Some Christmas Cheer

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 

Hello and Happy Holidays dear Friends! 

Can you believe Christmas is almost here already?? I feel like I missed a lot the past week and a half due to our covid time out. But now that I'm back in the land of the living I'm trying to soak up the season as much as I can! It was actually kind of nice to be forced to rest and watch Christmas movies and get time with Matt and Annie in restful ways - instead of being crazy and rushed with the season. I'm trying now to be extra present to all of the Christmas moments. Thinking about the real reasons for this season, especially during my prayer and devotional time. 

And now my thoughts turn to family gatherings only days away. We have our first Christmas celebration on Saturday already! So this will be my last post until probably the New Year. I'm doing a fun baking day with my Mom tomorrow. Then some hospice work time to finish the week. A bit more wrapping, some last minute cleaning and prep....and then just enjoying time with my people. And of course to celebrate the Savior baby born all those years ago when we attend Christmas Eve mass. I hope the true joy and spirit of Christmas will give you all a very blessed Christmas ahead and a wonderful New Year! 

In honor of Christmas time here already,  I thought I'd share a few favorite holiday recipes that I have posted through the years on here. And then I'll share a bit of further festive cheer. :) 

To kick off the recipes, a favorite I've often made for bigger gatherings is this slow cooker full of "snow cocoa" You can go right to the recipe post by clicking here. It's white chocolate goodness and so creamy and you can stir your mug with a peppermint stick for added flavor. Or even add in some schnapps or bailey's if that's how you roll. 😉  

Another favorite is this crab dip that makes a wonderful easy appetizer to nibble while you wait for the main event. You can go right to that post by clicking here. I have been making this one for many years and it's always a hit! I'm trying out a new dip recipe this holiday that I'll share when I return if it ends up a keeper. But this crab dip is a sure thing! 😋 

A final yummy holiday recipe I wanted to share was for these holiday ham & cheese sliders. A lovely sandwich filled with ham, cheese and apricot preserves and topped with a yummy glaze before baking. You can go right to the post here.

I also thought I'd share some photos of our visit to a fun Christmas event called Bentleyville in our area. Annie, Matt & I went to it last night. It was their 20th anniversary and they even had fireworks at the end of the evening. It's filled with light displays, you can visit Santa, there are characters walking around you can take pics with, they hand out free treats and drinks. It's open free to the community but they do take good will donations if you like. It's filled with lights, music, lots of laughter, fire pits for warming and tons of Christmas cheer. We picked up some pizza after we were done and it was a wonderful night filled with Christmas spirit! 

Lastly, I know that I have often shared vintage images on here, as I love them so much. I usually find most of them on pinterest. I especially love vintage images of snowy Christmasy churches and of Angels. I thought I'd share a few for you here. 

They just bring me feelings of peace and good will. I hope they bring a peaceful feeling to you as well. I'm so grateful for you all! 🙏  The many thousands I see that visit here each week from all over the world. I appreciate you all so much...whether you comment, or just like to follow along with all I share here. I'm glad you're here and thankful for the visit. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2024! 

🎄 🌟 😇 ⛪ 🎶 ❤️💚 

xoxo

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hello and happy Monday Friends!

Sorry that I have been MIA.  We were all fighting covid over here the past week or so (Annie, Matt & I). We are finally all feeling better and will slowly rejoin the land of the living this week. I'm grateful that I had been ahead of the game with having Christmas cards done and sent, most of my shopping done. Even lots of wrapping. So I don't feel too behind - even though there's a few things to accomplish this week. 

In a way it's been nice to be forced to slow down. Hibernate in and we have sure gotten a lot of rest!! And we've watchted a lot of movies over the past week. Lol 

In other ways it hasn't felt very Christmasy in that we have hardly any snow (got a dusting yesterday). It's been mild out - which is so weird for December. Just being sick of course. And Matt's Mom found out she has cancer. It's treatable - thank God 🙏 But she has a battle ahead and they won't be coming home for Christmas from AZ now. So some things just feel off and not the usual holiday vibe right now. However, we will be good to go for Christmas weekend. We will get to go to mass and worship the real meaning for the season. We will get to gather with our loved ones. And for that I'm SO grateful. 💗 

I hope that you have all been staying healthy. That you've been able to slow down and enjoy the season. And that you're coming off of a wonderful weekend and getting ready to dive into a new week! 

        

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE THIS MORNING:

some banana bread I just baked, coffee

ON MY TO DO LIST THIS WEEK:

Annie's hockey, painters here painting this week, groceries and errands for Christmas, shampoo carpets, final holiday cleaning (and I keep lysoling everything), final wrapping and Christmas prepping, hospice work

THINKING ABOUT:  

Christmas weekend menus, grocery lists, final holiday jobs to finish. I've had a lot of rest - now I'm ready to roll!! Lol

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

I hear painters getting started - taping off rooms. I'm watching morning news. My daughter hanging out chatting with me. Everything is cleaned up, lysoled and decorated. Ready to host festivities soon! 

CURRENTLY READING

??

ON THE TV TODAY:

I still need to watch The Crown, Jeopardy, Christmas movies taped, holiday Great British Baking Show, other baking shows, Shark Tank, some Gilmore Girls episodes, Big Brother Reindeer Games, Survivor

ON THE MENU THIS WEEK:

    MONDAY -  

TUESDAY - 

WEDNESDAY -  

THURSDAY - 

FRIDAY - 

**not sure when we're getting to the grocery store. Need to clean out the fridge, have some freezer lasagna, veggies, pasties and other things I could throw in the oven until we run to get the groceries. The ham I order every year came and is in the freezer. Yay! 

Planning on Christmas Eve brunch with my Mom and step Dad, brother and SIL. Will do a traditional ham & cheese egg bake (gluten-free for my bro) and make another one from croissants, ham, gruyere or swiss, mustard etc (it's soooo good). Also a big fruit salad & my mom will bring danishes. And I'll have homemade Christmas cookies & candies, juice, coffee and hot wassail simmering on the stove. We'll go to mass that evening and either open gifts with the kiddos that morning or that night after mass. 

We'll get together with my Dad either right before or right after Christmas and do ham buns, cheesy potatoes, romaine salad with pear, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans etc and homemade holiday dressing. Christmas cookies and pineapple upside down cake and hot wassail and hot tom & jerry (think hot toddys) drinks if wanted. 

Christmas day was supposed to be with Matt's folks. So we'll facetime them and do gifts over the phone. My kiddos go with their Dad that day. So it will be a nice cozy day for Matt & I eating leftovers and watching movies, playing cards and lounging. 

We will also fit in a Christmas with our besties sometime after Christmas too. Lots of holiday fun ahead!  

TO RELAX THIS WEEK I WILL:

enjoy the Christmas tree lights, go drive around and look at lights, read holiday magazines, wrap gifts

TIPS OR SOMETHING TO SHARE:

This is the best way! And I even wrinkle up the foil and then lay it flat on the pan. The crinkles provide more surface area in a way that makes the bacon cook better. I like mine crispy so I often bake it even a few minutes longer. 😋  Easy clean up and perfect for a holiday brunch!

FROM THE CAMERA:

Beautiful Winter sunsets 

Christmas moments - even in the bedroom :) 

Christmas moments at the Hospice House:

There is always coffee on and cookies or other treats for family members. 

Cozy nights watching movies - sometimes we head downstairs to watch on the bigger screen and enjoy the other Christmas tree:

Working on Christmas cards in the office with views of the bay :) 

Annie's pal drew this on the screen on our fridge.

Chicken soup for all of us sickies

We hang out together and watch shows often and here's Annie having her feet played with by Bubba and Ruby waiting for snuggles 💕 

Outside the window right now -hardly any snow. It's weird and I don't like it! :(

The front hall table has a welcome sign and vase with a winter arrangement in front of a mirror - but I added the candles that come on by timer every night and I love the glow at night and vibe there so much. 

PRAYER LIST:

 For an end to the conflicts all over the world and anyone living in war & fear. For peace and unity in this country, especially from hate and shootings or violence.  For anyone sick, suffering, in pain, fear, loneliness etc ... that God bring them comfort and peace. For His Light and Love to cast out the darkness everywhere.  For Matt's Mom to be fully healed from her cancer, and that her treatments go well. For anyone suffering in any way during this holiday season. 🙏 

PRAYER, INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE OR DEVOTIONAL:

Wishing you a blessed Christmas season ahead. 🎄 🌟  I'm sharing this with Sandra of Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.