Ladies of Grace Brunch

Our Ladies of Grace theme for our Christmas brunch on Tuesday was Christmas Around the World with tables decorated in accordance with our choice of country or locale. I chose Mexico because I thought it would be easy!! Ha! It actually turned out all right. I bought a sombrero and made colorful flowers from tissue paper the way we used to do in high school for floats! A red tablecloth, a balloon, and poinsettia plates and napkins completed my decorations!

Feliz Navidad!

As always, the party was potluck, with everyone to bring a dish that tied in with the decor of their table. I don't cook a lot of Mexican food, (maybe a taco sometimes), but I found a recipe on Pinterest for Cheesy Chicken Enchilada soup. DH had been warned that morning that the leftovers would serve as his lunch, but he did not have to worry because it disappeared very quickly. 

Louisiana

which meant dirty rice and sausage!

From the Northern States

Swedish meatballs and noodles

West Texas

My favorite - beans and cornbread!

Mediterranean

Greek salad and pita bread

India

An Indian dish which name I am unable to tell. ;-(

We have such a wonderful group of ladies for our Tuesday morning Bible study. Our gift exchange was the fun story of Mr. Wright and his family, with the back and forth and back and forth, which always causes confusion and brings lots of laughter!

Laughter is good medicine.

Hodgepodge

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?

5 - somewhere in the middle. I love Christmas and Christmas decorations, but I don't like too much clutter and I don't want to spend too much money on frivolous items. We have a tree, two Nativity Sets and several other small items scattered around the house. It is homey and cheerful and makes me happy. In that regard, my decorating is a 10! It makes me happy! I do not require fancy or elaborate.

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!

It is special to me simply because I love that Jesus came to earth in such a simple and humble way and yet all of it was miraculous! Majestic King come to dwell with us. My Nativity has a small tree beside it with gifts representing the gifts He has given us and the gifts we give back to Him. 

3. Do you live in a social neighborhood?

No.

If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did? 

I would like it if it were more social. People are friendly enough, but most of the conversation is by the mailbox, out walking, or across the fence in the summer. I guess that is all right. Our old neighborhood was much more friendly and we knew we could count on each other.

4. As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?

I am trying to make the present last longer and trying not to waste the moments! 

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

No. Mondays are easy days around the house, doing laundry, paying bills, doing homework, etc. Much easier than when I was working outside the home. Mondays were hard and Sunday evenings depressing knowing the weekend was over.

6. Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?

Poinsettia! My mother's favorite and mine, too! I will be picking up poinsettias this week to set out around the house.

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

There are so many good quotes from Christmas movies. "You'll shoot your eye out!" "Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel get his wings." "I believe, I believe." "God Bless us, Every One!"

The best is:

8. Insert your own random thought here.

A couple of my favorite Christmas movies are The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart and A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott. Many years ago, probably in the 70's, Hallmark aired a Christmas program called The House Without a Christmas Tree. I have never seen that one rerun on the Hallmark channel since then.

Catching Up

I am trying with difficulty to recollect what exactly has gone down the past couple of weeks, so I will just pick up with last Friday night when we had dinner with friends and attended our monthly concert. This one was really good with a group of three tenors - called Tenore! We aren't allowed to take pics of the performers, but here is a photo off their website Tenore! Although all the performance was excellent, I could have gone home quite satisfied having heard them sing I Dreamed a Dream from Le Miz and O Holy Night. Chills up and down even now as I remember them.

Some of the trees inside the church!

Jack with Mr. Pine Cone

Jack and Kate spent Saturday and Saturday night with us. He had fun taking decorations OFF my tree and making new things with them. He's always finding things around my house and wants to take them home with him. He put the toothpicks in the pine cone to make a little man and then wrapped it up for his hero cousin, Brady.

Kate read The Night Before Christmas to us.

We went to the movies to see Moana and have lunch, then came home to play, color, play jacks, jump rope, etc. After we had been home for a couple of hours, we had a little excitement in that Grandpa couldn't find his phone. We searched everywhere for it and it became quite the exasperation since calling his phone wouldn't help because he had put it on silent for the movies. It was pouring down rain and also time for everybody to be getting ready for bed, but I insisted we load everybody up in the car and go back to the theater to see if the phone might be there. Thanks be to the good Lord for watching over us one more time as the trip back off and the phone was still there!!! God blesses and protects us in so many ways.

Last Saturday, our son Jason (the tall one), left for a mission trip along with his pastor and three other men from their church. They will be up in the mountains in Honduras all this week hiking and going to different villages to offer help and the message of Jesus. They were only allowed the backpack with necessities, sleeping bag and I think one change of clothes. Any extra items were gifts to be given away, such as eyeglasses and medical supplies. Below are some of the pictures they have sent thus far. It's really neat that each day we can pinpoint where they are and they also are able to text and let us know they are doing well. What a blessing. And what a blessing they are. I am so proud!

Giving eyeglasses

Our son fixing up this woman with a splint for her arm

Pastor Zach with village children

Upon their return, I am looking forward to hearing all about how the Lord worked in each of their lives and the people they came into contact with on this trip!

Tuesday Tidbits

This was originally Tuesday Tidbits, but then it was Wednesday in Thanksgiving week, so things were a little off and it then became Wednesday's Warblings. Bible Study Fellowship was on a Tuesday and Ladies of Grace took the week off. Crazy mixed up week. Then last week was a total skip out and I am now back to Tuesday Tidbits.

I was trying to get ideas for Christmas gifts for the kids. Here is a partial list I was sent.  Ah, what to do, what to do! Mommy has instructed me only one or two toys. I am good with that.

We will be having company this week. I invited my brother and sister and their families to come spend the weekend and attend the Gift of Christmas with us at Prestonwood Baptist! This is such an amazing spectacular of a show as I have told about before. Therefore, I have been trying to get ahead on things since after Thanksgiving, time took off to fly with no time to spare. I. Am. So. Excited!!!

First thing I did was buy Christmas cards and they were signed, sealed and delivered to the post office the day after Thanksgiving. I also have pumpkin bread and zucchini bread in the freezer, along with chocolate chip cookies and pecan cookies. Fudge will be next!

Next I went up into the attic to pull down a few things to decorate. Beware, decorators everywhere, I am not a decorator and since I am not able to pull down the big tree from the attic, we will satisfy ourselves with the little tree, the spirit of Christmas, Nativity sets and a few other little things. It isn't good to have the house cluttered while company is here anyway.

It will be better when there are some packages around the bottom of the tree.

Finally, please do not scroll down if you are offended by deer hunters. 

Our son and son-in-law are both sportsmen, hunters and fishermen. They enjoy the fellowship, being out in the woods, and they also eat what they get. That being said, our grandsons have been going hunting with their dads, and here is a pic of Brady with his first doe. Although this troubles my DH and me, it is not our business and I am recording this here for Brady's sake in my book of memories. In their world, I think this is a kind of "man thing."

Oh, What a Night!

Our daughter-in-law is employed with the school district where the children attend school. Friday was Colonial Day and the fifth graders did all kinds of things the colonists did when they came to America - even down to making candles. We were all set to have a little slumber party at our house with the kids, so on Friday afternoon we went over to pick them up. When Amy drove up and I saw her with this little head covering, I thought she looked a little Amish!

My hat's off to you teachers!

Kate showed Grandpa and me how she

writes and illustrates stories on the computer. 

Kate was invited to her first slumber party with her soccer team, so the one we had planned with her and Jack didn't happen that night. But, Jack came over and we had a fun evening. 

Just as everybody was settling in for a good night's sleep, I had to get up and retrieve something and whoops! ran right into the trampoline with my left shin and right foot. So, just as my left toes have finally healed up, my right toes are now swelling! 

He looked just fine as I tucked him in.

At 3:30 Saturday morning, Jack came running to me crying that his throat was hurting and he was sick. After making a trip with him to hover over the toilet for a bit, I went back to bed with him. Poor little guy was shaking and coughing and running a fever. I thought he might go back to sleep, but he then got sick all over the bed. So sad for that sweet little guy. I carried him to the sofa and held him as he slept for a couple of hours and then decided I needed to take him home. 

We carried a bucket in the car for him (just in case) during the drive to his house and, about halfway there, a warning came on that the tires were low. Dear Lord, oh no! Is there a Discount Tire anywhere around here? Just as I prayed that, I glanced to the side and there was a Discount Tire! As I prayed again to find a way to get to it, I then noticed a Just Brakes and stopped for help. So nice! Those guys were happy to help us out. Thank You, Father. 

Well, sad to say, when we made it to their house, Kate was already home in bed. As it turned out, she had to leave her slumber party due to the very same problem Jack was having. Poor Mama is going to be nursing those sweet kids for several days. 

Friday Foto Friends

Well, just when you think you've got nothing, ... you're proved wrong! Linking today with Deb at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends. SurPRIZES in today's mail from Deb for being the PRIZE winner in her giveaway.

Sweet stuff!

Thank you, Debbie.

My DH especially liked the food portion!

Today turned out to be quite productive. In addition to household chores, I cooked a pot of beef stew, made cornbread, pumpkin bread, shopped a little, and addressed a big stack of Christmas cards! Woo-hoo! Now, if only I had a few Christmas gifts under my belt. 

Sharing this from my friend Janelle at AlleeOops Photography. 

This fall scene is actually in Texas!

My sisters-in-love.

Susan and RuthAnn taking a stroll in her neighborhood. Susan drove down earlier this week to help her cousin RuthAnn take care of her Dad while her stepmom recovers from surgery. RuthAnn's stepmom is MORE proof that as we get older, we have absolutely no business whatsoever climbing on ladders without some assistance! Susan's Dad fell from a ladder several years ago and was never the same. 

Our Ladies of Grace assignment is to reach out to others. My first reaching out was to our neighbor across the street. We say hello in passing, but don't really know each other. They are a younger couple and both work. So, I baked a pumpkin bread and took it over to just say thanks for being my neighbor.