Five on Friday

1. 

“The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work superbly well. ”

Sir William Osler (1849-1919); Canadian physician, founding professor at Johns Hopkins Hospital

2.  This wonderful machine came gift wrapped from all of my family this Christmas!  Thank-you so much!  

We are busy getting acquainted after I watched the 2 hr. video explaining how to use it and showing recipes that could be created.  Stay tuned!

3.  It's still the Christmas holidays at our house!  Late nights, good food, time with friends, games to play, relaxing days - it's all very good.

4.  Looking for something fun this month?  Take this animal spirit quiz and find out what animal you are most like.  It's kind of fun :)

5.  Photo of the week:

Happy New Year!

Christmas Greetings

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Lists of 2012 - #50

Listography #50 - Favourite Christmas Ornaments

1.  Creche from Peru

2.  Porcelain Nativity

3.  Holy Family that my Mom and Dad brought from Philadelphia when I was 16

4.  Gramma snowman from grandchildren

5.  Pewter Chickadees from our good friends in Nova Scotia

6.  Set of red glass balls from Darrin and Kelsey

7.  Cloissone' hearts from China

8.  Metal star from 10000 Villages

9.   China bell from Krakow, Poland

10.  Wooden family from my Mom

11.  Stained glass angel from Shelley, Mel's friend

12.  White porcelain angel from Poland

Five on Friday

1.

“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.”

Arthur Rubinstein (1887-1982); pianist

2.  I love this article on What's Your Word for 2013!  I like the idea of keeping a notebook and using Pinterest to record ways you've experienced the word.   I'm going to pray about this.  Thanks to Compassion for the article.

3.  Yesterday morning I was struck with a cold/flu bug so precious little has been accomplished since then.  I must find some energy somewhere and do the things I wanted to for Christmas.   Please send healthy thoughts my way!

4.  Our tree is up at last and now it looks like Christmas!

5.  Photo of the week:

Five on Friday

1.

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Albert Einstein (1879-1955); theoretical physicist, philosopher, Nobel Prize winner

2.    You must go to Starbuck's this week and order an Eggnog Chai!  They are absolutely delicious :)

3.   I have a stack of Christmas cards that are almost ready to mail.  But the printer ran out of ink so I can't print more copies of our Christmas letter.  The finish will have to wait until tomorrow.

4.  Are you still doing Christmas baking?  I have grand plans to make Butterscotch Confetti Bars, Raspberry Almond Thumbprints, Fudge Puddles and Chocolate Pinwheels this week.  I'll have to be super efficient with my time - wish me luck!

5.  Photo of the week:

Gingerbread House In The Works

Right Now

Right now, I am...

:: drinking water - I haven't been getting enough lately.

:: hearing the Casting Crowns Christmas CD - my favourite again this year.

:: nursing dry skin, especially on my heels.

:: reminding myself that it's all about people and experiences.

:: thinking about gifts for those hard-to-buy ones.

:: doing lots of cooking, baking and cleaning.

:: keeping the baking I have done hidden. 

:: loving Advent devotions and candles.

:: wanting to get a tree but it's still too early for a real tree.

:: plotting the making of a photobook.

:: feeling peaceful and serene after an evening program at church. 

:: preparing a bag to stay overnight with the grandkids tomorrow.

:: looking forward to a visit down south next week and babysitting our granddaughter for the very first time. 

:: stitching the binding on a table runner that was started this summer - oh, my!

:: looking forward to mailing Christmas cards and getting lots in our mailbox too.

:: enjoying Christmas traditions, old and new.

:: loving the excitement and anticipation of this season.

:: hoping for good health and safe travels for all we love this month.  

:: wishing the very same for you. 

:: thanking Soule Mama for this very good blog post idea!

Once Upon A Christmas - House Tour

Today's feature is the last home that we saw on the Christmas house tour.  It was quite amazing!

The Snow Queen's Coach waiting outside

welcome sign

And then I didn't capture The Nutcracker drawing room 

or The Beauty and the Beast dining room.

Peter Pan bathroom

brown and gold tree in A Christmas Carol bedroom

Hansel and Gretel in the kitchen

(complete with a trail of lifesavers)

The Frog Prince bathroom

Rumpelstiltskin's Spinning room in the back entry

Tree of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland's room

The Mad Hatter's tea party

tree of birds and nests in Red Riding Hood's hallway

The Little Mermaid bathroom

The Three Bears in the playroom

with Goldilocks sleeping in the littlest bed

The Princess and the Pea bedroom

Snow White's bedroom

(the curtain rod has little stocking for the 7 dwarves)

kthe mantel as we passed by Little Red Riding Hood's hall again

I also missed Twas The Night Before Christmas room 

in the man cave - which is what the 'king of the house' called it

Anyone who loves children's stories and fairy tales would have enjoyed this home.  The attention to detail with clothes hanging up in each room and tons of props to embellish each story was amazing.  We were in awe!  And I just have to say it again - it was wonderful to visit each home - thank you to each of the owners for decorating and then allowing us to visit.  

House Tour

Here are some wonderful examples of Christmas decorating that I saw yesterday on a house tour in our local community.  There were 6 stops and each was so unique and very beautiful.  It was an awesome way to spend the first Saturday in December - and to be completely inspired!  My home will continue to be decorated with the items I love best but it was a great treat to see these homes, which were all worthy of magazine publication!

#1 - Ponderosa Poinsettia House

outside

main floor tree

the bathroom with a filled tub of presents

#2 - Icy Beauty of Winter

outside

dining room table

Mr. Snowman in the bathtub

#3 - United Church - which had a lovely collection of creches (Nativity scenes).  There were wooden ones, a knitted one, a stained glass set, several ceramic ones, a carved wooden one from Germany and a lovely quilted wall hanging.  (I didn't get any pictures here.)

#4 - Bringing the Outdoors In (I think this was my favourite)

an owl sitting on the bathroom chandelier

12 ft. tree in the master bedroom

opposite the tree

the dining room table

#5 - Victorian Christmas

outside

looking onto the main floor from the stairs

woodland bedroom

(of course the orange in the duvet and pillows grabbed me!)

white and pink little girls room

The last home had themed decor and I have so many pictures that I'm going to save it for tomorrow.  I hope you've been a little inspired.  I'm so grateful that the homeowners welcomed us into their beautiful spaces!

Gratitude Gifts Today

#4832 - #4902

- Christmas pyjamas washed and waiting for the grandchildren
- little piles of sewing finished
- sifting through my bins of fabric
- a bed with warm covers
- getting better after being sick

- wheat pack on my toes
- cold ginger ale
- fresh pumpkin granola
- working steadily in the kitchen
- cleaning day

- friends gathered
- Beads for Life
- ibuprofen
- dusted shelves
- visiting with my sister

- Christmas mugs and plates
- slow cooker full of chai tea
- pumpkin hummus
- washed floors
- Christmas shopping - in my home!

- sun rising golden onto a frosty day
- full day of subbing
- wedding rings
- baked barbecue chicken legs
- picking Bob up at the airport

- sleeping fast!
- winter morning sunrise
- Bible study group gathered in our home
- long visits
- afternoon nap with Blake and Maëlle

- lunch with my sister
- childhood stories shared around the supper table
- celebrating birthdays
- online sermons by Timothy Kellor
- beautiful table settings

- Sunday afternoon visits with 1 grandchild at a time
- making things together
- sharing lunch, just us 3
- guitar worship music
- little ones going out to skate in the dark

- late afternoon call to sub in home ec
- red cranberries hanging on the trees for the birds
- shelves full of jars with summer produce
- senior high foods students making perogies and pies
- laundry folded

- bags sewed for Christmas giving
- planning gift giving
- napping in the fort made of quilts
- walking to and from school with Meadow
- pizza from the local restaurant

- making Christmas cookies
- snuggling in front of the roaring fire
- baking shortbread men, 1 for each cousin
- snowshoeing around the yard with Blake
- taking photos

- watching them at gymnastics
- shortbread and chocolate peanut clusters for the freezer
- a day to sleep in
- big pot of soup
- croissant sandwiches

- amazing health care workers and doctors
- leftovers
- reading "The Hobbit"
- more fabric cutting
- celebrating Christ the King Sunday

- Christmas baskets coming together
- getting out the Advent candles
- marvelling that He chose to give His only son
- reading Mary's story, prep for next week's Sunday School lesson
- making a conscious choice to spend less, make more, share often and love fully