happy new year!

From our family to yours...wishing you a new year filled with all the good things life has to offer. 

May 2012 find you surrounded by family & friends, making sweet memories that will last a lifetime.

glimpses of Christmas weekend...

The weekend began by celebrating the wedding of this lovely couple.

Then, on Christmas Eve day, Little Man was baptized.
It was a sweet gathering of family & friends...a day to remember.

We shared Christmas morning smiles...

and absolute surprises!

It's days like this, when all is aglow with the spirit of the season,
that we're reminded the best gifts and greatest joys
come from the heart.

merry Christmas!

To all our friends, new and old, we wish you a day filled with warmth, love, and happiness. 

Merry Christmas!

candy cane sugar scrub...

If you're looking for a stocking stuffer, this jar of sugar scrub smells terrific, and is oh-so easy to whip up.

Candy Cane Sugar Scrub
3 c. sugar
1 c. sunflower oil*
10 drops peppermint oil

Stir all ingredients together; spoon into jars.
*I always use sunflower oil because it doesn't have a scent.

Add a Christmas label, and you could even tie on a vintage spoon or small scoop.
That's it, you're done! Your jar of  scrub is ready to tuck into a stocking or share with a friend.

I think I'll leave one for the Big Guy!

taking Christmas photos (or trying to)...

Yesterday brought our first snow! The kids were thrilled and couldn't wait to get outside and play.
It was also the perfect time for taking some Christmas pictures. Yes, yes...I am a bit late in getting cards out this year; however I blame Mother Nature. I mean, who wants to take Christmas pictures in the pouring rain or dodging mud puddles?

Anyway, let's not focus on that.

We decided to walk out to the woods for pictures, so off we went. As I looked for good spots to snap some photos (translated this means places where they wouldn't sink in the mud or fall into the creek) , I was reminded that our kids are terrific, even wonderful when it comes to taking silly pictures...

and creating special effects...

and even trying to hide from the camera.                
                                                                                                        

However; for ever 50 of those I get, I get one of these...

a lean in for a quick kiss on the cheek, 

which leads to a sweet hug...

Yep...they're keepers.

Nativity display...

A couple of weeks ago our family had the opportunity to visit a  Nativity exhibit that featured over 600 Nativities. Some were very large, and one was tiny enough to fit into a walnut! Shared by many people,
they were from all around the world. Each was different from the next, but all were so lovely, they truly brought the spirit of Christmas to our hearts.

Here are just a few to share...

And so as you hang tinsel, wrap presents, and enjoy the fun of keeping secrets, I hope your days leading up to Christmas are filled with all the sweetness and love of the season.

thoughts about aprons...

Aprons have become trendy...fashionable...stylish. It's easy to find them for sale in any color, fabric, or style our hearts desire. And because our "girls" are such fun, I'm almost done stitching together an apron in a cheery red & yellow chicken print. I admit I'm a part of the crowd...I find aprons absolutely wonderful and I admit to owning several.

I think the comeback of this old-fashioned necessity is a good thing. However; long before they were all the rage, aprons came from humble beginnings.

A friend forwarded this poem and photo to me, and I was reminded of how it touched my heart as I tied on my own apron this morning.  I thought you'd enjoy reading it as well.

The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.

For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.

The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;

the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she'd found.

Or to hide a crying child's face when a stranger came around.

Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.

Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.

She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire.

To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.

When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.

You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.

She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.

Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.

When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.

I'm sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.

-Tina Trivett

Sunday morning...

A Sunday sunrise across the fields...

It was gone in just a few minutes, but so beautiful, I wanted to share.

How does that saying go?
"Red sky at morning, sailor take warning, red sky at night, sailor's delight."

The saying was wrong today...this was a delight.

simple joys for December...

...be an elf! Surprise friends & neighbors with home-baked goodies, tie a wreath to your car bumper,
sing songs (who cares if we're off key?!), hang mistletoe, laugh, dance, take photos, make it the best time
of the year!

...settle in each night to read favorite Christmas books. Share the stories you loved hearing as a child.

...cozy up and watch classic holiday movies, pop popcorn, and make hot cocoa. You'll be making sweet memories that will last a lifetime.

...take a walk around your hometown and look in the shop windows and enjoy the twinkling lights on the
town square.

...get a live tree this year, or hang evergreen wreaths and swags around your home. There's nothing like the scent of fresh-cut greenery.

....sip eggnog and stir up some "real" hot cocoa (topped with whipped cream, of course!)

...light a fire in the fireplace to warm your toes.

...play Christmas music (it's okay, it's December now!) Pull our your favorites, then add some old classics to the mix like Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Perry Como. Oldies, yes...but goodies for sure.

...build a snowman or snowgirl...why not a whole snow family?!

...don't forget your animals at Christmas. Bake up some dog or cat treats, share crisp apple slices with horses, carrots for rabbits, and hang a wreath on the chicken coop!

...shovel snow for an elderly neighbor.

...read the Christmas story to your children (or grandchildren), hold hands, say a prayer, and make a Christmas wish. Take time to reflect on your blessings and slow down to enjoy the spirit of the season.