Our Church and Day 13

Welcome to our church family

We’re glad that you could come

We’re honoured to share this day with you

As we worship God’s risen Son

We hope that God has touched your life

As we worshipped side by side

And that you left this place today

With the peace of God inside

© By M.S.Lowndes

Yesterday our ladies group (L.E.G.S) had a church bizarre.   The LEGS stands for Ladies Empowered by God's Spirit.  We all had a great time and earned money for a projector system for our preacher.   The bizarre was kind of a last minute decision but we are all pleased at how well it turned out.  I think it may be a yearly event even. 

Here is our sanctuary tree.  It took about 10 of us and a big ladder to set it up.  Christmas music was playing in the background and children were running up and down the isles playing tag.  It was a true moment I had to stop and enjoy.

Beautiful poinsettias line the alter and our advent candles are at the end.  We lit the Joy candle on Sunday.  Do you have any joys today?  I do.  It makes me so happy to have met such sweet bloggers and get such wonderful comments.  I am truly thankful! 

Here is our Fellowship Hall tree.  This is where we had our bizarre.  Here are some of the things we had for sale.

So many goodies and yummies! 

 I hope you are having a great day today.  The anticipation of Christmas is half the joy!

Day 13's matchbox comes from Cami of Creating Myself Creatively.  Cami has a beautiful blog and is so talented.  She is a very kind soul.  Thank you Cami!!

I adore the little boot on the front of music.  And on the inside is a beautiful angel.  To make it even more special she stamped the word believe on the inside!  So precious!!

(My sweet husband was messing with the camera, lol.  No it is not a flashback, it is still 2010.  I am not quite sure why it says that, tehe)  I will  have to ask him to mess with it some more and take the date off for me.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Outside Lights and Days 10, 11, and 12

This is what our house looks like this year.  Do you decorate with lights outside?  The outside is hubbies favorite part.  He starts pulling decorations and lights out at the beginning of November. 

This year he did a little at a time.  He started with the highest lights and worked his way down. 

Last year he made this sign.  When he was done he made one for our church.  I love it so much!

We have deer tucked in here and there

My favorite part is how he lines the driveway with lights!

This year we decorated the side of the house

I say "we" only because he will occasionally ask where to put something, lol.  And I DO hand him things, fetch him things, or throw something up on the roof every now and then.  He helps me in the house by moving furniture, lifting heavy things, and saying, "ya, that looks good there".  We are a good pair that way, lol!

Days 10, 11, and 12 matchbox

My number 10 matchbox comes from Linda of Country Pickins.  Make sure to visit Linda's blog and sit by her roaring fire!  It is so cute!  Inside is an adorable little hat ornament : )

Number 11 comes from Genie of Buttons For Baga.  Her blog is SO sweet.  Inside the matchbox is a darling shirt pin.  Ahhhhh

Number 12 comes from Amy of Papertrails By a Paper Lover.  Amy is very creative and does a lot of crafting with paper.  Be sure to check out her blog.  Inside is a ornament.  I was sure to hang it on the tree.

Our church bizarre is tomorrow and I knew I would be busy all day so I went ahead and did tomorrows matchbox.  These days are sure getting busy!! 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!!!!!!

Peppermint Bark and Days 8 and 9

Peppermint Bark, yum yum yum!

Sooooo easy to make.  Melt a package of white chocolate bark until smooth.  Crush around 20 peppermint candies in a bag.  Sprinkle all but a handful in the white chocolate bark and mix.  Spread onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.  Spread out to a nice 1/4 inch thickness and sprinkle the top with the handful of peppermints.  Let dry until solid and then break into small pieces...  Easy peasy and oh so yummy and refreshing!

Now for numbers 8 and 9.  I missed yesterdays reveal because we are having a church bizarre and I was there helping to get things ready.  I will take pictures of the cuuuuttteee things and yummy treats!

Number 8 comes from Molly of the North Carolina Shore!  The box is so sweet and a shell from her coast on the front.  So sweet!

Inside is another sweet shell.  I love the beach and love to see shells.  They remind me of the crashing ocean and salty air.  Thank you Molly!!

Number 9 comes from Vanessa.  The blog address didn't work and I really wanted to see it!  Her matchbox is sooo sweet.

... not even a mouse!  Isn't that adorable??!!  I love it!  Thank you Vanessa!!!

Here is my tree today.

I took some of the sprayed pine cones we were using for our bizarre and stashed them on the bottom of the tree.   I can't wait to see it all filled up!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!! 

Chocolate Oranges and Number 7

This is my favorite treat at Christmas time!  Chocolate covered orange candies, mmmmm ~~~

This is one of the treats we make for a goody bag to give to our friends and neighbors.  It is super easy, just melt some almond bark and then dip the orange slices and then... ENJOY!!

Matchbox number 7 comes from Jill at File Under Misc.  Her blog is full of great crafty ideas and she is super sweet!!

I love the little mittens!  There was a cute paper clip inside...

Thank you so very much Jill!!  It is a beautiful matchbox.

Thank you for stopping by

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!

Presents Wrapped and Number 6

Today I spent the day taking inventory of everything we have bought and made for Christmas presents.  I wrote every ones name down and the present we had for them.  This allowed me to see who I needed to get more for and who I was finished with.

When I was done with that I took 2 different wrapping papers out and went to town a wrappin!

I had the Christmas music playin and I was a singin : )

This year I didn't put tags on the presents.  Instead I wrote the girls names on the back, tehe.  It is driving them crazy!  They want to know who's present is who's.  They have been sniffin all over those presents and still haven't seen their names on them, hahahaha.  I did this because they both asked for things that are soooo vverrrry easy to guess even when wrapped.  I thought about wrapping them in bigger boxes but didn't have any on hand so that was my remedy.  I love how they are feeling and sniffing, lol.  They are so stinking cute and full of anticipation!

And now for number 6!

Isn't it darling?

There is a darling star inside!  The sad news is... I lost the name and blog address : ( !!!!  If you know who's it is please let me know so I can give them the credit they deserve.  They did such a lovely job and even used a big matchbox which I LOVE!  I guess the tag got lost in my wrapping mess and I threw it away.. booohooo booohooo.

I found it!!!  I had it tucked in a magazine so I "wouldn't" lose it, lol.  Number six comes from Jenny at The Red Bulletin board.  Thank you so very much!  Jenny has a sassy and vintage blog that is a joy to read.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

Paper Clip Santas and Number 5

Look at these little sweeties!

This is the large paperclip with a Santa on it, I love it!

I found these at that same craft fair yesterday.  I just couldn't resist them.  I think they would make great bookmarks for someone.  And I think I know a couple of little sweeties to give them to, tehe.

And now for number 5!  This matchbox comes from Carol at Heirlooms For You.  Today she had a great post about remembering God in the small things.  She is so right.  In the hustle and bustle of this season let us not complain when the closest parking spot is on the far side of the parking lot.  Let us remember that we have healthy working legs to walk us to the store.  Thank you Carol! 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

A *sweet* idea and day number 4!

Look at this little sweety!  Isn't it cute?  When you untie that little red ribbon...

"May the warmth & love of Christmas be yours today and always".  Adorable!  But that is not all..

There is hot cocoa inside *squeal*!  I bought this today at a sweet little craft fair.  It can be easily made at home but I just HAD to have them... ALL, lol.  I bought the last 6 of them for $1 a piece.  Now to decide who on my Christmas list gets these little gems?

Day number 4's matchbox comes from Sarah at Our Pumpkin and Sweet Pea.  What an adorable blog she has!  Her sweet children and her homemaking make it so sweet!

Tucked inside is a sweet little tag.  I have had so much fun with this swap!  I hope you have too!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!