A Tree Of Memories

I love our Christmas tree. It's not a fancy tree, but I think it is beautiful. It is filled with many wonderful decorations. Like many people we have all kinds of ornaments. Some that are store bought, some that are homemade, and some that are gifts....but all of them have special meaning.

For the first four years of our marriage, William and I had a small, artificial "Charlie Brown" tree, with small wooden ornaments. Then in 1982, my sister gave us our first life size artificial tree, (they had bought a new one, and gave us their old one). That is when I started buying ornaments. I usually buy a new one every year, and through the years we have accumulated many precious ones.

I enjoy putting the ornaments on the tree, and thinking about each one....and the memory it brings. There are many happy "memories" on our tree. This is the ornament I bought this year. I love snowmen, and just couldn't resist this little guy.

My sister bought this ornament for Megan's first Christmas in 1984.



What Jesus give us when He lives in our hearts. :o)

A sweet Victorian Christmas angel. I bought her because she was so pretty and feminine.



This gingerbread girl is part of a set of six ( three girls and three boys) that I bought many years ago. I thought they were so sweet.



A beautiful, homemade angel was a gift from a friend.



My mom made these wooden ornaments for Michelle (and Megan) when they were little. (The nativity ornament in the background was on my parent's Christmas tree for many years.)



Megan made this ornament when we were at a family gathering about eleven years ago.



I received this ornament when I was three years old. My mother had enrolled me in a ballet and tumbling class. The little ballerina is over fifty years old now.

The beautiful angel on top of our tree. I bought her a few years ago at Home Goods.

I enjoy turning the Christmas tree lights on first thing in the morning so I can enjoy them all day, until bedtime. I also enjoy turning the house lights off at night, and just leaving the Christmas tree lights on. They're so beautiful! William and I enjoy snuggling on the sofa, and just enjoy looking at the lights together. That is a simple pleasure that is special to both of us. The tree looks so magical.....it is something I'll never outgrow!

Megan and Michelle have their ornaments that will someday grace the Christmas trees in their own homes. For now, they will remain with us, and be part of the special memories that make up our Christmas tree. :o)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

( Please click on any photo to enlarge it.)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

To read other daybooks, or learn how to participate, please visit our hostess Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook.


For today....December 14, 2009



Outside my window....the forecast for today is a high of 52 degrees. The day is cloudy, the sun is trying to peek through. It rained all weekend, so it will be nice if the sun can make an appearance. :o)

I am thinking.....that I am going to have a busy week.



I am thankful for.....spending quality time with my family this past weekend.



I am wearing.....actually, I'm still in my pajamas. I had a difficult time sleeping last night, and slept in late this morning.

I am going.....to finish up my Christmas shopping today.



I am reading.....Keeping House, by Margaret Kim Peterson.



I am hoping.....to get some Christmas baking done this week.

On my mind.....it was wonderful to get together with my family this weekend. We went to a Christmas get-together at my brother Steve's house on Saturday afternoon. Lots of yummy food, and time spent talking together. On Sunday afternoon we picked up my parents, and went to watch our nephew Coleton play in a bowling tournament. (He is my brother David's son.) We enjoyed both days with family, since we won't all be together for Christmas.

I also had the pleasure of meeting jAne from tickleberry farm at her fabulous junQue sAle on Saturday morning. She is a delightful lady, and I enjoyed meeting her very much. I also bought some wonderful things at her sale. Come to find out, we had met each other before many years ago at a birthday party when our children were small! And we also used to live in the same neighborhood! Wow....I think that is so amazing.!! That we would meet again through the blogosphere. Thank you jAne, it was so lovely to meet you. :o)

I also met another lovely lady at jAne's sale. She is also from the blogosphere, Tuscan Lady. I enjoyed meeting you!



Pondering these words.....For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ~John 3:16-17~



From the kitchen....making baked beef stew and biscuits for dinner tonight. (Yum!)

Around the house....this weekend was pretty busy, so I need to finish Christmas decorating, shopping for Christmas dinner this Saturday, and some baking.



One of my favorite things....snuggling on the sofa...under a warm blanket....on a cold day....to either read, or watch a movie.



A few plans for the rest of the week....

~finishing up Christmas shopping
~finish Christmas cards and put them in the mail
~grocery shopping
~cleaning the house
~wrapping all presents (I've been procrastinating!) :o)
~some Christmas baking
~meeting a friend for lunch on Thursday
~William's family coming for Christmas dinner on Saturday

From my picture journal....God's Christmas gift to us.

Nativity picture from Google Images.

The Children Of God

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!


~1 John 3:1~




Hide 'n Seek, by Harrison Rucker

O Come, Let Us Adore Him

O Come, All Ye Faithful


O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the king of angels.

O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.


Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above.
Glory to God
Glory in the highest.

O, come let us adore Him,
O, come let us adore Him,
O, come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.


Yea Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing.

O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.

This Christmas carol is credited to an English hymnist named John Francis Wade. The text was originally written in Latin, and intended to be a hymn. The music was composed by fellow Englishman John Reading. The tune was first published in a collection known as "Cantus Diversi" in 1751. In 1841, Rev. Frederick Oakley is reputed to have worked on the familiar translation of "O Come All Ye Faithful" which replaced the older Latin lyrics "Adeste Fideles".



For God So Love the World, by Simon Dewey

Laundry And Other Things....

We got our new washer today! Yay!! The first load of laundry is washing as I write this. We had a little trouble getting it to work at first.....apparently the water was turned off. (Duh!) I guess when it was installed the guy turned off the water, and didn't turn it back on, and we didn't realize it....oops! But we have it figured out now....lol! So I know what I will be doing tomorrow! It will be nice to get caught up on the laundry. :o)

Michelle had a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I went with her, and afterwards we drove to the mall because she wanted to buy a Christmas gift for a friend. The mall isn't my favorite place to be anytime...and especially during the Christmas season! Thankfully today it wasn't too busy, and we were both able to buy what we wanted. I still have a couple more gifts to buy, then I will have all my Christmas shopping done. (Another yay!!)

We still haven't put up our Christmas tree and decorations (except for a couple of wreaths), but we have got them out of the garage. Michelle gets out of school early tomorrow (piano final), so hopefully we can put up the tree and decorations when she gets home. It will be fun to make the house look Christmassy and festive.

I'm going to help Megan in her kindergarten class this Friday morning. I haven't been there since the end of October. It will be fun to help out in the class again. There are two more weeks left before school lets out for Christmas vacation. I know she is looking forward to the break! Megan and Ric will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary in eleven days! It's hard to believe it's been a year already!

Well....it's late. Time to get some sleep. :o)

Laundry, by Elizabeth Garrett
The Night Before Christmas, by Thomas Kinkade

Jesus In Everything

The joy of Jesus will be my strength--it will be in my heart. Every person I meet will see it in my work, my walk, my prayer--in everything.

~Mother Teresa~

Morning Light, Redwood National Park, California, USA, by Panoramic Images

Busy Days....

I just had a wonderful weekend! I went to my first Women of Faith conference, and it was awesome! It was a two day event, all day Friday, and most of Saturday. The speakers were excellent....we heard Patsy Clairmont, Sheila Walsh, Lisa Harper, Marilyn Meberg, Anita Renfroe, Lisa Welchel, Stephen Arterburn and Rich Stearns. Nicole C. Mullen, Mandisa, and the Women of Faith Worship Team provided the music.

I don't think I've laughed so much in a long time!! I enjoyed the speakers not only for their humor, but for their willingness to be open and transparent with events in their lives in order to demonstrate how God has worked in their lives. And has carried them through good times and bad times. They were inspiring, thought provoking, heartfelt. I cannot stress how wonderful they were. Our conference was the last one for this year. I would urge anyone to go to a Women of Faith conference next year if there is one in your area. It was a worthwhile experience! Our church has already signed up for next year's conference.

Today was a quiet day. After church this morning, it was nice to relax this afternoon. Even though I enjoyed myself at the conference, it was very tiring. Tomorrow William and I are going to my parent's house. We have to be there at 6:00 am! I think I've mentioned this before...I am not a morning person. William is taking my dad to a doctor's appointment in the morning at the VA clinic. Dad has to go in for lab work first....that's why they have to be there so early. I'm going along to visit with Mom while they are gone. (I'm hoping I'll be able to make a strong cup of tea!) :o)

I'm taking my Christmas cards along so I can get started on them. I've not started on anything yet. We plan to get our Christmas decorations out when we get home tomorrow, so we can get started on those too! I'm looking forward to having the house decorated. It always looks so cozy and festive!

I've hardly done any Christmas shopping. Last Thursday I went shopping only to be called back home by William. We have been having trouble with our washer for awhile, and had called a repairman to come and fix it. It turns out it would cost over $500 to repair it. He suggested we just buy a new washer.....so that is what we did! We went to Lowe's, and picked one out, but because of Black Friday the week before, it was out of stock. They called and ordered one....but it will take several days for delivery. This wasn't what we had planned to do a few weeks before Christmas!! I'm hoping they will call tomorrow to set up delivery here....our laundry is getting very behind! I took one load to my sister's house on Thursday, so we would have some clean clothes. :o)

This next week is going to be a busy one, but all of December is a busy month! Have a lovely week.


Women of Faith Logo

The Best Journey, by Jo Moulton

Fun On The Water

I thought I would share some photos we took while we were at our SOWER project last month. We went on three different outings, two with other couples in our group, the other one was just William and I.

Mission Springs Camp is located in the Santa Cruz mountains and is about 5-6 miles from Santa Cruz and the ocean. The first Saturday we drove to the wharf which is not far from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The day was cold and windy. We walked along the wharf and browsed in the shops. Then we had lunch at one of the restaurants on the wharf. We had a good time, and enjoyed becoming acquainted with our SOWER group.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

A lone sea lion

Our fellow SOWERS

The Beach Boardwalk in the distance.

The sun was so pretty shining on the water.

The following Friday, William and I took a drive to Monterey, which was about 32 miles south of us. We drove to the Old Fisherman's Wharf. We hadn't been to Monterey for several years, and it made for a fun afternoon. We could hear some sea lions in the distance as soon as we got there. They were at the end of another wharf not far away, though we didn't get close enough to take pictures. We weather was cold, but it was sunny and clear. We looked through several shops, and just enjoyed the ocean and the activity along the wharf.

A thirsty sea lion.

Pelicans outside a restaurant window.


Sailboats in the harbor.

The ever present seagull. :o)

The next day we went with another couple, Bill and Marilyn, to Moss Landing. Moss Landing was also south of us about 21 miles away. It is located between Santa Cruz and Monterey. The Elkhorn Slough (pronounced slew) is located there. It is a wetland and nature reserve. We took a boat ride (the Elkhorn Slough Safari) into the slough and saw the coastal wildlife. The boat ride took about two hours. There was a naturalist on board that explained about the wildlife we saw. The captain was funny, with a dry sense of humor. (He and his wife own the local bed and breakfast, Captain's Inn.) We all enjoyed the boat ride. Thankfully the weather turned out nice and sunny, since we woke up that morning to rain! Afterwards we went to Phil's Fish Market & Eatery for lunch. I don't like seafood, but was able to find something else. Everyone else enjoyed their seafood lunch. The restaurant was right on the ocean, so we walked out to the beach and enjoyed the scenery.

Sleepy sea lions.

A squadron of pelicans.

Some sea otters.

A sea otter with baby.

We enjoyed these outings, and will have some nice memories to remember. :o)

A Welcome To December

Shout now! The months with loud acclaim,

Take up the cry and send it forth;

May breathing sweet her Spring perfumes,

November thundering from the North.

With hands upraised, as with one voice,

They join their notes in grand accord;

Hail to December! say they all,

It gave to Earth our Christ the Lord!

~By J.K. Hoyt~

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

~2 Corinthians 9:15~

A Season of Peace, by Bill Breedon

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For today....November 30, 2009

Outside my window...the forecast for today is 61 degrees. It's a lovely, clear day.



I am thinking....about the upcoming Christmas season.



I am thankful for...a relaxing weekend, after a wonderful Thanksgiving day. :o)

I am wearing...I'm still in my pajamas.



I am going....to a Women of Faith conference with friends from church at the end of the week. I've never been to one, and I'm looking forward to it.



I am reading...I'm reading A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens online. I watched three different movie versions of A Christmas Carol over the weekend. It's one of my favorite Christmas movies, though I've never read the story itself.

I am hoping....to make more time this week for quiet contemplation. Our pastor spoke yesterday about how Christmas should be all about worshiping God, and being thankful for His love for us, and for His gift of sending Jesus. I want to spend more time being thankful.



On my mind....getting Christmas decorations down so we can start decorating.



Pondering these words.....Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27



From the kitchen....fixing Michelle's favorite dinner tonight, macaroni and cheese, William's favorite veggie of peas, and green salad.



Around the house...the house is quiet, Michelle is still sleeping. She doesn't have to work today, just has school later on. William is on the other computer.



One of my favorite things...watching Christmas movies.



A few plans for the rest of the week....

~Bible study group tonight
~putting up Christmas decorations
~grocery shopping
~some Christmas shopping
~Women of Faith conference on Friday and Saturday.
~daily housework
~baking some chocolate chip cookies (William baked some for Thanksgiving, but they were eaten way too fast!)



From my picture journal....a feathered friend we met on a recent trip to Monterey. I think his feathers are so pretty.

To read other daybooks, or learn how to participate, please visit our hostess Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook.