Christmas for others ~

I love my parents dearly and I wanted to share with you

what they have been doing for Christmas the past few years.

Instead of buying gifts for the adults, mom and dad

send money to help others out and then let each of us know

what the money from "our gifts" purchased.

This year this typewritten note was included in a bag of

homemade goodies that mom made for hubby and I.

"As military personnel serve the cause of freedom this holiday

season, they face dangers and challenges daily.

They need God's word to give them direction, hope,

courage, peace and comfort. Your gift will help provide

a special camouflage-covered New Testament with

Psalms and Proverbs to 13 of our brave men and

women serving in uniform".

I can think of no better way to use money that would

have been spent on us for something else to stash

in our homes. Sharing the love...

Blessings~

SUCCESS finally... after 32 years!

Don't you just love this garden wall fountain?

I do!

I picked it out when it was on clearance at Lowes this fall and

told hubby it could be my Christmas gift.

{I was even very good and didn't open the box until Christmas}

Can't wait to get it up in the spring/summer.

DH also got me gift cards to Michaels and TJ Maxx.

Can't wait to go shopping!

Now...on to the success story...

This was the gift I purchased for my DH and he had no clue!! In fact I had whined and whined about it being way too big

for our counter in our kitchen (it really is)

and I told hubby that if he ever got one, it needed

to be smaller. After several days he finally conceeded and

agreed with me that he could understand why I would want a

smaller one for our kitchen.

You have to understand that I have never pulled off

any Christmas gift for this man of mine without him knowing

or finding out what it was before Christmas even came.

I have even taken his gifts to my parents house in years

past and he still figured them out.

Let me tell you...he had NO CLUE about his prize coffeemaker!

I had whined so much that he had given up on it.

Was he ever shocked when I brought out this big box.

He was ripping off newspaper like it was his first gift ever

I am serious...paper was really flying!! lol

(I wrapped it in newspaper and hid it very well...

he still is trying to figure out where it was )

So happy I finally pulled off the biggest surprise ever...

it only took me 32 years!!

Blessings to you today~

NEW books and mags...Victoria and Romantic Homes ~

a few new books and magazines found their

way into my home this week~

i have been disappointed in some of the new

victoria magazines, but i love this new issue ~

found these two victoria books at the goodwill ~

latest romantic homes issue~

now I can settle down with a cup of tea

and read till my heart is content.

i recommend that you run out and get these new issues

if you haven't already~

blessings~

A Whole Lot of Fun ~

sharing a little of our family fun

the past several days~

my two little sweetie angels in a re-enactment

of the Christmas story at my parent's house.

don't they make adorable little angels ?

of course there was some present giving and receiving ~ fun with daddy and daughter ~ more fun with mommy and child ~

a little *attitude* now and then...lol

good times with father and son ~

and not enough of *this*

so tired , but so worth it ~

Christmas is over for another year,

but my wish for you is that you may

carry Christmas in your heart all year long!

Blessings~

Christmas Blessing ~

are you willing to believe that love is the

strongest thing in the world-

stronger than hate, stronger than evil,

stronger than death--

and that the blessed life which began in

Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the

image and brightness of the Eternal Love?

Then you can keep Christmas.

-henry van dyke

Little prayer be on your way

bless all my friends on Christmas day.

Amen.

Blessed White Wednesday ~

Once in awhile I print out sayings on vellum and

then wrap the vellum around my white candles.

I made these a couple days ago.

Merry Christmas to all of you. May

your blessings in the new year be more than

you can contain and may they spill out on all those around you!

Hugs~

Just for you ~

It's Christmas night.

"for a few precious hours He is beheld. Christ the Lord. Those

who pass the year without seeing Him , suddenly see Him.

Emmanuel. God is with us: He came near...

...the one who came that Christmas morning s0 long ago

still comes. He comes every time a seeker turns his face

heavenward and says, "Yes!" to the Savior.

A Savior sent by God who "so loved the world , that He

gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should

not perish, but have eternal life"{John 3:16}

You can read *the rest of the story* by clicking

here...it is by Max Lucado and so worth the read.

blessings ~

The Wonder of it all...

The wonder of it all,

the wonder of it all,

just to think that God loves me.

oh, the wonder of it all,

the wonder of it all,

just to think that God loves me.

did you ever sing this precious song in church? i am marveling in

His love for me

today.

Snow...snow...beautiful snow ~

the aging process has you firmly in it's grasp

if you never get the urge to throw a snowball~

-doug larson

snow had fallen...snow on snow snow on snow... Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow, filling the sky and earth below, over the housetops, over the street over the heads of the people you meet. Dancing, Flirting, Skimming along~ -jw watson Happy Saturday to you from outside my front door ~ Blessings~

Glimmering Silver ~

glistening...sparkly...glittery...shimmering ~

i have fallen in love with vintage silver.

i made some of these ornaments to sell at my booth

this year and they were a hit~

loving my stash of vintage silver ornies~

sharing a little something to think about:

*faith is taking the first step

even when you don't see

the whole staircase*

-martin luther king jr.

blessings this wintry night ~

Touches of White...Christmas Style ~

rosemary and vintage ornaments~

sparkly slipper ornament~

a favorite glittery sign~

i adore this vintage church and bottle brush tree~

antique ornies with wonderful patina~

one of my very favorite vintage ornaments~

Please visit Kathleen at Faded Charm for more

White Wednesday posts.

I don't get to very many because of my slow

dial-up connection, but I do try! Blessings~