really short sections of his various writings, but they are so good.  There is a scripture passage for each day and the prayers are good and thought provoking.  The "Advent Actions" are sometimes a little odd, but at least thought provoking and sometimes really good.

Here are a couple of my favorite lines so far.....

"How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller in it; if you could really look at other men with common curiosity and pleasure....You would begin to be interested in them because they were not interested in you."

"The Christmas season is domestic; and for that reason most people now prepare for it by struggling in tramcars, standing in queues, rushing away in trains, crowding despairingly into tea shops, and wondering when or whether they will ever get home.  I do not know whether some of them disappear forever  in the toy department or simply lie down and die in the tea rooms; but by the look of them, it is quite likely.  Just before the great festival of the home the whole population seems to have become homeless."

I'm pretty sure this book will make it's way to our shelves to be read every Christmas season.

The Plan, Continued

Here is a list of the items that I gave the girls after Cameron left:

Joy To The World: The Stories Behind Your Favorite Christmas Carols by Kenneth W. Osbeck
A Classical Kids Christmas (cd)
Vintage Christmas Greetings (Dover coloring book)
A set of oil pastels
special paper for oil pastels
A Christmas Collection by Patricia St. John
Winter Story by Jill Barklem
Country Angel Christmas by Tomie dePaola

Joy To The World is a book that I got out of a box of things my parents were getting rid of.  I just grabbed it on a whim, but in looking through it, it was very interesting.  I was pretty sure Callie would like it too and she has.

The idea behind the cd and art supplies and coloring book was to listen and create some in the evenings so that we wouldn't be watching movies every night.  That idea hasn't worked out so well.  By the evening, no one is really in the mood to sit at the table and do art.  The girls, and myself too, are really ready to just curl up on the couch and snuggle together and watch a Christmas movie.  We have listened to the CD while doing some Christmas crafting during the day though and really like it.  We have also read some of our favorite Christmas books that we already owned too. I think one day we will have Art Day and not try to force it in the evenings.

Winter Story is part of the Brambley Hedge collection which is no longer in print, but easy to find on Amazon.  These books have long been on Callie's wish list and now Kate loves them too.  They remind me of Beatrix Potter books. 

Most of these items were just for fun, but Callie and I have been reading, and singing, Joy To the World together for school.  The carols that we don't know we will try to learn with the help of the piano.  Some of the passages or poems in the book we have used for copy work.  I know nothing about this author, but I love some of his thoughts on the carols. 

This passage from  "Go Tell It On the Mountain" has been my favorite so far.

     "For many people, another Christmas season is merely a rerun of the trivial and the sentimental.  But for the devoted Christian, Christmas is much more than a once-a-year celebration.  It is a fresh awareness that a Deliverer was sent from the ivory palaces of heaven to become personally involved in the redemption and affairs of the human race.  The impact of this realization becomes a strong motivation to share the Good News with desperate people who need to know that there is an Immanuel available who can meet their every necessity.  People everywhere must hear these glad tidings if they are to benefit from them.  With absolute clarity they must hear the message, 'Here is your God'."

Good stuff!

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the (two weeks ago)week. A simple,special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

"Mommy.  Take our picture for the blog."

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Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

This year, we decided not to go to our local Christmas tree farm to cut down a tree.  We were cramming in a whole lot of activity in one day, it would have been pretty muddy and we just decided to go to Lowe's.  Sounds boring compared to our usual trip to the farm in snow, petting the horses, but it really was the best choice this time.  No one even really complained.  Daddy was home for the weekend and we were getting our tree all together, so that's really all anyone cared about.

Maybe we should start thinking about tying it to the roof

It was a great weekend!

Turning 41

Last year, I was not too excited about turning 40.  It wasn't so much about wrinkles and grey hair, it was more about feeling like it was the "end" of something. 

However, this year, I'm so very thankful to have the life I have.  I have been very blessed by God in so many ways and so I wan't to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of those.

I have a wonderful husband who loves and provides and is faithful to our family.

I have a wonderful relationship with my sisters and my parents. 

I have a wonderful relationship with Cameron's parents.  Not once have I ever felt that they did not approve of Cameron's choice.

I have two, beautiful, funny, sweet daughters who are both miracles in their own way.

I have the privilege of staying home with them and teaching them and seeing the first snow of the season  with them.  And lets not forget having hot chocolate together.

I live in a place where it snows. :)

My parents raised me in a Godly home and I have never known life without their love or the love of Jesus. 

I have more than one "Best Friend".  The girls will periodically ask me, "Who do you like best, Mrs.---- or Mrs.----?"  It always makes me laugh.  There is no way I could pick!  They all bring their own special personalities and I wouldn't want to be without any of them.

I could go on and on, but these are the things which are most important and for which I am very thankful today.

Thank you to all of you who are a part of my life!

Writers Block

I use the term "writer" loosely.  I would not consider myself a writer, but I do enjoy sharing what is going on in our lives here on this blog.

I tried to do a Yarn Along post yesterday, but my camera will not upload the pictures to the computer.  I have no idea what the problem is.

I have lots of thoughts tossing around in my head like about how I miss Cameron and how preparing for Christmas is just not the same without him here.  I just can't seem to get into it and I normally LOVE this time of year.  But who wants to read a post about how I miss my husband?  The other things going on in my head?  No one wants to read that stuff either.

Now, with no pictures, I can't even let the pictures inspire me.  Maybe that should be the first thing on my To Do list tomorrow.  Forget the laundry and dishes, cancel school and figure out this camera problem so I can get something fun on this blog!