Christmas is Past

It was a great Christmas  starting in September as  we choir members  worked  so many extra hours in preparation for the Christmas pageant.. which was  held the second  weekend of the month...  other weekends  hubs and I  travelled with a group to Thomas Road  Christmas Specatacular... which   truly lived up to its name.

Our Sunday School class  dined for the Sunday brunch at the  msot swanky and festive  spot in town..

We got to  facetime with our  family several times.. hoping each time  to get to see  Doodle Bug take her first step and we did  this last time.. just yesterday..  But since we  were  with them in November  we didnt go  for  Christmas  so it was just the two of us for the holiday.

 Oh, I planned a couple of  great   dinner parties  for special friends  but alas,  we both came down with the flu and  had to cancel  them  both..  even the  postponed date  fizzled, as one of the guests  now  has the crud...   so  this past week of December    has been  quiet and contemplative...

which for me  has been a needed  time.. I mean  my dear parents 

 celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2014...  although they didnt get to spend any part of the day together.... for  both  were  doing  very poorly in separate nursing facilities.  Dad was 95  and mom was 91.  Dad  finally gave up his fight December 13th, 2014  and mom  continued her  struggle    until  December  27, 2015.  I really didnt   have much time to mourn either of them.. everyone  told me  I appeared so  strong and  brave.. but it was only because our dearest daughter  was  with us  to hold me up  in the physical and the  rest I  gave to  the Lord.  Being the only child and  executor  there was much to be done  and I threw myself into  the tasks at hand. Come  December  2015  we were  excited because our second granddaughter, Doodle Bug was  about to be born...coming in  a week late,  she was born on the 27th...  God redeemed that day for us...and  hubs and I were  miles away from home  revelling  with our  kids..  for a month..  So Christmas  came and went  bringing happiness and cheer..

But this Christmas  was something else...  it all  came crashing down on me...   I tear up even now  with the thoughts  that have   beset me... Oh, not  dreary thoughts, not at all..  just wonderful happy memories of past Christmases... both mom and dad loved  Christmas so and  gave everything they  had  physically  to  make each one special...  even up  til they had to give up housekeeping.  Even  with the  most glorious of memories  the sentimentalist in me   comes out and I  cry  and ache  for  mom and dad...  I know theya re in heaven adn I truly would never want them back in the  shape they were in... I dont even like to remember them that way...   but the little girl in me  cries for  momma's arms and  daddy's lap... and  after a little while I praise the Lord  that I had  and have such an amazing family  I am  truly blessed...  and this has been a  blessed Christmas! 

Blogmas Day17-20

I am delighted to see that my Friend Sandra from the blog Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is doing the Blogmas of Christmas this season. You can check her out here and come play along! 

Day 17 - Christmas Wishes
That the coming year and four will bring a climate where God's Spirit is welcome and  and  His  Kingdom will be manifest in  our  communities,  states, our nation, and the world.. 
For  peace,  harmony, and  love to prevail over all peoples!

Day 18 - Homemade or Store Bought (What are you giving this year)
I appears that our gift  to friends  is  our favorite chocolate..

Day 19 - Recap of Christmas 2015 in pictures
Christmas  on 2015  we celebrated the  first anniversary of my mom in heaven... but God redeemed    our Christmas  with joy... as our second precious granddaughter was born. The first part of our  visit was devoted to our older grand, Birdie!!!

 Poor daughter  was  running about a week beyond due  and   she was doing everything to  make things happen!!!

 Birdie was anxious to be a big sister!

Finally Lady Bug made her appearance.... 

And all  was right with  Christmas ! 

Day 20 - Christmas Decorations Reveal (show us your tree, your home decor, your mantle, anything you want)

Finished the small tree in the parlor   and  brought  in the  poinsettia!

Decorated the hutch 

with my new carollers and  English tea pot!!

Worked in the sunroom..

finished the tree there...

Wednesday HodgePodge

Click the icon to return to  Joyce's page!

1. What's left to be done on your Christmas to-do list? 

Since we have already celebrated with our immediate family.. actually in November...I have been doing a bit of last minute  decorating.. at first I didn't think I'd do too much but as  time  nears  I just seem to desire to  deck 'em halls!! I have  two dinner parties planned with folks who  don't have much going on...  and I  want our time together to be special... I have the menu planned and the  larder stocked...  just  thinking about how to make it merry!

Finished the small tree in the parlor   and  brought  in the  poinsettia!

Decorated the hutch 

with my new carollers and  English tea pot!!

Worked in the sunroom..

finished the tree there...

 Used my  snow blue  mercury glass  with  some  snowy scenes!

 This way when I change the table to snow themes  Im all set...

2. The Hodgepodge lands on the first day of winter this year. What's your favorite thing about winter? 

I love the  slow  season of winter...  time to  actually curl up with a good book and a cup of coffee  and relax by a  warm fire, dream, and  heal if healing is necessary... someitmes my spirit needs a recharge for sure!!!

3. In what area of your life are you immature? Feel free to elaborate or not. 

I am a kid at Christmas..  I confess there is a  mood or  a  ideal of Christmas  I am always trying to emulate during this season...  a compilation of the wonderful Christmases of old... Sometimes I can...  other times I  can  come to  the  day and feel  an odd emptiness. Truly I believe it has more to do with  not trying as hard and  making sure  I have time to  contemplate around the tree  with  music, singing , and  loving..

4. What was the most (or one of the most) important lessons you learned in 2016? 

God is in control and trust Him for every outcome!!!

5. It's Fried Shrimp Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite way to eat shrimp? Will there be shrimp somewhere in your holiday feastings? 

We  already had our shrimp last week at the  banquet at our church...I am very  choosy about my  shrimp.. it must be Gulf wild caught or I want nothing to do with it  so it is difficult to  buy it  at a restaurant unless Im in Boston and I know it was  north atAtalntic wild caught.  I love it boiled  and  to peel my own  with  sauce.

6. What sound lulls you to sleep? 

the sea, the wind...  a babbling brook..rain,  anything God  provides in His nature!

7. What one word best describes your 2016? 

fulfilled

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Winter~Christmas Snow

I am delighted to see that my Friend Sandra from the blog Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is doing the Blogmas of Christmas this season. You can check her out here and come play along!

                                         Day 16 - Winter Tag

So it isnt winter yet... well, according to the calendar...  but today is the coldest day of the year.... this morning it  feels like  12 degrees    wth a stiff breeze...  brr.. not much fun to  get out on those morning errands...  and we have some...  there is a  small threat of snow this evening...  I wonder.

I would love to awaken to a  fresh Christmas snow!

Christmas  dreamin"!

Blogmas Day 13, 14, 15

I am delighted to see that my Friend Sandra from the blog Diary of a Stay at Home Mom is doing the Blogmas of Christmas this season. You can check her out here and come play along!

Day 13 - Christmas Cards

(do you send them, show us your favorites this year, or tells your favorite cards to send whether vintage, or bright and colorful)

I do send  cards...  I always look for  beautiful traditional or old fashioned looking ones that tell a story...and  nativity cards...  and they must say Merry Christmas on them.... no Happy Holidays for me.

Day 14 - Advent Calendar

I used to do an advent calendar  when Amanda was young...The first one I ever bought was a  candy one  in Germany  in 1972

  when we were living there in  Mannheim...being away from home  for the first time...except for college...  just married  and first Christmas together...  the Advent calendar  was a  fun  way to look forward to our  special Christmas...  I know Amanda  loved it  that first year.. but after, that it sort of lost it's charm.

Day 15 - Christmas Party Food Ideas

A few

CRAB PUPPIES

Ingredients

1 lb. Crabmeat

1 Egg, beaten

1 cup Ritz Crackers, crushed

1 tsp. Yellow Mustard

2 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

2 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Place crabmeat in a mixing bowl, picking any stray shell fragments out. Add crushed crackers, Old Bay Seasoning & parsley to the crab. In a separate bowl, combine egg, mustard, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Whip with a whisk until smooth. Pour egg mixture over the crabmeat and crackers and gently mix careful not to break up large lumps of crabmeat. Mold into golfball sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Drizzle w/ melted butter and allow to cool.

Country Ham Baked Biscuit sliders

I use sliced deli country ham from Fresh Market and regular rolls but the Hawaiian rolls would be delish.

Chex Mix

I just all types of nuts and usually add twice as much worcestershire.. I sprinkle some on as I mix it up every 15 minutes

Brandied Fruit

stew up  as you like it

Stick cinnamon plus a shake of cinnamon and nutmeg

4 cored and sliced lady apples and 4 pears

 halve some dried apricots

Orange juice and Brandy

Lemons zest

Wednesday Hodge Podge

Welcome to Wednesday Hodgepodge. Click the icon to return to Joyce's page!

1. Are you more task oriented or people oriented? Elaborate. I have always been  much more task oriented  but  in the past few eyars I am noticing  I am steppoing out more and more  to the limelight.... I am thinking about  especially  my  service to the Lord...to tell the truth, I  believe I can  owe a bit of  my  renewed confidence to  writing  spiritual  posts pn my blog... It really has  put utterance to my  faith...

2. December 15 is National Wear Your Pearls Day...do you own/wear pearls? If you're a man answering the question, does your sweetheart own or wear pearls? Everyone share a 'pearl of wisdom' with us here today. 

Im glad to know this... we have our Christmas banquet at church and pearls  will look lovely with my  ensemble.  I dont usually wear them..  like I used to, but  I do love them!

3. Speaking of pearls...oysters? Are you a fan or not a fan? If you answered yes, tell us your favorite way to eat oysters? If you said no, be honest-have you ever tried one or does just the idea of eating an oyster make you gag a little?  I can eat one,  my Hubby loves them fried and when we go to  Massachusetts our daughter makes sure  to take us  where they are sublime...  I really dot like the  texture...  but I  am a scallop  gal and  New England  clam chowder....  YUM!!!

4. Time Magazine has named President-elect Donald Trump Person of the Year. Let's take presidents and presidential candidates out of the mix for a minute. If a political figure had not been chosen who would you name Man or Woman of the Year for 2016?

Well,  I confess I had to look up the possible nominations and the  group that stood out for me  who  be someone doing a significant  work  in the sciences..  so I chose:

CRISPR Scientists

With new DNA-editing technology, researchers have opened a door that could lead to the ability to eliminate mutations responsible for certain incurable diseases, according to Time.

I would never in a million years  chose a rock star or other type celebrity..

5. The Pantone Color of the Year for 2017 has been announced, and it's a vibrant green aptly named-greenery. Your thoughts? Is this a color currently in your home or wardrobe? Will you add something in this shade for the new year? Click here to see the color.
I do like this shade... it is very restful and not too cool of a shade. A bit warmer than what I call a true greenery... and I believe it would go with so many other colors... I do not plan to do any painting... but I would consider this color if I were.

6. Today I've had too much_waiting at the doctor's office... poor hubs had a  basal cell  cancer removed from his neck  but  shock of shocks   he came out with a 4 inch  incision....  He is now lying down  I do believe from the shock!.

7. Share a favorite lyric from a favorite Christmas carol.

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming

From tender stem hath sprung,

Of Jesse's lineage coming,

As men of old have sung.

It came a flow'ret bright

Amid the cold of winter

When half-spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,

This Rose that I have in mind.

And with Mary we behold it,

The Virgin Mother so sweet and so kind.

To show God's love aright,

She bore to men a Savior

When half-spent was the night.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My heart!!!!!

THe Simple Woman Day Book

The Simple Woman Day Book 

For Today...December 12, 2016

Outside my window... 

Dreary.... rainy... cold!!!!

I am thinking... 

I am feeling great.... we have practiced hard since September and the Christmas program is now behind us... We sang Saturday afternoon and last night..and it is a blessing all around... All to the glory of God... and by His grace we were able to worship Hm so well! It is a wonderful feeling this morning! 

I am thankful... 

For that first cup of coffee.... but my coffee maker is still in bed....   

I am wearing...my thickest terry robe... and slippers.... not planning on going anywhere today!! 

I am creating... a Christmassy decor in the sun room...... it has to b e done soon!!! I also plan to create a couple of lovely holiday menus for a dinners I am planning... I have two sets of special friends I am having over this year! 

I am wondering..

If we will have facetime today... and the girls just called and we are... yayayayay~~~ 

I am reading:: 

A Thorn in my Heart by Liz Curtiss Higgs 

Two brothers fight to claim one father’s blessing.

Two sisters long to claim one man’s heart. 

In the autumn of 1788, amid the moors and glens of the Scottish Lowlands, two brothers and two sisters each embark on a painful journey of discovery. 

Jesus Calling Devotional 

IIThessalonians 

I am learning...

to enjoy satisfaction by eating less and it is paying off! 

I am hoping... 

to have face time soon.... I haven't seen my girls since we were there in November!!!Dare I also hope that we might have sweet potato pancakes this morning.... sweetie told me maybe!!!! 

In my garden... 

those stubborn oak leaves are so late to fall.. the ground is covered, but for one reason or another we haven't had a chance to rake... oh, it is going to be very hard this year... it has never been this late.. and now they are all wet... yikes!!!

In my kitchen...

mainly menu planning and eating light this week...perhaps a bit of baking!

 

A favorite quote/scripture for today.

Matthew 1:23

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

One of my favorite things...

starting a new pocket calendar for the new year

From the board room... Pinned from my board...

Saved from

countryliving.com

Saved by 

Carolyn Cyphers

Postscript

May the joy of Christmas permeate 

every thought and deed this 

season 

of love, hope and mercy!