I am "Snow" Happy!

I never get over the excitement of Christmas. I have been working like crazy around our home, trying to get the decorating done...and also trying not to be too critical of my decorations. I thought I would share just a touch of what is around our home. I am not done...but close! I hope you enjoy it, we sure do!

I decided to put up a second tree. It is sorta Country style with cute snowmen and snow related items on it. I just realized now I didn't get a good picture of the tree skirt. I will have to do that, as it really is special. Anyways....on to the snowmen...

Just some snowmen that gather near the tree. The little one on the top basket..is a candle! Nope, it is never getting lit!
I hope you will all stop back Tuesday for Tablescape Tuesday. Oh, I just love my table too!! Until then, I will be hanging the boughs....fa la la......

Thanksgiving Photos and Some new little Diva's(?)

Ok, to say I enjoyed having my grandchildren over would be putting it mildly. My grandson, who is six, is getting so much fun to do things with. I decided to have them "make" cookies.

We packed them all up for them to take home.

Cuddles with my two boys....son and grandson.

And our preicous granddaughter.

Oh, Shelia....Look who is a divo??

Teaching them young!

I love this picture....am I doing it right grandma?

Hope you day was full of good food and good times.

Gobble, Gobble!

Oh, Oh!

They didn't get the memo!

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

I want to wish all my Blogland friends the best Thanksgiving day ever! I know I have said it before, but the ladies I have met blogging have been such an encouragement to me. You inspire me to be excited about new creations and decorations, and each little blessing every day. My husband and I were chatting about the upcoming holidays, and I live them as full and lively as this ole body can handle. Each one is just a blessing to me! So I pray that all of you have a wonderful weekend with loved ones, and especially remembering where it all comes from...
Everything I have and everything I am and ever hope to be...comes from You Lord. Thank you Jesus.
Gobble, Gobble!

Oh no Charlie Brown....you are too early! But Ceekay could not wait to post about this precious tree hubby brought home...for the blog!!!

Now, seriously - this is just too cute!

Car Show & Giving Thanks Day 25!

My husband put his cars in a Car Show this weekend. This post is for him. He LOVES his cars. He worked for weeks, cleaning them, dusting them....with toothbrushes no less! Oh, to have just a little of that around the house...oh, nevermind...I had a momentary loss of what this really is about....THE CARS!

I don't know why...but apparently pretty engines are very important...I would tell you which engine goes to which car....but then, I would have to know that!

Yep, another thing that seems to be very important.

Whatever!

I am glad that his Classic cars make him happy. He deserves it. He doesn't get my love of dishes either.....

Day 25 - Giving Thanks for Simple Joys - I am thankful for the little joys in a day...a parking spot, a clearance sale, a hot cup of tea, and the seeing the joy my husband has with his cars...

Day 24 - Giving Thanks for Time!

I know, I know. Thankful for time, or frustrated for not enough of it? Today I am thankful for time spent with loved ones, time creating, time relaxing....
My son and I spent the afternoon together. There isn't much I cherish more than seeing my children. I don't get that priviledge very often. He and I walked through the Mall - commenting on how beautiful the jewelry was, how much clothes are today, how cute that little baby was in the stroller. We didn't buy much - in fact, just one small item....but as another commercial says....it was priceless. The afternoon went too quickly, as all moms with grown children know, but I have treasured moments to relive.
I could wax real brillant here about how when faced with adversity we appreciate time more...but we all KNOW that. I just will say that I was blessed again - with precious moments of time with someone precious!

NEWS ALERT! Guess who won a give away....Oh, come on now guess.....who, who???? YES, that was ME! I have never won one ever!!!!!!!
Debra at Shoul Creek Cottage notified me that I won a snowman! I promise, I will show you all when he arrives....but, I am a keepin him! Ok, I will try to be calm and polite....NOPE, I WON, I WON!!!

Day 23 - Giving Thanks for ....

Laughter! I love the sound of laughter. And I love to laugh! Lots of time, I am laughing at myself, something silly I did, like when I forget to use my brain and put a clean towel from the dryer in the refrigerator! (Shhhh) Anyways, I have had many sobs, screams, moans (like from the scale!) in my life, but I like laughter the best. I cherish the memories of laughing with friends over wires being crossed and lights going on everywhere...of wearing two different white sandals and not knowing it until I got to the store, of seeing my son sneak off and be a store manequin and I didn't realize it right away....and years of many more. I love the sound of my husband's laugh when he gets chuckled about something on TV. And I adore the simple laughter of my grandchildren when they play in the water of our outside fountain...Oh, I have many years of stories I could go on about...but I will stop. But like the Laugh*ing Cow commercials...HAVE YOU LAUGHED TODAY???

Giving Thanks - Day 22

Today for Day 22 - Giving thanks for God's precious Word. I am so thankful, honestly, words do not come close to telling what the promises and principles of God's Word means to me. Without God's leading through His Word and those that proclaim it rightly I don't know where I would be. Through difficult times and through times of blessing, the Bible is the compass on which I try to live my life. Again, I am blessed!

Thanksgiving Show and Tell and Giving Thanks - Day 21

Kelli at No Place Like Home is having Show and Tell and Giving Thanks is at Brookstone Cottage. Today, I am going to show a treat that has become a tradition at our home. I make one for each person and set it by their plate at Thanksgiving dinner. I think they are soooo cute and they are sooo easy!

You need two striped cookes, a chocolate covered cherry and a piece of candy corn for each turkey. The glue that holds it all together is chocolate frosting!

Day 21 - Giving Thanks today for the joy of eating! We all are getting ready for the big eating day. I love to eat and my body unfortunately shows it. I am usually on some sort of diet, which at least enables me to continue to walk frontways through a door! But I love, yes love, good food! I now know also what it is like not to be able to eat and believe me, eating is better! I asked Kathy one day, "Kathy, what if there is no shrimp in Heaven?" which we all know is an important issue! Kathy answered so sweetly...."then it will be something even better!"

Giving Thanks - Day 20

Day 20 - Today I am giving thanks for dear friends. I find as I grow older I cherish long-lasting friendships even more. I feel I have been blessed in life with many friends over the years. Some come and go, as seasons in life. Others, stay for the duration! Anyone who reads our blogs regularly knows that Rose at A Hint of Home and Kathy of Mimi's Garden are two of my dearest and longest friends.

Rose and I grew up in the same church but we really didn't know each other until we were both young brides. Rose and her husband had moved into their first home and were expecting their first baby. My husband and I just seemed to "click" and we have been friends ever since. Keeping in touch like sisters has had its difficulties when there have been moves to various states over the years, but we talk at least once a week, mostly more and try to visit every year or so. If you were around when we do get together, it is like no time has passed.

Kathy and I are also very close. We met years ago when our sons were expected. We grew closer over the years talking about challenges and joys of rearing a family pleasing to the Lord. Kathy and I can call each other and just laugh over one sentence without saying another word! Again, we live across country from each other, but it doesn't really seem to matter!

I have two other friends that are so important in my life - my cousin Connie, who really was like a sister to me when we were growing up. The joy of conversation over family memories is one that is cherished by me. She is such a talented woman and challenges me to cook and scrapbook.

And my dear friend Candy. Our friendship is not long in time, but deep in feeling. Candy was with me from the first day of my cancer diagnosis. We went to the same church and were friendly, but I can tell you, I could depend on her when I needed a real life helping hand. We love to go shopping together and have tea. Days can pass very quickly when hitting as many stores as possible in one afternoon!

Ok, so I know this is a long post and I don't usually do those....but, well, it is my blog and I wanted to!! Please join in at Kelli's for more thanksgiving posts. I hope in reading this you can think about those girlfriends in your life that are really - your sisters!! I am very blessed!

Give Thanks - Day 19

Giving Thanks at Kelli's and 30 days of Thanks today I want to give thanks for music. I LOVE music. Growing up many days were spent around the old piano singing with my extended family. I have wonderful memories of those days. As I grew older, I began singing in choir and doing solos in church. But my love of music doesn't stop at hymns or praise songs. As wonderful as they are, I enjoy many genres of music. Some of the best memories I have over the years has been attending concerts, shows, and musicals. When I do get to Heaven...I will be so anxious to hear the wonderful music that we can't even imagine here....So for Day 19 - I am thankful for music!
By the way - my luncheon yesterday went beautifully. Everything was delicious thankfully! and we had such a good time just enjoying each others company. Can't wait to do it again!!

Tablescape Tuesday and Giving Thanks - Day 18

Day 18 - Giving Thanks for the gift of Hospitality. Today I really am having 3 friends from my church over for lunch. I try to do this once a month. It is so hard to really have the time to just visit with ladies from church in the busy lives that we all lead. But it is so much fun and then we wonder why we don't get together more often, just for a casual lunch. Of course, I wanted to set the table special for them. However, I enjoy going to lunch at a friends house and eating off of paper plates. It is not really the food or the tablescape, but the time, love, and sharing when we sit down together.
I am using my same wicker chargers and brown dishes...but since we are having Chili, I used my pumpkin bowls. I bought them at Target last fall.Of course, the centerpiece will be moved to put a leaf shaped plate with Turkey sandwiches on Cranberry Nut bread.

Napkins were purchsed at Target this year at the Dollar stop....

Napkin rings were a gift from hubby...from Walmart.

I have to tell you about my dessert. We went Sunday after church and believe it or not had sushi with our son....that is another story. However we all shared dessert - a single cheesecake. It came in a ramikin with demitasse spoons to eat it with. It was so cute that I copied the idea and made small individual ones for my guests. I am excited about it.

Well, gotta go...you know how it is...check all the rooms....light the candles, turn on the fountain. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Giving Thanks - Day 17

I have been giving thanks for something everyday this month. However, this week at Kelli's we are also giving thanks this week to get ready for Thanksgiving! It is funny while doing these posts that it is difficult to pick "something" to be thankful for. I am thankful for even just the little things....but I don't know if I should post about them??!!?? So, today, I will cluster them together....things like the microwave oven, an electric curling iron, grocery stores practically on every corner, candles I don't have to make myself, Hostess cupcakes!!, front loading washing machine and dryer, DIGITAL cameras, oh, I could just go on and on, and let's not forget one that my grandfather always marveled at the availabilty.....he was born in the 1800's....toilet paper!

Now, you all are probably laughing...but I am telling you....I don't want these things OUT of my life...do YOU????

Giving Thanks - Day 16 - My Church

Today being Sunday, I thought it a good day for Day 16 - to give thanks for my church. My husband and I have always worshipped together on Sunday. For many years I sat alone in the pew, as hubby was a pastor. Those were wonderful days of service...and then the time came for us to be served to...that is where we are now. I enjoy our Sunday's together, worshipping in a church that praises and teaches about our Lord. I love singing in the choir and participating in the ladies events. We have a wonderful congregation that has faithfully upheld us before the Lord in prayer during my illness, and continue still to this day. I absolutely hate when for various reasons, I have to miss church. I feel, "out of the loop". I hope that many of you take some time during the weekend to worship and fellowship...it is a blessing to be very thankful for!

Day 15 - Giving Thanks - Driving

I am sure that some of my faithful blog readers must sometimes wonder about my state of mind. I can't blame anything on chemo brain right now! So, that being said....for Day 15 - I am thankful I learned how to drive!
My mom never drove, neither did my grandmother. I could not wait until I was old enough - 15 1/2 to take Driver's Ed. I had never been behind the wheel of a car and when we went to the "driving range", I about cleared the place out of cones! But I finally got the "feel" for the wheel and I learned how to drive. A whole new world opened up to not only me, but my mother. I remember the first time she went with me to McDonalds. You would have thought we were at a 5 star restaurant. My mom got on the phone that night and called all her friends to inform them of the fantastic event that had just happened!
Honestly, I think about how wonderful it is to have the freedom that driving brings often when I am in the car. Now, it is not as enjoyable as it once was, with all the traffic, but I still wouldn't trade a moment of it!

Somewhere In Time and Day 14 - Giving Thanks

When I knew I was going to Michigan for the month of October, I thought I really should go to Mackanac Island. Being born and raised in Michigan, I had been that way several times, but had never gone to the Island.

Today at Jan and Tom's Place, they are hosting a Somewhere In Time meme. I am going to combine this with Show and Tell at Kelli's. Boy, it is a busy time in Blogland!!

I have always considered Somewhere In Time one of my all time favorite movies. I so wanted to walk where Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour had been. So along with Kathy and her husband, my dream came true! This is one of the pictures hung on the wall in the Grand Hotel...Christopher Reeves sleeping on the famous porch.

Another picture from a collage they have on display.

Ok, time for a squeal...yep, it is his hat!

There even is a store on the Island devoted to movie memorabilia. Take money!

I am sure the stars all saw this view going over to the Island.

Looking down the one side of the Grand Hotel...it is truly grand!

Maybe, they rode in a carriage just like this one.

And maybe looked down the street of the town like I did.

If you stay at the famous Hotel, like in the movie, today you would be given soap and lotion like these. The Geranium is everywhere...it is their symbol.

I purchased this lovely alabaster type box. Grand Hotel is on the lid.

Horse and carriage on the side. Ok, I need to breathe......

Bought this charm bracelet to keep in the box.

I am telling you, it was absolutely beautiful, so romantic, and so exciting to be there. The only thing that could have made it better if Jane Seymour walked down the hallway!

Day 14 - Giving thanks today for the joy of travel. No matter where I go, miles away or up north to a cabin...I love to travel, meet new people, and learn about this wonderful earth we live on.