Christmas Beauty

How could anyone doubt Intelligent Design, fail to see God's Hand in the beauty in such a morning as this?  

Our White Christmas Morning was dazzling!

Needed sunglasses while preparing breakfast!

And Twilight just as gorgeous:

How can evening sky be so BLUE?

To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Hath Done!

Christmas Decorating 2009

I didn't do much decorating this Christmas.

Here are just a few of the little bits I did in the dining room.

A few glitzies in the cloché on the dining room table:

 A wreath on the dining room fixture:

 

 Sweet hubby finally "lit up" the buffet:

 

 and a closeup of the mini birdbath:

 

I told ya it wasn't much, but it was enough!

Joyeux Noël

(photo: Christmas Eve 11pm)

Christmas Morning is quiet and white!

About 5 inches!

We haven't had a White Christmas in a very long time.

Last one I remember was back in the early '90's

when we borrowed a coworker's cabin in Big Bear Cali

and woke up to a foot of snow.

We snuggled in and enjoyed the novelty!

Of course, by the time we left the day after,

there was not one inch of untouched white stuff

in that quarter acre yard... the kids had seen to that!

Each year we have lived here, we try to add a few more items to our bank.

This is a view from across the lake.

Um, we didn't have the STAR up yet, may have to go out tonite and get a shot of that:

We keep hoping our neighbors will join in the fun, 

so that WE have something to look at across the lake, but so far... nuthin'.

Notice that the tree w/presents is out on the dock!

It was H's turn to put the angel on top of the tree this year.

We left the tree top barren until the little girlees arrived:

The little girlees were dressed up so cute for Christmas Eve:

I bought the little girlees cute little Christmas dresses, 

but unfortunately,

because of the Winter Storm Warning,

Jay and Christy and the girlees scooted out of here last night instead of this morning

ahead of the storm so they could get to the outlaws  safely. 
So I'll just get to see photos of them in their finery!

Lindsey gave me a really cool HUGE whisk for Christmas..

I haven't gotten to play with it yet, because

Baby J LOVED it!!!  

She thought it was the coolest thing!

Baby J discovered Dill Dip and just about finished off the bowl by herself!

Across the country, in San Diego, 

the other part of the family is enjoying a warm Christmas 

(in contrast to Upstate NY where they live)! 

Here's my snoofie Nicolee on Christmas Eve:

Last night as we went to bed, the snow began to stick.  

A pic snapped from out our bedroom window just before heading to bed:

A quiet relaxing day for Sweet Hubby, LJ & I to celebrate our Saviour's birth! 

If the roads clear, we may venture out to a movie... or 2!

Operation Christmas Child

It's allover the blogs, allover facebook.  

I've never seen so much discussion as this year.  I'm talking about the Christmastime outreach project by Samaritan's Purse,  Operation Christmas Child.  

Samaritan's Purse was begun by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son. First time I heard about Samaritan's Purse was from our friend Dennis Agajanian who became involved early on in the ministry, way back before Operation Christmas Child even got started. I know he has been performing for Billy Graham Ministries and Crusades for years:

 (had Dennis' kids in Sunday School and later Youth Group back in the day).

Operation Christmas Child has been hand delivering gift boxes to children around the world since 1993 in over 100 countries.  

Not only providing gifts, but sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ with these children.  

Won't you join in & fill a box or two or twelve with your children and your family for other children around the world?  It's a great way to start the Holidays, a great Holiday tradition. 

I've been filling boxes for the last 5 years.  My FCCLA kids started me on it... they'd done so since before I arrived at our school. 

Gift ideas include:

• Cars
  
• Trucks
  
• Small ball
  
• Teddy bear
  
• Finger puppet
  
• Jigsaw
  
• Yo-yo
  
• Balloons
  
• Small musical instrument
  
• Felt pens
  
• Pens
  
• Pencils

• Puzzle book
  
• Pencil case
  
• Stickers
  
• Toothbrush
  
• Toothpaste
  
• Gloves
  
• Scarf
  
• Sunglasses,
  
• Cap Rubber
  
• Colouring book
  
• Notepad
• Pencil sharpener

But don't delay, in order to get the boxes to the children in time for Christmas, we have to do our part way early.  Go to the Operation Christmas Child link at the top of the page to find the drop off location nearest you.  Drop off begins November 16 and ends November 23.

There is a small donation you'll need to include in the box to defray shipping costs.  See the website for information.

Merry Christmas To All!

The little ones have left to go visit the other side of the family.
The eldest and her little family are cozy in their home in upstate New York
and I am sitting here reflecting in the quiet.

The frenzy of the little ones running underfoot is thrilling and fun.

Enjoying the light in their eyes is priceless.
The messes to clean up later today are worth it.
More about the last few days and weeks to come at a later date.
But Christmas is really about God sending His Son oh so many years ago, and we celebrate at this time of Winter each year. Don't forget that the Birthday Celebration is really just the beginning of the Story
...of Calvary and Easter!

Christmas Blessings from Our Home to Yours!

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

Angel or Star or ???

Which do you put on top of your tree?
Way back when, our First Christmas in 1977, I found the most beautiful angel treetopper at a local boutique. She was gold and sparkly and had a burgundy velvet dress.
~sigh~
There was no way on Earth that we could afford $40 for such a frivolous purchase so I decided to make an angel just like the one I'd seen. (photos from 2007)
Um, that proved rather difficult.
Oh sure, I can sew (Home Ec degree y'know)
and I craft lotsa things,
but finding an innocent doll proved to be
the largest obstacle to overcome.
I looked and looked and finally found the "Sunshine Family".
A rather hippie looking 4-some but the Momma was just fine.

So I snipped and glued and there was my angel.
Sweet Hubby configured a cone shaped form for the skirt out of a large yoghurt tub after dismembering Momma Sunshine's legs! Hee hee!
I made wings out of white lightweight cardboard
and covered them with clear glitter.
Had to pierce her head for the halo!
I chose a nice sized pretty box that
our wedding invitations came in for her off-Holiday home.
After the kids each came along,
they took turns
placing the angel atop the tree
when all the decorating was complete.
The year and name of whose turn it was
is still written inside that box lid.
One of her arms keeps coming off. She IS 31 y'know!
A year or two ago, tif requested either MY angel or one like her.
The hunt to find an innocent doll began again.
This one is a little more innocent than Mrs. Sunshine
and also a little smaller.
Unfortunately, I kinda got her angel halfway done
and then scooted the box under a cabinet and forgot about it.
I pulled it out this year and was determined to get it done and have.
I used storebought craftwings this time
and just mailed her off to New York this a.m.
I forgot to take a photo of the new angel,
so will depend upon tif to snap one when when she arrives.

Christmas Blessings!

Exterior Experimentation

Here's the STAR that Sweet Hubby built. This year it is an experiment. We decided it needs to be angled a little. No one can see the star except the neighbor directly to the south. Cant's see it from the road, can't see it from the valley, can't see it from across the lake, only the neighbor. We have 4 lit trees on the bank and dock.
You can see them from our bedroom windows,
from the dam,
from the neighbor's,
from across the lake.
We hope to add to the lights each year.
Have any suggestions?

Charlie can never figure out what I am doing when I pull out my camera.
I had the white rockers nicely flanking each side of the porch
when Sweet Hubby pulled the dog igloo up onto the porch for the pooches.
Ah, well, now they are warm at last.

Happy Christmas

Holiday Decorating!!! as if

Christmas Blessings to All!!!
I know, I'm late to the party.
Too much going on and house too messy to do much.
I have wreaths on the front windows and the front door.
This is obviously the wreath on the front door from inside.

Entertainment center in the living room.

Cloche inside near my front door:

A little cloche detail:

Umm, this is where the Christmas Tree will go...
when we get around to getting it.
Usually the 10th is the day.
Right now there is
snow and ice on the ground
and I'm not venturing out
and risking my life just for a tree.

My dining room:

Wreaths on the kitchen windows:

Outside the kitchen, a little Holiday Spirit!:

This is just a little computer rendering
I did to show Sweet Hubby what I wanted for outside
lighting this year.
There's also a tree on the dock.
We didn't quite get any up on the roofline
but did get a star on the chimney.
See it below when Sweet Hubby was constructing it.

Isn't he just the epitome of Holiday Joy?

That's it for now!!!!
Go to these gals for
more Holiday Home Tours:
Julia
http://hookedonhouses.net/2008/12/14/hooked-on-holiday-house-tours-let-the-party-begin/
Kimba
http://asoftplacetoland-kimba.blogspot.com/2008/12/kimbas-open-house-party.html
&
Rhoda
http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/2008/12/deck-halls-2008.html
(sorry, couldn't get the links to redo or whatever it's called)