Christmas Village

Our Christmas village has grown so large over the years and it is our tradition to set it up every Christmas season. This year much of our village is still in boxes and we debated about setting it up because we still have so much to do and so many unpacked boxes sitting around our home.

Tradition won out and we set up a small portion of the village on a coffee table we placed under living room windows. When I plugged in the lights of the village and the little lighted Christmas tree glowed as the village townspeople twirled around the tree I knew we'd made the right decision.

Yes, when our youngest grandson walked into the living room, spied the village and marveled at the miniature goings on , we knew we'd made the right decision !

May you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and take joy in the message of this season and for all time ~ " And she will bring forth a son , and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

Oh Christmas Tree

 We're still getting settled in our new home and have many boxes stored in the barn we've yet to unpack. Many of the boxes are full of Christmas decorations . We knew we had a lot of Christmas decorations but boy oh boy, is it possible to have too many ? Especially since our new home is less than half the size of our home at Cedar Pond. ( Picture is of our youngest grandson helping my husband place the first few decorations on our tree.)

 We bought a new artificial tree for our first Christmas here. Yes, we have many beautiful trees growing in our forest that'd be perfect for us, but the woodstove in our new home keeps the whole house roasty-toasty and we did not want to worry about keeping the tree stand filled with water when we knew it would dry out every day with the heat and our cats and dogs drinking out of it. We chose this tree because it is narrow and nine feet tall, filling the window but not crowding us out of our new little living room.

Blizzard, our 20 pound cat, stretched out under the tree .

 We have a new puppy . She was born to a Labrador Retriever one of our granddaughters owns. We got her when she was 8 weeks old and now she is 8 months old. Her name is Luna and we love her. She discovered a long time ago she can peek into the house from the windows overlooking the deck. Our two cats seem to enjoy mocking the dogs from indoors. Here is Miss Marple almost taunting Luna. If Luna were indoors Miss Marple would be hiding under the bed or in the closet.

 The view of the tree from outside on a cold snowy winter's evening. You can see our other cat Blizzard looking out the window.

"The shining sparkling ornaments strung on our Christmas tree , Reach out and take me by the hand to years that used to be."  *  'To The Years That Used To Be '  from poem by Annette Victorin

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ! (And a GIVE-AWAY )

It is the most wonderful time of the year, the month of December when our family celebrates Christmas. Yes, I do mean the whole MONTH ( plus ). Decorating usually begins just after Thanksgiving but our family plays Christmas carols year round. ( Picture above is of me and our daughter's three youngest children.)

I spent the last 9 days with our daughter and her 3 youngest children on a trip of her choosing, her birthday present to herself in celebration of a milestone birthday. I am honored she and my grandchildren wanted me to accompany them on their trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios. This was a gift for me too since she paid my expenses. We drove 20 hours each way ( not including stops for gas and rest-room breaks) to get there and back.

Do you like my mouse ears ? It is hard to see them in the picture because they match the tree ornaments, but my mouse ears light up and the lights blink showing snowflakes. I will be wearing them a lot this month.

I am happy to be home now and getting ready for Christmas festivities. In honor of this month of giving I am offering a give-away. I will be sending a pair of Wee Little Sheep* to the winner. I will enter anyone who leaves a comment on my blog beginning today through the 20th of December when I will draw the name of the winner out of Santa's hat. I will enter your name every time you comment ( limited to one comment per day ).

For our family Christmas is especially dear because our faith, our lives, our very being , rests in the person this holiday season is based on ~ Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour of all mankind who put their trust in Him. ( John 3:16) Yes we know He was probably not born on this day of this month and many Christmas festivities trace their beginnings to pagan roots. Yet my husband and I grew up celebrating Christmas with the knowledge we were celebrating the birth of our Saviour Jesus. We joyfully celebrated Him with our children and now celebrate with them and theirs. I am eagerly looking forward to this month and sharing good times with family and friends, including you, my blogging friends. Bless you all !

Rejoice !

..." for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior , who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

All I Want For Christmas Is My Own Reindeer

 I love reindeer.

 Not just the ornaments I display around Christmas ,

 but real live reindeer.

Ever since I sat across the reindeer exhibit with my sheep in The Animals Of The World barn at our state fair, I have wanted real reindeer. I have been researching them for years , and maybe, just maybe I can convince Santa we should have at least a pair of reindeer ?

Oh well, I think that probably won't happen, but I do have a little wether ( castrated male sheep ) with 4 horns I have named Blitzen. He is very friendly. I' m going to make him a nice harness and train him for Santa. ( Note to self : start looking for small sled and keep a few more wethers. Comet, Cupid, Donder...)

"Now Dasher ! Now Dancer ! On Comet ! On Cupid ! On Donder and Blitzen ! To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall ! Now dash away ! Dash away ! Dash away all !  ~The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore

Santa & I Are Very Good Friends !

 My husband & I have been gone . We've been over the snowy mountains and far away, returning home yesterday. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with our sons, daughter, and their families. Just because Santa & I are very good friends, he visited us after Thanksgiving. He let me take a picture of him holding our new grandson ...

...and I even persuaded Santa to let me sit on his lap for a picture. ( Shhh, don't tell anyone, but Santa kissed me ! )

Good News of Great Joy !

" And the angel said to them ( the shepherds in the fields ), "Do not be afraid ; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people ; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior , who is Christ the Lord. "And this shall be a sign for you ; you will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.". Luke 2: 10 - 12

Christmas Melancholy

Time is precious and fleeting fast. Grandchildren are growing so quickly, quicker than their parents, our children seemed to. How  the years have sped by leaving me dizzy with the emotions of wishing I could have just a little bit of time back with my children and their children in earlier years. I vow to myself yet again to remember in the moment that this is special time spent with the precious ones God has graced our lives . And I do. I want to hang onto these moments , simple moments of no great achievements and doings.

Christmas brings to me the joys of the season, the importance of our celebrations of the birth of Jesus , and the time for family gatherings. Cliché I know, but no less significant for it. I think also the impending end of another year and a new year soon to begin also adds to the reflection and for me, the melancholy of  this season.

 The decorating, baking, gift giving, family gatherings, too-busy times, and just plain fun times are all what I expect, look forward to and even dread sometimes. However, looking back ( yes, with melancholy ) I realize these are the good times, as were the times in years past. A messy kitchen and the piles of dirty dishes from all the family dinners and gatherings just shows you're blessed with food and family to share it with. This means your kitchen clean-up is also a blessing ! ( even more so if some of the family & friends help )

"Christmas ! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given -- when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes." Joan Winmill Brown

 

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred , and we are better throughout the year for having in spirit , become a child again at Christmas time." Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

"melancholy -adj. seriously thoughtful or meditative " Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

 

Busy Days Indoors Make Me Happy !

 I have quite a large flock of sheep indoors , and they all fit on my dining room table ! The nice thing about this flock is they require no feeding and don't damage my fences. They behave themselves very well. That is why this flock is allowed on my shelves or under the Christmas tree. Yes, I have been happily crafting away indoors on these cold & rainy days, after I care for my very real & live flock of Jacob sheep.

 My sheep produce a lot of wool for me to spin, weave, felt, & craft with. I dyed one fleece a beautiful crimson red. The wool is drying in my sunroom. After this newly red fleece is dry I will card ( comb ) it so I can spin it up or locker-hook it into a rug. I get so excited with the possibilities & creations I can craft with this precious wool.

 I also dyed some yarn I had spun up earlier this year. The dye color is turquoise, and you can see how the dye appears different in these 2 skeins of yarn.

 The top skein was the white wool of my sheep. There was no black fleece in the wool I spun up. The bottom yarn was a skein of gray yarn, that is the black & white wool of my sheep carded together making it gray. I find I prefer the rich hue of gray wool when it is dyed but I am loving this yarn. I had originally decided to list this yarn in my Etsy shop *  but I am now considering keeping it for a future weaving project. I have more yarn & fleece to dye and a lot more little sheep waiting for adornment.

..."make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we command you ; so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need." I Thessalonians 4:1

Little Baby On The Hay ~ God's Gift

This picture by one of our granddaughters says it all, the reason our family celebrates Christmas. "And she ( Mary ) gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn...for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:7,11

"Little baby on the hay, soon there'll be another day when nails shall pierce Your hands and feet as you provide our sin's defeat. 

Risen Jesus on the throne, we lift our praise to You alone - for You're the gift that we receive, the moment that our hearts believe." Roy Lessin  

Remember, tomorrow night I will draw the name of the winner of a small flock of Wee Little Sheep, and post the winner Christmas Day. Any time you leave a comment your name goes in the drawing , this is for all the posts since I announced the drawing. ( Keetha has a pretty good chance of winning!)

Merry Christmas !  

Teacup Tuesday ~ Grape Vines or Ivy ?

Does the pattern on this teacup look like grape vines to you? I chose this teacup & saucer today to sip my tea as I decorated our home. I hummed "The Holly & The Ivy" as I pulled family seasonal treasures out of their storage boxes.

I was happy with the simplicity of my sun-room Christmas decor and thought the ivy teacup looked right at home with the lovely Peace Lily my 3 younger sisters had sent to the Memorial Service last month for my husband's mother . The lovely plant now lives in our sun-room.

The teacup is bone china made by Colclough. Upon examining it more closely I discovered a sticker from the shop where I bought it saying "Grapevine" c. 1945-48 Colclough ".That stopped me short, looked like ivy to me. So, I did some research and lo & behold, it IS Ivy, by Colclough. There are quite a few dishes & teacups made in this pattern. 

Being curious, I researched further into the meaning of the song I had been humming all day, 'The Holly & The Ivy' and discovered it is an interesting song that has little about the ivy in it.If you're interested in this you can click here*.

This song is full of symbolic meaning and there are musings on why ivy & holly would have been used to adorn homes or religious buildings & temples~the symbolic use is probably meaningful to many, but I think it often comes down to being practical. What plants and trees were green or blooming in the dark and bleak winters? Ivy, holly, evergreen trees, and anything with berries for color. I love the hardy ivy plant even if it is considered an invasive nuisance by the plant experts ( including my husband). I very much like this teacup & saucer and think it is perfect for Teatime Tuesdays during the Christmas season.I am joining the ladies below for Tuesday Tea~Time:

• Terri at Artful Affirmations* 
• Sandi At Rose Chintz Cottage* 
• Martha At Martha's Favorites* 

 I will be giving away a flock of 3 Wee Little Sheep this month, just because I want to, it's almost Christmas, the season of giving!More details to come, but all you have to do to enter is leave a comment. I will enter your name every time you leave a comment on my blog.( If you comment on 3 different blog posts, your name will be entered 3 times) It starts now. I will post a picture of the flock in my next post. ~ "Gift: A present; any thing given or bestowed;any thing, the property of which is voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation."American Dictionary of The English Language

Christmas & Traditions

Since my husband and I were first married in 1973, I have made lefse for our Christmas breakfast. This means I am usually up very late , or very early making lefse. I suppose this means it is a tradition for our family. Opening our presents on Christmas morning, with fresh brewed coffee at hand, a plate of lefse near-by, and plenty of butter and cinnamon & sugar to cover each piece of this very Norwegian food just adds to all we enjoy on Christmas morning. Continuing many family traditions is a way of reminding ourselves of all that is important within a family, within a culture, within a history we deem important and well worth reminding our children and grandchildren of. Of all my husband and I hold dear, the one thing we would hope and pray is for our family, and especially our children and their children on down to many generations...remember, "..for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find the baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." Luke 2:11,12 ( art by our granddaughter KN)

Christmas And Moles?

I just happened to be at our daughter and her family's' home when who should appear? Santa!

The youngest grandchild, Little J, was quite taken with Santa.

Three of the four children in the house were awake and got to sit on Santa's lap, but our oldest grandchild was fast asleep.Maybe he knows Santa can't leave the gifts until all the children are asleep. He was right too. Santa gave the children some candy and told them to get to bed so he could leave their gifts, then Santa was off ...

Little J runs to the window to see where Santa has gone.

On Christmas Day our daughter and her family came to our home to celebrate. My husband ( he kind of looks like Santa, doesn't he?) carved up the turkey, one of our home grown Midget Whites , made ready just the day before. Turkey and ham , mashed potatoes, coleslaw,won-ton soup ( you don't have won ton soup for your Christmas dinner?) lefse, and so many other yummy things to eat ! When it came time for the family to go next door to my husband's sister's home for dessert Little J had just fallen fast asleep. I stayed at home and kept the fire going while he slept, enjoying the quiet and watching our youngest grandchild. There is nothing as peaceful and tender as the sight of a sweetly sleeping child. Later on the rest of the family returned. We played games ( WII ) and ate more food. I got to cuddle my grandchildren , enjoy watching the family play together, laugh together, remember how much I appreciate all God's blessings, and not take for granted food, home, health, loved ones. ( pictured above, our daughter and her youngest daughter) Now for an announcement, Vickie of Sand Flat Farms* has won! She beat us in the Underground Varmint Termination Contest *!She whupped us big time!!!! Vickie trapped 25 groundhogs ( well, 26 if you count her cat Jasmine's kill) and my husband Jim only got a measly 10 moles. Even though there is another day to this year, I don't think our one trap will catch enough moles to beat Vickie. So CONGRATULATIONS Vickie, you have won a WHAC-A-MOLE Game ! I tried to find a Whac-a-Groundhog Game, but no luck. ( sigh ) So send me your snail mail address and this game will be yours . I say we should continue this challenge next year, goodness , the moles around here are plenty busy. I still think they are PLANNING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD *. Well, maybe just Cedar Pond!