Christmas at the Cedars

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I have finally found some time to take some pictures

of the very first Christmas

here at the Cedars.

It looks like

everything old is new again...

I made these Nativity figures years ago

from a set that was featured in Better Homes and Gardens,

I enlarged the pattern and Jim cut them out for me to paint.

I had delusions of making the entire set, 

but this is far as I got.

It's enough.

They are the first thing you see when you come up the drive,

and I have little blue lights in the trees above them.

Sorry all you blue light haters,

but I love them...

it looks so quiet and serene to me,

I can just imagine that cold manger,

so long ago.

Welcome!

I love living in a place

where I can run out into the woods

and cut greens and berries to decorate my home with~

This is an old wreath with some sprigs

from the Dollar Tree

and fresh greens from the woods.

I already had that lantern 

and it needed a home.

A crock that Jim bought at a sale,

filled with more cedar boughs,

the sled that Jim and his siblings played with

ages ago.

another garden pot filled with 

greens.

I found this thorn tree back where Jim parks the tractor

and am so glad to know it's a berry tree!

The snowflakes are from Dollar Tree.

Come in out of the cold~!

Jim bought me this Nativity set several years ago.

It's really big, but I love the soft colors 

and the details.

It's on a sideboard that I found at the fleamarket last spring.

I love it here in the entry hall.

The little scrolls you see

are ornaments that I made a few years ago.

Each one has one of the many names of Jesus.

Saviour.

Lord of All.

Redeemer.

King of Kings.

Shepherd.

Jesus.

Emmanuel. 

Just to the left of the entry

is the Dining Room.

I loved setting up my little village this year...

The buildings are log cabin style,

and it has a country town feel

that I love.

I will leave this up all winter.

This is my mom's secretary.

I always dress it up with simple

things...

this year the garland is decorated

with bits of lace that Kellie found for me

at a flea market in Birmingham AL.

I love this piece of furniture...

It is such a nostalgic piece for me.

There's my mom and dad...

I love those quilted stockings!

I would love to find more of them...

they make me smile from ear to ear!

Here is the little "Kitchen Tree"

in the library.

I love these little 

kitchen ornaments!

Here's the great room...

Little bears wanted to help decorate the landing...

This special bear helped out in the guest room downstairs.

Lovely job,

little quilted bear!

This little tree 

is covered with ornaments

from General Motors

that Jim received every year

at the dealership.

They are beautiful laser cut brass.

My little helper 

learning how to turn the lights

off and on...

she got really good at it too!

It was so much fun dressing our Cedar Home for

Christmas...

It's quiet now,

time for baking and watching some movies,

More family in tonight,

late night services to celebrate the birth

of

Jesus.

Emmanuel.

Saviour.

Shepherd.

Lord of All.

King of Kings.

Redeemer.

Let Him in.

He was born for you.

He died for you.

He loves you! 

Merry Christmas!

For Grammie!

A Letter to my Grammie

Dear Grammie,

I've just had the best nighty night time 

with Nana and Grandpa...

We discovered that it is a lot more fun

when Mommie and Daddy go out on dates

and leave me here alone with them!

It has been a busy, busy day!

Mommie and Daddy talked at church this morning 

and after church we went to the deli again.

I hope you have some fun plans for Sundays after church,

because they go to the deli 

every stinkin Sunday,

and I'm getting kind of bored with it.

Today, to entertain myself

while all the grownups visited,

I practiced flopping my head back

in kind of a lounging position,

and looking at things upside down.

Tonight, Mommie and Daddy went to a concert

with Kimberly and Kevin

and left me home with the Grands.

Grandpa fed me my supper while

Nana fiddled with the Christmas lights.

Then we played on the floor for a long time.

I banged my head on the end table,

so I let Nana snuggle with me for a long time,

then we played some more.

Oops , let me check my lipstick..

Then Grandpa let me climb 

up and down the stairs 

while Nana fiddled with the Christmas lights.

While I was downstairs,

I pulled an entire series of children's history books

off the shelves.

Twice.

Then Nana put me in my jammies and 

I let Grandpa snuggle with me for a long time.

He wanted to hold me while a drifted off to sleep,

but Nana wouldn't let him do it...

She thinks things have to be done just like Mommie and Daddy do it.

Pooh.

I wanted to sleep on Grandpa's lap.

But she put me to bed and I went right to sleep.

I am sleeping right now.

I want to tell you now

that you need to plan as many of these "dates" 

for Mommie and Daddy

as you possible can

because it is a lot more fun when they are not here.

more lipstick.

I am not whiney and fussy

when they go on dates,

and I love to snuggle. 

They do not need to know this...

let's just keep it to ourselves, ok?

Can you please just figure out some fun places for them to go 

without me,

so I can hang out with you and PawPaw?

I forgot to tell you that today

I also learned to pitch my head

from side to side in time to music

and am working on shaking my bootie at the same time.

This is something we can work on together

while Mommie and Daddy are gone out together.

See you soon... zzzzzzz

Nighty Night!