The Day After Christmas

Only 364 days to go!

A Very Merry Christmas!

To all my dear friends and especially those who read my blog, 

Merry Christmas!

 May the Spirit of Christ dwell with all of us.

I will be back after the New Year. Have a lovely week, my friends.

Christmas Carol Countdown 2014: 1 Day to Go

Here I am on Christmas morning just as I see my presents!
My sister is hovering in the background.

Christmas Eve dawns and sleepy little children wake with excited anticipation. One More Day. They stare at the chimney thinking of Santa coming down it that very night. They examine the wrapped presents under the tree. This day will be one of the longest in their year.

I remember when I was 6 or 7, I found a bit of black rubber on the bricks by the fireplace. I was entranced! Santa had lost a bit of his boot on our fireplace! I danced around as I showed everyone my amazing treasure.

Here is Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians singing “Christmas Was Meant for Children.” We had this album (when there were albums!) that we played on our Hi-Fi. It was one of the three Christmas albums we owned. It played through every year of my youth.



Christmas is for all of us. Here are two videos about the beauty and worth of Christmas.

The first is one made by artists who are very popular on YouTube. The most important part was to share the joy of Christmas.  

The other goal was to set the record for the largest nativity ever made. It has 1039 people in the video. In the video notes it said: “All angels in the final nativity formation are real, NOT computer generated. No angels were added or subtracted.” 




The second video is a “follow-up,” if you may, of the video.




May the Spirit of Christmas bless your house this day and tomorrow.

Christmas Carol Countdown: 2 Days to Go

This morning, my mind wandered back to what would have been happening in Galilee 2,014 years ago. Mary and Joseph would be traveling to Joseph’s home city: Bethlehem to pay taxes to Rome.

Mary, being pregnant, is riding a donkey. How uncomfortable that would be, being ready to deliver the baby and plodding on a donkey. On a dusty road with many, many others heading in the same way for the same purpose.

What thoughts must Mary have at this time, knowing who her baby would be? Joseph must have been trying so hard to make Mary as comfortable as possible.

On the way to Bethlehem…to the greatest event that the Israelites had been waiting for centuries.

Sissel is a Norwegian singer with an international following. She has such a clear and elegant voice. Six years ago, she was the guest star of the annual Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. Every song of hers was a precious offering. You can look up, on YouTube, more of the songs she sang that night by searching Sissel Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Today I chose "In The Bleak Midwinter," a poem written in 1872 by Christina Rosetti. It was published after her death then became a Christmas Carol in 1906. Its setting imagines the Nativity in a snowy Northern landscape. This fits perfectly with Sissel's home in Norway.





Kids & Christmas: Learning the Meaning of Christmas Through The Eyes of Children





Don’t forget to come back every day to see the next Christmas Carol Countdown. If you’ve missed any so far, there are lots of wonderful carols! Just click on the badge near the top of the right sidebar!

Quilting Design Wall & Christmas Carol Countdown 2014: 3 Days to Go!

My vacation quilting began on Saturday. I worked on a Christmas gift for my granddaughter who will be born in January. I can’t say anything now, because Chief and Noel Heart don’t know what it is.

Noel Heart is the pregnant one! My granddaughter is
hiding behind her Mommy's sweater. At right is Hubby and
at the bottom is Firstest

Tomorrow I’m going to quilt with my friend, JP. We’re both excited for being able to quilt almost every day of the vacation! I will be doing the “final stretch” on the Mystery Quilt “Cascadia.”

Lori from the blog “Humble Quilts,” started a QAL on November 7. It was to be a wall-hanging and end up about 17” x 19” square. When she mentioned using up 1.5” squares, I was hooked. I have a box of those little squares and it would be fun to use some of them. On November 26th, Lori did the reveal. It’s an adorable quilt. She copied it from an antique quilt she found.

Here’s my progress so far. The center strips are seminole piecing. It’s my first experience and tomorrow will be my third day trying to get it right. I believe I got it figured out at the last quilt-together. I’m anxious to see what I can do tomorrow!

We’re in the final stretch for Christmas! I miss the days of having the kids home for Christmas vacation and doing fun activities with them. Young moms, believe me, there will come a day when you miss having the kids under your feet at Christmas!

Quilting Nonnie with my three young kids.
In front, Nancy Drew  3 yrs, Noel Heart 5 yrs
and I'm holding TGS, 1 yr

I have told stories of our Advent Calendar activities when our kids were at home. My crazy son, TGS, and his lovely OSLW, have finally dropped over the cliffs of insanity. I thought it was cute when OSLW told me she painted the husky’s toenails. Of course, I helped things along this year by sending my granddogs an advent calendar. Now they’ve gone around the bend! TGS excitedly told me just a bit ago that Ginny and Gandalf (my granddogs) had done the Jello Slurping contest. Once Hubby had brought me back with smelling salts, I got the second-by-second description of the contest. A video is forthcoming. TGS said he wouldn’t spoil it by telling us who won. I think it’s Gandalf; Dale thinks it’s Ginny. I think we should make a bet!

OSLW with Gandalf (left) & Ginny (right)

 Now that Nancy Drew suggested a song, TGS, whose name might be changed to Crazy Geek Son, sent his Christmas “carol” into me.

TGS was totally absorbed with Dr. Demento when he was a teen, which might explain his personality now. He’d record each show from the radio. Actually, it was fun! I learned some goofy songs during that time!

TGS sent me a Christmas “carol” he heard on a Dr. Demento show. It is by the great comedian, Stan Freburg. He was well known in the 50s and 60s for his satire and parodies of many common themes of the day. TGS’ request today is “Green Christmas,” which TGS loves because he agrees with the jist of the spot.





Because of the Design Wall, this has been a little bit longer post. I hope you enjoyed the quilting, the music and the stories.

Don’t forget to come back every day to see the next Christmas Carol Countdown. If you’ve missed any so far, click on the badge near the top of the right sidebar!

Christmas Carol Countdown: 4 Days to Go!

I thought I’d start off today with a big chuckle. Many families like to re-enact the nativity story for Christmas. Our family has been no exception and you’re so lucky: I have Pictures!

1986 Family Nativity: Nancy Drew as Mary,
TGS as Joseph

I’ve never been this late in my life! I still have Christmas shopping to do. Here’s the kicker…I don’t know who I still need to shop for!

I’m knuckling down this afternoon and delving into the Christmas gift box. I am going to find out who’s getting a present and who’s getting an empty box!

Tomorrow promises to be a busy day of buying…and I’m sure I’ll be kept company by hundreds of others like me. **Sigh**

I found a real gem for today’s carol. I can guarantee you haven’t seen this before. And, no, it’s not a video of my children singing when they were young. It’s “Go Tell It On The Mountain” but played in a very different way.




I’ve been nattering on about gifts and I love to get them. Still I always keep in mind the gift that was given to all on Christmas Day.





Don't forget to come back every day to see the next Christmas Carol Countdown. If you've missed any, click on the badge near the top of the right sidebar!