Merry Christmas!

 

Small baby...

 ...great love.

A light snow is falling as I write these words.  The turkey is in the oven. I am enjoying my first cup of morning coffee.  It is quiet and peaceful and I feel blessed.  All the packages are tucked under the tree awaiting my boisterous and energetic family's arrival in a few hours.  I'm smiling as I recall last night's church Christmas pageant.  Olivia (age 4) was an angel (actually, she he reminded me of one of the Herdman kids from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!) and Dayton (5) was an innkeeper.  He managed to make everyone laugh after he said his one line.  One of the highlights of the season to me, is the candlelight singing after the children perform.  The church is darkened and one by one the candles are lit until the whole place is basked in the "Savior's light." 

    Happy Birthday, Jesus.   

Gloria in excelsis deo!

and

Christmas Blessings to you, my friends!

* 
Christmas weaves a magic wand over this world,

and behold,

everything is softer and more beautiful.

* 
Norman Vincent Peale

A Savior has been born to us...

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give Him,

Give Him my heart.

*

Wishing you a joyous Christmas!

semi-homemade student Christmas gifts

I purchased inexpensive hats

($1.50 a piece)

for the kids in my class

and added their names to personalize them.

I used alphabet beads to string their names

and added a silver bell to the very

top

of each hat.

Then I tucked in a * sweet treat *

&

Voila!

An easy-peasy lemon squeezy

Christmas gift for my kiddos

to wear outside for recess on

*chilly *winter * days!

angel hands

 This week-end Dayton and I made a handprint angel.

 He worked very hard...

 We tried to get Olivia to make one too,

but she wanted nothing to do with getting paint on her hands!

The banner says Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.  Luke 2:14

When it was dry, I put it in a simple white frame and showed it to Dayton.

He said, " It's bootifoo."

(Translation: It's beautiful)

It is...

It's a treasure.

 

shabby chic photo

I'm feeling very sleepy

 and this bed looks soooo inviting... doesn't it?

Now that's a place for entertaining visions of sugarplums!

Our tree is up and

I've finished quite a bit of my Christmas shopping.  

I am looking forward to relaxing by the fire and

enjoying the sights and sounds of the season!

What are you dreaming of this Christmas?

We are blessed!

I spent most of yesterday shopping with my friend at the after Christmas sales.

It sounds crazy, I know.

But it really was a blast, and it wasn't the mob scene I thought it might be!

We

had

FUN!

Anyway, here's a few pics from Christmas Day.

My holiday table~

My family~

My youngest, trying to get my grandson to smile...

my son-in-law, grampie and d, and tired boy!

He had a party with his other grandparents the night before...

Middle daughter and her boyfriend, holding sweet girl

My oldest, and her husband holding his favorite niece

My friend, Teresa

in the background listening to

Grampy and D's deep discussion!

My brother and sister-in-law, here from Arizona.

My sweet mom wasn't able to make it here this year,

but we were able to share dinner, and a visit later in the day, at her house.

*

I bought these fun tool Christmas lights at an after Christmas sale last year for my Dad.

They were to decorate his workshop. I never did get to give them to him.

I lit them all season in his memory.

We sure miss you, Dad...

and my favorite photo....precious Olivia.

Gifts in abundance...Thank you Jesus.

Hope your Christmas was filled with precious memories!

* Merry * Christmas *

 Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing.

And Heaven and nature sing.

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
*
 Christmas Blessings to you and yours!

Seasonal delights

Last week began

with a

schoolwide

field trip

to

 at the beautiful

Hanover Theater

 in

Worcester, MA.

http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/

One of our recent graduates performed in the ballet.

It was so fun to see her

and

such a festive way

to start off

the

month

of 

December!

We had a few students who were completely star-struck! :)

*

Mid -week I enjoyed our first * snow day * of the school year.

Then,

I ended the week enjoying

at the DCU Center.

click here to view trailer

I was given four complimentary tickets

from a generous parent

of one of my students!

My best friend,

my youngest daughter,

and her best friend

enjoyed VIP passes

which included great seats,

refreshments,

(and a private bathroom

no waiting in long lines!)

during intermission!

Cirque du Soleil

was simply a

phenomenal

show!

Oh yeah.

SO

FUN

&

We*felt*special!

Thank you, E.'s Mom! 

It was awesome!

*

Today,

the Patriot's won. :)

(Middle daughter's boyfriend got tickets to today's game for her birthday!)

We had a beautiful and peaceful light snowfall this afternoon.

And oldest is stopping by soon, on her way home from work.

I'm thinking I'll make some plans to have some fun with the working girl!

I'm counting my blessings,

 and looking forward

to what the new week has in store!

May it bring

and peace to you and yours...

seeing stars

I was home today.       
*first*snow*day *of *the *year *
So...

Olivia and I hung out while her mom was at work,

playing peek-a-boo, tickle monster, and dancing to

"Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

But,

while she was napping,

I tried to refresh my memory

and make a few moravian or swedish or german???
stars.
It seemed a lot easier when I made them in the past.

They came out so much more polished.
I'm thinking it must be the paper I used.

I wonder what paper is best for making

Christmas stars

(That's what I'll call them.)

any suggestions?

winter wonderland

Last night I added a few strands of pearls

 (long pearl necklaces I found at the thrift store)

to our Christmas tree.

I'll add a few more, I think.
I like it.

We awoke this morning to find a winter wonderland!

So sunny and beautiful!

In the afternoon, my friend, Holly and I

attended a wreath~making workshop.

(Her nephew had won two tickets and didn't want them. )

Imagine!

And Holly invited (lucky) me!

I had to pay a few dollars for

the

little

bird,

but I think it's just what my wreath needed!

Oh,

yes,

it's

looking

 more and more

 like

Christmas,

isn't

it

?

deck the halls!

It's

beginning

to

look

a

little

like

Christmas

around

 here!

*

*

*

The tree is up.

*

My nativity set adorns the mantle,

*

and another is set up for Dayton and Olivia.

There's a fire in the fireplace,
*

There's snowmen and snowflake soaps in the bathroom...

*

*

and a couple of seasonal bathtub friends...

*

*

and,

 at a recent

thrift shop visit,

I

found

this

nativity

candle holder.

It

is

a

beautiful

reminder

to

my family

and

me

of

the

real

reason

 for

Christmas.

*

"For unto you is born this day

in the city of David

a

Savior,

which

is

 Christ

the

Lord."

LUKE 2:11

*

I hope you'll stop by again

to

see

what else this

"work in progress"

has

been

up

to.

This is only the beginning!

I'm so happy to share the JOY  with you!

Special thanks to

Tracey

at

Notes from a Cottage Industry

for hosting this

Virtual Holiday Home Tour!

Hers is one of my all time favorite blogs!

She is an inspiring and creative woman and

I think she runs on the same batteries as the

Eveready bunny!

Thank you, Tracey,

and thank you

 to all of you

who came by.

Don't be a stranger.  Leave a comment and I'll stop by and say hello.

*

*

*

"...and so I'm offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninty two...

although it's been said

many times,

many ways,

Merry

Christmas

to

   you!"

a little birdie...

I want to make this centerpiece,

marthastewart.com

but with white, shades of green, and pink.
Oooohhh! I love it!