12 Days of Christmas

One of the funnest activities at Christmas is giving each of the granddaughters a gift each day for the "12 days of Christmas".  Their last gift is on Christmas Eve and they love it.

These are the wrapped packages--my artwork is novice but I still love doing it.

# 1 insulated mug
#2  make up sponge removers
#3  lip balm
#4 make up brushes
#5 Starbucks gift card
#6 expholiater
#7 mud mask
#8 christmas socks
#9 bath bubbles
#10 cosmetic bag
#11 coffee mug
#12 bracelet

Such a joy!!!

Linking with PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Yummy sips

I entered a drawing at www.annesphamily.blogspot.com a few weeks ago and won the drawing.  It was a giveaway for "A Time For Tea".  This landed on my porch 12-26 so here's the gift.

A gorgeous pink breast cancer cup and saucer set with all kinds of yummy teas.  Also a box of Gingerbread Spice teabags (can't wait to try), honey sticks and a lovely silver tea spoon.

I can enjoy a vintage style calendar each month in 2018 and enjoy all the pretty table tea settings in this pretty "Afternoon Tea" book.

Anne also sent this sweet little coin purse.

What a special blogger, she lives in Colorado not too far from my family and I really hope to meet her one of these trips and give her a big hug.

Our Christmas was wonderful and I'm hoping yours was too.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Xtreme celebrating

We will doing extreme celebrating this Christmas season. We have 23 people getting together on Christmas day and the day after. They are driving from Colorado and Texas.

My Mom will have all her children, grandchildren and great grands here except three.

Here is the picture that we had made into our Christmas Cards this year.

Hope you all have the merriest of Christmas's.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Sweet decorations

Sometimes the smallest and less expensive can be the cutest touches.

I purchased these little  "jelly figures" at Walmart this past weekend.

This window is between my kitchen and sunroom, so you can enjoy them from either room.

Linking with BLUE MONDAY

Ann

Westridge Middle School

Yesterday I accompanied my daughter to see one of my granddaughters choirs sing at Crown Center in Kansas City, MO.  This is the same area as Hallmark Cards Headquarters.

Our granddaughter is on the second row on the far right.

This will be the final time to perform there, next year is High School.

Hoping all are having a great Christmas Season!!


Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Hymn board

Growing up in a small church as a child there was always a hymn board on the front wall. It showed the attendance for the day, offering and hymns to be sung. 

I've been looking for one on all the vintage sites but never found one I thought was a reasonable price. I finally purchased a new one from a Christian Book store.

I made letters, only found numbers pre-made. I have this hung in my sun room close to my mantle. Thought Silent Night was a good message and added the greenery.

Puts me in a fond remembrance on my childhood. Thinking of all the ways I can use this through the year.

Linking with PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Vivid

Well it's a wrap, our Christmas Choir was a huge success.

One of the definitions of vivid is striking, bright or intense in color.

I think the choir presentation fits that bill!!! We sang 13 songs and performed 4 times. Our attendance was estimated at 2,500 people give or take a few.

What a fantastic way to begin all the other stuff like shopping--the best was first.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

This and that

Changed up our decorations a little this year, the sunroom has the old-time tree and Christmas town on the mantle.

The church is the centerpiece raised high and then we have a fire station for my hubby-retired fire/medic.  There's a train station, an Inn, and a seaside home alongside. The banner I purchased this year at Target and the fire in the bottom is a lighted jewelry tree I made years ago.

I used an old lunch box to create a little vignette next to the mantel and a few extra touches. The Christmas doll was my sister Katy's.

Sun room tree.

Candy Cane Anyone??

Getting ready for two of our four choir performances tonight - so excited been practicing since September.

Linking with PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Unison

This is our first dress rehearsal for our 200 voice Christmas Choir concert this coming weekend at our church.  I'm on the 3rd row-you could never pick me out.

We have one more dress rehearsal Thursday night with the full band. Lots of trumpets and horns!!!
This weekend the men will be in black suits and the ladies in gold sequin top and black dress pants. We have 13 songs and have been in rehearsal since September.

Just a few little quirks in a couple songs to iron out and we will be in UINSON proclaiming the birth of the Christ Child.!!!!!!

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Table

What's on your table for Thanksgiving?? My friends in other countries,  just tell me what you would prefer for a big family celebration.

We always have turkey, my BIL this year is roasting one and deep frying one as there will be around 22 people there. My job are pies and rolls.

Two pies down one to go.

The rolls are rising as I blog.

We will be full of all the trimmings--stuffing (my favorite, sweet potato pie, green beans, salad and anything else they find too hard to resist.!!!

Have a great celebration.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Samaritan's Purse

One of my greatest pleasures is taking a name from an Angel Tree or orphanage and buying them Christmas gifts.  This year our church is partnering with "Operation Christmas Child" with the Samaritan's Purse organization.

We have many boxes filled for girls and boys from the ages of 2-14.They are  distributed world wide.  The organization is headed up by Franklin Graham.

My grandkids are all teens now so it was fun to buy little ones gifts--I'd love to see their faces when they get their boxes.

My little unicorn is ready to be hugged!!!

Lots of girly things!!

And off I go.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

Motor Lodge Sign

On an outing with my Red Hat sisters in September we visited the Johnson County Museum in Overland Park, Kansas.

This is the original sign of the Motor Lodge that was in business for many years. Since then it has been replaced with large business centers and beautiful living flats.

That's me in the center. (Hey that reminds me of a song).

A beautiful chevy in front of a replica of a 1950's all electric house. Such a fun place and then out for a great lunch.

Linking with BLUE MONDAY

Ann

Quaking with fear

One of the definitions of quaking is shaking with fear! "Shaking in your boots" comes to mind too.

Last evening my next door neighbors grandson who is 13 came to my door. I peeked out the side glass and saw a trick-or-treater but this was the one standing behind my quaker.

When I opened the door this character was standing about 4 inches from from my face!!! OH my goodness I was quaking.  See the little one behind him, boy they got a huge laugh out of that one.

Here are my grandchildren and great nieces and nephews costumes - so much sweeter.

The big's were helping the little ones!!!

Hope you had lots of cute (making scary - just a little) trick or treaters!!

Linking with abc wednesday

Ann

Miranda Lambert Roses

I picked the final blooms this week from my Miranda Lambert Roses because the freeze was coming this weekend. And it did!!

I had four beautiful blooms and one bud to enjoy.

Such large blooms and sweet fragrance.  Until next spring sweet roses.

Linking with Anything Goes Pink Saturday

Ann

Orange Jack O Lantern

What does October bring?  Orange colors everywhere including my Jack O Lantern on my front porch.

Here's a cute vintage jack o lantern card I have in my collection.

I prefer my jack o lanterns to have smiling faces and not scary ones.

A cute poem I found on google

THE PUMPKIN

Oh--fruit loved of boyhood! - the old days calling.

When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!

When wild, ugly faces were carved into its skin,

Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!!
 written by John Greenleaf Whitter in 1807.


From Wickipedia:
The custom of making Jack O Lanterns at Halloween began in Ireland.  Many gourds could be used to make lanterns. The lanterns were variously said to represent the spirits or supernatural beings or were used to ward off evil spirits. Also it was suggested that jack-o-lanterns originally represented Christian souls in pergatory.

Regardless of the origin it's just fun to carve out faces and let them shine bright on your doorstep.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann

The Gangs All Here

We were driving in a different neighborhood this week taking our car into the shop. YUK on that.
I noticed this darling display and the homeowner was actually outside. I told him how much I adored all the characters and could I take a picture. I think he was proud and delighted.

It just makes me smile seeing all the cute among the spookie!! He shared that his baby granddaughter loves it too and said "come back at Christmas and see what I have".

I love the "little boo's".

October is well under way and I love this season!!

Linking with ANYTHING GOES PINK SATURDAY

Ann

Navajo Code

This past Sunday our nation lost David Patterson, one of the Navajo Code Talkers from WW11.  He lived in Rio Rancho, New Mexico and was 94.

During  WWII he served with a group of around 400 other Navajo's who signaled soldiers in the field with a secret code. They radioed over 800 messages using Navajo language  The code was NEVER deciphered by the enemy.  He enlisted in 1943 and was discharged in 1945.  He received a congregational silver medal of honor.

Major Howard Conner, signal officer said in November 6, 2008 "If were not the Navajo's the marines would have never taken Iwo Jima".

He is one of my hero's for sure--proud of his service.

Linking with ABC WEDNESDAY

Ann