Happy 2013 and Good Bye 2012

Have a safe and Happy 2013 New Year.  I'm happy to say goodbye to 2012, this year was full of so many ups and downs, adjustments, moving and too many disappointments.  Throw in some real reality checks with that too.  Ok . . I'll stop complaining now.  But the good stuff, is realizing what great friends I have, that are more like family to me and my wonderful kids that God has truly blessed me with.  Nothing but gratitude for them.

Bye bye for now . . .

Time to start putting everything away again . . . I felt like we just started having the Christmas season and now its over.  What?  Already took my middle son, Brian back to LAX to return back to Wisconsin. It was so much fun having all the kids home with me.  I sure did alot of cooking too.  Drinking coffee and having breakfast together every morning sure was nice and boy, did we eat plenty.  Cassandra, my daughter started working at Sees Candies, so throw the candy in there too.  One disaster did happen, the coffee maker stopped working.  Cassandra gave me a gift card to Williams-Sonoma for Christmas, I think I'll be using it on a new coffee maker . . . happy dance time :O) The Christmas tree is still fresh to the touch and I hate to take it down just yet.  I think I might keep it up til after the New Year.  I realized as time goes by how much I appreciate my Christmas ornaments even more, they sure don't make them like they used too.  The quality has definitely changed. I really didn't buy any new ones this year, didn't really see any that I liked or had to have. I did add a couple of vintage ones that I found at a garage sale over the past Summer.  One of the ornaments I found was a mercury bell, dated around 1930.  Absolutely love it, the ringer inside of bell has a beaded crystal attached.  I took a pic, but you really can't see the beaded crystal against the mercury inside of the bell.  Well looking forward to the New Year celebration . . blessings :O)

Merry Christmas . . . sending blessings your way

May you all have a beautiful Christmas this year with your families . . . don't forget to tell them how much you love them, cause that's all that really matters. Blessings :O)


A Christmas Prayer

Loving Father, help us to remember the birth
of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and
open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and
good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing
which Christ brings, and teach us to
be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy
to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening
bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen!

-- Robert Louis Stevenson

Just a little vintage Christmas cheer . .

My heart just melts for Christmas vintage . . sometimes it's just the sweetness of it displayed.  I found this pic while pinning on Pinterest.  Too cute. This cup reminds me of something my Grandma would have, tattered too. When we slow down and live just for the moment it makes things so much easier.  I've really enjoyed this Christmas season.  Not being able to find my pedal for my sewing machine was a little nerve racking in the beginning.  Once I found it, I felt I was in place again.  Sewing is just a relief to me.  It gives me a lot of comfort, very relaxing.  Finally finished all my Christmas shopping, wrapping included.  Hope you have too.  Now it time to start baking and cooking.  Later today I pick up my middle son Brian from LAX, he's flying in from Wisconsin.  His first flight was cancelled due to a blizzard. So now I get to have all my kids under one roof again.  So love having all my kiddos home and just listening to them catch up and chat with each other is so nice to hear.  Thought I would never say this . . . but it's like music to my ears LOL!  Everything feels right again.  Gotta to have "that noise" around me.  I know Mr. Grumpy will be here in spirit again.  He was  the real noise.  God Bless :O)  

1 Corinthians 13:13  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love

Sewing again today . . . Baby Jesus

Sewing away today . . . making ornaments.  This little ornament is "baby Jesus" wrapped in a blanket and crowned with a star :O)

Loving the holidays

Feeling the Christmas magic around here lately  . . . loving it too :O) Spending time with my oldest tonight watching documentary on the Rolling Stones, "Crossfire Hurricane".

A Little Chair

 Some more decorating today . . . this chair is over 100 years old.  It belonged to my husband's parents, Harry and Minnie.  David's parents were in their forties when they started having children, which was pretty late to have children back then in 1957.  They bought this chair along with a shaker style desk up in Mammoth, California.  I placed it next to the Christmas tree this year with a wreath.  Actually I put the wreath there so nobody tries to sit on it. When the sun shines on it in the afternoon, it looks so pretty.

Act of Kindness . . .

Last night as I was making dinner, a very dear and special friend of mine surprised me with a beautiful Christmas tree delivered to my door.  I was so touched by this act of kindness.  I just finished decorating the tree this morning.  Just a beautiful surprise . . . Thank you my dearest friend :O)

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.  

A little bit of sewing . . . some new ornaments

Having fun again with my sewing machine, made a couple of ornaments last nite . . loved the way they turned out.  Can't get enough angels around my house and of course, hearts too.  Hope you're having a wonderful day :O

Sewing Machine Pedal Found . . . Yay!

Happy news . . . . I found my sewing machine pedal.  I was so lost without my sewing machine, one of my favorite companions around the holidays.  Sewing just makes me happy :O) Well I better stop blogging and pinning for awhile and start sewing my presents.  It's so much fun looking at all the blog goodies at this time of the year, especially Pinterest.  Cute, cute stuff.  Happy days kiddos!

Christmas time is here

Christmas is here again . . . time to get out the decorations.  Ashamed to say but I started decorating the day after Thanksgiving. It sort of makes things happy around the household doesn't it.  I'm not an early shopper.  Tried that one year including matching the wrapping paper around my Christmas decorations.  I thought it would be great and so did not like it.  Something special happens around Christmas time, not knowing what to buy just sort of falls in place, things just sort of happen and everything comes together.  I love that about Christmas.  I know God plays a big role here.  Like they say its the magic of Christmas.  Something really special always seems to happen.

Pinterest love above . . .

I won't be hosting Thanksgiving this year . . . it's been a long time since my family and I've been invited to Thanksgiving Dinner.  The Jacobsons usually do the inviting.  Sort of a nice feeling you know.  Now I've got to decide which one I want to go to.  I think I'll be bringing a desert this year.  I have a recipe for "Pumpkin Crunch Cake" which is extremely addicting.  If you are a pecan lover, this is the one for you.  To all my blogging sisters have a beautiful Thanksgiving with your family.  Blessings xo

Where is it?

Can't seem to find my pedal for my sewing machine since the move  . . . this could be a major inconvenience this holiday season.  Looks like I might be in some big trouble without it.  Prayer request please  . . . that I find my pedal.

Happy Voting

Don't forget to go vote today  . . .  and good luck voting for the right one :O)

Little touches of Fall . . some memories too

Having some fun decorating with a little piece of cross stitch.  This cross stitch has to be about 20 years old.  I stitched it when my kiddos were little  . . . best memories:O).  When we were moving and cleaning out the garage,  I found this piece in a box. I just had to reframe it.  It couldn't be more perfect for Thanksgiving.

Well, well, well you wonder what's going to happen next . . . Hurricane Sandy.  I don't know how much I like that name.  Lots of prayer is going out to the people on the East Coast.  Hoping things get in order very quickly before the cold weather really starts to come.  People on the East Coast are definitely true Americans . . . TOUGH.

Took all my Halloween decorations down yesterday, put them all back in the boxes and will store them again for another year.  I replaced them with some more Fall decorations.  Time sure flies thats for sure.  Nothing stays the same forever . . . you can always count on change, whether you want it or not.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it makes me reflect on all the ups and downs that have taken place in our household and I realized how much God has been there through it all and has always fulfilled his word.  How grateful this makes me and how true his word really is.  If God is all you have, you have all you need . . . Sandy xo

Loving God

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord, your God.  Isaiah 43:2-3 

Starting to decorate for Halloween . . .

Its always fun decorating for the holidays  . . . its the same decorations, just put together differently every year. Now if only the weather would start to cool down.  Fall is finally here and it's 71 degrees . . only here in Southern California.  So wishing for colder weather.  Gotta love it.  Blessings :O)

Patience

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up . . .  Galatians 6:9

Be Here Now

This song is so beautiful  . . . it gives me so much peace.  I can listen to this over and over and never get tired of it.  It is as if the Lord is speaking to you.  Blessings, enjoy :O)

Don't let your mind get weary and confused..
your will be still; don't try.
Don't let your heart get heavy, child;
inside you there's a strength that lies.

Don't let your soul get lonely, child..
it's only time; it will go by.
Don't look for love in faces, places —
it's in you; that's where you'll find kindness.

Be here.. be here now.. be here now..
be.. be here now.. be here now...

Don't lose your faith in me,
and I will try not to lose faith in you.
Don't put your trust in walls,
'cause walls will only crush you when they fall.

Be...be here now... be here now.
Be...be here now...be here now.

Fall is almost here :O)

Fall's coming and I want to go shopping so bad . . I live in jeans and boots Fall and Winter and wouldn't have it any other way. Thought I would share some of the goodies I've been "looking" at lately . . . mind you I said looking :O)

Timex came out with a men's watch which I would love for myself called the "Weekender", the gray/orange one is my favorite. I seen it at Target and fell in love with it.

I been wanting to try this nail polish by Butter, love these new shades. Most of the jewelry I wear involves crosses. I found this beautiful necklace on Pinterest.

My only downfall with Fall and Winter is all the goodies I like to bake and eat. I'll blame Pinterest on that . . . they have the best recipes posted.  Blessings, xo

My daughter Cassandra surprise me with a birthday dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. I thought it was just going to be the two of us but she so surprise me with a group of my dearest friends. Thought I would post some of the pics of the celebration, got to love those chipmunk cheeks of mine, can't seem to get rid of them. This was very unexpected but so much fun. Thank you baby-girl!

Went to Crystal Cove Beach yesterday with my son Davey and friends. It was so nice to be by the water again. Got to see some dolphins playing in the water too. I packed some sandwiches for Davey and I. I must have not closed the container good enough before putting them in the ice chest, sandwiches were a little soggy, actually they were terrible. We ended up throwing them away. So are lunch was scooter pies, sour cream dip and chips along with soda and water. Next time I visit the beach, definitely will bring a lot more sunguard, came home a little burnt yesterday. Happy Summer:O)

Spending the day with my kids and a bunch of friends at a block party . . . definitely need some fun times for a change. Happy Fourth of July!