'Tis the Season

Good wintry morning Company Girls!  We've had snow flurries this week and bitter cold temps. Not the "norm" here in NE Louisiana, but certainly adds to the Christmas spirit.  Grab some coffee or hot chocolate and let's "sit a spell." (as my Grandmother use to say)

I was thinking the other day about Christmases past and I thought of my Chatty Cathy doll and the Christmas I got her as a gift.  I was about 8 years old, so that makes her 50 years old.~Yikes~  We lived in a rural area of Arkansas where my Dad was pastor of a little country church. Finances were certainly not in abundance that particular Christmas.  We had some neighbors up the hill that were like a second set of Grandparents to me and my brother and they likely knew that things were tight at our house.  They found out what we really  wanted for Christmas and they got it for us.  Mine was the Chatty Cathy doll in the picture above.  Talk about excited!  I just could not believe that I really got her.  I have managed to keep up with her all these years.  She was beginning to really show her age and two years ago I sent her to a Doll Hospital out near Houston, Texas and had her reworked.  The ladies that I spoke to at the shop told me that they had never seen a Chatty Cathy in such excellent condition and that if I wanted to sell her she would likely bring top dollar.  Well, I certainly was not and will not be interested in selling her.  I have her proudly displayed in our daughter's old bedroom and each time I look at her I have happy memories.  When I am gone from my earthly life perhaps my Granddaughter will enjoy having her as a keepsake from her CiCi.

I fixed lunch for my husband's office staff yesterday, something I do each year.  As I mentioned in my previous entry, I really enjoy the gals that work for him and each Christmas I make up some type of "happy" for them.  I collect  things throughout the year and then I enjoy seeing just how creative I can be in packaging them.  I loved what I came up with this year.

I found these basket "thingys" on the clearance aisle at Wal-Mart and thought they would make the perfect container for their "happies" this year. The girls were pleased as could be and of course, that made all my efforts worth the work. Our son and SIL that are also a part of the office staff just sit back and enjoy watching the gals as their "happy baskets" will come at our family Christmas. Plus, it's just a whole lot harder to come up with "happies" for for guys than gals. ~chuckle~

The girls with CiCi

CiCi with the "Boss Man"

The staff came up with the cutest "gag" type gift for Hubby and I and we all had a good chuckle over it. In case you can't

read what the T-shirt says........"What happens under the mistletoe, stays under the mistletoe."  They also gave us matching red and green plaid pajama pants to wear with the shirts.  Cute! Cute!

It was a fun time, memories were made and hopefully they felt very appreciated.

I hope that each of you are getting into the holiday spirit and that the "hussell and bussell" (just not sure about that spelling) of the season isn't taking it's toll on you.  I wish for you heavenly blessings as we draw closer to the day we celebrate our Savior's birth. 

Click on the button above for more fun visiting with Company Girls. We love our Rachel! 

Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. Have you ever been on a real sleigh ride? How about the warm weather version-a carriage ride?

No, haven't been on either, but I have been on a dog sled ride when we were in Alaska two years ago.  It was such fun, even though it wasn't in the snow, and those dogs are so amazing!

 

 

2. What's your policy on 'chain mail'...you know, the emails you receive that are often some sort of poem/blessing/good wish that ask you to send it on to 10 or 12 friends? Do you delete without opening, read and trash, read and trash and then worry you won't be blessed/lucky/protected? Do you delete the sender from your contact list or just go ahead and send the love onward? I delete it without even giving it a thought but I do not delete the sender from my contact list.  I just don't participate in those type of things.

3. Who is your favorite character in any of the Christmas movies and why? Charlie Brown, he's just so blooming cute and he's loved by young, old and inbetween. Just an all around great character!

4. Share a favorite quote. I have many but this would be a favorite Christmas quote........."The greatest Christmas gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes."

5. What's your favorite holiday scent? Cinnamon, hands down! Love putting cinnamon sticks in Apple Cider, simmering it on the stove and enjoying the aroma the entire day, plus drinking a cup too.

 

 

6. Does the Christmas season stress you out? In what way? No, I have made it a point for many years to plan early, start early and then be able to sit back and really enjoy the days prior to Christmas Day.  I do not think the Lord is pleased when we allow the celebration of His birth to "stress us out."

 7. What's the best thing about your life right now? My family and I are healthy, employed and all of our basic needs are being met beyond what we deserve. And, we serve such a loving and forgiving God.

8. Insert your own random thought here. It is so wintry here in NE Louisiana this morning and it is something we rarely see, especially before Christmas.  It is actually snowing real, live snow.  Really puts us in the Christmas spirit for sure! Don't know how long it will last, but for now, we'll enjoy it.

 For more Hodgepodge, click on the button above and enjoy!

Miscellany Monday

 {one}

I know that each of you have probably seen the video of the Hallelujah Chorus being sung at Macy's and at a Food Court inside a mall.  If you haven't you need to watch this. I would have loved to have been at the Food Court when it took place.  I just love how randomly placed the folks were and the expressions on the faces of the folks that were there eating.  How cool and what a way to honor our Savior on His birthday.

{two}

My daughter and I went to do a little shopping yesterday and decided we would take Clancy to see Santa while we were at the mall.  Last year he wanted nothing to do with Santa (he was 14 mos. old) and cried and cried.  Well, this year, he wasn't quite to that point but he refused to get in Santa's lap and just got acquainted with him while his Momma held him. There's always next year.

 {three}

My husband is blessed to have 3 great ladies working in his office.  One has been with us for over 15 years, one for over 10 and one almost 5 years.  I'm blessed to have a really great relationship with them and sometimes they will even let me  "  mother"   them a bit. ~smile~ I mean, I am old enough to be their Mother in real life.

They enjoy Christmas and for the past few years I have bought them matching Christmas shirts to wear every Friday during the Christmas season.  They along with our son and son in law take very good care of our insureds.  A good staff is hard to beat!!

{four}

 I don't know about you, but I love a good sneeze.  And, if I am not in public, I just really  get with it when I sneeze. (I know, that doesn't sound like something a Southern Belle would do).  I've never known why we always say "  bless you"  when someone sneezes in our presence, but I found out yesterday morning.  Hubby was reading the newspaper and came across Dear Abby and someone wrote in about sneezing.  Abby said that saying "  bless you"   or

"  God bless you "   originated in the Middle Ages when it was believed that when people sneezed, their souls left their bodies for an instant --and saying "  God bless you"   would prevent the devil from snatching it.  Well, I'm going to continue enjoying a good sneeze and I sure hope that there will always be someone nearby to "  bless it."   ~chuckle~

{five}

This will be a busy week for me, but I look forward to each event that I will be hosting.  First, I will be having Hubby's staff for lunch on Thursday, my birthday group(better known as The Formidable Women) will come for dessert on Friday and next Sunday I'll be hosting a baby shower for my precious adopted Vietnamese daughter (there's nothing legal about this adoption, I just refer to her that way).  This is their caboose, she and her husband have a 13 year old daughter and an 11 year old son and this is their little "  surprise package"  and it is another boy.  They are so excited and busy getting their nest made.  He is due to make his entrance the first week of February.

{six}

If any of you know Santa's elves personally, would you please send them my way.  I have had my shopping done for quite some time, but do not have any of them wrapped or bagged.  Elves or no elves, guess I'll probably add that to my list of things to get done this week.  Our tree looks pretty bare at the moment.

Week in and week out Carissa at Lowercase Letters proves to be faithful to us with Miscellany Monday.  For more randomness, click on the link and visit around.

A most blessed week to each of you!

Christmas - Past and Present

Good Morning Ladies, I just could not resist linking up with both Company Girls and Mocha with Linda today.  When I read Linda's prompt it just seemed to fit right in with what I had already planned for my entry today.  So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, sit a spell and let's visit.  

When you were growing up, when did your family put up and decorate the Christmas tree?  It seems it was only about 2 weeks before Christmas. I'm ready to get mine up a few days after Thanksgiving and always have been.  But, I am as anxious to get it down as I am to get it up. ~smile!

Our tree  this year- a slimline prelit 7 footer

Was it real or artificial? It was real about half of the time (one that we usually went to the woods and cut down) or one of the popular silver tinsel trees of the 1960's. I absolutely loved the silver tinsel

trees. They had so much "  glitz and glimmer"  and we had one of the colored lights on a dial that turned and made the tree change colors as the dial turned.  I was sure that having a tree such as that was "  the be all, do all."   ~chuckle~


Who usually decorated it? Were there special decorations? What was on the top? White lights or colored, blinking or steady? as best as I can remember decorating the tree was always a family affair and we just used whatever we had.  Mom had decorations we had made and my brother and I would string popcorn and make paper chains .  Funds were very limited, so any fancy  or matching decorations were out of the question but I always thought we had the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world.  It seems that we always had a star on top and of course, there was no such thing as mini-lights when I was a child (did I really just say that) so we had those "  jumbo mumbo"   lights and we always had the multi-colored ones and I loved those as well. I don't remember them ever blinking and hey, probably didn't have blinking lights back then. ~chuckle~


 How much did your family decorate for the holiday other than the tree (wreaths, dishes, snowglobes, miniature villages, etc.)?

Did y'all do outdoor lights? White or colored, blinking or not?

 During my childhood there was only a tree. But, there did come a time later that my Mom did do some simple decorating inside and out. 

Are there special memories associated with decorating for Christmas? I well remember getting so excited when it would be time to decorate the tree, simple as it was, it meant the world to me and I remember it being such a happy family time for us.  


My children will certainly not have these type of memories associated with decorating the tree and they have teased me for years about this.  I have always decorated our tree and it has always had some type of theme (does that surprise you?) ~giggle~ I do hope that they will not have some kind of emotional issues because of this as they grow older.~smile~ But, nonetheless, they got so excited when they knew it was the day that the tree would be decorated and I think when they were little that they really thought that little fairies came and did it.  They do have lots of Christmas memories, just not of decorating the tree.


Now, I'll share a few pictures of our decorations this year.  And, what you see is all there is.  I use to decorate from "  stem to stern"   but I stopped that about 8 -10 years ago.  Just a whole lot of work and we all know that whatever goes up, must come back down.

The kitchen island

Our stockings

 

The dining table

The Family Room - where it all happens

The manger with Baby Jesus swaddled in it sits under our tree

. 

What a fun post and now I look forward to visiting around today. If you want more Coffee Girls or Mocha with Linda, click on the buttons at the top of this entry and enjoy yourself!  Wishing for you a non-hurried Christmas season!

Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. What is the most interesting thing you've done in the last year? I had a professional bra fitting back in June and it was without a doubt one of the most interesting things I've ever done in my life.  My daughter and I did it together and that made it even more interesting.  I have an entire blog entry on the experience and if you are interested in reading it and need a good laugh, click here.

2. What is your most meaningful family heirloom? Well, I have several heirlooms that mean a lot but one is definitely a piece of tatting that my maternal Grandmother did over 50 years ago.  I had the piece framed along with the tatting shuttle she used to tat it with.  Tatting is pretty much a lost art so that makes this piece even more meaningful. It hangs with a grouping in our foyer.

3. What food festival would you most like to attend? If you're not sure click here to see a list of possibilities.I have never been to a food festival and it's definitely not something that is on my "bucket list" but if I were going to go to one, I could go about 45 miles from here to the Winnsboro Catfish Festival.  I hear it is lots of fun and the catfish is delicious.  But, think I'll just take everyone else' word for it. ~Smile~

4. Snow...do you love it or is it considered a four letter word where you live?  Well,  a quick snow once a year is alright and most of the time, we do not even have that. A day or two of snow always has a certain amount of fun in it since we never ever have snow.  But, a steady diet of it, I would not want.  I like to go too much and our area is just not prepared for snow and it shuts the whole area down when it does snow.

5. Can you ski? Do you ski? Are you any good? I have no idea if I can can ski since I've never done it.  And, at this stage in my life I'm not going to try.  I'm afraid an injury just might "do me in" at this point and I'm just not willing to chance that.

6. What quality in your spouse or best friend are you most thankful for? When I am distraught he can usually bring insight to the situation that calms me.

7. Describe the coziest spot in your home. We have a big leather club chair in our upstairs TV room and it is where I go each morning.  I curl up in it with my cup of coffee and afghan and enjoy some quite time before starting my day. I love that spot!

8. Insert your own random thought here. I do a lot of shopping via the Internet and I have no doubt that is why I get every catalog known to mankind in the mail.  I bet I have gotten 50 in the past two days and I throw every one of them in the trash.  I'm sure that would make the company that mailed them to me very happy if they knew that.  But, I cannot stand stacks of stuff sitting around and I don't have time to look at them. I've finished my Christmas shopping so I don't see any need in looking through any of them.

We're so glad that Joyce is hosting Hodgepodge Wednesday and if you would like to read more, click here.

Miscellany Monday

{one}

I decided on Thanksgiving this year that I never fully appreciated all the times that I  put my feet under my Mom's or MIL's table during the holidays.  I now know firsthand what work goes into the preparation for such a meal and it starts at least a week beforehand.  So, ladies, if you've never yet hosted Thanksgiving at your house and done most or all of the cooking, you'd better enjoy. Sooner or later the torch will likely be passed on to you.

Yours truly carving the turkey ~ not exactly a fun job

Our Thanksgiving table

I was most concerned about my dressing (it was only the 3rd time I've ever made it in my life) but it seemed to be a hit. Hubby said to remember exactly what I did because it was just right. So, I took that as a supreme compliment because his Momma made the best dressing I've ever eaten.

But, more importantly than good food is giving thanks for God's bountiful blessings and celebrating family. 

{two}

Does this look like he might have been "caught in the act?" You bet it does!  While I wasn't looking, Clancy took this opportunity to find the step stool, climb up on it and check out all that was taking place on the kitchen island.  It was the bag of marshmallows that  caught his eye  and needless to say, he got a little cupful and he was happy. This was Thanksgiving morning and he was CiCi's helper in the kitchen. ~smile~

{three}

Speaking of helper, I decided that I needed to plant a few more pansies this week and Clancy helped me with that as well.  Really, all he was interested in doing was digging in the dirt. Just a typical little boy, the more dirt he can get into, the better he likes it.  His wagon served as a great way for us to transport the pansies to the back flower beds. Gotta love little red wagons!

{four}

I don't know how many of you are married to deer hunters or even know much about it but my Hubby has been hunting for 53 years and has loved every minute of it.  He has killed somewhere between 150 and 200 deer during that time, but he got the big ONE on Thanksgiving morning.  Yes, below

 you are looking at a 10 point, 218 pound buck. The biggest of his hunting career.  Ask me if he was a "happy hunter" and my answer would be YES!!! See that smile on his face.

{five}

I've racked my brain trying to remember whose blog I found this neat website off of, but the ole brain has failed me and I just cannot remember.  And, it was no more than 3 days ago.  But, it is the neatest and for all your creative folks out there, you will love it.  I won't try to explain it, just go and see for yourself.  Click here and see how you can make word clouds.   Soooooooooooo cool!     

{six}     

  

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of my Mom's untimely death. If you have not read my blog entry from Saturday (the one prior to this one), I invite you to read it as I shared from my heart remembering that day in 2008.

As always we all love our Carissa and Miscellany Monday. If you want to read more randomness, just click here and enjoy the fun.  And, blessings to each of you as we begin preparation for this Christmas season.

Not Just Another Day

Monday will mark the 2nd anniversary of my Mom's untimely death..........

 It was Saturday, November 29, 2008.  The days prior to this day had been extremely busy for me.  Our daughter had given birth to our first Grandchild, a little boy, on Oct. 2nd in Oklahoma.  She would be returning to her teaching position on December 1st and I had told her that I would come and keep the baby for two weeks so that he would not have to go to the sitter until after the Christmas holidays.  Her MIL was going to come and stay the remaining days. We had had the plan in motion for several weeks and I laid out a plan to get everything done and in order for Christmas before I left.  Once I returned, I would have less than a week before Christmas and I wanted my "ducks in a row" before I left.


That Saturday found me putting the finishing touches on everything, marking "to dos" off of my list and packing my vehicle.  At the close of the day I felt very good about things and was looking forward to the special time I would have my new Grandson the next two weeks.  


I went over to my Dad and Mom's to enjoy a cup of coffee and cake that afternoon and to tell them good bye.  For almost as long as I can remember  my parents world stopped at around 1:30 everyday and they sat, drank coffee and ate something sweet.  I would often go over and join them and it was such a special time.  I got ready to leave and hugged my Dad  good-bye and told them that I would be checking in  as I drove to Oklahoma (about an 8 hour drive) the next day. When I got in my vehicle to leave their house it occurred to me that I had not hugged my Mom. I got out of my vehicle and went back and gave her a big hug.  Now, I was ready.


About the time our Grandson was born my Mom and Dad were traveling to see my younger brother.  They were in a hotel and my Mom got up to use the bathroom in the night and got tangled up in the bathmat on the floor, fell and hit  the commode and broke her shoulder (we now wonder if that's what really happened).  She had really suffered with it but was going to get out of the sling and get to begin using it the next week after I left.  She was looking forward to regaining use of her arm and shoulder.  During the time that Mom could not use her arm or shoulder, my Dad had gotten even better with his domestic skills.  He pretty much did everything there was to do around the house during that time.


By night on that Saturday, I was a tired puppy and decided to go to bed a little earlier than usual.  I was going to get up early to begin my travels and wanted to make sure I was "rested and ready" for the task ahead.  I was probably in the bed around 9:00 and had just dozed off when our phone rang at 9:30.  Of course, I looked at the Caller ID and saw that it was my parents phone number and thought it a bit unusual that they would be calling me at that time of night.


When I heard my Dad's voice my heart went to jelly. His words will forever ring in my ears, "Lea, your Mother has had a stroke and I am waiting on the ambulance to arrive."  ~~~Do what?  My Mom has had a stroke!  Oh, no God, not my Mom.  This cannot be!!  This is a bad dream. My Mom was fine when I left her this afternoon~~~  Dad went on to inform me that he thought it was a very serious one and why didn't I just head straight to the hospital and he would ride with Mom in the ambulance.  I do not even recall getting dressed or my husband and I driving to the hospital.  But, I so vividly recall seeing my precious Mother there in the ER and her now twisted face and her inability to utter any word outside of a mumble.  And, seeing the face of my Dad, her soul mate for the past 58 years.  These impressions will be forever etched in my memory.


The minutes turned to hours and the fog grew heavier and heavier in our souls.  The Drs. words were not encouraging, she had suffered a massive stroke and there was little hope of any recovery.  My two brothers, who both lived many miles away, were called and told the news.  One of them was able to make it in by Monday morning around 11:00AM.  Just as he arrived my Dad's cell phone rang. It was the nurse from ICU calling to tell him that Mom's Dr. wished to talk to him and could he please come to the hospital.  We arrived within a few short minutes and the three of us stood as the Dr. told us that Mom no longer had any brain activity and what were our wishes.  There was little discussion because we all knew that Mom would never want to linger in such a condition and so it was decided that all life support would be removed and she would be allowed to go to her eternal home.  The Dr. told us that once he removed everything, she would let us come and be with her in her final moments.  


Perhaps this sounds like a morbid act, but let me assure you that I would not trade that time at my Mother's bedside for anything in this world.  My baby brother and I stood on each side of our Dad and the three of us watched as our Mom drew her last breath and walked through Heaven's gates into the arms of Jesus.  Can I just tell you what a moment that was!!!  


As we stood there in the moments afterwards my brother said, "who is going to pray for me everyday now?"  Could there be any greater question to be asked by a child at a time such as this.  I can only hope for such. We always knew that everyday of our lives our Mom was interceding on our behalf and that was never to be again.  


Of course, there was no trip to Oklahoma to keep my Grandson, but instead, there was a visitation and burial to attend.  This was not in the plans, it was so unexpected. But, God being God, knew all the time that I was getting everything done ahead of time for Christmas, that this would be a good thing.  He knew I could not possibly have done that in the grieving state I was in.  And, God being God, knew that my Dad would be needing his domestic skills more than ever in the months following my Mom's death.  I stand in awe of our God and how His timing is always perfect. 


No, November 29, 2008, was not just another day.  It was a day my life was forever changed. I no longer have a Mom here on this earth and there's not a day that goes by that I do not miss her.  Yes, I got through it but I will never get over it.  She was a precious lady that left me with lots of cherished memories and I know she will be waiting on me when I walk through heaven's gates.  Praise be to Him!
 

Mom about 6 months prior to her death

The last picture taken of Mom and me about two months before her death

Mom's  casket covered with a pall cloth

Me and my brothers with our Dad at Mom's visitation

My Mom's final resting place on this earth

On this the 2nd anniversary of my Mom's death I  will be focusing on the life she lived and the lives she impacted in her 78 years.  I'm sure she was met with the words, "well done thy good and faithful servant."  Could we ask for more?