A Few Thougts before Christmas

The news from last week broke my heart! I keep thinking about the parents, brothers and sisters, and grandparents who have the heaviest of hearts this year. I'm thankful that God is in control and that He is the Righteous Judge, Great Comforter, and He is Sovereign.  I don't understand what happened or why it was allowed to happen but I pray He will somehow wrap His great big arms of love around each one of the family members and bless them with His peace that passes all understanding....and so much more!

And that each one of us will be in every moment this Christmas....not just go through the motions...but be in every moment realizing the treasure of each one and each family member we are blessed to spend this Christmas time with!  And the lifetime memories to be made.

This morning I was thinking about my neighbors and what I would make them for Christmas. I am thankful for the neighbors we are blessed to have!  For the past several Christmases, I have made PW's Cinnamon Rolls and hand delivered warm pans of the delicious goodness!  I love baking them...they are time consuming but I love how my home smells like Christmas when the pans of Cinnamon Rolls are baking!

I was thinking about making something a little less labor intensive as I have been so so busy! I still have one last minute photography order that I am waiting to be delivered to I can deliver it to my client and then I am taking a little break to enjoy my family

I have visions of sleeping in (past 5:00 a.m.) staying in my pajamas until noon, watching all the  Hallmark Christmas movies I have recorded on our DVR, getting mani/pedis with my girls, Pumpkin Spice Lattes that always come with fun conversations, fires in the fireplace, giggling so hard until our sides hurt, enjoying looking at all of the beautiful Christmas cards we have received,driving around to look at Christmas lights, Christmas Eve Candle light service, spending time with family...and dreaming of a white Christmas.  I CANNOT wait! 

While I was searching for a new recipe to make for my neighbors, I came across Candy Cane Mice.  I remember making red candy cane mice for my girls to give to their classmates at school when they were in elementary. I think my mom made these for me when I was little too.  And these simple mice flooded my mind with wonderful memories!

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Thank you Heavenly Father, for the treasured memories I am blessed to have and the excitement of new memories to be made this year.  Please, help me to be in the moment and to treasure each one! And please comfort those who are brokenhearted and be ever present as only You can!

My Front Door Christmas Garland

My birthday was a few weeks ago. I love to decorate my home for Christmas as my birthday gift to myself. My birthday fell on Saturday. Delight! My family was so sweet to let me get a little sleep. I slept until 9. I was thrilled! This was the first Saturday in about 8 weeks that I didn't need to rush off to a photography session. While I absolutely love photo sessions, I had carefully circled and marked the 17th on my calendar as a day to decorate and get ready for Christmas. It was such a relaxing day.

 Hannah fixed the BEST breakfast casserole in my honor. The tomatoes were from my garden and delicious!  Fresh tomatoes in November. Who would have thought?!

After the majority of the house was decorated, we headed for Hobby Lobby.  Yes! One of my favorite stores on my birthday.  Mr. Incredible waited in the car...a football game was on.  Hannah and I had as much time as we wanted to shop.  Yes!  I found what I was searching for.

We ate dinner at Outback...some sweet friends and clients had blessed me with a gift certificate. Yum!

While we watched the movie Brave, I put together my front door garland.  I didn't purchase my things at Hobby Lobby, I found it all, except for the garland, at Sams.

All you need is enough garland (I bought pre-lit garland) to line your front door and sidelights.  I purchased 27 feet, or three garlands. You also need netting (also from sams).  I think I used about 5 rolls of red and lime green.  And then I also purchased shatter proof ornaments from Sams and 2 packages of large ornaments from Sams.

I carefully placed my garland on the floor and gave it a good fluffing.  Then, I started putting the netting in loops and using the garland, attached it to the garland.  I used some garland to tie each loop to the garland.  You could use wire or zip ties too.  Here is the garland with the red mesh added:

And then I added the lime green mesh/netting.  I tried to alternate loops:

I made fairly large loops.  I wanted to cover up the greenery so that you mainly saw the loops, ornaments, and the lights.  Hannah and I carefully placed the 8 large ornaments.  They are also from Sams and shatterproof.  We used green zipties that I already had in my craft closet to attach to greenery.  You could probably use wire if you prefer:

The large ornament that says, "Believe" is my favorite.

Then we filled in with various shatter-proof ornaments. I also used zip ties on these:

And then I would like to say that we hung it up and it was fabulous! But, I can't! We had super small command strips that didn't hold the heavy garland.

After church the next day, we headed back to the store for much larger command strips.  They worked perfectly! Here is my garland:

I love it! 

A Touch of Fall

This past Saturday morning I woke up to the most wonderful discovery! A cold front had come through our part of Texas and lowered the temperature by 30 degrees. Delight! Instead of 100 degree temperatures, we were in the 70's. Which totally made me in the mood for Fall! Fortunately, I had visited the Hob Lob (Hobby Lobby) a few days before and picked out things for a new fall wreath. My other one looked a bit worn and faded. I also stopped by Starbucks enjoyed a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Hello Pumpkin Spice Lover....it's been too long! I am loving the mesh that Hobby Lobby is carrying. Thanks to my parents, I have the mesh covered for Christmas decorating, but I thought I would try some for Fall too. Here is what I did:

I purchased this ready made wreath for 40% off but thought it needed something. It was too flimsy for my taste:

I also purchased a grapevine wreath and two rolls of orange mesh. I already had some orange ribbon in my craft closet. I simply made loops out of the mesh and attached them, with my orange ribbon, to the grapevine wreath.  No, I didn't measure each one.

This is what the grapevine wreath looked like covered in mesh loops.  I then added the pre-made wreath from Hobby Lobby and secured it to the grapevine wreath with the mesh and added a cute little scarecrow:

And then hung my new Fall wreath on my door.  I think it took longer to shop and purchase the items then it did to put it all together.  Happy Fall, Ya'll!

July Makes Me Think of....

Christmas!  I know! I know!  But, just visit your local Hobby Lobby (cue the hallelujah music) and you will see Christmas decorations everywhere.  It makes my heart pitter-patter a bit.  Last summer, I launched my photography business...and while I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to dedicate a lot of time and effort into that launch, it left me without one single Christmas present purchased in July. 

I'll let you in on a little secret that you might not know about me:  I like to finish my Christmas shopping by the start of school every year....except for last year.  With all of the wonderful last minute family photo shoots for clients, custom designed Christmas cards, and print orders, I was swamped and purchased my last Christmas present for my family the week of Christmas.  I know, like most normal people do....or like my hubby does!  But, it stressed me out!

So, chalking it up to memory, I've got some Christmas shopping and crafting to do.  Anyone else with me?  Did you stop reading my blog on the first sighting of the word "Christmas" in my first sentence?  Hello???? Anyone still reading this?

So, visions of sugar plums are dancing in my head especially after my dad brought home the Christmas Snow-Girl blanket I made my for Grandmother so many years ago.  Back before I was teaching school, I had lots of time to craft and bake....and you know, cook dinner!  Ha!  I'm going to try to make a few weeks worth of meals before the crazy routine of school begins again in August. That is on my To-Do list too.

Anyway, back to Christmas. Does July make you want to get started too?  Any fabulous ideas you want to share with me?  I better run, my Gooseberry Patch Christmas books are calling....I better get them dusted off and get crackin!