I'll start tonight's journal entry with a gift that arrived Monday night.
My friend Mary in Colorado sent four of these exquisite plates to me!
They are so detailed and beautiful. I will think long and hard about the menu when I use them for the first time. I believe something with honey would be appropriate, don't you?
Mary is an 80-year-old who has served over 50 years in her community helping grandparents and even great-grandparents who are raising their grandchildren due to parental neglect and abuse because of their own addictions. Mary designed and created a program for children who had experienced trauma and disruption in their young lives called Kids Place.
I have admired Mary and the work she has done and continues to do.
I will be praying for Mary and the work she does there in Colorado.
It's only 3 days until Christmas and I have worked all day long.
I spent over three hours in the kitchen - first baking a batch of pumpkin muffins for friends and neighbors. I did save a sack to put in Rayne's stocking since she loves them so.
My last vegetable dish was Broccoli Rice casserole and that joined the other dishes all ready in the fridge to pop into the oven on Christmas Eve.
Tomorrow is my last day to prep and I will bake two cakes and one pie, get the pepper poppers ready for the oven and finish up the cranberry salad.
Louis Dean worked outside cleaning the kitchen fountain - which was a messy dirty job!
We both cleaned up and left the house about 4:30 to deliver some goodies.
This was the first time I had dressed since coming home from Amber's on Monday night!
I literally stayed in my nightgown all day Tuesday!
We dropped off some things on people's porches and took a care package to Brenda and Billy who are both home ill. We shopped the Aldi in South Irving to get another list of 'last minute' supplies and things before going over to June's for our last delivery.
Kimmy was gone and we visited with June for a few minutes.
By the time we left it was nearly full dark!
I was glad Louis Dean was with me as we drove home.
This cute camper tea yowel was in the bag June gave us along with other things.
I think it is just adorable.
The break did us good and we went right back to work!
We had some things to finish up in the gazebo and it is now all ready for friend sn d fsmily!
I love the lights!
The sewing room doors are a few short steps away from the gazebo!
See that Santa Claus felt door knob hanging?
I made that in the lats 60's.
The weather will be in the upper 80's on Christmas Eve so we will certainly be entertaining inside and outside!
I have a round Merry Christmas plaque that Louis Dean is going to hang over the pumpkin in the welcome sign.
The gazebo is decorated with eclectic decorations.
I hung net lights nehind the bluebonnet staind glass.
Finally! All the decorating is done!
I have a full day ahead of me tomorrow - prepping the pepper poppers, baking two cakes and one pie, tea, and then moving on to clean both bathrooms, changed the sheets on our bed.....so I am ready to go to bed. Actually, I'm already there - writing my words and I am so tired and sleepy that I better close while I'm still awake!
Wise words from a pillow my friend Lynn sent me form Florida
Kind words are alway appropriate!
Everything looks and sounds wonderful. You work hard to make it very special and festive.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda. Sounds like you have everything ready and will have a wonderful Christmas. I love the plates your friend sent, and also that pillow you got from Lynn in Florida. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a beautiful new year. (We are heading to Texas for a mid-winter getaway in the sun, if our plane can just get off the ground in the big snow storm that is forecast.)
ReplyDeleteOh Linda you haven't slowed down at all! Look like you will have a wonderful Christmas in style...hugs
ReplyDeleteOnly 2 days and here it is what it is. I never finished, but what is done is all that will be done. Your gezzebo is just as beautiful as the rest of your home. It's like having another room added on.
ReplyDeleteHi honey -- you're busy as the bee on those beautiful plates you were given!Don't wear yourself out before the big day!
ReplyDeleteLouis Dean has the face of a young boy so often. He must be excited for Christmas, too.
Christmas Eve is upon us, and I hope you will have lots of pictures and food updates when your company comes tomorrow! 💕💕
You are such an angel!
What sweet gifts you have received. I know of great-grandparents who are raising their great-grandchildren...four of them ages 16 to 3. What love!
ReplyDeleteLove hearing about your projects and seeing your home look so festive. I had seen that Texas is in a heat wave. Maine is gearing up for more nasty weather on Christmas Day. We are safely through yesterday's ice storm. Yay!
May you both have all the energy you need to enjoy yourselves as you soldier on through all the baking and merriment.
What a delightful post you shared with us Linda...I'm just a bit behind.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be a part of your family for Christmas Eve...so many goodies and special things. Think I would gain a million pounds just sampling everything.
Have fun and savor every moment...
Merry Christmas to you and your darling Louis Dean.
Sue
How fun to see your final decoratiions and your day of baking and cooking.
ReplyDeleteThe "Bee" plates are so elegant. What a lovely and thoughful gift from your friend Mary, What a wonderful legacy she has.
You will have nice weather for Christmas, and CA will have hard rain!! But we wont let that put a damper on our plans. Merry Christmas and God bless you and LD.
Enjoy
ReplyDeleteMy son and daughter in law doing the food for Christmas Eve and snacks Cmas Day
Allergies and health keeps them
From eating ordinary food and I am
Vegetarian lol
Low key and fun
Will miss family in Indy but they were here recently
Love the card
Don't work too hard - all will be well... Season's Greetings did my last shop first thing this morning - of course it's Christmas Eve already here. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your holiday plans with everyone. The love you show for your family, friends, neighbors and readers, not to mention the stamina and determination, is remarkable and humbling.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours!