Actually it’s been very easy this past week with temperatures close to 70!  Hopefully, we will see a change coming this weekend and feel winter’s touch.  Bailey and Yumi are wearing their new sweaters though you can’t tell Bailey’s wearing his because he’s black and the sweater is hunter green.  I’m going to look for icy-blue wintery ones next time at Target.  *smile*  HealthyPet.com has some tips to keep your pets warm this winter.

Here’s a song my Momma used to sing to us…

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
dressed in a snow white gown.

Rap-tap-tapping on your windowpane
to tell you she’s in town.

Here comes Suzy Snowflake
look at her tumbling down.

Bringing joy to every girl and boy
’cause Suzy’s back in town!

I found time to play and created a little snow fairy.  The snow key I made for the image is a separate PSD file.  If you want it, just give me a hollar.  I also updated the top graphic with a Victorian Christmas scene that I created last year.

Quinn and I have been working on him putting his coat on by himself.

Blog notes:

One of the most beautiful photos I have ever seen…at Emma Sage.

Mrs. Wilt has started decorating for Christmas…make sure you visit daily as she posts the most wonderful things to do.

By Sun and Candlelight has some interesting seasonal thoughts to share.

Seasonal printable coloring pages for kids.

Jeanne posted a beautiful angel card that she sent to her sister.

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My tree is up though it does need some ribbons and tinsel. Quinn loves it!!!

These are pictures of the boys taken with Santa throughout the years.

I’ve updated the graphic here though I will probably change it again before Christmas. Today we’re going back out to Col’s house for another dinner with Momma and our uncle Dan. Have a great Saturday!

I’ve been cruising organizing websites trying to get ideas on how to streamline this very busy time. I probably won’t do anything suggested but I do love the idea of being organized. *smile* I’ve already started by finding my treasured cookie recipes. I’ll be making Butter Drop-ins (Michael’s favorite), Oatmeal-Coconut Crisps, Almond Butter Cookies, and the Hazelnut Thumbprints from last year’s Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookies magazine. (I can’t find that recipe online.) This year I have decided to buy a pretty binder and put all the loose recipes in there so I won’t have to go hunting again next year…at least that is my intent this morning.

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One big help is that we take the month of December off from formal schooling. The boys and I are going to be stuffing stockings for the Salvation Army, doing kitchen duty at our church’s annual chicken dinner, and (hopefully) visiting the White House to see it all decorated for the holidays. Hopefully, by now, my boys have realized that Christmas isn’t just about receiving but about giving…back to family, friends and the community. We also emphasize what we are celebrating…the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I found a really beautiful blog, O Night Divine, that is dedicated to celebrating CHRISTmas.

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I’ve also been busy getting started on Quinn’s Christmas and Winter lapbooks. I’ve bought the paper and pretty scrapbooking doodads, so as soon as I get ideas I’ll be ready to put them together. *smile*

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I’m hoping that Michael and the boys will start to bring up the Christmas decorations this weekend for me to get started with my holiday decorating. I also have to change the top graphic on this website to reflect the holiday season though I’ll probably neglect my own websites again. I also have to work on getting our Boy Scout Troop’s website changed over…I made the graphics for it a couple of months ago but couldn’t connect to the site’s server. John, the boys’ Scoutmaster, finally figured it out for me but with Michael in school 4 nights a week, this past month, I just didn’t have the time or energy to work on it.

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Cade and Connor will finally be getting their braces on the 18th of December. They’ve been getting baby teeth pulled this month in preparation. No more retainers for Cade to lose in restaurant garbage cans, have a go through the washing machine or get cooked in the microwave!

The twins also have their annual check-up with Dr. Mike which includes bloodwork and an ultrasound of their kidneys.

…so as you can see, December will be a very busy month!

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JESUS IS THE REASON
by MARILYN SHACKELFORD

When I was young
And too little to know
I thought “Merry Christmas”
Meant presents and snow
Just a big tree with tinsel and lights all aglow!

I didn’t understand nor
Do I think that I cared
The “true” message of Christmas
Was the Love that God shared!

I’d heard about the King who was born in a manger
But what’s the fuss about some baby who to me was a stranger?
It wasn’t until I had children of my own
That my “heart-strings” were tugged and the void became known

I learned the most important thing about life is to love
And that Jesus, my Savior, was sent from above
His life an example of true love and devotion
The lights, sounds and hustle … nothing more than commotion

His life pure and precious freely given for me
Was so hard to believe yet so simple to see
Oh, I still sing and buy gifts to thank those I love
But I’ll never forget God’s great gift from above

So make no mistake
of this “Truth” I partake
His birth is the reason
to bring Joy to this season!

Thanksgiving didn’t turn out quite as we had planned. Honey’s children came down with the throw-ups on Wednesday night/Thursday morning so we cancelled our dinner reservations at Snyder’s Restaurant and instead Colleen and Greg threw an impromptu Thanksgiving dinner together and Momma, Daddy, Michael, the boys and I had dinner there instead. Everything was delicious and we all had a wonderful time though we did miss being with Honey, Rick, Hanna, Ellie, Hansi and Erich.

Daddy, Connor, Momma, Cole & Michael

Michael, Quinn, Greg & Colleen

Chase, Connor, Cade & Sean

Sean and me…relaxing after a delicious meal

Thanksgiving – All In A Word
Author: Unknown

T for time to be together
Turkey, talk and tangy weather.
H for harvest stored away
Home, and hearth and holiday.
A for autumn’s frosty art,
And abundance in the heart.
N for neighbors and November,
Nice things, new things to remember.
K for kitchen, kettle’s croon.
Kith and kin expected soon.
S for sizzles, sights and sounds,
And something special that abounds.
That spells THANKS – for joy in living
And a jolly good Thanksgiving!

Quinn’s Thanksgiving lapbook is almost finished. Click on the picture to see a larger image…so you can better see the details. I used Robert Louis Stevenson’s “We Thank Thee” poem, a couple of Catholic blessings that we say before meals, Thanksgiving books read to Quinn (this is another little booklet that I wrote thank-you in other languages for him including ASL) and Psalm 100, the Thanksgiving Psalm. Under the “Giving Thanks - I am thankful for:” I put together two little photo booklets packed full of pictures of the things that Quinn loves (is thankful for) like family members, friends, pets, field trips taken, etc. He loves looking at pictures…especially of himself. *smile* In the photo you can see the little pilgrim paper doll and a really cute cornucopia (top of the lapbook, behind) that I made for him. I attached these printables to cardstock with spray adhesive before cutting them out so they are sturdy enough for him to play with. We also made a “Learning Colors Turkey” to put on the back cover of the book.

To finish off the book I am going to take it to dinner on Thanksgiving and have everyone in our family sign it for him.

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The twins are working diligently, trying to finish up the really nice Thanksgiving lapbook that I downloaded for free from LiveandLearnPress.com. I’ll take pictures as soon as they are finished and post them…they are really proud of them. *smile*

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GIVE THANKS

Lord, I’m thankful for so many things

as this day of ‘thanks’ grows near.

It seems the list much longer grows

with every passing year.

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I’ve told you, Lord, so often

how grateful I am to you,

For listening to my prayers, Lord

And answering as you do.

So I thank you for my husband

a man that’s truly rare;

Someone so perfect for me

I know he’s an ‘answered’ prayer.

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And it makes me smile each Holiday

and feel especially blessed

’cause once again my kids will bring

Their kids back to the nest

We’ll laugh, and love and just be glad

we can spend time with each other

My heart… and eyes…will overflow

With each “I love you, Mother”

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I thank you for my Grandkids.

Lord, I guess you knew…

How much they would need me;

how much I’d need them ,too.

They give their love so freely,

as only a child can do.

Without them I might grow old, Lord,

and I’m grateful that you knew.

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I thank you for my Sisters ,Lord,

and for my brother, too.

You’ve given me a family

that anyone would choose.

Each one brings their special gifts…

Love; wisdom; patience, too,

and puts them in the family pot

For everyone to use.

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I thank you, Lord, for mom and dad

I told you my list was long….

But how can I not be grateful for

a bond that is so strong.

They’ve been my anchor and my refuge

when the storms seemed not to end.

And next to you, I always knew

On them I could depend.

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Good friends…Oh Lord how I thank you,

for those so close and dear…

That take the place of family

When family isn’t near.

And I thank you for this country, Lord

The good ole U. S. of A.

For all her faults, She’s still the best

God, bless America I pray.

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I’m thankful, Lord that I can go

to any church I choose.

And when our leaders have done wrong

I can read it in the news.

I’m thankful, Lord, that because of you,

Hope is always there.

I thank you for this life of mine…

and for those with whom it’s shared.

Author: Rinda Nelson©1999

I’ve just been so very busy and/or sick that I’ve not had time to be online.  I’ll be back posting.  Soon!

We Thank Thee

Lord, behold our family here assembled.
We thank Thee for this place in which we dwell;
for the love that unites us;
for the peace accorded us this day;
for the hope with which we expect the morrow;
for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies,
that make our lives delightful;
and for our friends in all parts of the earth.
Let peace abound in our small company.

Purge out of every heart the lurking grudge.
Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere.
Give us the grace to accept and to forgive offenders.
Forgetful ourselves, help us to bear cheerfully
the forgetfulness of others.
Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind.
Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies.

Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors.
If it may not, give us the strength to encounter
that which is to come,
that we be brave in peril, constant in tribulation,
temperate in wrath,
and in all changes of fortune, and, down to the gates of death,
loyal and loving one to another.
-Robert Louis Stevenson-