Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

Yesterday evening, I received this text from my sister, Susan.

"Are you home to check for package?"

I thought, wow, she sent something & was tracking when UPS was delivering the package.

The doorbell rang.  As I walked towards the front door, I could see someone standing at the door.  I thought, that's odd, UPS never hangs around, they always drop & run.

I heard a familiar voice.  

My sister & brother-in-law had pulled off a New Years Eve Eve surprise.

They decided on the spur of the moment to jump in their car & head to Tulsa. 

Nobody knew what they had planned.  It's a 4 hour drive from their home in Missouri.  

I love surprises, & this was the ultimate surprise!

Thanks, Susan & Mike, for making the journey to celebrate the new year with us.

Love you guys!

Carol 

Clean Slate

Christmas decorations are back in the attic.  I think this is the earliest that we have ever dismantled Christmas.  

Now, I have a clean slate for winter decorating. 

I'll be thumbing through magazines & looking at my 'decorating ideas' board on Pinterest for inspiration.

Carol 

Words That Inspire

A new year is approaching. 

 It's time to reflect on the old year that is ending & look forward to new opportunities & challenges in a brand new year.

source

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”  

Psalm 20:4

Wishing you a new year of listening to God's will & direction for your life . . .

Carol 

Gifts & Stocking Stuffers

We always enjoy buying Christmas gifts for our grandkids & watching them unwrap the goodies.  

The gifts were stacked & tied up with deco mesh ribbon.

We were surprised when they decided to look in their stockings first.

I read on a blog about the idea of wrapping each stocking stuffer item.  

It proved to be fun for kids & adults, as well.

Each little gift was wrapped in tissue paper & tied with baker's twine.

This made the stocking gifts more fun than just dumping the items out on the floor.

Next, came the gifts.

They each got snow overalls, snow boots, book, puzzle & a toy.

Emma loves her new art desk & easel.

 Ethan got a scooter.

The snow gear fit perfectly.  Now they're ready for the next snow event.

Now it's time to pack away the Christmas decorations & get ready for a new year.

Carol 

Celebrating 38

Hubby & I are celebrating our 38th wedding anniversary today.

Here we are with our wedding party.  

I just noticed something in this picture for the first time today.  A pew marker is missing on the right side.  Gasp!  It only took me 38 years to recognize the faux pas.  The scotch tape must have come loose or someone took a souvenir.  LOL

We've had a lot of fun today eating out for breakfast & lunch & shopping for 1/2 price Christmas lights for our outdoor decorating.  We are throwing away the old lights that have many burned out bulbs.  We are tired of replacing bulbs.  We're switching to LED lights.  Wish we could find a nice tree with LED lights.  If you read my blog regularly you know we've had fits with our lights this season.  

Before I sign out I want to share a cute picture of our sweet grandkids.  We had so much fun celebrating Christmas with them & our son & daughter-in-law yesterday.  

They wanted to look in their stockings before opening their gifts.

I'll share a little more about the gifts & stocking stuffers tomorrow.

Carol 

Celebrating Today

Hubby & I were alone yesterday for Christmas.  

All was peaceful.  

It is strange not having family in the house for the 25th.

We're celebrating with our kids today.  We'll start the festivities with breakfast at our favorite spot.

The stockings are stuffed & ready.  Gifts are under the tree.

The celebrating will begin in about 2 hours.

Carol 

For Unto Us

source

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

From our home to yours . . . 

Merry Christmas!

Carol 

He's Spreading Christmas Cheer

My brother-in-law, Mike, is spreading Christmas cheer while riding his orange Elf.

Isn't this cool?

He rides his Elf to work when the weather isn't bad.

My sister, Susan, made him an orange Santa hat for his helmet to match his Elf.  She's so creative!

 We need to convince him to sing while he's pedaling.

I think Jingle Bells would be the perfect song.

source

For information about the Elf, click on this link . . .

http://www.organictransit.com/

source

Carol 

Words That Inspire

Dust of Snow

*

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

*

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

*

By ~ Robert Frost

source

Wishing you a peaceful & warm day . . . 

Carol 

Icy

Freezing rain fell all night long.

Thank goodness the streets & roads are just mostly wet here in our area.

Icy Redbud

Icy Santa

He fell over last night while inflated.  We decided to let him go flat until the ice melts.

Icy flag pole

Hope you're safe & warm in your neck of the woods!

Carol 

Christmas Weather

Crazy weather here in Oklahoma.

Yesterday's temps were in the upper 60's.

This morning, BOOM, we're back in the deep freeze!

It definitely feels like Christmas weather!

I copied this from one of my pins on Pinterest.

We may have snow.

We may get coated in ice.

It might rain.

Stay tuned for further weather updates.
Carol 
I'm linking with . . .

It's The Best Time Of The Year

Here's the proof that I decorate for Christmas with my grandkids in mind.

Mickey, Snoopy, Charlie Brown & Pooh are on the powder room mirror.

A Santa lamp is in the corner of the vanity.

(I know, I need to put a cover on the lamp cord.)

Most ornaments on the grandkid's tree can be taken off & played with.

Plush Santas are played with & moved to different locations.

The Fisher-Price Nativity is left in disarray until the grandkids come by again.

I love this picture of Ethan when he was 10 months old playing with the Nativity for the first time.

Here he is at 1 1/2 years old, listening to Papaw talk about baby Jesus.

It is the best time of the year!

Carol 

Christmas Note Card Party

Vee is hosting her December Note Card Party today.

Click on picture to see all the party fun.

The theme for my note cards is . . . 

Angels We have Heard On High.

Click on pictures for original post.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plain

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

Come to Bethlehem and see

Christ whose birth the angels sing

Come adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord the newborn King 

See him in a manger laid

Whom the choirs of angels praise

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid

While our hearts in love we raise 

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Thank you for visiting today!

Carol