Come along with me to the Dickens Festival in Holly, Michigan

Over Thanksgiving weekend while we were visiting our daughter and her family, I was thrilled to
 attend the Dickens Festival in Holly, Michigan. We didn't take the time to go to any of the plays,
but I was happy just to be there and walk the streets for the atmosphere if nothing else.

Holly is a beautiful little town, especially when it is all decked out for the holidays.

Carolers serenading us with beautiful music. 

You could take a ride in a horse and carriage if you so desired. With hubby just losing his job,
we opted not to , but it was fun watching.

There was even a free wine tasting for all who wanted to partake.

I LOVED this storefront, but somehow I never made it into this store!!
I can't believe it.
I told hubby I must have walked past it three times. Next year...

We did go into this beautiful antique store. I just love old buildings, don't you?

The famous and historic Holly Hotel. My daughter took her daughter and me here a few years ago
in the summer for a proper tea. It was very nice, but they served liver pate which neither one of us
could eat! ha! 

St. Dominic's choir was found strolling around town singing and it was beautiful! It was so nice to leave
the hustle and bustle of the season behind us and just relax in this beautiful atmosphere.

I found a link online that tells about this choir. If you are interested
you can click here.  They are trained and directed by the Dominican sisters of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We even happened to see a wedding party that was strolling down the street! What a perfect place
for a Holiday Wedding!

This Santa greeted us right inside the antique store doorway.

Our oldest granddaughter Allysha...she was sick by the time we left to go home.  I felt
so bad for her. She had a terrible headache and quite a fever by the time we got back
and it came on fast.

This was actually a photo of  the rest of our family just entering the festival , but we will
pretend that we are leaving since I am at the end of the post. lol.

I highly recommend this wonderful town if you are ever in the area.

There is a store there called Pigeon in the Parlour that I love!!

I will add those pictures soon.

Happy holidays and God bless us everyone!!

{P.S. my daughter decided that this really wasn't the place for three little boys so she left before
we did and our oldest granddaughter stayed behind and rode back with us}

Just a note: I am having an online garage sale a couple posts previous to this one and I just added
two Jeanne D Arc scarves. They are gorgeous!!

They said "I DO!"

My handsome nephew Justin,  married his beautiful fiance on Saturday and you could
certainly feel  that love  was in the air. They are so sweet together and I truly
believe that God has blessed this union.

I fell in love with the bouquets and Katelyn's dress!

They both struggled not to cry. They did tear up a bit, but quickly recovered and
got on with getting married. :)

 It was cold and breezy when we were outside taking pictures and I found me some shivering
 bridesmaids. lol

I just want to say that I have never really been a fan of the color red, but these cranberry red
dresses and bouquets were gorgeous!!

{My niece LaShawn is on the far left. Her brother is the handsome groom}

Fun times! Mason {young lady  in gray} and Chandler {young man right next to the groom} are my
niece and nephew also. All siblings to the groom. Such a beautiful family!!

Santa Justin was trying to find that garter and he eventually succeeded.  This was so fun. When it was
time to do this, all the groomsmen put on santa hats and dark glasses and they carried Justin down the
 stairs to the floor below where the reception was. Katelyn's brother threw her over his shoulder and
 took her down and sat her in a chair. I hear that Justin knew this was going to happen, but Katelyn
 didn't, but she was fine with it.  *giggle*

Gorgeous bride along with my niece LaShawn.

Told you I loved the bouquet didn't I?? Yep , here it is again. 

Bridesmaids shoes and bouquet

I took so many photos , but I figured you all didn't want to see 300, so I pared them down.

 We had such a busy weekend. My little granddaughter had a ballet recital on Friday evening
that we drove two hours to get to. Then we spent the night with son and family and drove
 three hours to the wedding Saturday.  We spent the night and came home today, but it was
an amazing and beautiful weekend!! We even capped it off by driving along the Lake Erie
shoreline, got out of the car and I took a few pics. It was just a hop and a skip away from
 our motel. :)
What did you do over the weekend?? :)

I pleaded with God today...{update}

to take away  my mothers pain...

to bring healing to her body...

peace to her mind...

and comfort through it all.



She has served You faithfully

throughout her whole life

with her whole heart.

She loves You so very much

and she puts her trust in You

so please God...


EMS was called early this morning to take my lovely mother to the hospital
because of unbearable pain from sciatica. She is home now and is taking very
potent drugs to ease the unbearable pain. They say it is too risky to operate.
Probably caused from a bulging/herniated disc in her spine.

Today was her grandsons wedding...my sisters baby of the family
 and she so wanted to be there.
{him and his fiance are pictured above with mom and dad}

I think there is a reason why our car had problems and we decided not
to go to PA for the wedding or we would not have been here for mom and
 dad today when they needed us. God works in mysterious ways and
I know His ways are always best...but I am still pleading with Him.
Would you please pray with me?

UPDATE{sunday morning}: the EMS was called again last night to
 transport my mom back to the hospital because of so much pain. 
Please pray that God will give the doctors wisdom. Thank you so 
much for all your prayers!! It means so much to me and our family!!

It began with a dress~

{and a gorgeous dress I might add}

she met this guy...

they went on a date...

it progressed to a wedding...

and there was the honeymoon...

which started a family...

which led to a dress.

*******************************************

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

today to my handsome son

and beautiful daughter-in-law!!

May you always love

happily ever after!

{this is my take on Target's beautiful

tv commercial called, Lifecycle.} Blessings~

Love Is In The Air ~

I have been working on decorations this week for a bridal shower at our church next Sunday and that put me in the reminiscing mood. I wanted to share a few pictures of some of the decorating and favors that I have done in the past.

This cake was *NOT* done by me, but I just had to include it because I think it is so gorgeous!! This was the cake for my niece's wedding in 2006~

The next few pictures are of cards that I made for my neice a few weeks after the wedding. I had such fun making these cards and she loved them.

She was a gorgeous bride!

I made 150 favors of simple white boxes filled with white jordan almonds

for her wedding. We schlepped them all the way from our home in Michigan

to the wedding site in Pennsylvania.

Simple, yet elegant favors~

The 150 favors spread all over my table in the midst of tying on

ribbons and roses ~

Bird cage/candleholders that we used for my daughters wedding in 2003

and I have used them several times since for bridal decor.

These particular photos were for my daughter-in-laws bridal shower~

I put a votive candleholder in each one and then smooshed lavender tulle around it.

(I really did have the tulle smooshed down around the candle

very well so it would not catch on fire)

I put the bows on the side at the bottom of the cage instead of on top

since the candles would be lit.

Several cages on my table in the midst of being decorated ~

I enjoy decorating so much and I also love making favors etc.

It's the little *DETAILS* in life that I am drawn to.

I am in the midst of using these same cages for a bridal shower

next Sunday and when I get them all decorated

I will share them with you.

I really like how they are turning out.

The colors this time are light pink and light pistachio green...

*SO PRETTY*

Have a blessed Sunday ~

Vintage Wrapping Paper ~

Come and take a trip with me down memory lane as you gaze at these vintage wrapping paper images. Aren't they just adorable? I just love them all. I found them at a little gift shop last week and had to bring them home with me.

I do love to actually use old gift paper to wrap a special gift, but for some reason I feel the need to hang onto it for a while before I can cut into it. Then after some length of time has passed I deem it *OKAY* to use. Am I strange or what?

I am hoping to have lunch with my best friend today. We don't see each other near as much as I would like so I cherish the times that we do get to spend together. We will probably eat at *SEASONS BISTRO* and maybe have their delicious white chicken chili! Yumm...it sounds so good right now in this cold weather! Have a wonderful day! Blessings ~