Last year was a rare Christmas with most of my side of the family together for our Christmas Eve Celebration in California. This year our little part of the family will be in Seattle. There are a few more of my parents’ grandsons and granddaughters and great grandchildren missing in these photos.
For more of Mosaic Monday please click over to Mary’s Little Red House.
As with gladness, men of old
Did the guiding star behold
As with joy they hailed its light
Leading onward, beaming bright
So, most glorious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee.
As with joyful steps they sped
To that lowly manger bed
There to bend the knee before
Him Whom Heaven and earth adore;
So may we with willing feet
Ever seek Thy mercy seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
At that manger rude and bare;
So may we with holy joy,
Pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed souls at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.
In the heavenly country bright,
Need they no created light;
Thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
Thou its Sun which goes not down;
There forever may we sing
Alleluias to our King!
Words: William C. Dix, 1860
He wrote this hymn on the day of the Epiphany, while sick in bed; it was first published in his Hymns of Love and Joy.
Because of our below freezing temperatures we’ve had for several days running I wanted to get up to Snoqualmie Falls to see what effect the weather was having there. It really was a sight to behold. The sun wasn’t cooperating with my trip timing or with my amateur camera skills to really show how grand the view was.
I plan to go again in the summer or after a big melt in the Cascades so I can get some shots of how full and furious the falls can be.
Welcome to another Friday. It’s time to join Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to share your favorites from this past week!
1. My house is Christmatized. I sometimes dread the process but I love the result. The biggest thing is getting the tree in and decorated. I love the smell of the tree. It’s so nice to sit in the living room with just the lights of the tree and other decorations. I could have decorated more but I am satisfied with what is done.
2. We finally filled the Cd player with some of our favorite Christmas Cd’s and I’ve really enjoyed having the music fill the house. Some of our favorites are Twila Paris –It’s the Thought, Nat King Cole –The Christmas Song, Amy Grant, Selections from Handel’s Messiah, and The Holly and The Ivy-Clare College Choir-Cambridge.
3. Spending lots of time with my daughter. It’s been good. Next week is her last week of college (everyone join us in this cheer “Hip Hip Hooray we no longer have to pay!”) We are happy to see her complete her degree and finish well. This last month has brought some major changes in Katie’s life and it’s good to see her Joy return.
4. It has been freezing in Western Washinton for several days in a row. We are breaking electric and gas consumption records around here. See my icicles coming from the end of my hose? All of that to say that Katie and I were at Fred Meyer yesterday and spotted an end cap display of Snuggie’s. We succombed to the need for warmth and bought a Snuggie! I always laughed at those commercials but now we’re fighting over who gets the Snuggie! A Snuggie or Snuglie is a blanket with sleeves.
5. On Monday night I went to watch our son Josh play an indoor soccer game. He has been playing on a recreational team with some former teammates from high school. It was so much fun to see these boys young men again after 10 years. Lots of hugs and news to share. I spent so many years sitting/standing on the sidelines watching these boys play from elementary to high school. Good times…
Oops…the Poinsettia’s at the top of the post are from Molbak’s Nursery in Woodinville. They always have an amazing display at Christmas of many varieties and they always construct a huge Poinsettia tree. I think I have to go back and take a few more photos…
I’ll be coming around to see what your week held for you. Today I’m braving the cold for a little adventure that I hope will yield some great photos!
Welcome to the Tour of Christmas homes in Bloggy World. Our home is ready and waiting for your visit.
The reason there is a Christmas to celebrate with joy!
“I seem to see the Christmas Star that filled the world with light”
My clothes pin Christmas card holder is still waiting for greetings from near and far…
Grab a cup of cocoa and don’t worry about spilling…all the floors in my house need replacing.
Here’s a garland to remind you that you’re visiting the Northwest.
Joy is the theme of Christmas here. We want to feel the wondrous joy of that first Christmas.
Some of our Vintage Christmas…
This year my tree does not have all our ornaments on it. Just enough so it doesn’t look bare.
This will be the first Christmas in 28 years that our son Dan will not be here for Christmas.
We’ll miss his presence but we are happy for his new future and are looking forward to being together next Christmas…Lord willing.
We’ll all miss seeing your face Dan! We love you and miss you!
Every Christmas morning for as long as we all can remember Dear mixes up his mother’s recipe for Swedish Pancakes and cooks them for us all. He uses the 2 pan method so none of us have to wait too long for the next hot one! How we all look forward to this tradition! Thank you Dear!
Last year after Christmas I was on a mission to find some substantial nativity sets since all we had was a tiny wooden one. We ended up with this more traditional one above and this one…
“As with gladness men of old
Did with guiding light behold-
As with joy they hailed it’s light,
Leading onward, beaming bright-
So, most gracious Lord, may we
Evermore be led to Thee”
Merry Christmas to all who visit here. Thank you for stopping by. Blessings on you and yours!
You can visit other Christmas tours by clicking on these links.
Visit Rhoda for Home for the Holidays on the 10th
Visit the Nester for Christmas Tour of Homes on the 14th.
Visit Susan at Thoughts From Over the Rainbow on Tuesdays for Deck the Halls.
Found Another Christmas Party to Join
It’s a below freezing day in Western Washington but thousands of people are lining the streets and heading to the Tacoma Dome to honor the 4 slain Lakewood Police Officers.
All the major networks here are following all these events. I’m spending lots of time in front of the TV doing my little part and praying for the families of these Public Servants who have lost their loved ones. May God comfort them and bring them peace…
…as much as they will be this year. Every year looks a little different for us and we go with the flow. This is a less extravagant Christmas but still as joyful as ever! I’ll be posting my big tour tomorrow but here’s just a preview.
I haven’t done any Christmas shopping for my family yet! Yikes! I’m usually all done by now. I haven’t done any baking either but that can wait till next week. My Christmas cards are coming late so I’ll be scrambling to get them addressed and sent. Can you guess the theme of my Christmas this year?
Hope all is going well with your preparations. Visit Susan at Thoughts Over the Rainbow to see some Halls all decked out already.
It’s time to visit Mary at Work of the Poet for Ruby Tuesday. Thanks for being a great hostess Mary! Christmas time is great for finding ruby all over the place.
I took all these photos in New Mexico the weekend of Thanksgiving except for the kissing Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Those cuties are sitting on my kitchen counter. My oldest son and I were in the “Land of the Sun” for my middle son’s graduation and we didn’t have to wear sunglasses once. It even snowed on us!! I was real excited when I spotted that Christmas Hydrant. The signs just made me chuckle…
The girls in my extended family have started a Black Friday tradition of shopping at Goodwill and then going to Tea. We were so happy to find this relatively new Tea Room in Bothell, Washington. Three Cups of Tea has a well rounded combination of great teas, really good food, and a wonderful ambiance. We would all highly recommend it!! Lea Miller, the “Tea-preneur” has the perfect personality to run this Tea Room.
The back of the business card reads;
First cup of tea as a guest
Second cup of tea as a friend
Third cup of tea as family
There is a main eating room with gift items displayed all around in great cabinets and then there are two specialty rooms divided from the main area.
This is the Alice in Wonderland room. So delightful. We took our tea in the more formal room with the fireplace and it was lovely.
The ladies with their tea. That’s my sister Lana in the center photo. She treated us all on this day. She is so generous. Thank you Lana!
We were all happy with our food choices. Everything was excellent. Our tea included fresh scones with clotted cream, jam, and lemon curd, Soup and 1/2 Sandwich of our choice, and a dessert. Most of us had to take our dessert home.
It’s a fun spot to shop, too. Lots of great tea accessories and food items.
Three Cups of Tea is worth a visit. You can pop in for breakfast, quick lunch or plan a more formal get-together. We’ll be back!
Thank you Lea for treating us like family. We appreciated you and your great staff!
I’m linking this to Mosaic Monday hosted by Mary and Tea Things Tuesday hosted by Kim. Thanks ladies…
Jerusalem, lift up thy voice!
Daughter of Zion, now rejoice!
Thy King is come, whose mighty hand
Henceforth shall reign o’er every land.
He comes to every tribe and race,
A Messenger of truth and grace:
With peace He comes from Heaven above
On earth to found His realm of love.
In God’s eternal covenant,
He comes for our salvation sent.
The star of hope moves on before,
And hosts assemble to adore.
Let all the world with one accord
Now hail the coming of the Lord:
Praise to the Prince of heavenly birth
Who bringeth peace to all the earth.
Words: Johan O, Wallin, 1814, translated from Swedish to English by Ernst W. Olsen (1870-l958)
