Christmas, Home Made

My December days were filled with projects for Christmas gifts, as always. Certainly not all our gifts this year were homemade, but I so enjoyed putting together the ones that were.  Now that most of them have been given I can give a peek into what I've been up to for the last while...




Lavender Sachets

Sachets



Beeswax Candles



 

Felt Ornaments



Glass Bead Bracelet





Gemstone & Glass Bead Necklaces







Christmas Tea

from Bulk Herb Store

(wonderful stuff),

in small jars with ribbon



~Collage Calenders for 2011~


One for Mama...



...and one for me!





...one for Olivia...



a December date

pizza for two

So glad He came!

In Eden’s bliss we walked with God
Unhindered by the curse.
Yet we rebelled and were expelled—
Estranged; alone; perverse.
Two mighty cherubs barred the path
To Eden’s holy place;
No more could men, now stained by sin,
Behold our Maker’s face.

Beneath the Law we sought the Lord
Through sacrifice and priest.
One time each year one man, in fear,
Sought God with blood of beast.
Still mighty cherubs blocked the way
So sinners could not pass—
In curtain sewn, on golden throne,
They stopped the rebel fast.

Then Christ appeared to clear the way
To God for sinful man;
Fulfilled the Law without a flaw—
Our Temple, Priest, and Lamb.
Astounded cherubs stepped aside;
Each hid his flaming sword.
With nail and thorn the Veil was torn;
Draw near through Christ the Lord!

In Jesus’ name we boldly come
Before the throne of grace.
With empty hand, in Christ we stand
To seek Almighty’s face
Till saints and cherubs join in awe
Around the Savior’s throne.
With one great voice we will rejoice:
“All praise to Christ alone!”.

~hymn by  Chris Anderson

5 Years

I am so thankful for this guy!

Love you, Man.

Festivity

 





I'm seriously thrilled about my new cooking & baking inspiration!

kitchen sprite

 


My industrious & sweet baker-girl

 

Our tree!  I love our door's new acorn-squash-green color.



~*~

"[T]he boots she had on today were calculated to raise the lowest spirits, for they were made of the softest grey leather, sewn with crystal beads round the tops, and were lined with snow-white lamb's-wool.  The crystal beads, as it happened, could not be seen, because Maria's grey silk dress and warm grey wool pelisse, also trimmed with white lamb's-wool, reached to her ankles, but she herself knew they were there, and the thought of them gave her a moral strength that can scarcely be overestimated."

~From The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge (p.8)

Blizzard



Main Street



Saturday was blizzard day at our house, as it was across most of the state.  Almost all of the main highways were closed, so we were snow-bound in our town with the snow coming down thick and fast.  With the wind blowing and the snow falling visibility was quite low.  It is so much more fun to be snowed-in with family so we drove across town to spend the day at Caleb's parents' house.  There wouldn't have been a way to drive even in town without the truck, and even so by evening the snow was so deep in the streets that it was tough going with it.  That all adds to the fun of a snow day though!  It was cozy inside and we made Christmas treats and listened to music and rested, and later some went drift-busting in the truck to pick up pizza (from one of few local establishments still open in the snow!)  Siblings came back to our house for a movie before bed.  Lovely fun. 
Roads were still closed on Sunday (and the snow was complicated by a quarter-inch of solid ice underneath and plummeting temperatures) so church was canceled.  Caleb blew snow most of the morning, and we went back to his parents' house for a turkey dinner, afternoon relaxing and evening singing.  I love snow weekends! 



My cozy nest



***

 (We got a new snowblower just in time!)

Making pie with Auntie

My man playing for us

Sunshine :)