Our Christmas 2011,,,,,Packages and Pictures

Good evening all my dear friends.  WOW, do we ever get completely ready for this big holiday?  I so love the Christmas Season but it is always such a busy time.  There is the constant crafting, shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating, visiting and eating. And then in a blink what do we have?  Yep, the day afer Christmas.  I must say I am kind of glad that Santa has come and gone, but then the child that still lives deep inside of me hated to see him leave.  It was a wonderful Christmas here at the homeplace.  I was one thankful wife, Mother and Nana this season.  Saddness did creep in as Mother's death is still fresh in my mind, but I am thankful she is at peace this season also. 

On Wednesday before Christmas I stopped by the mail box on my way into town and was so surprised to find a box from Angie at http://lilraggedyangie.blogspot.com/ . I couldn't wait to tear into the package.  I sat right in the car and ripped into the box.  I immediately opened the card and there was a sweet note telling me she was thinking of me as she knew I would be missing Mother.  Angie it really touched my heart for someone who I have never met , and at this busy time of the year, thought of me.  Thank you so much.  This is what I found.

Angie sent me blackened beeswax ornaments and bowl fillers.  A really cute ticking stocking , a candy bar and that sweet card.  If you look close you will see the candy is NOT in the wrapper.  I was on my way shopping when I got the package, it was like 2 in the afternoon and I had not had lunch.  Can you guess what my lunch was?  Yep, and it was absolutely delicious.   And she could not have sent anything I would have been any prouder of.  I only had 2 little pieces of blackened beeswax.   When I got home , I immediately put the ornaments on my german twig tree.

The bowl fillers I put on the coffee table so I could see them from where  I sit. 

Thanks again Angie.  You are such a sweet and giving person.  If you haven't visited Angie's blog I strongly suggest you check it out.  She does some amazing crafts and is always busy. 

On Saturday afternoon, Mr. P and I came in from our annual Christmas Eve Breakfast with family and friends and a huge box was on the doorsteps.  It was from Shirlee at http://farmhouseponderings.blogspot.com/ .  Shirlee had just e-mailed me the day before stating that the package she had so wanted to be a surprise apparently had been lost in the mail.  It had been mailed a while back but didn't even show up the tracking.  I was so anxious to shoot her an e-mail and let her know the box had been found and had reached it's destination.

Wow, It was full of wrapped goodies.  As I began unwrapping I felt like a prim shop had just been delivered to my door.  I was having too much fun.  The mister just stood back and watched as I discovered one goodie after another. 

Shirlee knows how much I love the pinkeep pillows.  I now have one I can keep out year round.  But she didn't know how much I love pineapples.  This is where it found a home.

There was a Christmas book.  I have already started reading and enjoying the stories in it. 

Here are some cute gingerbread bowl fillers and a muslin gingerbread man.  I only have a few gingers so I couldn't wait to put these in the kitchen.

They quickly found a home on the island

I really wish you had a "scratch and sniff"  computer screen for this next picture.

Shirlee made these beeswax ornaments.  They are orange scented and smell yummy.  Each one has a different design on it.  I can't wait to add these to the german twig tree when I put the snowmen ornaments on it in the great room.  I will leave it up for winter.  

She gifted me with these 2 grungy candle ornaments.  These will go on the Santa tree in the great room. Are you beginning to wonder how big that box was?  Well, there is more. See why I thought I had a prim shop in a box?

A big bag of tart chucks scented with gingerbread.  One of my favorite scents for the winter.  Smells so yummy in the tart burners.  Such a welcoming smell in the home.

An apple cinnamon candle in an old rusty tin can with grubbies on top.  It smells great also.  It is sitting on a mat won from Traci at http://yorkmountainprimitives.blogspot.com/ 

How did she know I love gooseberry patch cookbooks?  And I didn't have this one. You can see my paper marks on the top of recipes I can't wait to try.  The cookbook was Mr. P's favorite.  He thinks I might decide to use the stove soon since the holidays are winding down. (smile)

In the box there was a package for Darbee Rae.  She was excited to see what she had gotten. 

It was a cute prim doll for her room.  Everytime I would go to snap the picture she would say 'Thank you Shirlee"  That is why she looks so funny!  We had just given her a Barbie video camera for Christmas and I think she was thinking Shirlee was going to be able to hear her.    So there you have it... Pictures of goodies from two great blogging friends. 

Thank you to all of you who took the time to send Christmas Cards.  It brightened my day to find a card from you in the mailbox.  Thanks Lois http://huckleberrylady.blogspot.com/  for the card for Darbee Rae.  She was so excited to get her own mail.  All of you whether with your visits to my blog, a comment, or allowing me to visit with you in  your beautiful homes played a big part in making this a wonderufl Christmas for me at the homeplace.

I am leaving you tonight with a few pictures of Darbee Rae on Christmas Day.  Santa was good to her and we enjoyed spending the day "playing" with her.

Santa brought a Barbie jeep, but it poured rain all day.  She just had to give it a test run on the carport. Notice Cuddles in the passenger seat.  That was one more brave bear!!

Don't you love the metal shopping cart ?  It would look great rusty as a prim accessory.  I told her I wanted it when she grew up and didn't want it anymore, but I think Holly had already staked her claim on it.  She is so much like her  Mommy.....a shopacholic!!

Loving those legos.  See the purple to her back?  One of her favorite gifts from Santa.  A little trampoline. 

And we couldn't end Christmas Day without celebrating the real reason for the season.  We had a Happy Birthday Jesus cake and sang Happy Birthday to him. 

Hope you enjoyed a snippet of our holiday here at the homeplace.  Although Christmas Day has come and gone, Peace and Goodwill of the Season can linger on in hearts.  Until next time.......

Friends, Food, and Fun

Marvelous Monday to you all!  Hoping your day was as much fun as mine was here at the homeplace .  It was our annual Girlfriend Luncheon. How blessed I am to have such wonderful friends.  This group of  girls have been friends for many, many, years.  We have gone thru good times and bad, moments both  happy and sad, births and deaths, and through it all have been there for each other.  This year we were all tickled to have my sister-in-law join us.  She lives in a neighboring city and she was with  us  for the day.  Everyone brought a dish or two , maybe three and we had a wonderful lunch.  You know us southern girls know how to EAT.  There was chicken, potato salad, rolls, cornbread and mexican cornbread, blackeyed peas, collards,  baked sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, and Queso Potato Cheese Soup. Sounds like a feast?  Well that's not all.  We also had cucumber/cracker appetizers, ham rollups, bacon smoke sausage bites, and sausage balls.  There was veggies and dip also.  You know we had to eat healthy!  (lol) Then there were 2 cakes and a lemon pie.  Yes, I would have so loved having all of you here.  I really believe there was enough food for everyone of you.  Three of our hubbys came later and helped to eat some of the food.  And there is still food  for the freezer.
I so hope each one of you have at least one person in your life that is as special to you and these girls are to me.  If not put that on the top of your list for 2012.  A true friend is priceless. Sorry I didn't get pictures.  We got busy talking and eating and I forgot the camera. 

But I do have a few pictures of the bedroom to share with you.  Hope you enjoy them.

Bed all decked out for the holidays.

Hope you enjoyed the tour of my bedroom decorated with some of my favorite snowmen (and ladies).  I will move them into the living room after Christmas and they will stay for the winter in hope of SNOW!!

I am leaving you  with a photo of Wilbur.  Yep, when Darbee Rae came in the back door today she started hunting for him.  Well, he is not suppose to go upstairs so it was hard for her to find him.  Luckily her cousin who is older was here also and helped in the search.  This is where they found him.

He never made it upstairs, but that silly elf collected some of my Christmas Cards and was enjoying them on the stairs.   This Nana is getting tired of clearing up all his messes.  Sure glad he will be on his way back to the North Pole in a few days!  He left Darbee Rae some lip gloss and she was a happy little girl.  She was blessed with many neat surprises from friends today. 

And the ending to a blessed day was visiting with all of you my far away friends.  Hoping you all a wonderful evening wherever you may be.  Until next time.

The True Meaning Of Christmas

Okay my dear friends, please bear with me with this post.  It will not contain pictures of my decorating, none of the prim items I have been trying to finish, or showing you something new I have recieved in the spirit of giving this season. 

Instead I want to share with you what made my heart swell with pride and made tears run down my cheeks tonight.  It was our annual Christmas drama at church.  Our church is not really big, but our members have the biggest hearts around.  The name of our program was " From the Christ Child to the Judgment"  My Daddy was a pastor so I have been in programs every year since I was a wee child.  Holly grew up being in programs and last year little Darbee Rae was in this drama for the first time.  This year she had 3 different parts and actually had a small speaking line.  I chose not to take part in the drama this year so I could watch Darbee Rae in her roles.

I  am so proud I did as my heart was so touched by this little child that God has so blessed our family with. I am no photographer and it's hard to take a picture with tears streaming down my face, but I want to share just a few pictures of what I saw tonight.

In the opening scene she was a child coloring as her Mommy and a friend were carrying on a conversation.

Here she is the first of many adult angels who followed Jesus as he rose from the tomb.  She walked down the isle among the crowd just like the adults.  This part she did last year also.  I was so proud of her.

In this scene she was the child to a couple from our church and they were making the choice of whether to take a cross and follow Jesus. 

Looks like she made the right choice.  It was at this point she had her very first speaking part ever in a play.  She did not stutter at all.  Said it like a pro.

Kneeling with her pretend parents before God at judgment. Notice that she is looking up toward the throne.

Recieving her robe and crown.  So precious.

And in the last scene she is back on stage with her Mom and friend. 

Okay, that's all for tonight.  I know this was a true Nana Post, but taking part in the program at church is a big event each year.  Tonight it was a new experience for me as I was on the opposite side of the curtain.  However my heart was truly blessed to watch my family and their dedication to our church.  Yes tonight my heart is running full of God's blessings . 

Hoping you are enjoying the true meaning of the season.  Until next time......

Christmas Is Coming

Happy Friday everyone.  Hope you are all winding down the decorating and almost finished with your baking and are ready to enjoy the final countdown to Christmas Day.  Thought I would share the rest of the pictures of the great room with you today.  So... take a minute to rest and come on in and lets chat while we look. 

Thought this saying was perfect to write on the chalkborad frame to go over the piano.  Why don't I play us a tune and we can join in with the carolers and sing. Everyone knows  "Silent Night".  Will that be okay?

This is a very old song book under the cloche . Found it at an estate sale back in the summer.

It's a tradition to buy Darbee Rae a book every year during the Holiday Season.  This year this is what She got.  " A Special Place for Santa" by Jeanne Pieper  The little snow globe goes along with the book.  Such a sweet story that combine the birth of Jesus and Santa Claus.  Perfect read for a little one.  

And who doesn't love watching a snow globe..... Especially one that changes colors?

Top of the old flour bin that was Mr. P 's   grandparents.

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The little Santa Boot is very old and is a bank.  It has "Christsmas Savings"  written on it's side.

Top of the old oak roll top desk.  Can you tell we love books in this family? 

The Gift of the Magi was Holly's favorite when she was small, and continues with Darbee Rae.  She knows the special book by heart.  She tells me the story now.   Such wonderful memories.

A box of old vintage good housekeeping Christmas Cards. 

Love the old plastic holly on each card. 

Table in foyer

Little table

Centerpiece on coffee table.

Shelf above the t.v.

The traditional Santa Claus tree.  I had planned on just decorating the german twig tree beside the fireplace, but once that was done, it just didn't seem right without the big tree that always has been in the living room.  So,,, what do you do?  Get busy and put it up.   Now it seems like Christmas in the great room.

This ends the tour of the great room.  I sure have enjoyed your visiting with me in this room.  What other room would be as inviting.... the kitchen with all the smells of holiday baking.  Yep, we will go there the next time you visit. 

Darbee Rae and I went "Mommy and Daddy" shopping yesterday.  We had lunch at the pizza parlor and got busy.  Why are Mommys so much easier to shop for than Daddys?  Mommy is out of the way,,, but daddy will have to be another day.  Just couldn't make up her mind.  I think she was in to much of a hurry to come home to Nana's and see if Wilbur knew she was coming.

He sure did.  She came running in to go to the the bathroom and I heard her scream.  She came running back to the door and said, " Nana just come look at what Wilbur did."  Too funny! This is what we found

Wilbur had my basket of nail polish out and had picked him out a color.  Silly elf.  Does he not know elves don't wear nail polish?  Guess he just wanted to be different.  This is the surprise he left for Darbee Rae.

Lots of her very own nail polish.  Glad that was going home with her and her Mommy!!  Holly and Stacy came in the evening and brought supper so this tired and happy Nana did not have to cook.  A  great ending to a perfect day. 

Wishing you all a great and happy weekend.  Enjoy the season.  Until next time..