LIFES LITTLE GARDEN: It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas!

"Sweet Hunter" usually puts the tree up
but me & "Trouble" decided to do it for him.
I do all the decorating though.
Thanks "Trouble" for helping me!

Special ornaments made by a friend for my children in 1982.
Our son was 8 years old.

Trouble was 6 years old.

May May was the baby and was almost 1 year old.

Big sis was 2 years old.

I love it when the house is all ready
for "Sweet Hunter" to come home and enjoy!
Supper is done.
House is clean.
Fire is going.

There is one thing missing......Gifts!!!
Actually you will not see many gifts under our tree.
I don't shop unless I need something.
I don't even shop for Christmas!
That is what I have daughters for!!!!

21 comments:

Allie said...: Well done! I love all your ornaments, Val - especially the fishing ones!!; December 10, 2010 at 12:03 AM
Scottish Nanna said...: love all the photos Val your house looks so homely the tree looks great.
Hugs Mary.; December 10, 2010 at 4:58 AM
Darla said...: Very nice! Send your daughters over here to shop for me...; December 10, 2010 at 5:35 AM
Granny said...: The tree looks beautiful. I much prefer all white lights to the colored lights.; December 10, 2010 at 5:58 AM
Amelia said...: Love the tree - yea for daughter helping you...your honey will be happy to know it is up and decorated.

Have a great weekend!; December 10, 2010 at 6:53 AM
StitchinByTheLake said...: Val the very thought of Christmas shopping throws me into a tizzy! I love your idea - let the daughters do it. :) blessings, marlene; December 10, 2010 at 8:43 AM
Connie said...: Very pretty, looks so cozy! My daughters does some of my shopping also but i still got others to get for.My family tree has color light on it,one of my daughters said it i need the color light because that is what she grew up with. but in my living room my tree is very victorian with clear light.Have a great DAY!; December 10, 2010 at 9:53 AM
Needled Mom said...: Very nice, Val. I love seeing the ornaments with so many memories attached to them.; December 10, 2010 at 10:22 AM
Patty Sumner said...: Everything looks so welcoming and warm! Loved all the ornaments. I always get sweet memories when I put up my tree and some not so sweet.....but, God is still in control!!!! Blessings to you and yours! Enjoy that tree and this Christmas.......; December 10, 2010 at 3:28 PM
Michelle said...: It looks beautiful!; December 10, 2010 at 3:48 PM
Heidi said...: So beautiful Val!! I love looking at all my ornaments year after year too. Alot of them have memories. Time goes so fast!; December 10, 2010 at 3:58 PM
English Cottage in Georgia said...: Your tree is beautiful! Gifts? Our tradition of only 3 gifts (like Baby Jesus) makes Christmas shopping very managable.; December 10, 2010 at 5:38 PM
Glenda said...: Love your decorations, Val! We have a lot of fishing ones, too. I never thought about having my girls do my shopping. Maybe I'll try that next year!; December 10, 2010 at 6:19 PM
Carole Burant said...: Hi Valerie:-)

Such a beautiful Christmas tree and I just love all the special ornaments you put on it. So precious, all of them. Corey called me last week to ask if I still had all the ornaments my mom gave him every Christmas since the time he was born and I told him I had them all packed for him already:-) I will miss having them on my tree but I know how much it will mean to him having them on his own tree now. xoxo; December 10, 2010 at 7:21 PM
Alice Grace said...: I especially love the ornaments with your children's names on them. What a keepsake, and great memories of Christmases past when everyone was still at home, a big loving family around the tree! But, life moves on and more people come into our lives, making our families larger and even more love to share.
Love
MOM; December 10, 2010 at 9:10 PM
Unknown said...: Totally jealous of you! So fun you get a new camera. I am a canon lover. It depends who you talk to what they recommend. But I would go canon all the way. If you are after a point and shoot the canon SD960 IS is to die for. I LOVE LOVE LOVE mine. And I am highly coveting a canon rebel...as soon as my husband graduates I am getting one. They are oh so fabulous! That is what most of my friends have and what my dad has always used as well! They are incredible!!!; December 11, 2010 at 12:33 AM
AmyW said...: Beautiful tree. Don't you love the memories attached to each ornament.

I don't have presents under my tree this year because a certain puppy in our house would use them as chew toys :)

P.S. I also shop for my mom.; December 11, 2010 at 9:04 AM
Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...: Wonderful ornaments. Love your tree.; December 11, 2010 at 2:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Mom,
Your tree looks beautiful! I can't wait to see it in person. The ornaments with our names on it brought back memories of every single Christmas as far back as I can remember! Seeing them made me smile:)

Love,
Maranda/Big Sis/Honeymooner; December 11, 2010 at 10:42 PM
caknitter said...: Nothing like cherished ornaments to fill up a tree with happy memories. Your Christmas tree is beautiful, Val!!; December 14, 2010 at 3:31 AM
Mrs. Stam said...: Beautiful :-); December 14, 2010 at 10:40 PM

Our Prayer

Lord, help us to PLAN, PREPARE, & PLANT what you would have us to. Help us to WEED out of our lives what should not be there. Lord, help us to GROW through you in our relationships, our attitudes, and our lives, always being in your will. Help us to always walk with you. Help us to get our priorities straight and choose joy. Let us always be thankful and content even in the storms because we all know it’s going to rain. Help us to be ready. We also know that sunshine follows rain and joy comes in the mornings. Thank you Lord.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

I Work For A King

I Work For a King

"I work for a King. He has put me in charge of his home. When He comes to see how I have managed His possessions and His children, I do not want to be found wanting. I want to do my best. Everything I have is on loan from Him. I have room and board and a job to do, but it is all for Him. Therefore I want to dress my best and do my best in all my work. I also want to be creative, for this is a sincere attempt to glorify Him and His beautiful creation. How I manage my home is a form of worship to Him." --Lydia Sherman

Flylady Routines

Morning Routine

Have you made your bed?

What's for supper?

Get dressed.

Unload dishwasher/Wash dishes

Laundry

Swish & Swipe

Afternoon Routine

Declutter 15 minutes

Do something fun just for you!

Bedtime Routine

Pick up house before going to bed.

Plan for tomorrow today so we will wake up and smile.

Focus on Me.

Daily Schedule

Monday:

Home Blessing Hour/Catch up Day

Zone: Laundry room

Tuesday:

Free Day

Zone: Bathrooms

Wednesday:

Desk Day

Zone: Living areas.

Thursday:

Gofer Day

Zone: Bedrooms

Friday:

Baking Day

Date Night

Zone: Craft room/office/Kitchen

Saturday: Play Day

Sunday:

Church/Rest

Some Of My Favorite Movies

*The Bridges of Madison County

(My all time#1 favorite movie)

~Clint Eastwood & Meryl Streep~

*An Affair To Remember (My #2!)

~Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr~

*The Notebook (Top 3)

~Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams~

*It's A Wonderful Life (#4)

(Excellent-Never gets old)

~James Stewart & Donna Reed~

*Something's Gotta Give (Top 10)

~Jack Nicholson & Diane Keaton

*Love Story (1970)

Ali MacGraw & Ryan O'neal

*A Walk To Remember

(Romantic, Heartbreaking, Emotional)

~Mandy Moore & Shane West~

*The Bridge over the River Kwai

~War Movie~ (Excellent)

*Brief Encounter

(Oldie but goodie Love Story 1945)

*To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

~Gregory Peck ~

*Sorry Wrong Number (Horror 1948)

Barbara Stanwyck & Burt Lancaster

*One Flew Over the cuckoos Nest

WARNING Rated R but very good!

~Jack Nicholson~

*Gone With The Wind (Wonderful)

~Clark Gable, Vivian Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland~

*Cool Hand Luke (We both love this one!)

~Rated PG Paul Newman~

My New Years Resolutions

To be content
To give thanks in all things
To take joy
To give grace
To receive peace

For from Him
And through Him
And to Him
Are all things.
To Him be the glory
Forever.
Amen.
~Romans 11:36

***********
Study to be quiet.
Mind my own business.
And work with my hands.
1 Thessalonians 4:11
***********
To be a better Wife, Mom, Gran, Granddaughter, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, & Friend
***********
To take every opportunity to be quiet.
***********
To slow down and smell the roses
***********
Me Time
***********
To Show Myself Friendly
Proverb 18:24

Granny's PERFECT Quilt

It is PERFECT. Perfectly PERFECT. Oh I don't mean perfect stitches, or perfect seams, or perfectly square. It is PERFECT for snuggling under on a rainy, dreary day. It is PERFECT for wrapping up a grandchild who is spending the night. It is PERFECT for making a house when draped over a chair & an end table. It is PERFECT for winding around and around a doll. It is PERFECT for covering up in the car when the air conditioning is on full blast. It is PERFECT for laying on the carpet and putting a baby down for his nap. God has touched Granny's heart and her hands, and her life. He has made her an artist. He has given her the gift of PERFECT quilts.

Written by Marlene B. about the quilt she bought from Granny. (Excerpt from Oct. 7, 2009 post on her blog)

www.stitchinbythelake.blogspot.com

Thank you Marlene for blessing Granny!

Stay At Home

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart, and rest;
The bird is safest in its nest;
O'er all that flutter their wings and fly
A hawk is hovering in the sky;
To stay at home is best.

Longfellow (song)

"Oh that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is place in her bosom to be nursed and trained! Could she have but one glimpse in to the future of that life as it reaches on into eternity; could she look into it's soul to see its possibilities; could she be made to understand her own personal responsibility for the training of this child, for the development of its life, and for its destiny,--she would see that in all God's world there is no other work so noble and so worthy of her best powers, and she would commit to no others hands the sacred and holy trust given to her." -JR Miller