I've decided to NOT do a December Daily album

this year - I did one for several years and it was fun... 

but last year I took a little class from Big Picture Classes and 

it gave a list of things to document through the season with sketches to guide you... 

I did mine in a little hardbound children's book and it's a favorite of mine.

 I'll share more of it soon.

For now I'm just trying to take more photos throughout the the week - 

photos of everyday things...

 Like the banners at a favorite place to eat on our way home from Auburn / Montgomery...

[We took some furniture to Matt on Sunday and

I had a meeting in Montgomery on Monday --]

Or the Christmas tree near the parking lot...

[loving my new app for the camera on my phone -- abeautiful,mess.com]

 Here's the little gifties I picked up for friends 

I was meeting at our Women's Dinner at church -

 such beautifully decorated tables and wonderful speakers and music!

 And it was fun getting together with everyone! 

We don't do this often enough!!

I saw this white Christmas tree at Salvation Army and thought - 

why not do something completely crazy this Christmas?

[I've just NOT been in the mood for any of the holiday hoopla -]

 It made me get with it and get some Christmas out in the house -

 I'll share more soon!

So how do you feel about Santa Claus?

[an edited repeat from past years...]

Pere Noel, Christkindle, Father Christmas, Kriss Kringle, Sinterklas,

St. Nicholas

I was first introduced to St. Nicholas as a freshman in college when my dear friend Grace [whose grandparents on both sides of her family came to the US from the Netherlands] put a wooden shoe, filled with candy, outside my door on December 6^th. [Still have that shoe, btw.]

I’ve loved the idea of St. Nicholas ever since!

There’s a lot of fact and folklore about him today, but most believe he was a real person and that the idea of Santa Claus came from the acts of goodwill that he did.

[Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, if you will - ]

Here’s a link that tells his story briefly.
I’ve always wanted to have “Santa Claus” visit our boys on December 6^th and keep Christmas sacred [or, practically --at least spread out the gift-receiving a little for them], but differed to C’s wishes. So instead, for the last 27 years, our boys have always received a chocolate Santa on December 6^th. [Granted there were some years when I was out at 5 a.m. to get these Santas because of our crazy schedule! – But it was done!] 

This year? Let's just say they're on their way!

So, Happy St. Nicholas Day to you!

At our house Santa has always been pretend.

Our boys were never taught he was real, but more just a character of the secular celebration of Christmas [kind of like Mickey Mouse = celebration of magical place] who left gifts for them on Christmas morning. They’ve always known that Mom and Day were “Santa.” We’ve had a few Santa photos through the years [we have those Mickey ones too!] and we’ve had fun with it, but have always, always tried to help our boys see that
Jesus truly is the reason we have anything at all to celebrate in this life.
We hope that in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Season you can take the time to see a tiny baby lying in a manger who died so we might live eternally.
What a hope we have because of Him!

Just a quick little

Thanksgiving re-cap...

 

I made it through.

Ha.
[I had really kind of dreaded it...]

We got together with my side of the family at the beginning of the week...

and we did okay - really, until the very end...

 [sister-in-love, sister, and me]

Grief just comes out of nowhere...

It was wonderful having the whole family together - 

But it wasn't always easy --

Wednesday I spent the day finishing up the advent calendar below -

We went over to The Shoals on Thanksgiving Day to be with Craig's mother, 

and I won't lie - it was hard being in my mom's city and knowing 

{{KNOWING}} 

that I couldn't go by and see her too.

On Friday I spent a few hours knitting off and on, I put Autumn AWAY, straightened in the walk-in attic, cleaned in the playroom a bit, and worked on an on-going

scrapbook reorganizing project...

Then I finally got out and shopped a bit, but mostly for groceries... lol

Saturday we had Thanksgiving with just our family --

and after discussing several different menus, we went with fondue - 

Something we love, but don't do often enough.

So it was a good week [end]...
[and of course, that ballgame was the icing on the cake 
for those around our table -]

And now I have to get through the Christmas season --

It's going to be a busy month.. and busy is good.

So glad that my sweetie enjoys being busy with me!

And right now I'm thinking I'll do the bare minimum for decorating;

although I do have one little thing I want to share with you soon.

Fritz.

I started this little [?] advent calendar

a couple of years ago -

 

Before that I'd used this little box idea from Ali Edwards -

and I loved it - but it was beginning to fall apart -

[that's the black frame I now use for photo-ops - ha.]
So I begin searching for other fun ideas and came across a lot of photos / blogs / pinterest 
[?? - I'm not sure I was into that when I started this - ha] 

ideas that talked about 

Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.

Seriously - google it and you'll find tons of inspiration!

I picked up the library cards / pockets from my local library 

[They had to search for some, since they've apparently gone all digital - 

Who knew library pockets are now considered vintage?
There's also lots of companies that make new ones too!]

I put most of the cards / embellishments together but got side tracked when some of the numbers needed to be scanned and shrunk down a bit - ha.

So this year, inspired by the one I saw at the Scrapbook Extravaganza, 

I decided it was time to get 'er done.

 I started with a poster frame that I picked up at Goodwill - 

and adhered a favorite piece of scrapbook paper 
with gel medium to the cardboard backing.

Then painted it by scraping favorite paint colors across with an old hotel key - 

Love the look [inspired by Junelle's inspiration boards!]

After it dried I added the alpha stickers to say

 'O Holy Night' at the bottom - barely visible,

[- but I know it's there!] and then put it in the frame.

After that, I stuck the library cards on - I went for a topsy-turvey look,

but in the end I couldn't take it and had to straighten them up!

I know I'll enjoy having it in the foyer to inspire all 
who come through our doors to do little 
Random Acts of Christmas Kindness 
throughout the season!

And I love seeing some of our Christmas photos through the years too!

I hope this inspires you to create a little Christmas goodness for your home!

For the past year or so

some of my cousins have been talking about getting together - 

It's been a while since we've had time to JUST VISIT... 

and it's usually our aunts who gather us together..

 

 So back in August I decided to take the lead and reserved a cabin up at Joe Wheeler.

I wanted a place where my mom could get out of the weather 

 [whatever it might be --- here in the South you just don't ever know if 

 October will be in the 80s or in the 40s...]

And I hoped being outside with the view of the lake through the trees would be 

nice and relaxing.

We never dreamed that Mama wouldn't be here to enjoy it with us.

Oh how she loved being with her family!

 Y'all know I enjoy setting up a bit for a party 

so my sweetie and I got there early and got to work.

[It's really very little work when you enjoy it like I do!]

 We brought along the chalkboard, hay, pumpkins, mums. etc. to set a little welcome.  

My sweetie hung my favorite empty frame from the tree for photo-ops

[I added a little computer generated chalkboard sign to the corner --],

Everyone had fun with that! -

 

Lots of fun - 

I'll share more at the end --

 

I set extra pumpkins and decor out on the tables -

[love that the cabin had both a screened porch and 

 

a big open porch.]

 

 Here's a close-up of the open-porch decor -

I had prints of our aunts blown-up at Staples [less than $2 each] and put them in $1 frames after I took the back off  [had to secure it with packing tape - real glass - ha] 

They're hung them from some wide ribbon we had on hand -

I know I've shared before that my mama had nine sisters [one died as a baby] - 

Love that they always lined up by age for photos! 

[Had an extra pumpkin for the doorway.]

We also brought along our little portable fire pit and lawn chairs to 

gather 'round for good conversation -

[Brother and his fam rented the cabin next door -

LOVE the arches on that porch!]

Everyone brought dishes to share - and OH MY - it was delish!

Notice our Thanksgiving tree - everyone put leaves with something they're grateful for on it  throughout the day [you can hardly see it in the photo up above ]-

Her'es MK's take on our day go here: Hello World

 Some sat at tables and others sat around the fire - 

 The weather was PERFECT.

[All photos are straight out of the camera -]

I think everyone had a wonderful time - 

 

I know I did!

It was just very nice to be with family - 

Even though we did have an 

underlying sense of sadness without our mom there. 

She would have loved it -

We missed those who couldn't be with us..

 But had a blast with those who were there!

EVERYONE WILL HAVE TO BE AT THE NEXT ONE!!

We had a weekend full of activities -

 

Including a little sailing, a fish fry, 

breakfast at a country diner, and cowboy church.

Go here to read more: 12 Months in View

[Seriously - SO NICE to be together!]

 

Oh, and some of us ended the day with flu shots - 

[fun to have someone in the fam who can stick us - ha]

and and as always, I came home with three too many spoons - 

 

I know where two belong - who left the other one?

[Y'all feel free to grab the photos you want - and Kelly - bring your laptop / flashdrive to Thanksgiving and we'll swap photos!]

Well... It's been a while

since I've posted a [non-previously scheduled] post...

 Here's the deal - my mama's passing was sooooo unexpected.

The expectation by everyone was that she was 

going to rehab to work through the pain of pulled muscle...

 She passed away quietly while I was sitting on the other bed reading a magazine...

and eating peanut butter crackers that she declined when  I offered her one...

It's a whole new journey for us, y'all.

 Right after that Craig and I went on 

our previously planned 30th anniversary trip -

THIRTY YEARS.

Where does the time go?

Then, after that I was busy finalizing things for

again, our previously planned, 

family reunion.

I'll share more about both of those in a few days... 

Today, I wanted to share a bit of how Art is my therapist.

Seriously. 

 These are mostly water color with some acrylic 

[oh, and some markers...]

and at least two of them were painted in my mama's hospital room 

the afternoon she passed away.

 A few of them are from classes [on-line] that I'm currently taking - 

 and some are just copies of things I've seen around the web...

But even when I'm doing a lesson I hope you can see how 

The Lord speaks to me through art.

 

I"m so glad I have the hope of heaven.

And I am sooooo loving working in my art journals! 

I hope to get back to my regular schedule of posting soon...

Am thinking I might add art journaling to the list next year...