Sharing Christmas Cheer.

One of my favorite things about Christmas (besides the memories and the MEANING) is pulling out the decorations and just letting our home tell a story.  

I normally have a place for everything, but this year, I just kinda winged it.  I want to share a peek into the Christmas cheer that I have sprinkled throughout the house.  

My lighted Santa Train Engine is a new addition this year.  It was my gift from the family Christmas dinner and party that we had the first weekend in December.  It plays Christmas music, which makes it extra special.. 

And then, I added several candles that are battery operated. They add such a soft, peaceful glow, especially in the evenings when the house is kinda quiet.  The good thing about these candles is that they come with a remote control.  Press the "On" button, and Wa-La....the candles are glowing. 

Floral Arrangements!!  I make my own and I usually just add greenery and a few berries....I may tuck in a few sparkly things, but I really prefer the look of nature.  My mom always said that a little touch of greenery brings life to any shelf or to corners that might otherwise be overlooked.  

Christmas....this brings me to the Christmas tree. I would much rather have a real live Christmas tree, but instead, I used our old artificial tree..AGAIN!  This year, the nature theme won me over.  I used some earthy tones instead of the bright colors that I have used in the past. I also added a mixture of creamy whites and hints of muted gold to help blend in with the dried oranges and the white string rope that the oranges are tied on the tree with. 

Sadly, come January it is time to retire this tree...none of the lights on this pre-lit tree work, so I've been adding my own. 

Tiny stems of cranberries are tucked in between the branches and the pine cones.  The lights I chose this year are a mixture of white and red lights....with the addition of lighted candles.  This might just be my favorite tree! 

Wooden Christmas trees are set around in different places throughout my kitchen and living room.....Well, I did add a few to the guest bathroom as well.  

The stockings are all hung and my jars are filled with candy.  Only thing left to do is to fill the cookie jar with my kiddos favorite cookies....what are they??  Oreo cookies of course!!  lol.   This means NO cookie baking for me.  Trista brings her famous decorated sugar cookies each year.  I'll share a picture of them on Christmas eve when they arrive...

Oh....I must not forget to mention my big red Gnome with a polka-dot hat.  I've had "Pip" for several years and he guards all the Christmas decorations around here.  

I'm pretty sure that I have way too many lights and decorations around our home, but Christmas only comes once a year!  In my humble opinion, if something makes you smile when you walk past it, then it deserves a place for all to see.  

But, no home is ever truly decorated for Christmas without the Christmas manger scene. In the middle of all the twinkle lights, candy jars, trees, and cheerful gnomes, the manger quietly reminds (ME) what this season is really about.  It grounds everything else. It brings peace and meaning....and a Purpose to all of the sparkle.  

Our home might be a little overdone with all the decorations, the silly gnomes, the glowing red lights on the outside of the house, but this is the kind of Christmas decorating that I love the most... It's the kind that feels lived in...loved ....and centered around Jesus Christ.  

Merry Christmas my Dear Friends....

Shug and Sam 🎄

 

Sunday News.

This "shugy Bu-gy" was sure happy yesterday!  Two of our grandsons, our granddaughters in love and our great grandson came home from WAY out West, Texas.  

We haven't seen them since our trip out their way this past September and I have sure missed each of them.  William (who is now 17 months old) is now saying a lot more words and can I tell you, when he calls me Shug, it blesses my heart big time...

"Christmas times a coming" ....  Family gatherings have already begun!

Amidst it all, Sam and I have a very busy week ahead.  Hopefully tomorrow, the lung doctor will drain the fluid from his lung.  Tuesday morning we have a class that Sam has to attend about beginning his IV infusions. (This is required).  On Wednesday, he begins the treatments, and on Thursday....it is Christmas! 🎄

In other news:  

I now have my pickle hidden on the tree!! .....  I know, this is a quirky but fun tradition that we do around here. Tucked deep among the branches of my tree, is a small green wooden pickle ornament. I always try to camouflage it so that the kiddos have to really search hard to find it.  Whoever finds the pickle, gets a special prize.  I think it's mostly about the bragging rights of winning!  For the past 3 years, Tori (our oldest Granddaughter) has been the winner!!

What makes the Christmas pickle so delightful isn't just the prize, but it's the laughter and the anticipation that the kids have when they know that the pickle is finally on the tree. 

When I say kids....I mean Mylee Jo who will be 18 next month, and the rest of my grown kids and grandkids. 

This granddaughter (Tori) celebrated her 24th Birthday yesterday.  She is such a sweetheart...so loving, so kind and so full of energy.  Happy Birthday Tori!!

Weather??  🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

Our air conditioner came on yesterday!  Yes..it was warm enough for it to kick on.  Shanda called me and said: "Mom, my Carolina Jasmin is blooming!"  The plants around here are confused!!

Sunday morning:

Watching "Turning Point" with David Jeremiah.

"Why the Nativity?"

Blessings, 

Shug..

Traditions full of fun...

I love traditions and I'm pretty sure that most of you do as well.  Around here, traditions do not have to be grand or complicated to be meaningful.  For years now, my daughters and I have enjoyed a very simple Christmas tradition.....Girls night out! 

This is one of my very favorite things that we always make space for.  It's our time...No rushing and no specific schedule.  Just spending time together and enjoying the joy of the Christmas season. 

This year was extra special.  My two granddaughters joined us for the first time and I am pretty sure they will be joining us each year to come.  It is so nice to watch traditions stretch across generations and I hope that this will be something that they all will continue doing.

We started our evening at an Italian restaurant...(the food was amazing) and thank goodness, our waiter was so nice and very kind in making sure we had everything we needed at the table. 

Our gift exchange looked a little different this year, and it may just be my new favorite way to do gifts.  We tried a "My Favorite Things" exchange.  Each of us picked two simple, inexpensive items we truly love.  Then we bought five of each item...one for ourselves and one for everyone else. By the end of the night, each of us went home with ten little gifts. 

It was so much fun just hearing why each of us loved what we chose to bring. Makeup remover, trinket boxes, cozy socks, candles, lip gloss, body lotion, face masks, very neat sandwich bags (yes, even those!), and a spray deodorant for hair.  Nothing fancy about any of these things, just thoughtful little things that made us smile. 

We all love antique shopping and both of my granddaughters are especially fond of antique jewelry jars.  Over the past several months, I had been quietly working on one for each of them.  When I gave them their very own jars (that evening) both of them were very surprised.  They could not wait, so right there at the table, they began digging through the treasures, laughing and showing us all their unique finds.  I only wish I could have bottled up their happiness and save it forever. 

This is the beauty of tradition.  It's not about perfection or price tags.  It's about shared experiences and moments that quietly become part of our family story.  

I can not wait for next years "Girls night out!"

Shug..

Phones and Waiting

 I'm sitting here in the waiting room this morning,  waiting for Sam to have his PET scan.  Can you guess what everyone in this room has in common??  We ALL have a phone in our hands.  

Young, Old, and really Old....age doesn't seem to be an issue...We all have little devices clinched in our hands.  

Scrolling

Reading

Staring

Waiting

Here's the thing..this room is full of people.

We know nothing about each other, yet...here we all sit and we are all sharing the same invisible thread.

Waiting. Waiting for news. Waiting for answers. Waiting for reassurance. Waiting for hope.

Our phones connect us to the outside world, but this waiting room reminds me how connected we already are on the inside. Fear doesn’t check your age. Neither does love. Or hope. Or faith.

Young, old, and really old… we all wait. We all worry. We all look for something—anything—to distract us from the quiet ticking of the clock and the “what ifs” in our heads.

So today, I’m choosing to put my phone down for a moment. To pray. To notice. To breathe. To trust God in the waiting. 

Hugs, 

Shug!