"Birth" Day

Tonight Marissa and Summer gave me the best Christmas gift ever.  

Seeing these angels be a part of celebrating and honoring Jesus is what Christmas is all about and their participation in this Christmas Eve service meant more to me than any store bought gift ever could.

I'll be tucking this into my memory bank and label it as one of the best Christmas's ever....

When two of the most precious gifts God ever gave me honored Him by participating in the true Christmas story.  I only hope that during this Christmas program and the beautiful candlelight service that followed, that Jesus 'birth' day touched their hearts in the same way that they touched mine.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND LOTS OF LOVE TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN BLOG-LAND!  BE SAFE AND BLESSED!

I Cheated

I'm not one to buy Christmas gifts just to buy something.  I think.  I ponder.  search...  for just the right gift.  

It was tough this year thinking of something for #2 Son.  What to get.. what to get...

He is a writer.  And so I thought this cup appropriate.

One of the favorites for my kids in the gift receiving department is when I fill big bags with freshly backed cookies and fudge for each one.

I keep meaning to break this tradition each year because of the back breaking agony of seven to ten hours in the kitchen mixing, measuring, spilling, bending, clean-up and finally sampling.  But each year I sense that it would take a huge chunk of their joy away if they left our home without their usual bag of baked goods on Christmas day.  And so....

My knight in shining armor aka grocery guy aka husband brought home a big bag of these....

No mixing for the chocolate chip!  It saved a lot of time and work.  And they turned out great.  Yes,  I cheated!  

But shhhhhhhhh   don't tell the kiddo's.  They will never know the difference.

Gracie's job was to stay wide-eyed and alert, close to the kitchen to clean up the floor as things progressed.  In her words, "It's a ruff job, but some dog's gotta do it."

She is spent!

InSane

 A while back I had made reservations at Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster Pennyslvania for a show...
Last night  was the night.  So out of town we went.  AGAIN!

I Thought ....  If nothing else puts me in the Christmas mood, this show will!

One more jaunt out of town in the busy month of December was all I needed to make the already hectic month even more insane.

Our hotel was right beside the theater but as always, we were sent to the millionth floor where we had to lug our bags all the way to the end of the ten mile long hall as far away from the elevator as possible.  (a bit of exaggeration maybe... but still).   No wonder my BP rises when we go away!

The dinner was wonderful!

The show, awesome!

And now...  I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!!  

What about Gracie, you ask?

Well, she enjoyed her time away as well...  doing what she does best.  Resting with Ellie and stealing cupcakes off of little children.  

Gracie!!!