Getting that ready for warm weather feeling!

The sun is out today and I have been feeling like the Spring cleaning bug has hit!
I have been working on my normal Saturday chores but as I did them I noticed some of the dust bunnies seem to be growing. It's what happens when you ignore them for so long. LOL! Anyway, today they are history. I worked in my bedroom and the ceiling fan is a bit lighter now too. If the weather stays this nice we won't be seeing those bunnies for some time to come. We should be seeing more of the live ones though. Having the fireplace and woodstove running I noticed the little bitty dust bunnies get way out of hand when they are around warmth or something. Especially when wood ashes fly about and they get caught in their fur. They seem to grow so quickly that way. Hmmm. Well soon we won't need those two wonderfully cozy items in use till next year. Hoping I can think of ways to decorate them so they will fit in with the summer look.

latest acquirements

Here is a pretty little tea cozy I picked up while out at a favorite shop yesterday.
I have been looking for one for quite some time. It was in there clearance section so the price was a plus!



Also found some real nice linens in an antique shop



Here's a close up of the pillowcase I found for a baby's pillow. I was quite surprised out how nice and clean the case is.





I have pretty much finished up my gifts for Christmas. Have a couple of projects to do and then I will conitinue enjoying this wonderous time of year. I will post a couple of the gifts when they are done. Some are gifts for those who happen to be readers of my blog so I can't post those yet.

We are supposed to get some snow tonight. Not sure if we will or not. There are some mixed feelings about it here as our Christmas cantata is planned for tomorrow night. We live a bit of a distance from our church so we are hoping for light snow so that our young adults can still be part of it. Actually one of them has a major part so it would be difficult to do without him. We shall wait and see what is in store for us.

Till next time,
Denise

a heart for friends

I have a friend that I met over at the MJF forum. I posted on there and asked if anyone knew where to find copper cookie cutters. Nancy Jo sent me these cookie cutters and this beautiful embroidery. She is so sweet and has such a giving spirit. This is not the first time she has sent me something.
She sent along this embroidered piece with the cookie cutters. It has the recipe for applesauce stitched on it. She made a regular day a special day by her kindness.
Farmgirl (((hugs))) to you Nancy Jo!

Book Sale

Don't you just love a sale? I do and I received a gift card for Christmas.
So I went to Barnes and Noble online and they are having an After Holiday book sale.
I found all of these books and at great prices!
Has anyone read the series by Jennifer Chiaverini?
Tell me what you think of them. I also picked a hardcover edition of In This Mountain by Jan Karon. It was next on my list to read. I couldn't believe they had the hardcover for $3.59.
Anyway, if you like to read you should check out the sale.

Drawing

I have not heard anything from the person who was picked for the giveaway.

I put the names back in the bowl and Lainey was chosen this time.

I will contact you through MJF for your address.

Thanks to everyone who joined in.
Denise

The tree is up.

While riding home from picking up our Christmas tree my son and I were figuring that it was the first day of Christmas. So today we put up the lights and ornaments for the second day. Now I don't really know when the first day is but we figured it out so that the 12th day is Christmas eve. Does anyone really know? Anyway here is a picture of our tree. Actually, this first one is of yours truly putting on the topper with a little help from my son. I'm just not tall enough to reach the top.





The second picture was taken first and is with the flash on and then I figured out how to turn the flash off. Did you see I am blonde? LOL
This is a smaller tree I have in the kitchen on the microwave. One thing I noticed is that you can't see the ornaments as well when the flash is off and you can see the lights.




Remember that picture of the copper cookie cutters that NancyJo sent me? Well, after cookies I strung those on some homespun type of material and hung them like a garland in my kitchen.


I just love decorating the whole house. Haven't figured out just what I am going to do to decorate it yet but I'm working on it. Most of the rooms downstairs are done, so I am thinking of someways to decorate the second floor. Do any of you do the whole house or just the room your tree is in.
My son takes care of the outdoor lighting.The first picture here is of the fence along the driveway. The second one is the front of our home.




Well, I have enjoyed sharing our decorating preparations and I hope you have enjoyed them too.
Just remember the real reason we celebrate is the life,death and resurrection of our Savior.
I just love reading the account of all of it in Luke. Sometimes it is easy to get our focus on to all the busyness of our preparations but I think it is so much more enjoyable of a season if we can take time to reflect on why we do all we do. Time to reflect on the life of Christ and the example He set for us in giving. Giving His life for us.
till next time.
Denise

basket rack

I'm posting this picture for you Nancy Jo.
I couldn't explain it very well and so I am posting this instead.

a new venture

We are finally getting things prepared to have the fireplace installed in our family room. My husband's brother in-law is coming out to put it in for us this weekend. The fireplace is already here. My husband went a couple of weeks ago to pick it up. It was a very light oak color on the mantle and around the bottom of the hearth. Very pretty but we sanded it down and stained it a bit darker. We like the darker woods. We haven't painted the walls in the family room yet. Not sure what color we are going with. The walls are done of bead board. Whenever the fireplace is finished I will post a picture for you all to see.

Hope everyone is doing well and had a wonderful Christmas.
We had a nice day. Well most of us, my dd came down with a fever later in the day. So she spent most of the latter part of the day sleeping.
Apparently something has been going around. My granddaughter had the same thing last night. It only lasts a short time for which I am grateful.

til next time,
blessings,
Denise

Christmas morning

It's so very quiet here this morning. Even though it is another weekday there is something so different on this day. I don't mean the gifts and all the things we do. I mean there is just a different feeling to say "this day is special".

We have all our children with us this year. It is the first year in 5 since it has been so. We also have the grandchildren with us. I consider these things to be the best gifts of all. I have a tendency to forget sometimes how fortunate we are to have them here. They are all special blessings from our God.

We have certain traditions that we do each Christmas eve and Christmas day. There is comfort in that, knowing what is going to happen. We are trying to blend the traditions of two families, which can be difficult, but not if we are willing to give so that we can all share in this special season together.

I hope that each of you is blessed beyond measure today and throughout the coming year. I hate to see time pass so quickly but yet I look forward to a new year. An opportunity to put behind the things of the old year and start fresh. I do not make resolutions as they are goals I would like to achieve yet I have a tendency to make them unattainable for myself. So that is something I gave up doing some time back.
I am grateful that God's mercies are new every morning and not just at the new year.

I took some pictures that I'd like to share. This first one was taken on Saturday night at our annual get together. We share food and fellowship. We play games together and the only rule for the evening is that everyone be involved in whatever we are doing. No Scrooges allowed! The children who are now young adults all talk about the scrapes they used to get into when they were little and the things they did to tease each other. The teasing has not stopped and neither have the friendships. My oldest daughter, (second from the right),made an apron for each of them and she also made her sister's (on the right end). I made my granddaughter's and my my oldest daughter's ( matching) and my own (the green one). I am thankful for this family and the ways in which they have helped and challenged our family to have a closer walk with God.



This next picture is one I took when I got up this morning. Being the early bird in the family I get an opportunity to just sit and enjoy these kinds of things while everyone else is still in a sweet state of slumber.


My honey just came down to get the woodstove going so it's time to start the coffee.
I hope you all have a joyous day spent with those you love and shared in whatever manner has become your tradition.

Blessings,
Denise

Birthdays, such fun!

Especially if they are the very first one! Yesterday our family celebrated my birthday and my grandson's birthday. I thought it was wonderful to share our special days together. He had lots of fun finding out how to eat your first birthday cake. ;)
I am going to share some of our photos with you all. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed the day.


As you can see in some of these photos cake was so very interesting.


Once he figured out that his mom was going to let him have this he pretty much went to town. And it got messy.



You'll notice a bit of clean up took place.
He received clothes and a certificate to get his photos done. He also got a bag of duplo blocks. And because of lack of communication he received a pair of penguin bop bags.

In this photo you can see the lovely teapot my husband gave me. It is also a music box. I have not figured out what tune it plays yet but it is very pretty. Most of you know about the car already. My oldest dd and her husband gave me some wildflowers to plant in our garden and the sweetest little charms. The charms are teapots and a teacup and teabag. I have to find a bracelet to put them on. She also knows my love of sewing and fabric and gave me a stack of coordinating fabrics. Ribbon too. Now to decide just want I want to make with it. Mmmm. I also received from them some beautiful tops and my biggest pitfall...candy.
My second dd made me the Eeyore pillow in the back of the photo. It is made from a t-shirt, all nice and fluffy! I also received tickets to a Charlie Zahm concert, at my convenience and a nice big cup with Eeyore on it. Do you think she is trying to say something about my personality, maybe?
And then my son gave me the prettiest lilac bush to plant. It makes me anxious for Spring and warmer weather to get here. I had a memorable day spending it with those I love. What more could one ask for?

Gifts from my friend.

I received a package that my dear, sweet friend Elizabeth sent. How excited I was when I opened it! It was filled with gifts for my upcoming birthday. The book she gave me "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" is one I have been looking for, for a while now. I had not run across it and so had forgotten all about it. I can see that God knows the desires of our hearts and He uses others to fulfill those desires. Elizabeth has a very loving and giving spirit and I have known her for a few years now. I have always been amazed at the love of God that I see in her life. She has encouraged me in so many ways. I am grateful for her gift of friendship most of all. We do not live near one another and we have never met in person but there is a kindred spirit that we share. We know we can always call or write to one another about anything that maybe going on in our lives and we won't be judged or ridiculed but encouraged to keep running the race that has been set before us. I believe God gives us friends so that we will not become weary along the way. As you can see by the picture the book was not the only gift she sent. Along with it are packets of flower seeds to brighten up my garden. It is so sweet because as those flowers grow I will keep Elizabeth in mind when I see them. She also sent me a beautiful handkerchief. To pretty in my opinion to use. So thank you Elizabeth for remembering me and making my day more special.

The end result.

Well, here are pictures of the fireplace we had installed. It was finished before the end of the year.

This is how we started out.


then came the chimney




it took a really long time, two days actually for him to
set the stones. It was like watching someone do a puzzle. This is Tim with his finished project. Wish I had gotten a clearer picture.



The mantel now has family pictures on it and it looks much more cozy. I need to get to work on making my curtains for this room.


Hope you enjoyed a peek.
till next time,
Blessings,
Denise

Making sugar cookies.

We have started in on our holiday baking. Sugar cookies were the choice of the day.
We had lots of fun rolling them out and cutting and baking. Leslie had made a batch of dough the day before and put it in the refrigerator. We decided to all join in for the cutting out. Well I was in charge of the oven so I didn't do much cutting, but we had fun just being together. I was also taking the pictures. We first chose our aprons and then our weapons, oops I mean cutters. There is a piece of plastic that I keep over the cloth on this table. Makes cleanup real easy.
We had snowmen, candy canes, gingerbread boys and gingerbread girls. There were snowflakes and mini snowmen, trees and stars. Ornaments, angels and bells. There were a lot of different choices and everyone decided on what they would use. I found I don't really care for the plastic type cutters as they squeeze together when being pressed down. So we had some skinny candy canes and snowmen. ;)
Then came preparing the dough with flour and rolling it out.

Then we cut them out and placed them on the cookie sheets ready for the oven.


There's nothing to compare to warm sugar cookies and hot cocoa.

Hope you enjoyed visiting us in the kitchen today!
Have any of you started your holiday baking yet?

Until next time.
Blessings,
Denise

Yet another very sweet giveaway!

These ladies seem to be all about giving right now! It is so nice to see that spirit continuing after holiday season is over.
Rebekah at http://pumpkinseed-unscripted.blogspot.com/ is having a giveaway for one of her beautiful keepsake canvas books.
Check it out, if you're the winner I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

I've been tagged!

One of my blogging friends,Susan tagged me for a game.
I am have never been tagged but will give it a try! I do have trouble thinking of things to write so bear with me.
I appreciate Susan choosing to include me in this. You'll have to check out her blog.
Well, here goes. These are the RULES:

Link to the person that tagged you. Which I did.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 random and/or weird facts about me;

1. I love liver and onions.

2. Two-thirds of the year I prefer knee socks to nylon stockings.

3. Prayer was taken out of school the year I was born.

4. I am left-handed.

5. I like to sing, but not in front of people.

6. I never went to college and who cares?!

7. My favorite season is Autumn.
Here http://ox2.org
Most of these are random but I suppose some would think them weird.

passing this along:
Tina
NancyJo
Cori
Jess
CarolSue
Bonnie
Naomi