Hope you are taking some time to experience the JOY of Christmas time…
ht: thanks L&M for this photo of Hope I snatched!!
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
Plans can be made and plans can be changed. I woke up this morning planning to bake a batch of cookies to send away to our son. My daughter was up and headed to work. I had the first batch of cookies in the oven when the phone rang. Katie had hit a patch of black ice, spun around on the road, and landed backwards in a nice ladies front yard taking out a good section of her wooden fence. The lady was very sweet and invited Katie in while she waited for me to arrive and figure out what to do next. While watching from the window Katie saw another car spin out of control and hit the front of her car even though it was well off the road. YIKES! A total of 3 cars had to be towed from this location.
I was so happy that Katie was fine just shook up from the wild ride. The only damage she caused was to her own car and that poor fence. She missed 2 cars in the driveway.
The Brier Police that came to the scene were very kind and helpful beyond their obligation. They even waited behind my parked car with their lights flashing until the tow truck arrived.
The tow truck driver that came in response to our AAA call was also very concerned and kind.
The police stayed until the car was completely on the bed of the tow truck! When we got home Katie called our insurance company and I finished baking the cookies, packed up a box to mail to our son and packed up a gift box of cookies to deliver to the Brier Police Station for the officers that took such good care of my daughter! Thank you officers Willey and Murphy!
We delivered the cookies to the police station, stopped at the post office to send off the cookies and then we decided we deserved a nice lunch and boy did we find a great one at Gratzi Italian Restaurant in Bothell. As you can see Katie is fine. Even after this great lunch we weren’t done yet salving our wounds…
Cookies and a nice cup of English Tea continued the healing from our ordeal…
I’m thanking God for watching over Katie, keeping her from being hurt, and sending kind people to care for her.
Hug your loved ones today!
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
Today I’m sharing some Christmas blue…
This ornament was for our son Josh’s first Christmas in 1979!
Hope you are all getting in the Christmas Spirit! Blessings on your week!
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
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.
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
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 and with my amateur skills for my shots 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.
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
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!
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
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
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
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…
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
…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.
Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
