~Feeling 'Bear-ly' Here~

Some bears hibernate for the winter. 
Other bears are used as fat to line the stomachs of females longing to hibernate for the winter. 
This bear is from the latter group. 
So is this female.

Cheers!

~This Little Light of Mine~

A warm welcome to you and to the brand new year!

The weather here has finally proven it is indeed wintertime. New Year's Eve gave us our first snowfall, though it was only a dusting. Still, what peacefulness and contentment to have spent an unspoiled hour just watching it fall, changing from tiny little spitting flakes to fat and lacy white confetti.

The 'big birthday week' was full but quite nice . . . that week being the 17-25th as we celebrated Husband's birthday (17th), my birthday (21st) and Jesus' birthday. Though, I admit my favorite week of the whole year is the week after Christmas. The boys were off to Nana's and the Husband and I were all alone to sleep long, eat junk, play card games, watch movies, read and talk. I feel so rejuvenated after a week of slovenliness. I admit the 'back at it' has not been the easiest to go back to.

In fact, yesterday I was a bit down and overwhelmed with life-stuff, and I found myself really wanting to buy something. Silly, I know- especially right after being spoiled with birthday presents- but there it is. I think it has to do with nearly a year of no work and our unemployment soon to run out. Something in me just wants to shop and, yes- this is not the best timing. However . . .

I think God gets it (even though I don't) and more than that, He gives me again just what I don't deserve.

I had to take the Youngest to Walmart yesterday so that he could use his Christmas money to purchase CO2 cartridges for the airsoft gun he received as a Christmas gift.
I haven't been in a Walmart for probably 2 1/2 to 3 years. And you know what I found?

One dollar candles . . . that actually SMELL GOOD! And in a cute little jar to boot! I got 'the nod' from God, and bought myself one little treat. :)
But the good stuff really didn't stop there.
Due to depression and stress and all the difficulties in life over the past year, I really haven't been creating like I used to. Or decorating much. Or really CARING about all the things that normally make me, 'me'.
I've been numb.
But yesterday, I sat down with my little candle, peeled off the ugly label it came with, and decided to do what I've always felt is part of what I was made for . . .

 I made something a little more beautiful.

And as I just DID SOMETHING with what I had . . . I ended up feeling like this little candle and I had something in common.

We both have a little light to let shine . . . and a purpose for being lit up in the first place.

I hope this new year, this fresh start, will find all of us lit up with the purpose we were each uniquely created for.

Cheers!

~Instead of Coal~

This Christmas morning, the Youngest observed, "We were naughty all year and STILL got presents!" 

And right there I knew that was the whole point of Christmas-
Jesus is The Gift- we were naughty, but got the present anyway.

The kids should have coal, but they got what they longed for instead. Why? Because they're loved; plain and simple.

I should have God's back turned to me, and instead His arms are wide open. Why? Because God so loved the world that he Gave . . . and I get what I long for instead of what I deserve. He loves me; plain and simple. He loves you; plain and simple.

Merry Christmas!

Cheers!

~Cousins 'n Cookies~

Lucky me!

My sweet niece and her mommy came to visit last weekend. It's been a whole eighteen months since I last saw her so having her here was like an early Christmas gift.

So what do you do with three cousins on a rainy, cold December afternoon?

Bake Christmas cookies, of course!

And decorate them carefully once they've cooled . . .

so after dinner we can eat them.

Topped off with a warm fire and some cozy Christmas story reading, the simplest visits are always the best.

Cheers!

~Little Christmas House~

 The lights have been hung 'round the eaves . . .

The wreath is on the door . . .

And there's a snowman 'round the corner of my little Christmas house.

Snow lays on the ground, on the trees and lumps into the window boxes while I peek out between the shutters to marvel at the 

all-white world around me.

When I climb up to the attic I can look out to see for miles. Far away, a bit to the west and down in the valley I can see another house.

My son's house.

He built it when he was just eight years old . . . and it's been proved well made over these years. It lies in a drift on the valley floor, snug and solid and I can just make out his blue lights on his tree out front.

Lovely to have him so close for visits hearth side.

 Tomorrow he can bring his mom some more logs for her fire if the day is fine. I'll be baking cookies in anticipation.

And now it's time to heat the milk, put out the cat, and brave the cold bed sheets. Night comes so early in December.

Goodnight, son.

Goodnight little Christmas house.

Cheers!

~You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry~

You better not pout, I'm telling you why . . .

Twisty-Claws is coming to town!!!

(and those claws are no joke!)

Cheers!

~ Ahhh, December ~

December around here is very slowly making itself known. My Christmas decorating can be likened to a home improvement project- 90% prep work, 10% finishing/fun and always more time needed to get it done then you would imagine. And money of course . . .

except for this year. At this point Husband has been unemployed for ten months so this is the year we aren't doing presents! Believe it or not, I am super relieved. Don't misunderstand- I LOVE giving gifts . . . really, really love it and I am already missing getting a stocking together for my mom and kids, etc . . . BUT, this year I have been given the gift of simplicity. All the time I usually spend making for loved ones, wrapping, planning- shopping- instead I get to do the projects for myself I never end up having time for . . . like a snowflake garland I've had on the brain for three Christmases now, and maybe this will be the year I actually finish the little vintage Christmas shadow box I started like 5 years ago. I always dream of cookie baking time with my kiddos and making my own tree garland. THIS will be the year!

And, obviously, there is no money for enhancing any Christmas decorating, so I will only be using whatever I have on hand- and again- not a problem! My mind has been spinning like a little top with all sorts of "I could use this for that" sort of thinking, and the only thing stopping me from full-on Christmas decorating insanity is... the prep work.

Yup- I am a pre-Christmas cleaner. Full on, baby. As you can see, I even get down to the chandelier 'crystals'. Not a decoration- not a thread of tinsel- comes up from the basement until the living/dining areas are gleaming.

Oh, and I have a little bit of sliver to polish, too.

So, the tree remains in the garage, the lights in their storage bin (half of which I'm sure won't even light up) and Windex and Wright's Silver Cream are my bff's- at least for the moment.

Come on- someone tell me I'm not the only one . . . please!

. . . Dust the halls with the Swiffer dust pad! fa la la la laaa la la la la

. . . Gleaming silver makes me feel glad! fa la la la laaa la la la la

. . . Donning now rubber gloves and comet! fa la la la la la la la la 

. . . Just in case the cats do vomit! fa la la la laaa la la la la

Cheers!