Merry Christmas!

I have much to be thankful for this Christmas.  I have been cancer-free for almost 2.5 years; my parents are still alive and in pretty good health at 79 and 82; my son is healthy; my pets are healthy; I have a job that is secure.  As I contemplate this Christmas, I thank God he sent his son in the form of a baby to enable all of us who trust in Him and believe in Him, to be with Him one day in heaven.  Happy Birthday, Jesus.

New Acquisition

Ah, today was the first day of my Christmas vacation.  I ventured into a consignment shop whose proceeds go to cancer research.  This is what I was so excited to find.  I may sense a new collection here.  The two were only $11.  (Cookie jars)

Tuesday: Favorite Christmas Photo

So far, this is my favorite Christmas photo from this year:

It keeps me grounded in the real meaning of Christmas.

What I've Been Doing

A colleague at work was going home to New Jersey for Christmas. Last year I went across town to take care of her cats for the week and bring in her mail. I volunteered again this year. So....meet Kitty (that's Mister Kitty) and Cocoa. Cocoa is very sweet and wants to be loved whenever I go in. Kitty, being a boy, is more reserved. I LOVE his kingly food dish~~very much suits him. I guess this is my biggest encouraging act of the month because Susan knows she can be away with her family and her "babies" will be taken care of.

Jesus Cake

My friend Monica http://thehomespunheart.blogspot.com/ had this recipe for a Jesus cake. I had wanted to do something like this in the past but never did. This makes more sense than an ordinary cake.

Take a white cake mix and mix according to directions. Divide the batter into three bowls. Then add brown or black food coloring to one; red to another; and green to the last. Bake according to directions. The colors represent:

Brown: our sin

Red: Jesus' blood

Green: our rebirth in Him

White frosting for purity

*I am not a cake decorator.

Christmas Lights

We recently went out at night to look at the Christmas lights. Here were some of the prettiest.

More Homemade Ornaments

Well, Miles is not a Christmas ornament, but it's a cute picture, and I accidentally clicked him, so he can stay. These ornaments are sooooo old, but what memories!

Buddy's Early Christmas

I have never been especially good at waiting to give a present. Since Buddy was getting two gigantic bones for Christmas, we decided to give him one Saturday. Here are the pictures that chronicle him enjoying it for about an hour.

Buddy's Early Christmas, Part II

I could not upload all the pictures of Buddy and his present at one time, so here is him begging to bury it, looking for just the right spot, and finally finding it.

Christmas for Pets

I have't posted many pictures of Miles, our Garfield-wannabe cat. In the top picture you can see what we bought "the dog" for Christmas. He is only spoiled with gigantic bones at Christmas. They have been under the tree like this, unwrapped, but he hasn't detected them. I thought the picture of Miles checking out "the dog's" presents was cute. The rest are of him reclining in his recliner.

Homemade ornaments

Here are some homemade ornaments I made way back in my teens. Several years ago I gave away all of my cross stitch and crochet materials---thread, hooks, needles, everything. I regret that now.

Toy Soldiers

I love the colors on this candle holder.

Manger Scene

This is one of my favorite manger scenes. It is actually a tealight house that illuminates the figures of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. An angel on the right and a shepherd on the left are votive candle holders. It's very pretty at night when lit.

Christmas Stockings

Here are two Christmas stockings I made years ago. It is sad that my job has interrupted my life for 20 years. Since I started teaching I have not had the desire or energy or TIME to do things I enjoy. Does that say something? Anyhow, the top is a stocking I started to cross stitch for Matthew when he was a baby. I got as far as his name and the manger scene. On the bottom is a stocking I crocheted for myself about the time he was born, maybe earlier. I never used a pattern when I crocheted. Maybe I'll post pictures of the bedspread and flag afghan I crocheted later.

Childhood Christmas Book

When does an antique become an antique? I posted pictures earlier of Christmas cookie cutters from my childhood that are at the very least 40 years old. I will see my mother later today and try to find out if she remembers when she bought them. Here is a Christmas book that was published in 1953. My oldest brother was a year old then, and it has his name written in it in his child-like scrawl. It got passed on to me.

Christmas Collectible

This is atop my mantle with my Christmas village.

Antique Christmas Cookie Cutters

Today was the first day I had to make Christmas cookies. It never seems like the holidays have arrived until I make these. I pulled out my large assortment of Christmas cookie cutters, but these are my favorite. I can't tell you how old they are. I'll be 46 on the 22nd, and they are probably at least as old as me, if not my brothers. Like the elves on my tree, they take me back to Christmases of long ago. Do any of you have a special Christmas memory?

Christmas Collectible

This is another view of my tealight gingerbread house. It is really pretty in person. I have never tried to make a gingerbread house. I think next Saturday would be a good time for my son and I to try our hand at one. Do any of you make gingerbread houses? If so, what is the "glue" that holds it together?

Christmas Elf From Years Past

Here is the red companion elf to the green one I showed a glimpse of earlier. I remember a picture of me with them when we were stationed in Amarillo, Texas. That would have been about 42-43 years ago. They have graced every tree since I got them, and I love them.

December 11: Collectible 1

This gingerbread house is actually a tealight candleholder and one of my collectibles.