Happy New Year's Eve

Christmas Recap

 How was your Christmas?  Mine was wonderful!  Full and fun and relaxing.  We started by making sugar cookies this year.  My little chef wanted to make and decorate them.

 She was really proud of this one.

 Some decorations I put out this year.  I love these old vintage balls with netting around them.  They were my Grandma Mac's and I love them.

 Festive cherry cheesecakes for my office potluck.  Oh my were these yummy.  I adore cheesecake.

 We started our holiday in Indiana on Christmas Eve.  It was so nice to see them!  The GPS took us on one crazy route to their house.  I kept singing "Over The River And Through The Woods, To Grandmother's House We Go!" because that is exactly what it felt like.  Finally made it home to Illinois to my parents house.  Goodness! There was a lot of packages under that tree!

 Still a tradition in my family to have Santa leave his footprints under the tree.  My parents did it for my sister and I and I have done it every year for my girls.  My thirteen year old informed me that we did not have to leave cookies for Santa this year (sniff sniff) but could she still see Santa's prints under the tree maybe????  She was happy to see them Christmas morning. :)

 Even though we do silly Santa prints under the tree, we acknowledge and believe that Jesus Christ is the reason for this wonderful season of love and why we celebrate is His heavenly birth!

 The girls were still in bed Christmas morning at this time!!!  This is the latest they have ever slept in on Christmas morning.  Little sis came out and then I went in to get big sis.

 This is what I found.  Buried under the covers in Nana's bed.

My most favorite gift of all this year....my little people sewing gal.  Is this not the sweetest thing???  My sister found her online and bought her for me.  I love her.  

And that was my Christmas.  We made some new traditions this year with the sugar cookies and decorating them.  We went home this year to Indiana and Illinois to see our wonderful family and friends.  We went to Christmas Eve service in our home church and saw our church family.  Got lots and lots of hugs.  Made me cry!!  Ate lots of good food.  Opened wonderful gifts.  And mostly, reflected on the most precious gift of all.  I am looking forward to 2012.  I am excited for some new changes in my life.  Can't wait to share them with you.  Happy New Year friends!  

Merry Christmas

                                                                         Merry Christmas from me to you!! 

 “Behold, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel — which, when translated, means, God with us”

(Matthew 1:23, AMP)

Winter Wonderland

View outside my window this morning at 5:00 am.  Snow on the hydranga and colorful sparkly Christmas lights.  Beautiful things that go so well with my first cup of coffee today.  I thought it was so magical looking and I wanted to share it with you.

A Fun Day

 We headed out on Saturday morning for an adventure.  We were Christmas tree shopping!  It was a chilly and rainy morning.  Just the kind of day that required hot cocoa.  After the girls picked out the one they wanted and the fellows that worked at the tree farm shook the poor girl like crazy on their little shaker machine and wrapped her up for us, we headed back to the car for the little treat I had prepared.

Daddy got her all secure and tied down on his trailer to take her home to decorate.

I usually buy a new ornament each year.  The tree farm where we go has a Christmas Barn.  And it is filled with pretty things upstairs.  We decided on this jolly fellow this year.

You-know-who got involved in the decorating.

All finished.  She is a pretty tree.  And she smells good too.  It is so much fun to watch the kids say "Remember this one!" each time a special ornament gets unwrapped.  I love their first Christmas ornaments with their little infant pictures in them.  Seems like it was yesterday.  Another successful Christmas tree shopping adventure under our belts.  Now to get those presents bought, wrapped and under her.

In Spite Of

I was laying in bed last night thinking "How on earth can it be December 1st already? Where has this year gone?"  Then my mind drifted to Christmas.  And then I panicked.

And then I talked to my Father in Heaven and asked Him to help me with this Season.  I asked for His help with keeping up with my full time job, my family and their needs, my kids and their activities, my home and grocery shopping, my laundry that never EVER goes away, my Christmas shopping for all my family and my list went on and on even more.  And I heard this reply....."I am sufficient.  I am with you.  I came to earth for this.  This season that you are about to embrace and celebrate.....think what it would have been like without Me.  The Great I Am."  Can you imagine Christmas without Christ?

So, today I am off.  I put on my 99 cent Walgreen's jingle bell bracelet to add a little holiday cheer to my day.  I am NOT going to let the evil one steal my joy this season.  Because I know someone much bigger has got my back.  And somehow everything is going to get done.  I don't have it figured out....but The Great I Am does.  Phew...am I ever thankful for that.  Have an awesome Friday, where ever you are.