CHRISTMAS WEEK FAVES

 

Wow.  Christmas has come and gone and this year's was busy and then super relaxing.   

Christmas Eve after 6 pm was just Dave and I for the first time since 1992!!  But there was a blessing in that....we were both exhausted from singing in the choir for all 3 services and being at church from noon-6:15 pm that we just crashed on the  couch after changing into cozy pjs and we didn't eat any dinner until about 8 pm while watching our fave Xmas movie musical:  White Christmas.  It was so different without the girls but they had their own plans with the boyfriend and friends.

 Along with that blessing, I have 5 more to share that make my faves list.  How about joining in and linking up at Susanne's site where a group of us are intentional about giving thanks every Friday? 

neighborhood cul de sac/historic cemetery 

• SUNSET WALK: On one of the last days of Autumn last week, before all of our snow melted, I went on a very late afternoon walk when the sun was just starting to set in the west. It was so pretty and the fresh air after being busy with Christmas prep was just what I needed.  I'm so thankful for beautiful sunsets and the fresh crisp air. 

Claire is 27!

• BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  Winter Solstice, on December 21st, was our youngest daughter's birthday, but she requested the family celebration for Saturday evening as she had plans with her friends Jonny and Colleen on her actual birthday.  I was fine with it as we had a very long rehearsal on Sunday afternoon anyways. I made her the requested Vegan chocolate crinkle cookies and they came out perfect!  I sent a bunch home with her and also set some aside for Christmas Day. We had gifted her with an oil painting of her cat Karma that I commissioned her good friend Rebekah to do.  We also gave her some cute Christmas cat socks and an ornament that says "Merry and Bright" with her name on it.  Dave gave her half the amount of 4 new tires for her car. She was very thankful and I was thankful we had a nice dinner together and that Courtney and Tyler could also join us for dinner. They had Popeye's Chicken, Dave chose Chinese and Claire and I had food from this fave vegan place! It was divine!! 

  

  Karma
  painted by Rebekah O. 

• SURPRISE GIFTS:  I had a surprise gift in the mail from blogging friend and prayer partner, Deb from Days in my Life blog. I was also surprised with a gift for our family from Evelyn, my new hiking buddy and friend. She happens to be Tyler's (Courtney's boyfriend) mom. Deb gave me a huge water bottle which I now keep in the car as I love drinking  cold water all day long and it's perfect for an entire day of errands and traveling. She also sent two historical fiction books which are on my nightstand all set to begin sometime this Winter. Evelyn gifted us with homemade cranberry orange bread with a lemon glaze which  was so different from any I had had before. It's super dense and very good. I'm so thankful for people who show their love in special ways. 

from Deb my blogging friend

homemade breakfast bread

• CHRISTMAS EVE!!  I have always just loved Christmas Eve. I spent the morning getting chicken pot pie ready for our Xmas Day luncheon. I also made Homemade Truffles to bring to a party we need to attend on Saturday. I  wrapped one last gift and did some yoga and then it was time to shower and get ready for our THREE Christmas Eve Services at the church where the choir was leading worship. How I loved every minute of  each service. Words don't suffice.  We were treated by the  church to a catered late lunch between services from this local place which was outstanding.  SO much food and desserts. I ended up bringing some home to enjoy later in the week. Each service was packed out as in some people had to sit in our "overflow room" (the church gym) to hear and see the service up on the big screen. I'm so thankful we got to sing and be with our brothers and sisters in Christ for most of Christmas Eve. Later that evening, Dave and I curled up on the couch together drinking hot herbal tea and watching White Christmas. A perfect ending to a perfect day.  Our hearts were thankful. 

In our church lobby
Dave, Courtney, me
Tyler, and his mom Evelyn 

Dave, Courtney and I
(Claire had to work until 4:30 and she said it was crazy busy at the eye center) 

• CHRISTMAS! Dave and I were up rather early, around 6, and had coffee together and read the Word. I finished up a Bible study I had been doing online. We had croissants and jam with coffee for breakfast and showered, etc.  I made the vegan pot pie (same as chicken pot pie but with the plant based chicken tenders and oat milk vs cream of chicken soup) and got everything set up on the dining room table. Courtney arrived, and shortly after that Claire who made us her famous mimosas. We then opened our stockings and gifts to each other and just talked and talked. We had dinner together as a family and it was so very nice!  No one wanted dessert as we were full so I sent plates of cookies home with both girls along with Claire taking the rest of her vegan pot pie. Courtney left around 3 pm to go to her boyfriend's family and Claire stayed to watch the Xmas Eve service with me online via You Tube. She didn't get home in time from work on Wednesday to catch us live. The recording is ok but it's so much better when one watches it in person or live via our church website while it's actually happening. She really liked it and I was so happy she wanted to watch it with us. She stayed until about 4:30 and then wanted to get everything home so she could get everything out of her car before darkness hit. I'm so thankful  we had a relaxing Christmas with just the 4 of us. Later that evening, Dave and I watched the Downton Abbey End of an Era movie that is now available on Netflix. SO well done. It's the middle movie in the trilogy.  Very poignant.  Highly recommend. 

Courtney had Dave and I hold up my candy cane tea towel as a backdrop
these are the mimosas Claire made for us with delicious champagne
I provided the cranberry, orange juices and the fresh cranberries.
My drink is the pink one as I prefer more cranberry to orange. 

Christmas Morning

Dining room is all set for our late lunch/early dinner

Courtney!

Claire!

And that's a wrap my friends! 

Courtney and Tyler walking through our church lobby
to get ready to go on stage before the 2 pm service 

I hope you all had a very special Christmas (if you celebrate) and that you took some time to reflect on all the good things God brings into our lives. 

For those of you here in NYS and points south-east, be safe tonight!  We are expecting a snowstorm........my guess is Albany will get about 6 inches (my daughters think it will be less) .....at least I'm hoping.....I wanna try my snowshoes on a trail!! We had a green Christmas here........

Have a  wonderful, safe and healthy weekend!!