By Now It’s Christmas Past…

Before we went to bed on Christmas Eve the table was set for our Swedish Pancake Breakfast. I was up several times during the night receiving texts and talking with Katie in North Carolina with updates on when Andrew might arrive back to the base from Afghanistan. It felt a little like those days long ago when I’d get up in the night to feed my little ones. The final text I received at 4:48 Pacific time was that finally Andrew and Katie were reunited.

Josh and Laura celebrate with Laura’s family on Christmas Eve. When the festivities are finished there they drive to our house and let themselves in and settle down for the night in the guest room. On Christmas morning we start our day opening the gifts that were left in our stockings. It’s always fun to see what creative additions we come up with. Our son Dan always buys scratch cards for all of us. He wasn’t with us on Christmas morning this year because he had to work so Josh and Laura bought scratch cards for all of us. Woohoo! My card was a $50.00 winner! After our Stockings we move on to Swedish Pancakes for breakfast. Dear is our resident Swede and he traditionally makes our Christmas morning breakfast.

After we have breakfast we move on to the gifts under the tree. I wasn’t a great photographer this Christmas. I think I was suffering from lack of sleep due to son-in-law in transit. I did get a few photos of some of our gifts. Katie and Andrew bought these Ugg slippers for me.

Love this Sounders gnome from Josh and Laura. They bought me lots of other cool things but this guy compelled the photo!

Our son Dan bought Laura this full set of Harry Potter books. He really is a thoughtful gift buyer. We missed having him with us this year.

There should be no doubts that we are big Sounders soccer fans. Dear and I bought Josh the new Sounders jersey. Laura got a training warm up jacket from us that she wore the rest of Christmas day and I failed to get a photo of her in it!

Our evening ended with a wonderful dinner. We also enjoyed phone calls from Dan, Katie and Andrew.

It’s hard to believe that we are moving on to New Year’s now. I was so grateful to have a lay low day on Monday after Christmas. Hope you all had good times with family and friends!

I’ll Be Home for Christmas…

I’m dreamin’ tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it’s a long road back
I promise you

I’ll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light beams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

At 4:48 A.M. I received a text from Katie saying “He’s in my arms”. It was a long wait but we are so thankful to God for Andrew’s safe return from Afghanistan. His whole unit came back safe and sound. It really is one of the best Christmas presents.

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Joy! Joy! Joy! ~ It’s Christmas 2011

Angels From the Realms of Glory

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Refrain

Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:

Refrain

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.

Refrain

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Refrain

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Refrain

Though an Infant now we view Him,
He shall fill His Father’s throne,
Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:

Refrain

All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising
To th’eternal Three in One.

Refrain

Words: James Montgomery, in his Shef­field news­pa­per, the Iris, Christ­mas Eve, 1816. It was re­pub­lished in the Christ­ian Psalm­ist, 1825. Stan­za 5 is from The Christ­mas Box, 1825.

From our house to yours we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

С Рождеством Христовым (S Roždestvom Khristovym)

Christmas Eve Day

 

The stockings are ready for “Santa” but more importantly our hearts have been filled with what God did many years ago for us and our hearts are ready for what He will do this day for all of us. It is fresh excitement and anticipation that we are filled with today. May God bless all your gatherings and thoughts with JOY! A very Happy Christmas Eve to all of you.

New Moon…

Looking out at the Sunrise on Thursday morning I saw our new moon. We were very frosty and cold. I was also on the phone with my dear mom on Thursday trying to get a recipe for one of my favorite Christmas treats that she bakes. It’s going to take a lot of experimenting to get it right in a smaller batch. I’ve got to cut the recipe down from her recipe that takes 5 pounds of flour! OYE! She called later to tell me an ingredient she forgot.  This is going to be quite the experiment but well worth it when I get it right! On Friday Dear and I are headed south for a Christmas celebration with dear friends.

So partying and experimenting are on my agenda…how about yours…

Winter is Here…

I’m looking forward to longer days now that Winter Solstice has arrived. Sad but true, I found out the hard way that my body now rejects egg nog. Sigh***. I’ll need to replace this great treat with something that doesn’t distress.

Still experimenting with the tea strainer star effect with my camera. Thanks Vee for your added tips.

Today I’m shopping for the ingredients for our meals on the weekend. I decided on dessert for Christmas. I’m trying a Chocolate Hazelnut Tart. I don’t have a tart pan with a removable bottom so I’m headed to Sur la Table to remedy that. If it turns out well you’ll see the recipe on MGCC in the near future!

Hope you are all feeling the joy in your neck of the woods!

And That’s A Wrap!

Random Christmas week stuff…

I’m sitting with my feet up in my flannels enjoying the fact that all the presents are wrapped and under the tree.

And here’s another favorite ornament that’s been around for several years!

I still have to work on the tea strainer star technique with my camera. That great photographer Jill gave the tip to Vee and I decided to try it.

So for the rest of the week I’m planning our Christmas Eve and Christmas day menus and shopping for the ingredients. We’ve decided on Mount Rainier Chili for Christmas Eve and on Christmas we’ll have Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding, roasted vegetables, and a salad with fresh beets. Dessert is still failing me. I have to come up with something that is milk and cheese free…

It’s been so much fun again to see all the great family photos we’re receiving from those we only see once a year in their Christmas greetings! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Messiah…

and other beautiful Christmas music is playing in the background as I sit and enjoy twinkling lights and a tree all trimmed and waiting for wrapped presents. For now I’ll savor the moment with some Egg Nog in a pretty glass.

On Saturday our mystery tree was brought in from the cold and unwrapped. We were pleased with it’s fine shape and it’s great price of $19.97.

Dear strung the lights on the tree and the decorating continued with the Angel tree topper added first.

It was fun to pull out my favorites with memories attached and enjoyed.

Baby’s first Christmas ornaments are getting a little tattered.

After the tree was trimmed it was time to set out our favorite things from Christmas’s past.

The kissing Santa salt and pepper shakers and 2 sets of angels are from Dear’s mother. The Santa Matryoshka is from my brother Leonard.

These mugs belong to our 3 kids. I might have mentioned before that this will be our first Christmas since our kids were born that we won’t all be together on Christmas Day. Katie will be in North Carolina and our son Dan has to work on Christmas day in Eastern Washington. Josh, Laura, Dear and I will enjoy the day together. I’ve had some “moments” since getting back home from North Carolina. Those out of nowhere teary moments that last for just a spell when it strikes me that things have changed. It’s OK that they change but I still get caught by surprise by the emotions associated with the changes. When I pulled these mugs out of the attic I stood on the attic stairs crying to think they all wouldn’t be used this year. Ahh…but then I move on.

This is my Christmas Card clothes card line. I love it because I can hang each card that comes our way and keep them where I can continue to see and enjoy them.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

You can read the whole Christmas story from the Bible in Luke chapter 2.

Hope your week, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day are filled with joy!

I’m linking up with Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Joy Bells Are Ringing ~ Christmas Hymn

Joy Bells Are Ringing

Joy bells are ringing,
Christmas is bringing
Tidings of Jesus’ birth.
Candles are gleaming,
Gladness is streaming
Out over all the earth.

Light is ascending,
Nighttime is ending,
Sunshine from God appears.
Hope of the ages,
Foretold by sages,
Comes to dispel all fears.

O what a treasure
God in His pleasure
Lovingly gives today.
Grace to the lowly,
Peace, pure and holy,
Angels to men convey.

Come to the manger,
Kindred and stranger,
Hail now the newborn King!
In adoration
With jubilation
Peoples and nations sing!

Banish all sadness,
Fill me with gladness,
Jesus, whom I adore!
All else may perish,
Thee will I cherish
Now and forevermore!

Words: Nils Frykman, 1881. Translated from Swedish to English by E. Gustav Johnson, 1946.

For more Joy visit the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog today for Bread for the Journey.