Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas to all of you out there in Blogland and the Twitterverse! I pray that your Christmas is blessed with peace, joy and hope. Spending time with family and friends, relaxing and enjoying one another's company, is what I look forward to during this time of year. I will be taking a short break from the blog during the next few days to do just that. I look forward to seeing you here again once the new year comes around!

What Have You Been Up To?

Me? I've been baking, and baking, and baking...

So, there are 2 good reasons that I need to stop baking:

1. I am beginning to feel like Mrs. Claus. The jeans are a wee bit tight, and before long I am going to be coming out of my clothes like Cody up there. Only, I don't think I'll look quite so cute!

2. My hands are dry and cracking from all the dish washing. I love to cook, but sure would like it better if all those dishes magically cleaned themselves up. My fingers look like they've aged 10 years in the last week.

Seriously, I'm done...right after I bake 2 more things tomorrow.

A Bit Idealistic

I knew when I started posting each day of the holiday prompts that it was bit idealistic to think I could keep that up for 25 days straight. However, we have enjoyed reflecting on the questions and taking photos each day in our home. A sick child and numerous other projects have left me with little time to blog this week. So, I'll just catch you up on the reflection questions for days 6-9:

Day 6: Do you have any traditions or rituals with placing meaningful symbols or decorations in your home?

Day 7: What foods are present in many of your childhood memories?

Day 8: In what places (whose homes, etc.)do you remember feeling warm, welcome, and loved during the holidays?

Day 9:



Here are some of the projects we've been working on over the past few days.

Cole wanted to learn to sew. Once he learned, he liked it so much that he completed several Christmas gift projects and the train table skirt that I had intended to make.


We baked a train cake (and cupcakes), and then Cole decorated it with various candies we had around the house (some left over from Easter - yep!).


It is our tradition to bake cookie cutter Christmas cookies and paint them with icing. We have done these for so many years, that Cole can almost make them completely himself. But then that would not be as much fun, would it?




*These prompt cards were created by Jessica Sprague for the Holidays in Hand class, and all rights belong to her.

And the winners are...

The winners of the two children's books are:

Beckyjomama - God Gave Us Christmas

and

Lee Anne - God Gave Us Love

Congratulations ladies! I will be contacting you by email with the details. Hope your kids enjoy these books!

Can you really pick one?

Oh! This is a fun one!

I like so many that I can never claim one as a favorite. Every year it changes, especially when new songs come out. Like last year, "Ring the Bells" was my very favorite. It is still at the top of the list this year.

"O Holy Night!" is an all time favorite, depending on who's singing it. One year my mom blessed us with her own rendition. Let's just say that it was memorable.

Next Saturday night, Kate will be participating in a Christmas "Tea & Jam". I know she is singing, "Ring the Bells" - blessing her momma's heart! If you live in the Nashville area, and would like to come, send me an email to get more information.


Now, it is your turn. Tell us about your favorite Christmas song!



*These prompt cards were created by Jessica Sprague for the Holidays in Hand class, and all rights belong to her.

How Sentimental Are You?

When I was a kid, our Christmas ornaments were a hodge-podge of colored balls and ornaments that my sister and I had made in school or Sunday school. Also, every year, my mom would buy a personalized ornament for each of us. She would try to find an ornament that symbolized that particular year in our lives. Once we got married, all of our special ornaments were sent with us to be hung on our own Christmas trees.

Today, I have carried on that tradition. We don't have the beautifully coordinated Christmas tree in our house, but we do have lots of good memories to revisit as we decorate it.

Mom has carried on the tradition with her grandchildren, buying them special personalized ornaments each year. Now, my kids have so many ornaments that they must have their own trees long before they move out if they want to hang all of them. On the big family Christmas tree, we place the ones that are most special to us each year.

Cole's tree:


Here are a few of my sentimental pieces:

1. Several years ago my mom had ornaments made for us using my parents wedding photos which included all of my grandparents and a couple of great-grandparents.
2. Cole is definitely into this tradition. He insisted on this first new ornament of the year- one for Cody.


3. This ornament is dated 1973.
4. I made this cross-stitch ornament for my grandmother when I was 12. It was given back to me when she died. It wins the Sentiment Award.


Do you have any decorating traditions that were handed down, or a sentimental piece of holiday decor?


*These prompt cards were created by Jessica Sprague for the Holidays in Hand class, and all rights belong to her.

What Does Joy Mean to You?

Today we are reflecting on the word "joy".

Giving to those who are truly in need, an offering of hope to the hopeless. This is what brings joy to the Christmas season for me. I am looking forward to our mission trip, and meeting all the families that we will serve this weekend. Today my family will find joy in preparing our hearts and minds (and luggage) for this trip.


What does joy mean to you?



*These prompt cards were created by Jessica Sprague for the Holidays in Hand class, and all rights belong to her.