Cardboard Mountain

How are doing with your Christmas shopping? Almost done?

Last Saturday I was pretty close to hitting that PANIC Button as I really had not done much Christmas shopping. Mike calmed me down, though, and we went shopping. I generally hate shopping but we actually had a good time. We are both rather overcommitted this time of year, going in opposite directions, so I liked just spending time with him. 

Anyway, Mike had some good ideas for gifts and we managed to get a lot done. We celebrated by getting a drink at Sonic and driving around for a bit. We planned out gifts to be shipped to some of our out of town loved ones as well. To finish it off, I did a significant amount of online shopping as well. Sam works for UPS, you know. We do our part to ensure his job security!

Well, it has been a very busy week. As the packages started arriving, I just tucked them into my craft room. It got all those boxes out of sight, as well as the plastic bags.  As you see, it piles up into a pretty big mountain!

I can't even remember what all we have in that pile! 

The time has come for me to conquer that mountain so I am going to see what I can find on Netflix and have me a sweet little evening. As I open those boxes and wrap those gifts I am going to say thankful prayers for each of the recipients.  I am also going to remember that these gifts and  all good gifts come from God.

An Unexpected Gift

When our daughter, Maria, and her then boyfriend now husband, Eric, were in high school, they had a wonderful art teacher who had a great influence on the artistic path they have followed. Later, that teacher and his wife became very special friends to Maria and Eric. I've met them a few times but really I don't know either of them very well. I just feel like I do.

When Maria and Eric returned from New Mexico they brought a gift to me from that art teacher's wife, Victoria. Isn't that sweet? It certainly was unexpected! Again, Victoria and I have not been around each other much. However, we read each other's blogs and we have a common love for Maria and Eric and their girls. You can check out Victoria's blog here. It is a blog with a lot of yummy things worthy of Pinterest!

Anyway, I wanted to show you the gift Victoria sent to me...

 It is a blank book!

What do you think I should write in it?

Cool quotes?

Ideas for stories?

Lists of fun gifts, such as this one?

It is really pretty!

Thank you, Victoria!

I love it!

Living Creatively

My birthday was last week and I received a wonderful bunch of sweet greetings, cards and gifts. I really am a spoiled woman! Thank you everyone! I received books, warming oils, a beautiful new purse, clothes and much more. I'm telling you, I am surrounded by caring and generous family and friends.

Cordelia made a card for me that I will treasure. On the front is her own special artwork and she dictated these words for her mom to write on the inside, "Dear Grandma, I love you! I know it's your birthday. That's all. This is Cordelia. I made a note for you. God's blessing is on you!"  (Are you smiling? Did an "Aaaaaaah" slip out?)

Do you remember this blog post? I spoke of putting aside a lot of the normal New Year's Resolutions and instead, resolving to live more creatively. Well... Maria (Miss Creativity Herself) did not forget that post. In fact, she told me she started working on one of my birthday gifts right then. She made me a "Creativity Kit". What a fun idea! I wanted to show you as maybe you are trying to come up with an unusual gift for someone.

She used a container that was pretty in itself. I think it may have been one of those that comes with a new set of sheets. I love those and always try to find a way to reuse them.

Inside the kit was a plethora of cool things! Here, take a peek...

Isn't that a fun assortment? She didn't stop there, though. She made up a little booklet with ideas to jump-start those creative juices. 

I'm thinking of it as something of an assignment booklet. I intend to share some of my "assignments" with you over the course of this year. This is going to be so fun!

I joined a Linky Parties today. If you want to check them out, click on the cute little buttons.

Kindness Bandit Fun

Like I posted yesterday, I was able to join Maria on one of her Kindness Bandit Projects.  If you want to know more about the Kindness Bandit check out THIS or THIS or maybe THIS.  You may get some new ideas of your own to do as random acts of kindness.

Nearly three years ago, when Maria had Cordelia, we learned that in our community there are a lot of people who arrive to deliver and have very little to provide for their little ones.  We looked at all the little outfits and such for Cordelia and got the idea of sharing the joy.  Maria remembered it as my idea but I'm pretty sure it was her's.  At any rate, all we did was buy up some baby stuff, package it and take it to the nurses in the OB Dept. to distribute at will.

We thought it would not only be a nice surprise for the parents but that the nurses would enjoy being the bearers of gifts.  I don't know if you realize this but often nurses are the bearers of yucky things, such as needles and enemas.  This would be a nice change, trust me.

So, now that Elise is safely here, we wanted to do the same.  We actually started buying up things when Maria was pregnant.  We just watched for clearance items.  We found some amazing buys!  For example, we purchased a bunch of snowsuits, originally about $20, for just $3!  Additionally, Maria crocheted up a bunch of sweet little baby hats.  I sure have a sweet daughter, don't I?

We divided it up into gift bags, encouraging Cordelia to join in the fun.  Maria took some photos which you can view HERE.

She seemed pretty concerned at first.  She really needed a lot of reassurance that we still had lots of baby clothes for Elise.  We liked that she was watching out for her little sister.  I think she did understand we were trying to do something nice, but I think it was hard for her to understand about people in need.

So, we loaded up the gifts...

...loaded up the sisters (notice Cordelia's fashion statement in bracelets) ...

...and made our delivery.  It just took a few minutes but it was fun for us and hopefully helped Cordelia learn about helping others.

Not long after our trip to drop off our gifts at the hospital, I had to stop at the store for some things.  What do you know?  They had more baby items on clearance and I have no self-control!  I guess we're going to have to do this again!

For the record, I also purchased two matching sister dresses for Cordelia and Elise that may fit them in a year or so.  I love clearance racks!

Did you all have a lovely Christmas Day?  Do you open presents on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve?  


Mike's family was a Christmas Eve kind of family.  My family was a Christmas morning kind of family.  We've done it both ways over the years but since Mike became a pastor and was always busy with Christmas Eve Services we pretty much stuck with Christmas morning for a more relaxed time to open them.  This year, with Christmas being on a Sunday morning, we probably should have rethought that but we didn't.


Yesterday morning we got up early.  I made some Christmas cinnamon rolls that seem to have become part of our tradition.  I just use regular bread dough.  I made it in my bread machine Saturday night but you could even use frozen bread dough from the store.  I roll it out, spread butter on it and sprinkle a lot of brown sugar and cinnamon on it.  I roll it up, slice it and place the rolls into a buttered pan.  That is when the best part comes into play.  In a small pan I boil a stick of butter, a cup of brown sugar and a cup of vanilla ice cream... yes, I said ice cream.  Boil it awhile and then pour it over the top of the rolls.  Cover the rolls with aluminum foil, plastic wrap or whatever and put it in the fridge.  In the morning, bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so, until the center ones look done.  I flip it out onto a cookie sheet and let the goo pour down all over it again.  It is sooooooo good!  I have made up a vegan version of them now.  Instead of butter I use Smart Balance Light.  I substituted coconut ice cream but soy is fine.  Either way, it is yummy!


We went over to Maria and Eric's house to open presents.  That was a first for us.  I love having traditions but I also think it is important to do things differently from time to time.  My theory is that if our children see that the world doesn't end if Christmas has to be done a bit differently, it will make their first Christmas away from us easier.  I have lots of theories on lots of things and will be happy to share more if you wish.


After opening stockings, gifts and eating our cinnamon roll breakfast Sam went home as he was starting to feel ill.  We've had a nasty cold circulating through the family.  The rest of us went to church and by the time that was over, Cordelia was running a fever.    


Mike and I headed a few hours out of town.  It has been years and years since I had spent Christmas Day with my Mom and that was my wish for yesterday.  My sister, Tina, and her kids, Stephanie and Steven, were there as well.  They had to hold dinner for us quite awhile as we stopped along the way to help a family who's vehicle had broken down out in the middle of poor-to-no-cell-service Wyoming.  They had 4 little kids under the age of 5!  I don't think they were having their favorite Christmas Day but they were holding up impressively well.  Luckily the day was pretty warm and eventually a tow truck was finally summoned.


Anyway, we had a very busy but lovely Christmas Day.  Here's the photographic proof...

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