Monday, December 24, 2012

Oh! The Wonder..


GIFTS!


 Mailed and Received...


 Wrapped and placed under the tree...



But the greatest gift of all was given freely 
and we freely take into our heart.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12 NIV

Merry Christmas!
 

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Perfect Christmas Shortbread


ummmmm... Butter! 
It makes everything taste better. 


Just at Christmas.  :) 

Here is a perfect recipe that I always use. 
  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, stir in the vanilla.  Add flour and salt and mix well.  Roll out cookie dough and cut.  Bake in well heated oven for 10-12 minutes.

*  To prevent cookies from overspreading,  place cut cough on cookie sheets in the refrigerator for approx 30 minutes before baking. 
Makes apx. 12 cookies




Enjoy!


Saturday, December 8, 2012

Fresh-Cut Friday Features


Good Morning Sweet Posie Girls!


Thought I would pop in and share a couple of highlights from yesterday's FCF. 
Thank you all for joining in and sharing your talent with us. 

If you would like to have a Feature Button, here it is.


  Michele from The Nest at Finch Rest shared a sweet giveaway. You can still sign up to win. 

Liz from Sit With Me In My Garden shared a great idea for her tool box and bulbs. Very Cute!

Thank you again for joining in! I know it is a busy time of year.  
You can still add your post ... the linky tool is open until Monday.
 
Our next Fresh-Cut Friday will be January 4th 2013, can you believe it????
The flower of the month is the Carnation or the Snowdrop.


See you there!



Thursday, December 6, 2012

Fresh Cut Friday #29



 Welcome! 
It is the first Friday of December and that means it's Fresh-Cut Friday!

My floral display today is not very Christmasy, 
but it does look wintery. 

My mom and I were at Trader Joe's and I just could not resist the bunches of Hydrangea.
They look like big snow balls. So Pretty!
Just to break the arrangement up I added some Calla Lilies.

 AND they were CHEAP! I could not believe how reasonable their prices are. 
Sigh! LOVE Trader Joe's. 

I almost always will split the bouquets up  to make them last longer... I bet you do to.

Also, if you will cut the ends again and make sure that you change the water often, that will help your flowers to last longer. 

Thank you so much for joining in! I so appreciate everyone of your that share.  Saturday I will Share the highlights
I will be joining
Sherry For Home Sweet Home











Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Homemade Cranberry Sauce





A few weeks ago (before Thanksgiving) I made a couple of batches of  cranberry sauce.  I think it 
looks so pretty in the jar. It tastes pretty good over cream cheese to.


Here's the recipe! 

1 bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of good quality Port
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Wash cranberries and drain.
 
 Place all ingredients in medium saucepan.
Boil over medium high heat for about ten minutes or until almost all cranberries have popped, stirring frequently.   
 

Sauce will thicken when cool. 
   

A very simple and pretty thing to give thing to give!
Have fun!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Home For Lunch!







I love to come home for lunch and relax a few minutes. 
I made a big pot of this Sunday night.... YUM! 
I'll be eating it all week. 




Sunday, December 2, 2012

Christmas Love



Lovin' my new Christmas mug.
Lovin' my new Christmas PJ's.
Lovin' the Christmas Tree! 


Saturday, December 1, 2012

Christmas Shoebox Gifts



December First! 
 The season for giving is here. 

This year the the need is greater than ever.  Coincidentally, The Coder (the husband) and I were lamenting that the real meaning of Christmas seems to slip further and further away every season. This same discussion comes up year after year. Sometimes we blame "the war on Christmas". Sometimes we blame the culture. Sometimes we blame the times we live in,  the politics, the church or anything that doesn't point the finger right back at us.  But the truth of the matter is that it is each person's job to share Christmas. One by One. Heart by Heart.  So, we asked each other what can we do, in our home that will really reflect the reason for the season, 
The Unconditional Gift of God's Love.

This year, after praying and asking the The Lord to lay something on my heart, we decided that we would participate in the Shoebox Gift Ministry at our church. The three of us (The Coder, The Lawyer, and me, The Salesman) would donate a shoe box gift. 


The church's goal this year is 600 gifts to give to the homeless, those in transition from homelessness or addictions, and families in our neighborhood. For some families these might be the only Christmas presents to be unwrapped this holiday season.


Each box contains: 
Lip Balm, 1-2 pairs of socks, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap, a washcloth, comb, small game or puzzle, snack foods such as crackers, nuts, candy, and energy bars, fast food gift certificates, a New Testament  Bible, a gallon size ziploc bag, knit gloves, and a knit hat.


 The items are placed in a shoebox, if you have them. 
I went to Walmart and purchased slipper boxes.


Wrapped and labeled for a man or woman.

The funny thing is that right before I gathered the items for the 3 boxes... it occured to me that maybe it wasn't enough. Maybe others need to know that giving doesn't just magically get done. I'm afraid that many folks suffer from the same delusion that I struggled with for most of my life. Some one else will do it. So that is why I am sharing this with you.  People need to know that we all need to take care of our own.  We need to love our own. We need to love where we live. 

After discussing this revelation with The Coder, we decided that we would still give to everyone just like we always do. That part doesn't change. But in addition, a note would go in their gift or card that reads as follows: 

Merry Christmas! 
As you open and enjoy this gift that we chose for you with love, please imagine the following: 
Someone, somewhere, tonight is opening a small gift that has been given in your name. Nothing extravagant mind you, just some simple necessities in a wrapped shoebox.
 As you celebrate The Season of Love and Giving, and perhaps as The Holy Spirit leads, we hope you will say a prayer or ask a blessing for the recipient of your shoebox gift. 

 "Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies." 
 Hebrews 13:1-3 NLT

Thank you for the blessing that you  are to our family! 



Sweet Giving Friends, how will share the Gift of Christmas?





Friday, November 30, 2012

Good Enough for Literary Friday!




OOOOOH! To my sweet reading friends.... THIS WAS SOOOOOO GOOD!
All the girls in the book club gave it 2 thumbs up. It was the perfect choice for our  October meeting.
All based on historical facts, this story read like the best suspense novel ever!
Just enough gore that you know what happened but a lot is left to the imagination, which I personally is a sign of a really good writer. 
If you end up reading it or have read it... Let me know. 
I would love to hear your thoughts! 


From the Back of the book:
Their fates were linked by the magical Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, nicknamed the “White City” for its majestic beauty. Architect Daniel Burnham built it; serial killer Dr. H. H. Holmes used it to lure victims to his World’s Fair Hotel, designed for murder. Both men left behind them a powerful legacy, one of brilliance and energy, the other of sorrow and darkness.
Here, then, is your ticket to the greatest fair in history—a place where incredible dreams came to life alongside darkest nightmares.


I'm joining in for Literary Friday.  Go see Ricki Jill for more great reading selections!







Thursday, November 29, 2012

Checking in!



Hola Sweet Friends!

Are you so busy loving the season? 
We are! 



We're winter gardening...  Look at those little roses! 


 Canning... I made homemade cranberry sauce... wonderfulness!
 I will be sharing that recipe with you.


 Decorating! 


 Crocheting! I can't wait to show you this fun project.


 ...more decorating!


... and MORE decorating! 


Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving!





It's HERE! 
Can you believe it? Again I ask you! "Where did the year go?" 
I hope that you are having great week and that you are enjoying all that you have to be greatful for.
 I've been thinking... 
I'm greatful for so many things. But what am I greatful for this year that I wasn't greatful for last year? Thinking.... Thinking.... 
Another year of being married to my wonderful husband. 
Another year of good health.
Another year of wonderful Family and Friends.
Another year of blogging!

Sorry, that was a cop out. 
Thnking again.... pause...
I picked up crochet and I'm really greatful for the relaxation that that brings. 
Some old wonderful friends moved back to town. 
AND I got to be published! 

I'll leave you with the same question...
Can you list 3 things that you are greatful for this year, that you weren't greatful for last year? 



P.S. I have started a new project... more to come!


I'll be joining Marty for Table Top Tuesday!