Finding Baby Jesus | A Special Guest

I have been invited by my daughter to be a guest blogger.  I was excited!  If any readers know me at all you will know that I like to write and I like to talk.  It didn't take long for me to come up with what I wanted to say.

As a pastor, I deliver a children's sermon every Sunday.   During Advent I was giving the little message to the children, telling them that I have managed through the years to accumulate several nativity sets.  In early December we decorated our home for Christmas, deciding rather than displaying the nativity sets as a collection in one place, to put at least one in every room.  I was saying to the children that we have some that are large sets, some unique ones, some from foreign countries including one from Bethlehem.  I began to unwrap all the figures of that particular set, one by one.  First, the shepherds, sheep, wisemen, donkey, cow, and camel -- leading up to the holy family....Mary, Joseph and.....wait, where was the baby Jesus?  Jesus was missing.  As the children sat with mouths open and inquisitive looks on their faces, I was quickly thinking how I could bring my botched message around to something meaningful.  I knew that the Roman Catholic Churches don't place the Christ Child in their outdoor nativities until Christmas Eve night, so I talked about that and how other denominations often have different traditions from what we do, but in the end, we all celebrate and worship Jesus Christ as our Savior.  We had the prayer and the children left no doubt aware that I goofed but I find children to be very forgiving.

I have contemplated on that message quite a bit since then -- about how baby Jesus is missing from our celebrations this time of year and yet His birth is the very thing we are celebrating -- remember the old cliché, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

I am just wondering how many of us are missing the Baby Jesus in our lives?

Now an update:  When I got home from church that day I found Baby Jesus on a kitchen shelf (pictured).  He was with a different Mary and Joseph from another nativity set but that's okay -- the important thing is that we found Him.  I hope you have too....Blessings for a wonderfully happy and healthy New Year!

Blogger's Mom

Around Our House | Christmas Decorations

I love to decorate for Christmas.  I probably over decorate, at least in our current, smallish home.  It is so hard to pick and choose what goes up each year, so I use as much as I can without verging on tacky.  To some, I'm sure it is beyond tacky, but I love it and that's all that matters.  Here is a little glimpse of our home this holiday season--before it all comes down.

Antique German pine cupboard, mercury glass spheres above

Vintage Christmas ornaments

Welsh dresser with French pottery

One of MANY Vintage/Antique tree stands, this is my favorite

Old marmalade jar in my kitchen window

 Thanks for visiting!!

A Project in the Works

I have an addiction.  To fabric.  Everyone knows this.  I don't try to hide it.  The problem with it now is, there isn't a place left in our house to stash my yardage. It appears that I might be hoarding it by the looks of my store room.  I don't pay much for it, and I have something in mind to make with each and every piece I buy.

This particular roll was a steal!!  Really, I nearly stole it.  They all but paid me to take it out of the store.  So, what's a girl to do?  Why, make new roman shades for my kitchen of course.  I've never made them, but I'm pretty sure I can.  At least I'm going to try.  It was cheap enough that if I mess up and the whole lot is lost, no biggie.  Actually, it would be a big deal because I really like the blockprint pattern on linen and I've been looking for something affordable like this for a while.

This is the perfect post-holiday project.  All the decorations come down and the house feels a little bare.  Dressing our windows in something other than the white, plastic mini-blinds that came with the quarters is exactly what's needed.  I've watched a dozen YouTube tutorials, read some online instructions and even bought a pattern.  I have all the hardware and lining. I think this is 11 yards, and my windows are small, so let's cross our fingers that I have enough for 3.  Now, where to begin?

I'll keep you posted as I go, but I'm not to the DIY tutorial stage yet.  Maybe after the first window is done and I'm sure of my steps, I'll post some pictures of how I did it.  Check back soon to see my progress.

John Robshaw for Duralee Kedara in aqua/cocoa

Traditions | Old & New

I have to chuckle a little when I hear the word tradition, so I'm thinking I should share why.  We were living in Ft. Leavenworth, KS--a lovely town, by the way--where our Sam was in preschool at St. Paul's. It must have been just before the holiday season as they were discussing family traditions in class.  When I picked him up from school one afternoon, his teacher asked if I could hang around for a bit.  Oh dear, what on earth has he done is surely what I was thinking at the time.  Anyway, she explained that they were sharing their family traditions for the holidays and that Sam had said ours was to 'clean the house and light smelly candles when people came to visit'.  HA!!  Mrs. B thought I might get a kick out of hearing his response, the teachers thought it was hilarious.  Most kids had said they go to Grandma's, have a turkey dinner, open one present Christmas Eve, etc.  Not Sam.  He had considered our protocol when having company, any time of year, as our family tradition.  I suppose he's right, as it's probably the one thing we consistently do to this day.  As my mother-in-law would say, 'out of the mouths of babes'!

So, what are our traditions?  Over the years they've varied greatly, mostly depending on where we live at the time.  For years, soon after we married, we lived in Germany and our tradition was to spend the holidays at home as it was too expensive to travel overseas.  There was always space-available travel, but we had no desire to potentially be stuck in airports with little ones the entire time, still worlds away from family with no guarantee of ever arriving at the destination.  UGH!!!  We loved our Christmas' in Europe though, so much so that I often catch myself wishing we could go back.

On Christmas Eve Gregg makes his signature chili--no recipe, just a lot of this and that--and we attend a candlelight church service wherever we are.  Then, we spend the rest of the night wrapping the last-minute gifts before falling asleep with tape in our hair.  We're awoken in the morning by the smell of coffee--brewed using the timer setting, learned that from experience--and at least two of the kids pleading with us to get up, Santa has come.  Stockings are opened first, then a break to put the pigs-in-a-blanket in the oven, finishing with presents one person at a time.  Our Christmas dinner also varies based on location.  If we're close enough to drive, we share the meal with family and exchange gifts after.  If not, we keep our meal very basic--ham, potatoes, something green and dessert.

Puzzles.  I think this is something we do no matter where we are.  We call it the 'Christmas puzzle', and I will stay up all night to finish once it's been poured on the table.  If I do happen to go to bed before it's done, you can bet I won't leave the house we're visiting until it's complete.  And if I do, then I'll be back at Spring Break to finish it up--Judy will attest to that!!

This year we changed it up a little.  To start, the boys didn't shop for each other.  Instead, they went shopping together, purchasing items for 2 children on The Giving Tree rather than spending so much on one another.  The 24th was spent much the same way, except Gregg did the grocery shopping and all the last-minute gift purchases--hallelujah!!  He also followed a new recipe for loaded baked potato soup, instead of chili.  It was fantastic!!  We went to the 11pm candlelight service at the  church I grew up in, rather than the one we attend now.  I caught up with a few friends that I haven't seen in years and my family got a glimpse at one of my childhood traditions.  The biggest difference this year, and I mean BIG, is that we got to sleep past 7am before being dog-piled awake to open presents.  It was one of those 'you know you're getting older' moments we had only dreamed of!  We've yet to do a puzzle, but the holiday isn't over so I probably shouldn't write that one off.

I don't know if the last couple of days will define how we do things next year, or the year after, but it really felt good to live in the moment and not be stuck doing something just because that's what we've always done. While I love a good tradition, I'm all about exploring new ones.  Look out 2014!!!

What are your favorite traditions?

*disclaimer--I did clean the house and light smelly candles this week for our one-and-only visitor, the jolly 'ol guy wearing his red suit.  Some traditions are hard to break!

Merry Christmas...

from our house to yours!!

Paying It Forward

Last night I was so happy to be sitting on my couch, watching TV and doing absolutely nothing.  I know you know where I'm headed with this.  It was 7:41pm when my phone rang, a friend that lives up the street calling.  She asked if I was busy, and I thankfully said no, then told me that she and her daughter were parked outside and wondered if I had anything to make sugar cookies with.  Her little girl needed a dozen or so for school today, the commissary was closed and Walmart is an hour there and back from our homes.  I knew I did, had the ingredients anyway, and told them to come on in.  It didn't take me long to figure out that she wasn't quite sure how to make them either.

Hmmm...my wheels started turning and I offered to call my son, who works near Walmart, and ask him to pick up a roll of dough--the slice and bake type.  I suggested that this was probably the easiest option at that time of night.  Well, Sam didn't answer as he was working, so I quickly went into 'what-to-do mode'.  I knew what to do and didn't even hesitate to say, "we'll make them here, give me a few minutes to clean up the dishes from our hall party and we'll knock it out".  I could see the relief on their faces, which told me I had made the right decision.

They headed back up the hill so B could eat and shower, she had been to gymnastics, and I could get my itty-bitty kitchen in order.  By the time they got back to my house, the dough was made and board floured for her to start rolling.  I used my mom's recipe, but halved it since it makes A LOT, and we truly did knock-out 3 or more dozen cookies in no time.  The last batch she sprinkled with colored sugar to share with her big brother at home.  I think they left a little after 9:00, and I was back on the couch, with my feet up at 9:20.

While I was tempted, at one point, to give them what they needed to make the cookies, I felt it was more important to go the extra mile.  All week I've gotten help from others for one task or another, and helped some in return. As tired as I was, it was one of those times that I knew I would get back so much more than I was giving.  And, I did.  We talked and laughed for over an hour, I got to teach someone something new and do one of my favorite things--baking cookies--at the same time.

PLATTER of chocolate-dipped pretzels I made to help a friend yesterday afternoon

Tea rings my friend was making for gifts

Christmas in Germany

As you've probably read from previous posts, it's been busy around here.  I'm sure it's no different in your homes as well, because once again, 'tis the season, right?!  For several days, a few of us from Gregg's office, spouses included, have been working on table decorations for a holiday hall party at the MP School.  Each organization tied to the school was given a table, or four, to decorate however they chose.  We decided upon a Christkindlmarkt, or Christmas Market in Germany theme.  It's a tradition many of us military folks are fond of, visiting as many as we can from the end of November to Christmas Eve, while living in Europe.

A typical Christkindlmarkt has rows and rows of little huts that sell anything from candy and sweets to ornaments and handmade wares.  The favorite of most is the Gluhwein, mulled wine, stand.  As it's usually quite chilly this time of year, warm wine makes it much more bearable to be standing in the cold temps to partake in this tradition.  There is a non-alcoholic version called Kinderpunsch, which needs no translation I'm sure, that I made for our table yesterday. When you buy a glass of either drink at a market, you get it in a mug that is printed for that town specifically, the year included.  A deposit is given at the time you purchase your beverage, and given back when you return the cup.  We, as did most tourists, kept ours from time to time.  I pull them out at the holidays as yet another reminder of our 8 years and countless trips to market.

If you saw my last post, then you probably noticed some of the cookies I decorated had holes for ribbon, German phrases or funny shapes to them.  That particular batch was used to adorn our tables backdrop, created to resemble one of the little stalls found at a Christkindlmarkt.  There were hearts with 'CDID', Army speak for where Gregg works; trees that said 'Frohes Fest', German for 'Merry Celebration'; and crossed pistols, which represent the MP Corps.  We also used nutcracker soldiers, a Santa and lebkuchen(gingerbread) tin for props, all from my collection.

As good as our decorating skills were, our food donations were even better.  Somehow, our theme carried on in our dishes too.  We had brats(Nurnberger) with crusty rolls (brotchen), German potato salad, green salad with oranges and pomegranates, maple-bacon scones, fudge, tea cakes, a huge assortment of candies and mulled punch.  What an AMAZING turnout from people as busy as me!!  And did I mention we took 3rd place??  Even better than that though, I got to meet and work with a group of great people that I'm so grateful to know!!

A little blurry, but you get the idea...

If you ever find yourself in Germany at Christmas, don't miss one of these fabulous markets.  Some of the smaller, more quaint villages are even better than the huge, more famous ones in the cities.