4th day of Christmas...

Our First Christmas together ornament.We were married in the winter--after Christmas, so by the time our first official Christmas together rolled around, we'd been married 10 months! I'll never forget that first winter. We were living in Colorado and had the funnest snowed-in-completely-for-three-days-blizzard! Believe me, we really needed those three days! Hubby was working 16-18 hour days and I was home without transportation. I was also expecting our first little one and sick--soooo sick! The wind kept blowing the pilot on our furnace out so hubby would re-light it and climb up on the roof to try and cover the hole in the pipe where the wind was finding a way in. Then the cover would blow off and the pilot would blow out again--usually before he got back in the house. Of course the whole climb was a rather dangerous adventure considering the ice, the wind and the snow with drifts 4 feet high! Good thing was that we lived in a trailer park so our next door neighbor was REALLY close by. He finally lent us a little space heater and we huddled close to it in the smallest room of the house. Did I mention I was sick? Yeah, that smallest room was where I huddled most of the time anyway, if you know what I mean.

Oh, the memories! Time fails me to tell of them and all the ones we have made since that first Christmas together!

Days of Christmas~ Day 3

Peace. It seems so elusive at times. In the heart. In the family. In the church. In the nation. In the world. It seems everyone is looking for peace. Many treaties are signed, many wars are fought, much money is spent. Many servicemen and women give their lives. All in the name of peace.

Could it be that we have overlooked one very important 'little' thing? What was the message the angels sang?

Glory to God in the Highest...and on earth peace.

Only when man has placed God in the highest position--on the throne in his heart--can he have peace. For the family it is the same. As for me and my house, we will put the Lord first. The church too, is successful only when GOD is it's theme. Man, his ideas, rules and messages are worthless if the highest position of glory is not given to God. In the nation and the world it is ultimately the same. While I highly respect those who fight for my freedoms, I also accept the fact that the search for peace continues until the Prince of Peace reigns!

I wish you His peace this Christmas as a result of His position in your heart!

It's in my blood...

...to have a pink and black bathroom I guess. I have had one for 14 years now.I just made the shower curtain. I LOVE it!
I'm one of those people who likes to decorate as much as possible with photos. Why keep all the memories filed away in a scrapbook? Through the years, I have collected pictures in black and white that are favorites of hubby and I and added them to the "pink and bath" room. =)
I finally got a chalk marker and wrote on the chalkboard frame.

Can you find the pictures of hubby and I as babies? How about the "new daddy" frame which includes a pic of my daddy with his baby girl and a picture of hubby with each of his new baby girls? Somewhere there is a photo of hubs and I on our first date and also a photo of the stamp which was on the very first letter he sent me.


P.S. I'm linking up for Charity's Finished Object Friday.

2nd Day of Christmas

I first tasted Almond Roca when I was about 8. My mom did the same thing I do to my kids, "Oh honey, I don't think you would like that." Almond Roca is sort of a grown-up sort of candy and I am not much for candy period. Especially chocolate. I LOVED Almond Roca! I still do! When we moved out of our house a few weeks ago, my sweet neighbor brought me an ENORMOUS tub of Roca! The amazing thing was that she had NO idea it was my favorite. While I am loving it here, I am missing all my neighbors across town and thinking of them as I eat my Roca.=)
Click here for a quick easy Almond Roca cookie bar recipe.

And here for more fun Days of Christmas posts.

1st Day of Christmas~Snow Day!

I plan to join Melissa and the others for the Days of Christmas link up. For the first day of Christmas, we have SNOW!

Around here, we LOVE snow days!Without exception!
The foot (give or take a few inches) we received overnight was put to good use!
Kaite loves wearing her hat! In fact, she took her nap with it on! I think maybe she was "Dreaming of a White Christmas!"
Daddy went in to work a little later than usual so that he could play with the little ones first.

They thanked him repeatedly!!!

"J.I.N.G.L.E. Bells"...Yes, we love our Christmas music too!

And our snow-covered pines (okay...blue spruce).

"Come on! We're going for a sleigh ride!" Well....actually it's a 4-wheeler, but sort of a similar idea. =)After many, many trips around the pasture...

We came in and enjoyed a warm bowl of oatmeal.Hhmm...snow and oatmeal. Two touchy subjects. Either you like them or you don't. Personally, and speaking for the family...we like!

I like my oatmeal with lots of butter, white sugar and a little cream. I like my snow with more snow!

How about you?

A Country Christmas

The view from my kitchen window this morning.

Canning jars and snow are now a part of my country christmas.

3 jars line my window shelf in the kitchen.The first displays the jingle bell snowmen ornaments our girls proudly gave us. The say, "Greatest Mom" and "Greatest Dad"


Next are a few pine cones collected on various family camping trips.


And finally snowflakes in my favorite jar.

Tiny Talk Tuesday

Well, finally I am back--I mean back on schedule. Mostly anyway. =) Two weeks ago today was moving day. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in others, like forever! I am so glad to be settled again! I even have the Christmas decorations up, the cards addressed and most of the presents wrapped! I love getting a head start so I can relax and enjoy the holidays with my sweet family. While I was painting, cleaning, and rearranging furniture, the kids were still entertaining us with their Tiny Talk: Kammy age 4, while enjoying an early morning snuggle with mommy, "I just love these good old days, don't you mommy?"

Kammy: "I wish we had never moved here!"

Me: "I thought you wanted to move here?"

Kammy: "Yes, but the doorknobs are soooo ugly!"

Kalli age 8, after receiving none of the 8 inches of predicted snow, "The weatherman sure has a weird imagination!"

Kammy age 4, after several days of cleaning and repairs on the new house, "They sure let this place get run-down, didn't they daddy?"

Kammy age 4, when asked why the chicken crossed the road, "Um, duh! Because there were no cars coming!"

Kammy was helping daddy put her bed up and noticed it was going against the wall she said, "That way if my bed is by the wall only half of me will worry about falling out!"

This one is from momma, and even though I'm not so tiny, sometimes tired mommies do the funniest things. I had pulled an all-nighter, knowing that I can get much more done when the tinies are sleeping. I did too, but in the morning after my shower, I sprayed hairspray under my arms instead of deoderant!

The Little Western Room

Because of the tile job, trim and light fixtures in this little room, it HAD to go western. Without a lot of work and money, I was not seeing it any other way--not even shabby chic. =) The cabinet has this little shelf where the previous occupants kept their aftershave and mouthwash. I tend to 'hide' those kinds of things in slightly more out-of-sight places, so I used an old lantern, bandana and a few rocks spray painted gold to make this little vignette. The Tombstone Arizona Territory gold bag is a genuine article, compliments of a find hubby made at work. Unfortonately, it was empty when he found it and has remained so other than more of those gold nuggets (rocks).

When I bought this burlap at JoAnn's the guy kept asking what I was making, so finally I told him a shower curtain. He couldn't believe it! Why do guys have jobs like that anyway?!?! Of course you have to use a liner! Yes, I know burlap is not water proof!

I used dark on top, light on the bottom and added a western fringe at the hem. I LOVE the grommets for the rod too! I had never used them before and were very fun and easy.

Have you any room for Jesus?

Porches can be decorated to look so beautiful. They can appear warm and welcoming too. I love porches. They are homey and inviting and speak of the warmth and family just beyond. The thing about porches though, is that they are still on the outside...on the wrong side of a closed door. If the door remains closed, the porch will soon grow cold and just as lonely as the plains beyond. I am thankful for a Saviour who stood at my hearts door 'mid sunshine and rain and patiently waited and entrance to gain. I am so glad that he just kept knocking. I encourage you who may have left him on the porch, to invite him in. He will be a friend and a comfort like none other. He will truly make your life complete! Have you any room for Jesus,

He who bore your load of sin?

As He knocks and asks admission,

sinner will you let Him in?

Room for Jesus King of Glory!

Hasten now His word obey,

Swing your heart's door widely open,

bid Him enter while you may.

Room for pleasure room for business,

but for Christ the Crucified?

Not a place that He can enter,

in the heart for which he died?

Have you any room for Jesus,

as in grace He calls again?

Oh, today is time accepted--

tomorrow you may call in vain.

Room and time now give to Jesus,

Soon will pass God's day of grace;

Soon thy heart left cold and silent,

and thy Saviour's pleading cease.

Behold, He stands at the door knocking,

don't leave Him out in the cold.