Christmas Is Not A Day Nor Season

Christmas is not a Day or Season but

A Condition of the Heart and Mind.

I know it has been some time since I have posted.  Christmas is now upon us and our I hope all of your hearts are reflecting the essence of it.  Life has been moving rather quickly for me lately and it seems the more I have to do the faster it moves!  I'm sure alot of people feel that way.  We have slowed down this year and instead of the rush of Christmas we are focusing our minds on the condition of Christmas instead.....

My eyes have been opened this year to a Christmas of a different kind. 

With my father being ill and receiving treatments I will be grateful to see him on Christmas day like no other.  We are keeping prayers that he will be out of the hospital and well enough to see his family, that is his and all of our Christmas wish this year, that he will get well.

 I have seen another side of Christmas this year with my new job and the Christmas toy drive that they run each year.  All started by a grieving coworker who had to work through the holidays after loosing her son years ago.  Christmas for families, made by the generousity of others and hard work and dedication of those running it.  The amount of familes  that need help this year was eye opening, it brought out the true meaning of Christmas for alot of people. So many of them were just like me, anyone's situation could change in the blink of an eye.  I am so blessed to be a part of it.

It has made getting to the stores, rushing through the crowds at the mall, perfectly decorating the house so much less important.  Not that it ever really was the most important but it certainly set my priorities in order!  We have scaled back on everything.  What needs to get done will, simply put.  We need to focus only on what is truly important and that is FAMILY and LOVING and taking care of one another. It is not at all about presents that have been given out but about the love of Christmas that has been shown to me and I am so very grateful for the awakening, what a gift that is.

We have carried on with our Christmas Traditions of course.  Decorating the tree, sprucing up the house, wrapping gifts and baking of course.  Watching favorite Christmas movies and singing Carols. Only focusing on what should be done and narrowing down lists of what once was accomplished.  But this year, things have been scaled back.  Every single decoration did not have to go out, I chose only those that were important to me and that is what we used.  With all of that said, my Son still has the twinkle in his eye and excitement in his heart...he is so very excited by all of Christmas.

Inspite of all that is going on in my life right now, this is probably one Christmas that I will remember the best.   

Let me share a few things that we have prepared for this Christmas......

Pretty Papers

A new, antique, enamelware table. 

Set up as my wrapping center this year.
A large flower pail holds all the colorful wrapping paper next to it.

I keep everything within easy reach to wrap everything in a jif.  On Christmas day the paper will be put away table will be used to hold deserts.

Mixing and matching the wrapping paper, with plaids, polka dots and retro looking papers keeps it colorful!

  

A  Homemade Christmas

Homemade corncob potpourri to add to my holiday gift baskets.

Apple slices and cinnamon sticks grace the baked apple bags and orange peels and cloves are in the orange spice bags...mmmmmm they smell soooo good on the wrapping table while they await their recipients packages.

Homemade "snowballs" sit in an enamelware bowl all wrapped up to go in
other gift baskets with a candle. 

They make a cute centerpiece when placed around a candle

All Decked Out.....

The trees have been decorated,

and my great Aunt's nativity set out...I'll share more photos next post.

This is one of my most treasured holiday decorations.

 

This worn box has seen many Christmas'

A nice way to keep loved ones memories near at Christmastime. 

The ornaments have now all been hung.

The baking is still occuring...

I'm a messy, messy, baker....love baking with my kids.

I miss my girls being little with their little noses kissed with flour while they help in their Christmas aprons. 

My son occassionally strolls in and out to help, but he eats way more than he makes, lol. 

Rolled Sugar Cookies for my son's preschool class to decorate at their Christmas Party.

if you were a guest at my house this Christmas this is what I would serve you...some cute homemade Christmas tree and poinsettia pressed cookies fresh from the oven.

I hope you are all enjoying this Blessed Season, I miss you all!

This gal will be back in a few days to share a little more of

Christmas at the Farmhouse with you. 

 I will be back as soon as possible this week to share more of what has been going on at our house, thank you all for your emails and your prayers, they certainly have been helping!  

We are so grateful for your support.

There is still a Secret Giveaway going on....winner to be announced January 1st...New Years Day.

Take Care,

Dee

The School Bell Rang!

Wheweeee, this summer sure has flown by and I haven't blogged as often as I would have liked to.  I wanted to spend as much time with my children as possible before another school year started so blogging had to take a back seat.  To those of you who contacted me, thank you for your concern, ya'll are too sweet!  Well I have some catching up to do over the coming weeks but I wanted to share our special day first. 

Yesterday was the first day of school for my children.  They are each in different schools due to their ages so we had our annual Back-to-School breakfast quite early and then repeated our back to school pictures with each one of them throughout the morning.  This year I made a Stuffed French Toast dish that you can prep the night before and bake in the oven while everyone is getting ready, add a side of sausage or bacon....so easy!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

You can get recipe HERE

Each year, since they started school, they stand on the front porch in front of the screen door and pose for a photo. 

 It's fun to look back through the old Back-to-School morning photos and see how much they've changed from year to year. 

They wait nervously for the school bus each year....even though they are reassured they will do quite well. 

I am confident of that and they always do.

It is always so hard to see them go....whether it is the 11th time I have seen them off or the very first as in my son's case!  Little bit of tears this year....from me!  I also started a new school year this year with my children as I will be working part-time in the district, I'm very excited and loved my first day as well so this year their momma had first day jitters too!

I hope that those of you who sent your children off for their first day had a good experience.  To those of you who no longer have little ones at home, you must have some great memories made. 

I have a Back to School story to share with you...

This story took place about five years ago, and is about a mom and her two girls (her son was not even cooking in the oven yet) all very excited to start a new school year.  The father took the morning off as usual to see his girls get off on their first day of school and the mother was all prepared well in advance, very proud of that fact I might add.  The girls were bathed, clothes layed out the night before, bookbags packed with bus passes ready to go, she had it all under control. 

The next morning they all rose early, got ready and had their big BTS breakfast together everything went so very smoothly, so nice and relaxing.  Out the door they headed to the bus stop at the end of their driveway...and they waited.....and waited some more (afterall the buses' are on a new schedule and always run late the first day).  Before long cars driving by started slowing down and looking at us them.  A few even rolled down their windows asking if school started today.  We she assured them that it did and they hurried off in a frenzy and some just looked plain confused.  Surely she thought they must have forgotten that today was the first day of school and must be rushing home to get their little ones ready! 

After what felt like an eternity to the girls, a neighbor finally drove by and slowed down to turn around.  They pulled in front of us them and said she had just been to the school to pick up her daughter's bus pass and that school didn't start until the very next day!!!  What?!!!   

Well that silly momma somehow got the start day wrong and had her children dressed, fed and all ready for the bus.......a whole day early! 

The children never let the momma forget that story either and each back to school breakfast there after they reminisced about the morning they were a day early for the school year!

Anyone else have one of those stories?  Do you have any back to school rituals?  Anything you do that makes your child's school year more organized and eaier to manage...I'm curious to hear, do share!

I'll be back to read and catch up over the next couple of days, thanks for stopping by!

Take care,

Dee

. 

Wintertime!

Winter is....

Freshly Fallen Snow

Rosey Cheeked Children

Ice Skating

Roaring Fires

Comforting Soups

Sledding 

Knitted Mittens

Bundled Up in Snowsuits

Warm Quilts

Baking

Snuggling

I am so excited for this NEW YEAR.....for changes and for fresh starts!  I am in the process of putting away Christmas now.  I've made the Winter list above in my lil notebook when I was feeling a little blue about our (extended) holiday ending....For some reason, I always have that let down after Christmastime, I guess it's all the preparation and the excitement, and then it all passes.  I now am looking forward to this winter instead,  I became excited once I thought about all of the wonderful things winter has in store for us!

I have begun to make a list of things I would like to change or do in 2010.  I am not one for keeping resolutions, so I will dare not call it that. 

I have quite a few projects that I procrastinated on last year (hmmm, and the year before that).  Perhaps if I actually put them down here on my blog, I will be reminded of what it is that I have set out to do?  Aside from trying to exercise and eating better I have some changes I would like to make and in some cases need to make to the farmhouse!  I guess I don't know until I try so here goes:

--Paint &  Redecorate Bathrooms

--Paint Kitchen

--Paint sitting room

--Paint family room

--Paint and redecorate middle daughter's room

--Paint entryway and stair well (uhhh, not looking forward to that!)

--Go through M.B. closet, hall closet and linen closet

--CRAFT CLOSET (I hope that I stick to this one...
it's SCARY AND I'm pretty sure I'm a hoarder...)

--Go through corner kitchen cabinet

--CLEAN OUT THAT DAG-GONE BARN ALREADY!!

--Clean and polish handrails on stair case

 --Finish Laundry room, counter and new floor

--Post a little bit more often on blog

--Make a realistic schedule for myself and stick to it!

--Get back on track for cutting coupons and planning meals....yes, back!

Uhhhh....who's idea was that?  I think I may have scared myself into waiting til 2011....lol!

{{Procrastinator}}

Maybe ya'll can check in on my list every now and then, hound me a little......you know, crack the whip on me?  How about all of you, what's on your list? 

Please be sure to leave a comment below, I do read each and every one of them and appreciate all of you who take the time to do so!  That actually is one of my real resolutions this year, more of your wonderful comments, he,he,he!

Take Care Now, ya hear?

~Dee~

A season of

GRATITUDE...

What a wonderful reason to celebrate a holiday! Our seasonal celebration of gratitude...thanksgiving. A time for reflecting upon all that is good in our lives and perhaps even a time to make things brighter for one another.

All too often I find myself in a worrisome panic over what I haven't accomplished, completed or need to find the time to do. Lately, I have decided to shift my focus and work hard on my thinking. Work very hard to ground myself with the trust that I have all that I need before me, my health, my family's heath, a roof over our head, food to nourish us and heat to warm us, and most of all the love of those who care for me and family and friends to love back.

Thank the good lord for those bountiful blessings!

Especially in times such as these ,when everyone is struggling to make ends meet and futures may sometimes seem uncertain. Relecting on the these holidays can really put things into focus.

By changing my attitude to gratitude I can put myself at peace. It is just so amazing at how things can turn around for me once I have set my mind on doing so. Putting a focus on all the good in my life and being grateful for all that I have been blessed with.

I have been so busy painting signs over the past few weeks....I looked around the other day and they were everywhere! Drying on the counters, dining room table, coffee table, if it was a flat surface you could find a sign there! I am so grateful for the work though :o)...so, I am not complaining! For that I am grateful!

Here is what you can find at my farmhouse on painting days.....

warning: it's a scary sight to behold!

Dining room taken over.

First, second....sometimes third coat.....drying, sanding, painting, drying, drying.....

This is a hand that has been busy making signs.....actually that really isn't too bad...

it has been much worse!

Kitchen table taken over by paint.....ohhh boy!

Finished signs

some waiting for touch-ups, some to be sealed...some for wire and some for hangers...

Pssst.....Let me let you in on a secret...there's a giveaway hidden in that pile somewhere for one of my wonderful followers....will be begin sometime before Friday afternoon....

Once they are sealed and ready to go......

Pictures are taken to post in the Mercantile...

Well, I try to take the photos...

and....

sometimes, I am interupted....

by.....

chickens....

Chickens being chased by a little boy.....

and sometimes that little boy also pops up in a few of my

sign photos...

lol....

and then the chicken runs away....

and the little boy stays for one more photo before resuming his

chicken chase....

poor Abby the chicken....she sure got her exercise today!

Alrighty....days 1 & 2 down! Now only about 8 more to go!

Soon to be listed in the mercantile in a few days, promise.

Shoot me an email if you see anything that you like!

Boy! It sure is alot of work for such a small time operation!

If you are looking for holiday gifts be sure to check out the

Farmhouse Mercantile
http://farmhousesignshop.blogspot.com/
for those finished signs! I hope that you are enjoying your season of gratitude....

Take Care,

Dee

Indian Summer Days and a GBP giveaway!

I looooove Gooseberry Patch!

I have purchased many things from their catalogs over the years and I also had a (ridiculously simple) recipe published in one of their Christmas Cookbooks about 7 or 8 years ago, which I will have to dig out and post one of these days. So I have to spread the news when they are offering something wonderful..............sooooooo.....

If you are a GBP lover too, get on over to their new blog and check it out, it is soo cute and they are having 2 giveaways, one for a $200 G.C. (Yipppeee!) and another for 3 of their awesome cookbooks. Click the link on my side bar, scroll down and sign up!

You can send the email links to all your friends and sign up for the G.C. For the cookbooks you only have to post a link on your blog to sign up! How easy is that? Definately worth a try.

Their cookbooks are soooo wonderful, they have great recipes, craft projects and ideas, if you have never read one you will LOVE it! (no I do not work for them, I really do like their products! He, he!).

As for the autumn porch decorating contest thrown by Front porch ideas and more....THANK YOU to all of you who took the time to leave such wonderful comments for me, I love all my awesome blogger friends, your support was touching!!

My farmhouse porch wasn't the winner but Congratulations to Dee of Medford, Massachusetts, her beautiful porch was the winner! She was very deserving, what a cute porch she has! I have to say there were so many beautiful porches entered I just don't know how they made their final decisions, it must have been so hard!
Here's the link if you would like to drool a little over the other contestants photos, I did (I am a porch lover of all sorts)......

http://www.front-porch-ideas-and-more.com/autumn-porch-decorating-contest-entries.html

With this post I will leave you with a few photos (okay, alot of photos) of a day trip we took the other day to my most favorite local historical places....Wharton State Forest. We dropped everything on one of those Indian Summer Days and headed out of doors for some sunshine and fresh air. and picture posin'.

The Old Saw Mill

A once abandoned town, now state forest, it is a historical site that is smack dab in the middle of the Pinelands, and it is nothing short of beautiful this time of the year. Once a functioning village, it made supplies during the revolutionary war for the continental army. As an iron working village it once used the bog iron that is rich in this area in it's production and later the village became a glassmaking community. Lots of history here, our family loves history.

The Corn Crib

My 11 year old daughter, said to me while there, "Do you ever wonder what keeps bringing us back to this place over and over again?", exclaiming how much she likes going there too. I did wonder once she said that, maybe something more than the peacfulness of this beautiful place has something more that keeps drawing me back there.

Do you have any place that brings you back time and time again, a place that you could never tire of?

Grist Mill

My 11 year old Kart Wheelin' Superstar!

The beautiful Autumn Colors.....enjoy the splendor

before winter takes hold!

My oldest (left) & a BFF....

She can't leave home without at least one of them!

THE HEN HOUSE

My tuckered out toddler....

Yes, he slept all the way home!

I will be back later this week with another post,

I am in the midst of finishing up a few projects and I have a surprise for you all too.

I hope you all are well and enjoying the beauty of this season!!

Hugz :o)......

Dee