“I love snow. I love winter. It’s such a nice, quiet time. There isn’t the urgency of spring, summer, or fall to get the garden weeded or carrots put in the cellar. It’s such a peaceful time. No wonder animals hibernate, because I think I slightly hibernate in winter. I get up much later in the winter than I do the rest of the year.” ~ (the ever-quotable) Tasha Tudor
As I type, my children are galloping through the house with a Veggietales Christmas cd playing loudly….it’s far from peaceful here at this moment, but that’s life for me right now. Despite the chaos, I’m trying to slow my thoughts, slow myself down and really get into a introspective way of thinking these days. I want to appreciate the little things during the holiday season, savor (with all my senses) each moment the best I can. Collect them in my heart, and record them here.
So, with that in mind, I thought I would take the time the time this afternoon to share some photos of what I’ve been seeing and experiencing these days…….
The yearly gingerbread house construction took place on Tuesday. The older and more numerous the children, the harder it gets. There is not enough candy, so we get all possessive over it, there are too many hands and the house is so small, everyone wants to do something until all of a sudden (in the twinkling of an eye) we have a “mess”….oh my, but I reminded myself afterward, as I looked at our sagging creation, that I would rather have this one, than the neat and tidy one that I would have if my life was empty of children………
Grace is nine years old now. I was reading my blog from two years ago and started to cry a little, thinking of how much she has grown in that time. This morning I handed her a freshly dried and folded red dress to put on, brushed her hair, and helped her find some pretty earrings. I plan on doing her nails soon, too. Red toes seem festive, don’t they? Anyway, I took this quick photo of her this morning. My Christmas girl.
Every day the topic of snow comes up. The frost is so pretty, but we want snow! (please?)
I started making Christmas cookies yesterday. These are Chocolate Crinkles, and the rest of the batch was popped into the freezer to await Christmas Eve.
Did anyone else watch Rudolph? It was on from 8-9pm last night. As soon as we realized it was coming on, Rich went downtown to get party food for the kids: chocolate covered donuts and hot chocolate. The kids camped out in the livingroom. I remember how excited I felt, as a child, when the Christmas specials came on TV.
As some of you requested, here is a photo of me in my “Mrs. Claus” pajamas ~ I stayed in them until 9 this morning, it was so relaxing puttering around in my slippers, getting the children’s breakfast, cleaning up, drinking hot coffee and looking at Tasha Tudor’s Christmas book……a slow morning is a must now and then.
I went for a walk with Jacob and Caleb this morning, too. While we were out, we picked a bouquet of evergreens and red berries, for my kitchen windowsill. They look so pretty in a medium sized tin can (with the label removed, of course!)
I brought in, from the porch, these things from nature to decorate the house with. How I love seeing these little bits of gatherings from all of our walks this summer and
fall.
Homemade Christmas ornaments are the best. Thank you for these, dear one.
I’m finally drinking loose tea, so satisfying! My friend Christie sent a “happy third trimester” gift of some tea, this darling cup, and a strainer. What a precious gift, not only to enjoy the tea, but to enjoy just a few more moments in my day, of putting my feet up and relaxing.
steaming tea time
The house is quiet now, as I’ve gotten up numerous times throughout this blogging, to take care of children and send them off to bed one by one. It’s time for some rest before we get busy again (Art class, and a meeting with Davy-do’s teacher). Thank you for your kindness here, for loving my family and encouraging me in my daily life as wife and mama. I hope that each of you has had a wonderful week and that the weekend to come is a time of blessings and fun with your loved ones.
~Shanda~
Good to be Home 
Yet again I enjoyed reading your post:) Yes we have been watching the Christmas shows also. I love this time of year. We sat last night watching it with just the light from the TV & the Christmas tree it was so pretty. We also had popcorn & hot chocolate. Your tea looks so nice & warm, I’m going to heat up some coffee now:) Enjoy your day with your beautiful family. Your gingerbread house is so cute!
Once again I love the pictures, especially of you and the nature collection. All the pictures look so warm and inviting. I can’t beleive how far along you ar already. Time flies! does it feel like it’s flown to you? How’s little Seth doing?
I love your posts….however I am very jealous that you look the way you do in your third trimester!!!! WOWZA!! You look really great! 🙂 By my 3rd trimester I looked like a cow on steriods. LOL.
Your pics are always beautiful! I just got a new camera (again!) I will never had to upgrade again. I got a Nikon D80…with a speedlite. I’m on cloud nine!
I love the homemade ornaments….I would like to find that pattern somewhere. 🙂
Such a lovely post! I love the picture of Grace looking in the package. Your cookies look yummy! I made peppermint swirls yesterday. Wish I could send you some of our snow. We have more than enough to share- we woke up to another 12 inches or so of new snow. It is so pretty. I need to use my new present and capture some of the beauty. Much love to you and yours!
I have been so busy that we haven’t had time to make Christmas cookies yet. I’m jealous of yours. 🙂 I love the picture of all of them trying to get in on the gingerbread house house making project. You know I have never, ever done one. I think we might just have to try. When I find time…
Even when you rest you’re busy! Love the jammies!
Loved this post. I love it when you share bits and pieces of your everyday life!
Would you share the crinkles recipe?
Your posts always inspire me! Hope you enjoyed that tea and had a wonderful day! Suz
Such a great post.
In the big picture of the natural things you gathered on your walk: Is that honeycomb or an abandoned bee/wasp hive? I’ve never seen anything like that!I like your red jammies – red’s a pretty color on you and they DO look cozy!
You look sooooo lovely in your profile pic! I envy the beauty and joy of your day…but in a good sense…I hope. Just that it looks wonderful. I know I am seeing the beauty and peace of it in your post. David and I were reading poems from our poetry book …and the section on seasons had us at Christmas today. Many of the poems were carols..so we sang. We are much less inhibited when it is just us…so I got to hear all the ranges of his young voice…from choir boy high (which is rapidly going) to deep deep baritone. We laughed! One of my joys today. In between school work I was busy trying to make all the plans for costume making tonight at youthgroup….sketching,calculating, and phoning my friend off doing the shopping. Hopefully we can turn a bunch of brightly colored felt and such into costumes!Thanks for the cheerful Mrs. Santa pic ;-D Jenny
I love the wreath! So pretty and cheerful. I am going to see if I can dig mine out from the garage…otherwise I have to wait til this weekend
I love the “Mrs. Clause” pjs even though you don’t look “plump” like her! MMMMMM christmas cookies. What a joy you have dear friend. Glad you had a restful AM!
What a lovely post — I like your nature decorations and the picture of them is beautiful. And the cup of tea — yum!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the frost picture. Amazing! And for some reason I love the pinecone picture. I think it just so well captures the simple beauty of it. Love the steam coming from your tea cup…how did you capture that? Cool strainer…will have to look for one like that! Also, love how you displayed your nature things! Such a great idea! You look cute in your jammies. I love slow mornings. Thanks for always inspiring me. 🙂
I wanna put my Christmas cd in the car, so I can sing along on my way to work….I love the Christmas season, because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy…
What beautiful pictures in this recent post. I love the Fiesta Wear in your Header. My favorite picture is the FROST! I also love the picture of the curling tree bark.
Loving those Christmas ornaments!!! So cute! Have a peaceful day!
I am not looking forward to actual snow, because my kids are too little and I hate being out in the cold. However, I am hoping to start Christmas cookies tonight!! We do cutouts and decorate them together!!I also don’t let them stay up for Christmas specials yet because they are all normally in bed by 8… someday maybe!!
That tea set looks so nice! I love how you put all the nature gatherings in that wooden bowl! Is that a new green scarf?
We did watch the Rudolph special, and just like you said it brought back memories of watching it when I was a kid.
Grace looks beautiful in her red dress. And I think the frost picture is also beautiful although not near as beautiful as your girl. Enjoy your day today friend!
Beautiful pics! I love how you captured the frost and the trees. You all look so cozy watching rudoloph in the sleeping bags. : )
We did watch the Rudolph special–we were so excited to see it was going to be on tv!
Did you have acorns fall this year? There was nary a one from our tree at all this year. Read a huge article about it that there was a very widespread area of the US without acorns ~ weird.
I loved reading these last two posts. My heart twisted a little reading about you and your sis baking cookies. Oh how I wish my sister lived closer. What a blessing you have. 🙂
YAY! I’m all caught up on the 3 posts I missed. How utterly delightful to read your words, enjoy all the details and smiles found in your photographs while listening to the Snowman’s Music Box! Christmas is Coming…and I know this is true because of Sanda’s blog!