Simply Christmas

We had a beautifully simple Christmas.  Matt and Char arrived mid-afternoon, so we shared brunch, relaxed, and played until they came.

This was the official Christmas, and the gifts were arranged around--and under--it.

Thomas took a nap, while Jacob sipped something hot.

Mom and Dad.

It's official--I was there!!

The guys brought games for the afternoon.

The Jackson family!

My mom got this tee-shirt for my dad.

The giver of Mom's gift made her play a game where she had to guess who the giver was!

She received Catch Phrase, from Danny!

Char received a variety of ornaments from Mom.

Matt opened his foodie gift basket from Jacob.

Fernando received a Best Buy gift card from Jeff.

Thomas bought me spices from Penzeys!  *woot*

Jeff got a book he really wanted.

A rare smile for Joseph as he opens his Andy's (frozen custard) gift card!

Jacob was pretty happy with his restaurant gift card.

Char got Danny a gift card to Five Guys.  He likes food.

Thomas got a football.  (No words needed!)

We've got a great family.  Thank You, Lord, for such a beautiful Christmas spent with family.  We had a blessed day together.


Back to life,
Christine

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Simple Christmas ~ Food Gift Baskets

We put together two food baskets for our family Christmas grab bag.   Since I had picked my dad, and Jacob had picked Uncle Matt, we knew that we should use only food items, and nothing that had to be cooked or baked.  Too bad we didn't pick one of the girls in the family, but there are only three, and I'm one of them!

Here's what Jacob and I did for our recipients.

The first item in each basket would be my maple-sugared almonds.  Click here to see how I decorated the lids to these ordinary jars.

The basket on the left was for my dad, and the one on the right is for Jacob's Uncle Matt.  Each basket was 99 cents at Goodwill!

To Uncle Matt's basket, we added a jar of pickled jalapeños, because he likes spicy things.

As each item was added, we set it in front of its basket and checked it off our lists.

Above, here was what we ended up with!  Here's the list:

• Whole-Wheat Banana Bread Loaf
• Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Maple-Sugared Almonds
• Grape Preserves (made with agar)
• Lightly Sweetened Applesauce
• Peach Preserves (made with agar)
• "Chock-Full" Granola (we usually call this Gourmet Granola)

You may not be able to see it, but for the canned products--applesauce and preserves--I made circular labels and used Mod Podge to affix them to the tops of the jars.  Then I painted a thin coat of Mod Podge over the label and the lid, and let that dry overnight.

Since we waited until Christmas morning to actually package these up into each basket, I'm sad to say I have no actual pictures of the put-together baskets!  For the filler, I used tissue paper--oh, and I totally ran out after doing one basket!!  Can you believe that??  Fernando ran upstairs to the wrapping paper box and came down with lime green paper and royal blue paper.  Argh.  So what I did was use white and lime green in one basket, and white and blue in the other basket.  They actually turned out beautiful, whew!  Here they are, in wrapping paper under the foyer table at my parents' house:

When my dad opened his basket, he showed off his maple-sugared almonds--he had sampled a ruined batch I had made the week before and loved them.  Ruined = didn't dry right because I messed up the recipe so they stayed messy-sticky, but they still tasted super awesome!  Notice the lime green paper!!

Finally, here's Uncle Matt opening his blue and white gift basket:

Although our family members knew we didn't have any money to spend on even the $20 gift limit, Matt commented that the items in the basket were probably worth around $50.  He's probably right, but it was our pleasure to give these gifts this year!


Back to life,
Christine

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Tea Talk -- Tranquil and Quiet

Welcome to my home for Ruth's Tea Talk!

Sit and share a cup of tea with me as we encourage each other in the Lord.

To participate, click on Ruth's button above.

Totally just for fun--the driver of this vehicle stopped at our garage sale a few weeks ago!

I'm having...black currant rooibos, bought at our farmers market from the Spice Merchant and Tea Room, in my Gibson china teacup.  Alas, I broke my Portmeirion china mug from our Vero Beach trip, so it is no more.  Why do we get emotionally attached to things?  [Well, it's gone, and enough of that, now, Christine.]

I'm feeling...better and rested after suffering stomach distress of some sort late through the night Monday, then on Tuesday.  I did have a wonderful time with Fernando on Monday; he took me out to eat for our 24th anniversary!  We had a great time together, lots of conversation as usual, and some really delicious food at Francesca's at the Promenade.  Maybe that tummy thing was something I ate, but everything was mmm, mmm, good!

On my mind...is getting some good walking shoes for winter.  I'm laughing that this is what is actually on my mind.  But I have two pairs of two-year-old shoes that make my feet hurt if I walk for any length of time.  Now that the weather has decided it was autumn, my feet have been cold.  Even with the cold, though, I haven't wanted to wear either socks or shoes!  I've been wearing ergonomic flip-flops outside, and after freezing at Danny's college Wednesday morning, I decided that good new shoes were more of a necessity than simply a desire.  Praise the Lord that our garage sale proceeds and budget money are enough to purchase a quality pair.  Soon I'll have happy feet!

I leave you with...I always try to share a passage of Scripture that has been meaningful to me recently.  Today, though, I'd like to first share a quote I read in a book I'm reading (in the photo above) called Organized Simplicity.  The quote begins the chapter regarding money being a tool, and goes like this:

There is no dignity quite so impressive,

and no independence so important,

as living within your means.

Calvin Coolidge

Though this quote speaks to finances, it also speaks to other areas of my life in which I'm "overspending:"  time, and accumulation of stuff.  Am I booking so much into my calendar that I have no time for family, friendships, or even rest?  Have I been accumulating so many things--whether physical stuff or worry/cares--that meaningful time with the Lord is crowded out with concern for other things, or taking care of/cleaning/maintaining my stuff?  These are questions I've been using to check the simplicity (or lack of) of our family's lifestyle.  Sure, we homeschool.  Sure, we're together a lot.  Sure, we've cultivated family and other relationships.  But recently, busy schedules and a realization of just how much stuff we have actually amassed has me questioning--can we simplify?  I think we can.  This book has helped so far.  :)

Now for the appropriate Scripture.  :)  This Scripture references prayer for all men, and those in authority, so that...

...so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life

in all godliness and dignity.

1 Timothy 2:2b NASB

That seems to fit with a life of simplicity, doesn't it?  I'm not only longing for it, I'm beginning to plan and work for it, too.  I'm getting excited about it.  :)

Detail of flower at my friend Patsy's home

Back to life,
Christine

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FFG -- Simplicity and Purity

My sweet friend Lori hosts Friday Farm Girls @ Heart every week;

please click on her button to visit her blog

and to find out how you can participate!

Here on my suburban "farm," life buzzes all around me.  Not just within my home--which is more like a dull roar with five guys in it--but with the cars driving by, the busy main road just 50 yards away, the movie theater literally across the street, restaurants for every night of the week and then some, and all the "shopping," banks, and retail businesses within a quick five-minute walk.  Sometimes I forget about seeking the simplicity of a life serving God.  Here in the suburbs, it's important for me to see God's hand in simple things--a ladybug crawling on the wall, a timely phone call, the exact money I needed for groceries.  His handiwork and provision is all around me, and I just need to open my eyes and see it!

One day last week, Thomas called me to the kitchen area.  Our morning moments were filled with chattering birdsong as a flock of grackles settled on our snowy lawn, right next to our back yard windows.  I grabbed my camera--not just because I like photography, but because of my passion to capture the everyday wonders with which the Lord has blessed me.  And these birds were truly a wonder!

From past experience, I knew I had to photograph them through the window, since the slightest movement causes them to take flight.  There were literally hundreds of them, chattering away, digging through the snow for seeds and other food.  We watched them with delight, laughing (very quietly, mind you) at their antics, as more and more settled onto our lawn.  What a simple pleasure it was to just look and listen and enjoy the scene that God orchestrated for us.

The aspects of things that are most important for us

are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Although Ludwig Wittgenstein was a philosopher--I don't put much stock in philosophy--I do like this quote attributed to him.  I tend to overanalyze things; I want to figure everything out and understand all aspects of an issue.  The Lord constantly brings me back to simplicity through trust in and devotion to Him.  It reminds me of the faith of a child--simple, unwavering trust and hope in the Lord.

Paul wrote of his concern for the Corinthians, that...

...your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3b (nasb)

 One movement too many by me and--POOF!

Today I'm reminded to be simply, purely devoted to Him, and to recognize Him in the simple things in my life.  Every now and then I may experience a spectacular moment, event, or day.  But simple wonders surround me, if I quiet my heart and look.

Back to life,
Christine

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