christmas past and present #11

One of my favorite Christmas carols:



God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen
God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and Joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.

"God rest ye merry, gentlemen" was an old English expression

which petitioned God to keep one merry or joyful.

May your heart be full of joy this Christmas season.

Rene'

the best seat in the house...

...taking time to enjoy and celebrate the season...

we're having tea in the parlor

just the girls

can't wait

christmas past and present #12

One year

we were asked to be

"Mary and Joseph"

with our new *Baby Grace*

I don't remember much,

but what I do remember and what you can't see is

the *4 year-old *shepherd clinging

to his Daddy's leg

being drug down the aisle.

He was soo shy!

Oh, the memories...

christmas past and present #13

This is one

of my most favorite and special

Christmas ornaments.

It was my grandmother's

from when she was a baby.

circa 1920

It glitters, too!

christmas past and present #15

3

generations

of

Christmas Wonder!

(You do know which one is me, right?)

**repost**

a little white christmas...

I really have done only a *little* christmas decorating...I'm having trouble

finding the time and energy to get it done...

so simple is the theme this year.

This is the cabinet in my parlor...we have the tree up ...I still need to finish

the mantle and find a place for the nativity...

we're going to

start christmas shopping today.

christmas past and present #9

Our First Christmas

As a family

The Christmas season

a time to ponder

the baby born to us.

The baby, Jesus.

My Christmas season will always

include remembering this baby.

My beautiful firstborn

My beautiful daughter

who has brought me so much joy

and has taught me so much.

That first lesson in overwhelming love.

A lesson in God the Father

giving his Son.

How?

Happy Birthday, dear Kate!

12-16-08
We're off today for a girls' day,
lunch and Anthropologie (my first time!)

outside the box...

OK, so inside the box.

I was wanting cubbies for display

at The Shabby House.

This is what I came up with...

Easy Peasy to set up, too.

star ornaments inspired by kathleen

I needed quick and easy...these did the job!

Thanks kathleen...

~

~

~

In the name of simplicity,

over the next few days

"how many days are there until christmas?

shhh,

don't tell me

I don't really want to know"

I'm going to re-post a few of my favorites

from a *christmas past and present*series

I did last season.

I'm trying to prioritize here and be available as my family is available.

I hope you will enjoy them.

the all of christmas...

God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;

the warmth of Christmas, which is love;

the radiance of Christmas, which is purity;

the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;

the belief in Christmas, which is truth;

the all of Christmas, which is Christ.

--Wilda English

my *dream* white...

Kitchen.

I've always loved my white kitchens.

(and I've had several)

There is just something about *real *painted-white cabinets

that says old farmhouse to me.

We were able to work with a local cabinet shop

and ordered *raw* maple boxes and shaker doors.

My main carpenter guy (husband) installed them

and then added all the details

to make them match that china cabinet.

White paint finished them off.

Didn't he do a great job?

My favorite part of the entire kitchen is my island.

It is big enough to gather around...

We eat there, we make cookies there and I even paint there!

Here's that china cabinet from yesterday.

So there she is...walls are still green...I've been threatened...

No painting until after Christmas!

Now onto Christmas decorating...

the way it used to be...

Here is the beginning of my dream kitchen

....12 years ago...

This is what we bought.

(read all about our Home Sweet Home here)

The little room was the original pantry

and the only existing cabinets .

The bigger room was empty except for this china cabinet.

It became the model for the new cabinets.

Family-style remodeling

We gutted, insulated, wired, and sheetrocked,

added new cabinets

and oak floors.

Oh, what good times we had...

We dreamed, we worked, we learned new skills ,

and we made memories .

Tomorrow I will show you more.

It really is my *dream* kitchen.

a white peek...

Well, it didn't happen...

Everything is still a mess in my kitchen.

And there is so much I want to show you.

These are roses from our Thanksgiving Table

and my birthday necklace from my bestest friend, Gayle.

She found it just for me at Mary Jane's store.

It says family forever on one side and farmgirl on the other.

So here is a peek of just one corner...

more to come.