Savoring…

christmas 2009 021

A Sock 015

A moose 145

A moose 127

Christmas 2009 008

Christmas 2009 023

Christmas 2009 014

Oh, I do hope you are all sitting back somewhere, sipping warm cider and watching “Miracle on 34th Street” with those you love for the 100th time. I hope that you are hanging on tightly to the warm, tender feeling of the holidays so that the sparkle and glow will last just that much longer. We certainly are savoring it all at this house–what with twinkle lights in dimmed rooms, new toys scattered lovingly under the tree, 3 flavors of hot chocolate, and far, far too many sticky treats.

As always, we will pause here, in this season until the next joyful holiday entices us to loosen our hold and move forward. We could only be persuaded to trade our tree for fire crackers, fire crackers for pink hearts and pink hearts for painted eggs–because we know that it all comes back around again to the cider and the pine, the music and the mittens, the candles and the sweet baby in a manger bed.

So pardon us as we linger in the “happiest season of all.”

Join us, if you’d like.

We’re blessed to have you.

Christmas Magic

Christmas 138

Christmas 154

Christmas 205

Christmas 170

Christmas 198

Christmas 181

Christmas 156

Christmas 176

Christmas 169

Christmas 171

Christmas 163

Christmas 133

Wishing you all the Christmas magic your soul can hold along with the hope that your holiday season has been joyful, triumphant, merry and bright~

love, love, love,

The Gracious Rain Cheer-Meister Committee

&

Christmas Secrets

Shhhh….

A moose 152

There’s a ton of whispering, and tip-toeing and hiding secret projects under blankets, going on around here, right about now.

To sneak a peak at the presents before the kids do–go to the Secrets tab and click your way in. Some of the surprises for this year are there. Some are not. I would have posted it long before now, but I was certain there was more time–weeks in fact. I was entirely unaware that it’s Christmas Eve…already. Wow.

Help me. How did that happen?

I’ll admit that this Christmas isn’t quite as “handmade” as I would have liked–but it isn’t for lack of trying. I’ve made a million hats and headbands and slippers in the last few months–I promise. My problem is that I find it impossible, really hard to  make something for my baby birds and not just hand it to them.

I can prove it…

A Sock 012

The “Who-ville Hats” were supposed to be for Christmas.

A cake pop 126

The headbands were supposed to be for Christmas.

I’m a dreadful gift stasher.

I’m a wonderful “you-need-this-right-now”-er.

…sigh…

Then, Christmas comes.

A moose 164

We tried to make authentic “Sugar Plums” last year and aside from that fact that they tasted like little blobs of nutty fruitcake–yuck–they were an educational experience. So when I found some incredible ones at Mrs. Cavanaugh’s Candy, I was determined to hide them away. It would have been a lovely secret and delightful surprise for everyone.

But they were just so cute…

and I was over come with excitement…

so I showed the kids.

~sigh~

A moose 170

We are much better in this house at keeping secrets “collectively” anyway.

A moose 172

So the treat plates and neighbor surprises are perfect for us.

A moose 175

Ahhhh….Mock Turtles…

A moose 179

Christmas Hugs, Peppermint Bark and Milk Chocolate Fudge. The best kept secret about all these treats is how many of them actually end up at the neighbors…and how many will be spirited away…by

…the Bald Kid.  It’s always him.

Hee, hee.

Oh, Christmas…

Oh, Martha…