Holiday crumbs & bits

Whew! We did it. Another Christmas.

Now it's "hang time" — that nebulous, hazy space between a holiday and the start-up of everyday life. There's lots of sleeping in, lots of lounging in jammies, and lots of munching on leftover things. Outside it snows in fits and starts.

My mind is already moving into the new year. I'm all a-swarm with thoughts — plotting, planning, daydreaming, scheming . . .

Dear 2013, 
Let me share a few of my thoughts and hopes with you . . .  

Christmas wishes

Wishing you peace, joy, and a very merry Christmas.

xoxo
Jenny



this peace-promoting barn is just a few miles up the road from our house ~ love it

Pieces of Christmas

How is it that it's almost Christmas and I'm still making runs to the post office and daily emergency shopping excursions? Geez.

It's been cold, cold, cold. I keep thinking about flannel nightgowns — the kind I wore as a little girl that went all the way to my ankles and had long sleeves. I kinda want one. Has anyone ever made one? I wonder if it would be a beginner-type sewing project or if I'd end up wearing a bizarre flannel tent.

Weekend in Philipsburg

We spent Saturday night in Philipsburg. It felt good to get away. No internet. No television channels.

It was cold, and the fire in the stove burned all day and night to keep the house warm. It was just the four of us. Our small family, together.

My favorite parts:

~ Walking the dogs at the town park. I love our goofy, misfit pack of dogs.


~  Seeing Emma reading "The Outsiders." I read it at her exact age and to say that I loved it would be an understatement. I still own my ragged, dog-eared copy.

~ Watching "Home Alone" together as a family. We watch it every year, along with a few others — "Elf," "Christmas Vacation," "Rudolph."

~ Hearing my daughters chatting, giggling and making midnight snacks in the kitchen as I laid in bed.


Being together felt like such a gift this weekend. Life is so precious, so tenuous, such a fragile gift. 

These past few days I've thought a lot about that gift and what it means to embrace life and how being in a state of fear can diminish joy. I am scared but I know I need to try to operate from a different place, for myself and for my family.

In this world there is much to fear, that is true. But there is much to celebrate, much to embrace, and so much beauty and love. My heart aches for all of it — the crushing sadnesses and the racing joys.

Wishing you peace.

Easy paper ball ornaments

Paper Ball Ornaments (hang individually or string a whole garland)

You need:
- Pretty paper (ooooh, so fun)
- Paper circle punch or scissors and a circle template
- Double-sided tape (or glue)
- Twine

: Cut or punch out at least four circles for each ball (5 or 6 look fancier).

: Fold each circle in half

: Tape (or glue) each folded circle on top of one another, making a small stack. Place your twine, then seal the final edge to form ball.

Viola!

Busy as Elves

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Things are busy, busy, busy . . . and the snow arrived Friday night to add an extra dash of holiday spirit. I rallied everyone out of the house with a trip to Dairy Queen for ice cream and a drive around the neighborhood to look at all the Christmas lights. We opened the front door and found a full-on blizzard outside. The short drive to Dairy Queen was quite an adventure — large drifts, cars cautiously navigating unplowed streets. At one point it was blizzarding sideways. Just a solid whiteout heading from West to East. I loved it.

All of the houses in our neighborhood are gussied up with lights and wreaths and some have those crazyhuge blow-up things — 10-foot tall Santa balloons and whathaveyou. It's fun to see all the different styles and tastes in lighting and decor.

After that little adventure we hunkered down for most of the weekend, only venturing out when necessary, although the girls did gather their friends for a lot of sledding and snow play. Being one who isn't too fond of the cold, I was waiting indoors (where it was cozy), prepared with hot chocolate when they came piling back inside.

The polymer clay snowmen I made are now standing in my Christmas village. I am pretty proud of how they turned out. They stand about 1-1/2 inches tall and have real twig arms from the spirea bush out front.

Kate got bit by the creativity bug today and got busy melting chocolate and crushing candy canes (results in marshmallow photo above). She hummed Christmas songs while she worked — sweet girl.

And Izzy? Well she just follows me all around the house asking "Now what are we doing?" "Where are we going now?" "Can I eat some of that too?" "Should we take a nap together?" Oh, that FACE.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day

Tree hunt

Some years we're bundled up like Randy in "A Christmas Story," plodding along through two feet of snow. This year the snow is still up too high so we clomped through the rainy forest, searching for our 2012 Christmas tree.

True to tradition, Gary couldn't settle for any tree less than the perfection he was envisioning. The girls and I couldn't feel our toes. And there was a brief period of time where Gary forged ahead and we thought he'd gotten lost. It wouldn't feel right without any of these elements.

In the end, he found the ultimate tree.

Tonight we're digging out the boxes of ornaments and putting on Sinatra's "White Christmas." Time to deck the halls.

Foggy Morning Antiquing