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.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!

Snowy Morning

This was my view this morning.  Kids off to school.  Candle lit.  Quiet house.  Hot steamy creamy coffee.  Little pilgrim lady smiling at me.  And then there is the white stuff out my window.  Can you see it?  Oh dear.  So happy the weather man said it was not going to stick.  HA!  Another reminder that God is the one in control here.  Hope your day has been lovely.

Little Cotton Flannel Minky Blankie

 The doctor that I work for became a grandma for the first time a couple weeks ago.  She is the mama of three boys.  And her grand baby is a girl.  She is over the moon in love with her.  I wanted to make a blanket in honor of the new baby.  Grandma is not a cutsie person.  She has exquisite taste and she loves bright colors and patterns.  I went with this little charm pack.  I did not have time to quilt it.  So, I just tied each little square.  The borders and backing were an off white flannel.

I put a soft piece of chocolate brown minky in the corner for some more texture.  That stuff is sooo soft!

I have a daily Mary Engelbreit calendar.  I tear them off each day and I keep a lot of them because I can not bear to throw them away!  They are sooo stinking cute!!  I used this one for a little tag to hang on her bag after I wrapped the blankie.  I believe there is a lot of truth in this quote.  At least with the grandparents in my kids lives.