Now it's on to the New Year!

Hi everyone,

I trust you all had a blessed Christmas with family and/or friends.  My family all came to our home for Christmas Eve.  I loved every minute with each one of them.  Although I will  say that I was exhausted when I finally laid down in bed around 10:15pm.  Of course it took me a little while to fall asleep because my brain was still spinning from everything.  But, I wouldn't have changed one single thing. 

This was the first year in some time, that all six of my Grandsons were here, at the same time.  Of course, I had to take a photograph of them, because I am so extremely proud of each one of these young men.  Here's a photograph of them:

It seems like just such a short time ago that they were just young boys, doing crafts with Grandma.  I truly miss those very special times with them, but I understand that they are adults now and their days are very busy, what with either working, going to college, or both.  I love them so much, they'll never truly know just how much they mean to me!

My daughters and their mates are loving, caring, very special people and I'm also very proud of the six of them.  Family is what makes Christmas very, very special to me.  But, I have to say that I miss my Mom and Dad very much, especially at this time of year.  It's because of them, that I love Christmas so very much.  To me, it's a time for loving family and close friends, but mostly for giving thanks to God for giving us His baby Son on Christmas Day. 

I hope your Christmas was as special and loving as mine was.  Now New Year's Eve and the first day of 2018 is almost upon us.  We're not doing anything on New Year's Eve, but we will start the year off with pork and sauerkraut!  Not necessarily because we believe that you won't have luck in the new year without having it, but because we both love it!  But, it never hurts to get some help in the luck department!  haha.

All my best to each of you for a blessed new year of 2018.  Please remember to give thanks for every small blessing you receive, because we each are given many small blessings.  It's too bad that so many folks don't see all their may blessings, but choose to focus on the negative.  I am so very thankful to just wake up each morning, that truly is a blessing from God to me, every day!

Happy New Year!

Susan

Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone,

I just want to take a minute to wish each of you a very merry Christmas.  Please always remember the true reason why we celebrate Christmas, which is because we remember the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who suffered and died on a cross to give us eternal life.

I hope you all will be spending time with those you love and care about during these next three days.  Remember, tomorrow is not promised for any of us!  So, tell those you love just how much they mean to you, now.

Merry Christmas and all my best to each of you, for a blessed and happy 2018.

Susan

Happy Sunday!

Hi folks,

Wow, just one week until Christmas Eve.  I can't wait.  My family will all be here at our home and that excites me, immensely.  It's been four years since all six of my Grandsons have been able to attend Christmas Eve at our home.  Time for another photograph of the six of them so I can change out the photo from 2013.  They are all grown up men now and I still don't know where the time has gone to.  How about you? 

I have everything done that I could do ahead of time and I have my lists for each day this week.  I can only do one or two small preparations each day, so I have to spread  them out.  Being ill isn't easy, but I will do whatever I need to do to stay alive.  This is for myself as well as my entire family!

Well, my tail bone is slowly getting less painful, so that's a blessing to me.  The research I did said it takes approximately four weeks and I'm almost there.  Just two more days!  I'm just thankful that it's healing. 

I hope you all are almost ready for Christmas.  Mostly, because it's almost here whether you are ready or not.  I would suggest that you start early for Christmas 2018, like in January or February.  Well, at least by June!

Enjoy your last week before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and remember to give thanks to God for all His many, many blessings.  Have a safe week and may God lead you, always.
Susan

Hello everyone!

Hi folks,

I'm sorry I haven't posted a new blog for a while, but I've been busy trying to prepare things for Christmas Eve, ahead of time.  I try to do one or two things each day, but it has been a bit harder for me during the last three weeks, because I injured the end of my tail bone, and it's been giving me a lot of pain.  It's not too bad when I'm on my feet, but I can't stay standing for very long, anytime.    Oh well, I suppose it could be worse, I could be bed ridden!  Actually, that's the only place that it doesn't hurt me.  But, of course, I can't stay in bed all day.

I am proud of myself because I've accomplished all the baking I wanted to do:  home made sugar cookies (my Mom's recipe), chocolate chip/walnut cookies, eight layer cookies, Praline cashews, Chex mix with M&M's and other goodies, three different kids of chocolate bark and a cooked turkey with stuffing (for Christmas Day).  My family all comes and spends Christmas Eve at our home.  I figure there will probably be about seventeen of us that evening for dinner. 

The turkey and stuffing is for Christmas Day.  It will be just my husband and myself, but after all the hustle the evening before, I have started to enjoy a quiet Christmas Day with just the two of us, and I want to keep it as work free as possible.  I've already frozen the turkey and filling for then and will make the gravy that day.  We'll also have a vegetable and lots of sweet desserts. 

All my shopping is complete, my hand made Christmas cards are mailed and hopefully, next week I'll have plenty of time to just relax and enjoy the holiday.  How about you?  I hope you all have a blessed Christmas with family and friends and that you, also, started early this year!  If not, try to do that next year.  There isn't any reason you can't start shopping for Christmas a couple of months into the new year.  It certainly makes for a more pleasant and relaxing Christmas season, especially if you are not ill.  Being ill does indeed, change how you handle everything!

Take a deep breath and relax before running around once again!  Enjoy those few precious moments you have of solitude and quiet.  They may be few and far between.  Be safe always and may God bless you and your loved ones.
Susan

Happy Thursday!

Hey everyone,
This will have to be short, as I have things I need to accomplish today.  Since I've gotten sick, I really don't accomplish too much in any given day.  By lunch time, I'm on the sofa with my feet up, for the rest of the day.

How are your Christmas plans coming?  I hope you started early, like I did.  All my gifts are wrapped in handmade felt Christmas bags, and I finished addressing my handmade Christmas cards, yesterday.  My Christmas Eve meal is pretty well planned out and I even started my cookie baking.  I have to admit that if I didn't start very, very early, I wouldn't be able to do what I like to do for Christmas.  I'm thankful to God for all His many blessings upon me and my family.

I'm still hand making lap size blankets for little children who are in the York Hospital Children's Ward and for the Children's Home of York.  My husband just delivered over forty of them, as well as about 30 stuffed animals, earlier this week.  I hope it will cheer the kids up and make them feel safe.

I hope you all will remember the true meaning of Christmas, and not let it get lost in the hoopla of gifts and parties.  We celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Jesus and we give thanks to God for His Son's life and His death upon a cross.  After all, He suffered and died to give us eternal life with Him in heaven.  That is, if we choose to live our lives as He directs us to!

Have a safe month of December, leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Love your family and give thanks, always, for all the many blessings you do have!  May God bless each of you.
Susan