Our Mid December Weekend....

  I'm happy to say I've turned the corner on my Christmas preparations and decorations!

I now have more rooms done than I have yet to do.

And the remaining rooms are all much easier than the others.

Except the sewing room but it isn't at the same level as the den, foyer, porch, kitchen and dining room!

The cats are loving all the lights and trees and ribbons to play with and they keep us totally entertained as they do so.

It's turned cold in the DFW area and I think Samantha was trying to stay warm.

I learned long years ago not to keep the house too warm.

Way back when, we had lots of cold when my ex husband insisted on keeping the thermostat in the upper 70's.

For the last 20+ years I have kept it at 69 degrees and at night we use an electric blanket and I turn the heat off completely.

I know this won't work for those who live up north but it works for us here in the south.

Last week this room was a wreck!

However, Saturday night Ilene joined us for dinner and a movie and we ate at the dining room table for the first time in months!

I made pepper poppers for our appetizer and we sat by the fireplace with our fancy wine cocktails before dinner.

I choose fruity low sugar and low alcohol for our movie nights.

This one was strawberry wine with strawberry sparkling water and fresh strawberries.

It was seriously delicious.

Next week I plan to serve a hot mulled wine which will be perfect for this season.

Dinner was stuffed bell peppers and mashed potatoes with a garden salad.

It was nice to sit at the table to eat and visit with Ilene.

She is such a gift to me as she's a good listener and gives me such comfort and support.

She loves Louis Dean and will sit and talk with him while I do other things.

The Lord gives us all gifts and I realized early in life that mine was the gift of hospitality - or giving - as Ilene calls it while she has the gift of serving.

• Giving: The readiness to give resources with generosity and cheerfulness.
• Serving: The talent to faithfully serve others and help in their needs, often behind the scenes.

I often tell Ileen, "You make me feel normal again."

We enjoyed our dinner and our movie with peppermint popcorn at 'Intermission!'

Our living room is special to me as I spend my morning quiet time - or at least some of it - in the chair on the left (bought at the thrift store for $15) while listening to soft instrumetal Christmas carols.

I love the lights and the candles and the music and ambiance.

I also go outside on the kitchen deck with my prayer cards and first cup of coffee - no matter the weather - and look up to heaven and praise God for all that He has done for me. He's redeemed every single area of my life and I am so grateful.

This is 2025 and I made this stained glass nativity scene in 1965.

I have lost the camels, sheep and shepherds over the years but am thankful for this piece.

All four of my children remember seeing this through their lifetimes and it continues to be on display to this day.

I love traditions that seem to go on and on.

In keeping it real - which is so important to me - this is my next 'big' room to do.

I hope to start it tomorrow or - realistically - on Tuesday.

This morning we woke up to seriously cold temps so I got a fire going in the den and had it all warmed up by the time Louis Dean joined me for watching Fellowship Church service live on You Tube.

I made oatmeal, crispy bacon and toast for breakfast as we watched.

We spent the afternoon at the Plano hockey rink watching Kailey and Logan play.

The more games I attend, the more I learn about hockey and the rules.

I'm so grateful we are still able to get out and about.

Neither of us are as agile as we used to be - but we continue to show up and will do so as long as we can. No regrets wishing we had done more when we could.

Amber and her dad....

She was officially adopted by Louis Dean in 2013.

She wanted him to be her REAL dad and so he is.

Me and my dearly beloved son in law, Mike.

He is a man among men.....

• "A godly man builds not just his house, but his legacy—one brick at a time with faith and integrity."
• "The measure of a man isn't found in his success, but in his ability to serve others with humility."
• "In every trial, a godly man sees an opportunity for God to reveal His power and provision."

And THAT is who Mike Bell is!

And then there's my daughter, Amber!

From the moment I knew I was pregnant with her, I prayed she would be mighty in Spirit!

And so she is and has been and always will be.

This is my first journal entry on my new laptop!

I am loving it and all my important data transferred with no problem.

Christmas is coming and I hope you are enjoying the season as much as I am.

If you haven't received your Christmas card by the end of the week, please let me know.

I ordered 20 extra and will mail you out one.

Cards are in the Mail!

 I was on the late side this year but all 200 Christmas cards have been sent!

I actually ran out of cards and ordered 20 more just in case I missed someone.

Wednesday afternoon I met my son Jesse at Best Buy to purchase a new laptop.

He arrived early to the appointment and did all the research before I got there so it was easy peasy closing the deal! Plus, he found a really great laptop at nearly half price!!

The Christmas band concert at the Bells' school was later that evening but it would be dark so I couldn't drive to the school and it would be awkward to have Amber or Mike drive us from their house since they could all go in the car at the same time.

Thankfully, Mike's parents live in Irving, too, and offered to stop by and pick us up on their way!

Win! WIN!!

What a wonderful concert!!

The Bells are in the eighth grade so they will be in high school next year!

WOW! 

How did that happen??

Trystan was first chair  honors band for oboe for district band competition and first chair wind symphony for region competition and was the only student at her school that placed in both competitions in any instrument category.

  Logan was fifth chair honors band for euphonium for district band and first chair for region band!

We are all so proud of them!!

All six Bells plus both sets of grandparents!

It takes a village and we have been one since we knew Amber was having all four of her children at the same time!

Tabitha got out the other day and then when I opened the door to look for her, Samantha raced out to join her! They stayed out for hours but at the end of the day, I opened the door and both of them casually waltzed in.

Louis Dean's shoulder continues to bother him so I ordered a shoulder/back heating pad.

Sherry suggested that a heating pad might help and I followed up on that!

It does, indeed, help!

I want to use it next!

When we ordered my new laptop on Wednesday, they didn't have one in stock.

However, they could ship it to me the next day. To have it shipped to Best Buy would not arrive until December 15.

So yesterday afternoon I took it up to to Best Buy and stopped in at Joe V's Smart Shop by HEB.

While not a fully stocked complete store like regular HEBs are - they had some real bargains in the produce section and a huge variety of just about everything.

By the time I did my errands and filled the car up with gas, the sun had set and I arrived home close to dark!

Louis Dean has been my hero with the fluffing of wreathes and trees and stringing up lights.

I'm over half way done with the decorating and have surrendered to the fact that it's the latest EVER to get this done.

Instead of fretting, I am embracing these days of preparation.

It's looking like I will be ready for Christmas Eve!

Bauer continues to perch in the Bells' Christmas tree!!

Good thing he is so cute!

I was visiting BJ's Facebook page and am in love with her pink Santa canvas!

I know she had this last year but not sure how many years before that.

I'm thinking of painting it for next year.

I have several pink Santas as well as pink poinsettias and will be looking for all things pink for next Christmas for the living room.

I'm already planning for next year's decorations while still working on the ones for this year!

We are watching this movie again and we are at Louis Dean's favorite part where Santa's singing in the jail! Such a fun movie!

I've enjoyed all the Christmas movies available on Netflix, Prime, Hulu, Paramount +....

but when Louis Dean and I are watching one together, I'm choosing ones we've already seen and he seemed to especially enjoy!

Can you believe Christmas is only 13 days away??

My big day is Christmas Eve and only 12 days to finish decorating and baking and preparing!

I'm loving every minute of it!

And just so you know.....I intend to leave all my decorations up for several weeks after Christmas so I can sit back and soak up all the ambiance of winter coziness!

'Tis the Season!

 I am still in the throes of decorating and preparing for Christmas and it looks like I will need to start even earlier next year!

Still, we made it to Harrison's hockey game Sunday morning.

As always, it was good to see Amber and catch up on all the Bell's activities.

This is what the stack of waffles looked like when she made breakfast for dinner the other night and this was AFTER a few layers had already disappeared!

I'm still addressing Christmas cards and hope to have them all in the mail by the end of the week.

Normally, I write a personal message as well, but this year I don't know if that will happen or not.

Due to my arthritic hands and time flying so fast I can't keep up - I may just send the cards.

Louis Dean is holding up and his shoulder sometimes hurts and other times not.

Sherry joined Ilene and me in a movie night Sunday after the Stars hockey game - which was so exciting as the Stars won in a shoot out!

This was a good one and could certainly relate to it from previous years and it had a good ending!

I'll be meeting Jesse on Wednesday to purchase a new laptop so I may not post another journal entry until I'm set up on that.

Louis Dean has been such a good sport in letting me use his, but he is getting antsy, so I'm returning it to him as soon as I close this post.

The First Week of December 2025

 This week started off with a challenge but all is well.

I'll be taking Louis Dean to his primary care doctor in January and he will be more than ready, I'm sure.

He may have torn a muscle since it's been hurting for so long.

There's always something to brighten any and every single day and the photo of Amber and Mike's Bauer after he literally climbed up the Christmas tree!

And on Tuesday I had a beautiful Face Time visit with my sister Deanie and Charlie. 

We talked and laughed and had such a good time just being together again.

Our conversation started while Louis Dean was still asleep and then he woke up, dressed and joined us in the living room. Deanie was so excited when she saw LD!

Those two bonded bigtime when the Bell quads were born and that bond stands true to this day.

A day or two later I called my brother, Lonnie and we had another great visit. My heart was filled with  joy in hearing and seeing my siblings' faces and voices.

We have so many beautiful memories of Thanksgiving days and Christmas mornings and Sibling Trips together. I'm ever so grateful that we did what we did when we could.

Our sibling connections shaped our lives and we all had happy endings.

Nita had the love of her life with Mike and Lonnie is happy with his beautiful bride, Michele.

I found true love with Louis Dean so God blessed all four of us.

We find a lot of joy with Samantha and Tabitha.....

Speaking of Tabitha!

We had to do a deep dive in the den closet looking for Louis Dean's winter coast and sweaters.

From there we went to the front porch to take down all the fall 'debris' down so I could start from scratch with new Christmas decorations.

It took most of Friday afternoon working out there but my plan was beginning to come together.

This was Thursday evening.

By Friday evening I had made a good start on the porch.

We moved the heavy bench to the driveway and I put the glider Amber and Mike had gifted me several years ago in its place. I needed a white bedspread to use as a cover so I went in and opened up the den closet again - and out jumped Tabitha!!!

This wasn't the first time she had locked herself in somewhere!

You would think she would make noise and moan like she does when we are driving down to the ranch. But no. She just stayed in there all quiet like!

However, she was in there long enough to necessitate washing a duvet cover and a warming throw!

All in all, it's been a good week.

Most days have been spent at home cleaning and decorating and I've loved every bit of it.

I decorate differently every year.

So far I have the biggest part of the house pretty much decorated and done!

The den, the kitchen, laundry room, living room, foyer, and now the front porch - all DONE!

Or nearly so. 

No big trees to deal with but I am using some of my treasured ornaments to embellish wreathes which Louis Dean has removed old debris from them.

My laptop has officially died and I will be meeting my son, Jesse, on Wednesday afternoon to buy a new one.

Right now I am using one of Louis Dean's really old laptops and it takes a lot of extra work to do a journal entry and I appreciate Louis Dean loaning his computer to me.

So, I am hoping to be able to retrieve my data from the old one to the new one I will be buying soon.

My book, spreadsheets, finances, so much was on that one and I did not use the Cloud.

I never understood it but it may be time to learn.

But for now, I will be putting future chapters of Children in the Closet on hold until I can get a handle on what's going on.

In other family news.....

Harrison shot his first buck at 13!

It was last minute and a perfect shot with a perfect buck.

Mike is a man among men and field dressed it on the spot.

They will have the head mounted and it will be treasured.

Mike's first buck hangs in the foyer of their home.

Love they have such a father/son bond and great experiences together.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

I've been addressing cards and I went to the post office on Friday and sent off the Christmas Santa and my sister, Rita's, birthday box.

Hopefully I will get all the cards in the mail by Monday.

Please let me know if there's been a change of address or if you would like to send me your address so I can get a card off to you.

I usually write personal messages on a recycled Christmas card and I will still do that but life has changed so if you don't receive a personal message from me, please know I would if I could.

And the Winner is......

 Carol Talbot Smith!

Congratulations!

I'm sorry to be so late in posting but this has been a crazy day!

My laptop died and I had to take it to Best Buy to see if it can be redeemed.

Jesse came over and worked on it and then advised me to take it back where I had purchased it for diagnostics.

Three of the four tires on my car showed low tire pressure and Amber came over to check that out and it was determined to be because of the cold weather.

I guess they weren't used to it but all is well now.

Then I took Louis Dean to the orthopedic doctor and we were in the waiting room for a solid two hours and that's when we were informed it would be at least 45 more minutes and then an hour after that for the appointment by which time it would be dark.

Instead of rescheduling, I will take Louis Dean to his January appointment with his primary care doctor.

We managed to do an errand or two and arrived home slightly after dark.

Louis Dean loaned me his computer so I could post this journal entry!

All is well that ends well!

Tomorrow I plan to mail off the Santa painting and buy my Christmas stamps....

if all goes well.

Our Weekend

 We have enjoyed this last weekend of November.

Ilene came for movie and dinner Saturday and we wiped out the last of the leftovers.

Even our possums had a Thanksgiving Feast this year!

It's been a cold winter type day here and we spent much of it in front of the fireplace watching football.

I'm working on Christmas cards and still decorating.

I did get the kitchen all clean and dressed up and will finish the laundry room tonight.

We came home with a gallon bag full of mac and cheese from Thanksgiving and I embellish it a bit with extra cheese and peppers.

Louis Dean asked me if I would make cornbread for him and I had a plastic bag with all the dry ingredients for a double batch and it's in the oven now.

I'll put some beans in to soak and cook them tomorrow.

Good cold weather comfort food!

I'll draw the winner for this year's Santa painting tomorrow afternoon when we get back from the doctor appointment for Louis Dean and I will get it in the mail as soon as I can!

Merry Christmas!!