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{March is well under way}

February days are now gone and March has officially kicked in.   I finally purchased a new monthly focus board.  We ventured out for a day date which included a movie. I love our day dates. I will give my honest review about the movie for those interested. I wanted to see this movie as it was based on a true story. I did enjoy the movie but oh my, it was a tear jerker from the get go! It ended good but mercy! Let's just say that I am thankful that no one was sitting close enough to see my tear stained face. I am glad that I saw it but I am good for a while on sad movies, even if they do end good!   My oldest daughter, her husband and their son participated in the Spartan race which is a series of obstacle courses that challenge. They done so well. As you can see from the pictures it gets pretty muddy!  My three daughters participate each year in the Gate River Run. I love it that they do this together. They have so much support & encouragement from all the onlookers. I am just

{It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas}

  I was standing in line at Walgreen's a few days ago and the lady behind me asked the lady behind her, "Are you ready for Christmas?. I was truly expecting to hear words such as, "No, I'm not ready or Yes, I am about ready or maybe even.... "I have just a few more things to do. NO....this lady said, 

" Honey, I'm always ready for Christmas because ever since I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior every day is Christmas to me! I was given the gift of salvation and that is Christmas. Then she said, "How about YOU? Are you ready for Christmas?

  Well I was trying to pay for my items and listen to the conversation all at the same time...(you know how we women can be?) GOOD THING I can multitask like that! I didn't know either of those ladies but I can tell you that we had a little church that day in Walgreen's. I couldn't help myself and I had to chime in on the conversation. Don't you just love it when things like that happen? 

Speaking of Christmas....I am just loving sitting in my living room at night when all is quiet and looking at the lights burning from my Christmas tree and mantle piece and all my little Santa's shining bright. Just something about the pretty lights that draws me to quietness. 







So last week I ask you a few questions about Christmas and I appreciated all of your answers. I always enjoy hearing how others celebrate the wonderful holiday season. 



Let's have fun with a few questions today.

1: What is one of your most favorite childhood memories of Christmas?


2:  Do you decorate your Christmas tree with homemade ornaments, a particular kind of ornament you have collected over the years, color theme or a particular theme? 


3: Last question for this week: Do you bake goodies and give for gifts during the holiday season? 



I have several favorite memories but my most favorite ones has been when I had the opportunity to stay at my grandparents home and be there on Christmas morning. My Papa would wake me up around 3 am to tell me that he was pretty sure he heard Santa and the reindeer leaving off the roof of the house. I would be so excited and jump right up to run into the living room to see what Santa had brought me. A few hours would pass and I would fall asleep in my Papa's lap only to awaken to the smell of bacon cooking. Granny would fix us a big Christmas breakfast. 


With decorating the Christmas tree...for years we decorated of course with all of our homemade ornaments and ornaments that the girls would make and I loved it! But as they became adult women, married and on their own our tree became "My Tree". I decorate it with ornaments that I love and usually with a color theme that stems from red, gold, clear and some added greens. I also love to use flowers on my tree. This year I did add a few new ornaments to my tree and bought a new topper. Actually it's a door swag but I wanted it to go on top of my tree and I love it!  I usually do three trees. But this year I let my youngest daughter use my Country Christmas ornaments and I decided to not put up my little tree.


 3: I love giving baked goodies as gifts. I usually try to take one day and do some baking for gift giving. Years ago it seemed that everyone gave baked gifts. Now with the busyness of life that has slowed down it seems. I have always appreciated baked gifts as I know the time it takes and the money that goes into baking. And I must admit that my list has slowly dwindled down for baked gifts as well. 

And....I guess you can tell that I LOVE SANTA'S!

I do hope that you all are having a great week. 

I have a question for you though?

ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? 


Hugs and blessings, Cindy

 




 

Comments

  1. I just love your tree Cindy! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas. ;)

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  2. I'm a baker too! In fact my favorite childhood memory is baking with my big sister. We baked all day and wrapped everything and sent out to our relatives in other states. This year our daughter gave us gold & silver ornaments, but I didn't want our tree to look like a department store tree so I added my collection through the years. Now it looks homey and cozy! Your tree is beautiful, Cindy. Blessings & love to you.

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  3. The swag as a topper is great..Love it! My fondest childhood memories are getting up early and spending the day with family and smelling the turkey in the oven. I have 4 trees this year and my theme changes from time to time. I am so ready for Christmas and giving thanks for all of God's many blessings.

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    1. Thanks Karen! I went to by new ribbon this year to make a bow for the top of the tree and my eye caught that cute swag and I decided there was my new topper!

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  4. Yes ma'am...ready for Christmas...what a lovely post...thank you sweet friend.

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  5. Good morning, Cindy! Your tree looks so pretty! Here are my answers:
    1. My memory of one Christmas, was finding a doll in my mom's closet. I would go in there and play with it. Well, one evening there were carolers singing outside, and my mom went to look for me, and lo and behold, she found me in her closet!
    2. I decorate my tree with ornaments that people have given me over the years. This year, my son who lives here with me, surprised me while I was in Ohio, and put up the tree that I hadn't used in several years. That touched my heart!
    3. Yes, I have always baked goodies, and have never failed to make Christmas Jam for going on 40 years. My late beloved used to help me make it batches and batches of it and he would take jars in for his coworkers. Now I have to make it by myself, but always think of him and how we made it together.
    Loved your Walgreens story...and yes, I'm ready for Chrtstmas! xo

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    1. What a sweet memory Kitty. Oh I bet your Christmas Jam is good. I might need your recipe!

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  6. Love the floral pieces in your tree. My tree is red and green with some ornaments that I have collected over the years. No on the baked gifts I am afraid. But I do buy baked goods sometimes and give them as gifts. Does that count? LOL! A favorite memory would be waking up to a bike and a bright shiny red one at that with a basket and a horn.
    Connie Royals

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    1. I remember my first bike too Connie. I would ride around my yard and pretend I was a school bus driver! LOL!

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  7. I'm not ready but getting there. I'm not too stressed, yet! Your tree is gorgeous!! Our main tree is a mix of home made and collected over the years ornaments, no real theme. I have other trees around the house with themes and color schemes. I always loved getting my stocking delivered on Christmas eve to my room. I could open it up any time I woke up (we weren't allowed out of our rooms until everyone was up). I continue that tradition with my kids. Every gift in the stocking is wrapped too! We love to bake and give out our baked goods. We always make cranberry bread to give out to friends and family.

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    1. I love that idea Heather...the stocking being delivered to your room on Christmas Eve. What a neat idea. When my girls was at home we done stockings too and I never wrapped anything in the stockings and they hung up on the fireplace mantle. Now I have grandbabies stocking hanging and all little stocking stuffers are wrapped. Love hearing the traditions of others.

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  8. LOVE all of your decorations. What a gorgeous tree....and that fireplace....I'm quite envious of that!!! ;-) One of my favorite memories....well, I have several....but there was a little country store right out from where we lived and Mom took me out there one CHRISTmas Eve. While we were gone, Santa came!!! And, another favorite was, like you, centered around Mamaw and Papaw. He had been in the hospital and they let him come home on CHRISTmas Eve....I can remember my Mom and Aunt hurrying to get things together for our get-together because they knew that was what he would want. He would always go over into the woods and cut down a cedar tree and Mamaw would make up a mixture of "warshing powder" and water and spread on the limbs for "snow". The big bulbs would sometimes lay against that stuff and you could smell it. Oh, such sweet, precious memories. I'm getting teary-eyed!!! Okay, changing the subject....our tree is all woodsy...burlap and owlies (of course) and snowflakes and rusty jingle bells. I'll try to show some pics tomorrow for our FFF link-up. Do I bake? I used to, but not so much any more. You're right about how expensive it can be. I do plan on making chess squares for Jack's sister's family because his brother-in-law LOVES them!! I just adore what the lady said about ALWAYS being ready for CHRISTmas....oh, what an attitude to have. Love you, sweet Lady....Merry, Merry CHRISTmas to you and your family.

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    1. Awe thanks Deb. I love the memories you shared! Makes me smile. I somehow figured your tree had some owls on it! LOL! I bet it is beautiful!

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  9. Your Walgreens moment is heart warming and something I'm taking with me. I want to use her opening phrase, of being always ready!!

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    1. I know what you mean Christine. I have been praying that I would not get so caught up with all the hoopdala of the holiday season that I forgot what Christmas was truly all about. Well....God reminded me standing in line at Walgreens.

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  10. Sweet Cindy, what a beautiful story about what you experienced in Walgreen's. That is a good story to ponder.
    Got to run now but I'll try to get back later and answer your questions.

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  11. Hi Cindy, I love your Walgreen story and your photos...beautiful and heartwarming! Thank you so much for sharing, this is such a lovely post. :)

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  12. Hi Cindy, Yes, I am always ready for Christmas too. It would have been difficult for me to not chime in that conversation too. Love it when that happens out and about. God lives among us everywhere we go. Love your home for Christmas. Everything is gorgeous. I love your mantel and your Santa's. I collect them too and have many sizes from small to 4 foot tall. This year I only brought out a few because I tried to keep it a bit smaller and simplify. haha it's a challenge too. haha
    What a fun post with the questions. One of my favorite memories is the time my dad gave my mother a sewing machine. Mom and I had been out shopping and dad was working. We came home to find a beautiful cabinet sewing machine standing by the tree with a big red bow on it. It was a great surprise to my mother and seeing her excitement was really special and I was so happy for her. There are many other special memories but that was a favorite. I decorate with a theme too and usually put up 2 or 3 trees so I can use my collected ornaments and themed ornaments. The colors change around from year to year.
    Yes, I too bake lots of Christmas goodies and I also use them for gifts to friends stopping by or when I run out to visit someone. I like to have a little goodie bag to give.
    Enjoy the weekend ahead sweet friend and your lovely decorated home. Blessings always. xo

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    1. What a sweet memory Celestina. I can only imagine the look on your sweet mama's face. I have seen so much of your beautiful Christmas and wish I could enjoy one of those baked goodies with you over a cuppa of tea. Have a good weekend.

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  13. I love that lady's response! Oh, if I could be so bold and quick thinking to say those perfect words when asked the same question. I love your décor. Red is just so Christmas and I love the traditional colors. 1. My favorite childhood memory is knowing where the cookies were hidden and sneaking them all the time!2. My main tree is decorated with ornaments from my childhood to present, my kids childhood ornaments and ones my grandchildren have made. I also have a Victorian tree and a snowman themed tree but did not put them out this year because of naughty kitties. 3. I make 10-12 kinds of cookies every year and give them out as gifts. This year I will mail them to two different places and because I know where they are hidden, I eat a lot of them!!!

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    1. Love the cookie story! One year I had a Victorian tree. It was small but really pretty. I am thinking about having a grandbaby tree next year or maybe a Family tree...something a little different than the norm but still laced with Christmas! Mercy, here I go to thinking about next Christmas already! LOL!

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  14. Cindy, I love that story about Walgreens. That is precious and what a great opportunity for someone who didn't know about Jesus to overhear. Have a great week!

    xo Dianne

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Hoping you have a great weekend Dianne.

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  15. Hi, Cindy girl...great Christmas post. and your tree is breathtaking...mine is always so down-home with ornaments our children made so many years ago...some made by grandkids..I have a very traditional tree...and it's a tiny one, now that Mr. Sweet and I are olden and too hard putting up and taking down of big trees. I love our little table top tree...and the ease of storing it each year.
    I have already given gifts of homemade pecan divinity...and we give baked cookies to friends and neighbors. We celebrate Christmas Eve at our house ea year and LOVE our stockings...I have 23 hanging this year...that's 23 blessings. :)
    I love reds..Santas...and little snow people at Christmas time....my favorite Christmas memory...my mom and dad divorced when I was very young...one year for Christmas, in the 1940's when sugar was almost zip in the States as a lot of it was given to the people fighting for our country, my daddy sent me a whole box of Hershey candy bars and a whole box of Juicy Fruit gum....at a time when these items were hard to come by, he must have had an "in" with someone in the candy business. I will never forget these gifts for as long as I live....and now I am crying all over again....

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    1. Awe BJ, what a sweet memory. 23 stockings hanging? WOW! Yes you are indeed blessed my friend.

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  16. Cindy, your tree is beautiful! I also love the Christmas lights at night, and often just sit and enjoy the them. One of my favorite 'little girl' memories was a giant, (well it looked giant to me, back when) peppermint log. Every Christmas for many years we would have one of these logs, I remember Daddy breaking off pieces for us to eat. I don't do a lot of decorating any more, we go to our daughter's for Christmas now...but back when....I had so many ornaments that were very sentimental to me, each year I would carefully place them on the tree. I'm also a Christmas red and green girl, I've never had any other colors at Christmas. Again, I used to bake a lot at Christmas, not so much anymore. Yes, in our 'not so young' age things are different, but Christmas is still the same, a wonderful time of year that we love so much.

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    1. Awe I love your memory of the peppermint log. So glad you dropped by miss Mary and shared with me today .

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  17. Hi Sweet Girl!
    Oh this is a wonderful Christmas post filled with all the right meanings of the season! Your tree is wonderful and I love the traditional colors of the season too. You live a life with such grace and it is very empowering to do so!
    I usually have one Tree with all of the ornaments dating back to the 50's and all through my children's childhood. But this year we have Avery (1) and young Wyatt so I went with indestructible ornaments! It's all good, it makes for a good story!
    Hugs and Blessings to you!
    xo
    Jemma

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    1. What we do for the grands Jemma! LOL! Oh I would love to see some of your ornaments from the 50's.! WOW! That is great.

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  18. I love your tree and the decorations in your home. So festive and cheery! One of my most treasured Christmas memories was the year my father didn't shop for his gifts for my stocking until late on Christmas Eve afternoon. He rushed downtown and bought something he knew I would love but when he brought it home my mother told him it wouldn't fit in my stocking. So, that night after I was sound asleep he left it in the paper bag from the store, thumb-tacked it beside my stocking and that's where I found it the next morning. It was the dearest, little round suitcase for my doll clothes. I treasured it and so wish I still had it but - alas, I grew up and had no need for such things! Our Christmas tree is decorated with 'crystal' garland, silver and white balls and snowflakes I crocheted when we were first married (and couldn't afford many decorations!) We add little plastic, glittery icicles and stars that we bought in those early years. This year we downsized our tree so we couldn't add the glass ornaments I've collected over the past few years. I don't bake many goodies for Christmas anymore since we have changed our eating habits and try not to overdo. But we do have a few things I will make and we will eat in moderation. But I have to admit that we do enjoy goodies served whenever we are part of a celebration!
    ~Adrienne~

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    1. So glad you stopped by Adrienne. I love your doll suitcase story. How precious.

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  19. No wonder you love a quiet moment looking at your tree - it is stunning.

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So glad you stopped by to visit.
Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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