Making A Merry Christmas.....

Good Morning girls....I am feeling a bit overwhelmed this morning ....actually ...I feel "Panic"...I HAVE NOT ONE BIT OF CHRISTMAS UP  YET....anyone that knows me knows how ....OVER THE MOON...I am at this time of year ...to get the box's out....put Karen Carpenter on in the background.... ....loud enough to hear throughout the house....crack open a new candle (Yankee of course)...and dive into making Christmas come alive in our home....

I haven't looked through any of my cookbooks to assign myself a  taste of something new for the family to enjoy....and YIKES .....I've still got the phone calls to make to invite everyone over for Christmas Dinner..

The one thing I have done is .... this......since it's  December second....I created my Christmas wish  for ....YOU....I found this wonderful clear glass ornament in Phyllis Hoffman's Holiday  magazine ... for all you ....

I will talk to my sweetie later this evening about ...(.Creating A Christmas Plan)....usually I just create Christmas while everyone is out of the house...so when they come home they walk into a wonderland of Christmas....this year...for the first time ....with  my back being  out....all the lifting...rifling through box's ....assembling our skinny Williamsburg Tree which is tall and thin sort of primitive looking is not possible to do alone....I am working really hard with some "SELF TALK" to stay calm and carry on....I have a Dr's appointment this morning at ten so I need to sign off for now...I am thinking of you girls ...in all of your cozy...warm...homes creating your own special ....CHRISTMAS MAGIC....blessings and big hugs to you .....till next time ......Karena

Tinsel Anyone.......????

Hi there girls....I woke up this morning thinking " It's time to decorate"....I love this time of year ....cradled between Thanksgiving and Christmas....to begin thinking about how I'd like to create Christmas ....I'm not sure why the first thing that came to me was whether or not you can still buy ."TINSEL"....I have wonderful memories of standing beside the tree with Marmie and my sister as we decorated our  tree it was always so thrilling ...we would work our way around the tree with the lights...then the ornaments....taking great care as we handled each one...I can remember asking where each ornament came from...some years there was garland....you know the aluminum kind ...in colors like gold, silver, green , or red....I was never a big fan....I thought it took up too much space on the tree...Marmie would step back now and then to observe our progress ...taking time to notice the "empty" spots on the tree....we took great pride as we chose each branch to make the tree look balanced as we chatted with on another...we always had Christmas music on the stereo ...Marmie said we needed it for inspiration....after all the ornaments , lights, and tree skirt were set the last step before hanging the star on the top of the tree was ....opening the box's of ...TINSEL...Marmie would tell us to do the bottom branches while she took care of the top....

Putting Tinsel on the tree has been a tradition for many years....

These Santa's look like they "embrace the tinsel"......

This picture is one I found online...I saved it because it reminds me of how our tree looked so many years ago...even the 1950's TV....the feeling of being 7 years old was overwhelming when I found it...so what do you think girls...do any of you have memories of ...hanging  tinsel on your trees ...

I'd love to hear your Christmas Memories....I know you all have some fabulous traditions I think we'd all enjoy ....It would be a thrill for me to hear some of them....I hope you have a good day today....by the way do you all have any special secret you use every year for placing your tree after it's in the stand...do you add anything to the water...like 7up...or aspirin....or ?....if you do I'd love to hear about it...I pray blessings on you all today....big hugs as well....till next time...Karena

What A Wonderful Day.....

Good Morning ladies....it's so nice to be in my posting chair again...I have been unable to sit still long enough to post anything...I am feeling much better with my back situation....the doctors have given me some ..."Happy Pills"..to help me while I heal...so on Thanksgiving Day I was a little spacey....a tad uncomfortable...but full of ...Joy....to be with our fam....all us together at our eldest daughters new house...BUILDING MEMORIES....

This is a picture hanging in the entry that I just love...it's so tranquil...

Everything looked so beautiful...my daughter and her sweetie had everything in the house ...."Just So"....they have almost all their box's unpacked even though both of them work 2 very demanding...somewhat consuming jobs...there were even these snaps blooming outside the dinning room window...

Our favorite cook book on the counter....GOOSEBERRY PATCH....always at the ready for assistance....

Allow me to introduce "Wilson"...he is always invited to every family gathering...looking out over the festivities as we laugh....eat...and enjoy one another...my daughters sweetie brought Wilson home 5 or more years ago after a hunting trip ...I think he's a very handsome mascot.....

We had every indulgence that day....apple slices to prepare a pie...

Cigars for the men folk ....some of them enjoyed a good smoke out on the patio after dinner...it was chilly but they all seemed to enjoy the moment anyway....

This is our ....BEAUTIFULLY BRINED turkey....yes the kids chose to use the exact Brine from William Sanoma I talked about in an earlier post...it was ....succulent....

So sweet friends how did you spend your... Turkey Day....I hope it was full of joy...fellowship....and lots of good food...I will be back soon ...I'm off today with a long list of things to take care of ....I will take it slow ...but it sure feels good to be able to move about ...to have the strength to take care of the simplest things....so till next time big hugs...I wish you countless blessings......Karena....by the way daughter thank you again for creating a wonderful memory for our family...you and PA are AWESOME....AND...I LOVE YOU...