Category Archives: Holidays

Spring Planting and Pudgy Fingers

Yesterday was the first day of spring, which means this will be happening soon. Rosemary, chives, cilantro, lavender, kale and violas will be joining the thyme and aloe, both of which should be awakening and growing strong again in no time. All this along with a new adventure with wheat berries planted in pots just in time to spring to life by Easter morning. And of course there will be plenty of chocolate eggs and sweet treats tucked right in the middle of this new life. Could be that’s why spring planting and pudgy fingers go together so well.

pudgy fingers wheat berries

It seems that digging in the dirt isn’t just for kids or just boys for that matter. What is it about dirt digging that’s so good for the soul? Read More

Hot Chocolate on a Stick and a Midwinter Challenge

A  few years ago I came across a fun idea for Hot Cocoa on a Stick that Brittany from Be Be a la Mode Designs shared over at Thirty Handmade Days. She starts with a bag of chocolate chips and a few other ingredients and even includes a free printable label. They were very well received as Christmas gifts that year, because who doesn’t appreciate chocolate on a stick? Well, that got me thinking about the official holiday of all chocolate holidays next week and how these little chocolate beauties could be part of the intangible gift of time and connection. And so the Hot Chocolate on a Stick and a Midwinter Challenge was born.

bebealamodedesigns
Hot Cocoa on a Stick by Brittany @ Bebe a la mode designs

More Hot Chocolate on a stick

Since that first Christmas, I’ve learned that there is no shortage of yummy hot chocolate on a stick recipes and variations on Pinterest … Read More

Canning Jar Charm | Cookies Aplenty

It’s mid-week, and it seems the perfect day to share a quick gift idea for that in-between group of people who have touched your days. You know the ones … the teachers and coaches and doctors and neighbors and … The ones who need more than a little Valentine’s card but not quite as much as an entire bouquet of flowers or a diamond necklace. Which is why Canning Jar Charm | Cookies Aplenty seems like the perfect post for what appears to be a cloudy February day in our part of the world. After all, what could brighten a day more than the promise of cookies? And if there are going to be cookies, then there should necessarily be cookies aplenty, because one should never run out of such sweet kindness!

spilled M&Ms

Basically, all you need is a quart size canning jar and your favorite cookie recipe, and a few extra details to keep in mind … Read More

An invitation to share some love with a cookie party

As kids many of us looked forward to decorating a shoe box, picking out Valentine’s for our classmates and an afternoon party at school. What’s not to love about sugar upon sugar? According to Hallmark, the 114 million cards sent on Valentine’s Day are second only to Christmas. That doesn’t even consider those exchanged in construction covered boxes in classrooms across the country. As the years pass we narrow our Valentine’s Day focus to a more select group of friends, those we’ve walked with more closely in the day to day. It’s a good reminder to show love and gratitude to those around us. But as nice as the chocolate and cards are, for many of us, the years also bring a deeper appreciation for time and connection with others as opposed to tangible gifts. These intangibles gifts are the sort of things you can look forward to here in the next two weeks, along with a few DIYs to whip up in the process. So you can consider today to be an invitation to share some love with a cookie party.

baked cookie hearts

Because Cookies!

Age really isn’t a factor in the love of cookies though it may determine the thickness of icing and the total weight of sprinkles mounded on top Read More

Christmas Hopes Future

Here we are right smack in the middle of the in-between week with the excitement of Christmas a few days ago and the New Year just a few days off. These days pull us back and forth between leaving the decorations up just a bit longer or setting everything back to its usual place. Between enjoying just a few more Holiday delicacies until the new year, or getting a jump on those health goals before the big calendar flip. Somewhere over the years, it has become the week of regrouping around our house. Not a vigilant purging, get-after-it sort of pace, but more of a let’s sleep in a bit then tackle chunks of those things that have been left undone for far too long. All this being mingled with impromptu movie nights and coffee shake runs simply because we can. Christmas seems to remind us of the value of these slower moments together before the routine is set in motion again soon enough. This year that includes a bit of thinking on what I would call “Christmas Hopes Future”. A time to reflect on traditions to hold too, others to let go of and new ones that may need to be added to our collection. Today those thoughts look a bit like this …

Traditions we’ll hold to …

2016-tree

This tired old tree. It’s huge, y’all! So huge that, in an effort to slim her down a bit and gain a foot or two of floor space, we skipped Read More

Emmanuel, God with us

This morning breaks with the mixed bag of  day after emotions. One moment it’s a smile that spreads across your face recalling the look of surprise and excitement as those around you opened “the perfect gift”, especially if you’re the one who gave the gift. Tumbling right on top of that early morning memory is the knowing that someone has to clean up the remnants of yesterday’s merriment. And then there’s the storing of Christmas and moving on in the not-so-magical daily life challenges after a long-anticipated holiday. That little title up there at the top of this post, “Emmanuel, God with us” may seem a bit too little, too late. But, oh my friend, there’s nothing little about it at all, and it’s never too late.

emmanuel spray

He remains long after Christmas had been stored away

The beauty of Emmanuel is that He has come to stay amongst us, to offer His redemption and live within us. And though we can rattle off a myriad of Read More

and He shall be called …

for unto us

And He shall be called …

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

May your life be one of the overflow of His grace as you welcome Him into your heart and  the moments of your days this Christmas.

The merriest of Christmases to you and yours, friends!

Advent Christmas Devotion and Free Nativity Set

It’s almost Christmas and this is the final post in our Advent Christmas Devotion and Free Nativity Set series.  If you’ve missed the original posts in this series, you can catch up on all of them here.  This week we have the candle of Christ devotion and the Mary, Joseph and Jesus ornament.

nativity shrinky dink
Emmanuel God with us

We hope you have enjoyed each devotion and creating your ornament sets. As always we would love to hear how you have used these resources. Feel free to use them with Read More

Christmas Treasures Past

Three weeks ago I was able to enjoy an extended visit with my family after Thanksgiving. Late one afternoon, my stepmom and I set to work decorating her and Dad’s Christmas tree. We poured fresh cups of coffee, queued the Christmas music and started pulling ornaments out of tote boxes hauled up from the basement. As we opened one particular box, my breath caught a bit at a collection of Christmas treasures beaming up at me in all their dusty glory.

Christmas treasures past

Christmas Treasures Past

Vintage anything has long been a favorite of mine. But when the vintage comes with your Read More

Advent Peace Devotion and Free Nativity Set

It’s week four in our Christmas series and we have another fun ornament for you. If you’ve missed the original posts in this series, you can catch up on all of them here.  This week we have the Advent peace devotion and Free Nativity Set Christmas Angel for your ornament. You could even make a whole host of them if you like!

As always we would love to hear how you have used these resources. Feel free to use them with Read More