This is the day tha tthe Lord has made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it.

Salmon Falls Prims

Monday, December 31, 2012

New Years Eve~

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What does everyone have planned for New Years Eve? We are still up in the air with decisions. We have been so wiped out we just want to stay home and do nothing. We may go to our sons home and have a fire. We have started a tradition each year of burning our Christmas tree after Christmas. the weather has been nice enough the last few years, but this year it is so cold and we have even had snow twice already.  We will be making some lasagna and other goodies. I think our snacks will include some raw veggies, time to get back on track with our eating habits. One thing is for sure. This New Years Eve will definitely be different!.  No Dick Clark this year, so sad!

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Whatever your plans, I hope you will all be truly blessed and reflect on your past year of blessings that have been bestowed upon you. We tend to look back and think of the negative, but try looking back and being thankful of all that you do have in life.

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May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

Blessings~Sara

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Savoring Christmas~

 

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Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!  The last few pics of Christmas~

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Moving on to winter decorating~

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Does everyone keep snowmen, birds and berries out all through winter?

~Sara

Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Joy~

"Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts.♥ No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given–when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.”
~ Joan Winmill Brown

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A big thank you to Shirlee for this wonderful pinkeep! I love it Shirlee ! You do such nice work. Please remember to pray for Shirlee and our  other friends that need an extra boost of uplifting this time of year.GEDC1439

"The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.”
~ W. C. Jones

 

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Don't you love to get a present wrapped up in a Christmas bow
God gave each of us a present on that night so long ago
It's a Gift that keeps on giving if our spirits can receive
It's the secret joy of living if our hearts can just believe
And the Gift goes on………~Sandy Patti

 

for bloggg

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~Sara

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Thank you~

 

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I have received so many amazing things in the mail lately. I can’t believe all of the wonderful things. I have the best friends here in blog land. They are so sweet and generous. A few of the things that I have received and a big thank you to all of you!!!

The little mouse above was a wonderful surprise from Tricia, thank you so much for the mouse the ornaments and the yummy candy. You are such a blessing.

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This wonderful snowman from Jean! Thank you so much Jean he is wonderful. And yes we do love the same things.

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And there is more…………. This Santa ornament from Brenda, he is awesome! Love it. Thank you Brenda!

 

Hope you all are ready for Christmas by now. Blessings for a wonderful Sunday! ~Sara

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Friday, December 21, 2012

Decking the Halls

 

 

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So much to do still….

 

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I have a few things in place….

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How is everyone doing with your list? Is everything finished up?

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We have our Christmas tree in, just not decorated yet. We have never been this late pulling things together.

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I still have so much to do. It always get finished though, even at the last minute. (This is my wonderful pinkeep from Sheila~Thank you Sheila, I love it, and the wax lamb  from Dana)

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Today we went to our granddaughters kindergarten concert~

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Then off to the O. G. for lunch with the family

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so beautiful…

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Isaiah doesn’t like his picture taken…

 

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Ashlyn is getting so big, she is 3 months now and her big sister is adjusting just fine. She is such a big helper.

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Well back to the decorating~

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I have heard from one of the winners, so I will get your surprise off to you. When I hear from the others, I will get them their goodies. 

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Wishing you all a great time finishing up your last minute lists.

~Sara

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Give and it will be given unto you~ Winners

 

First ~ You are all winners! For it is better to give then to receive!

I have enjoyed hearing all of the ways that everyone has chosen  to give. What a wonderful bunch of  friends I have here in blogging land.

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Through the years our family has had several opportunities to show love through giving. What better time of year to give back what you have been blessed with all year?! I will share a few with you, not to let the left hand know what the right has done, just to show some ways that  you can share love.

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For so many years there was and elderly single women in the church we were attending. She was in her early 90’s and had no family. The church had mentioned that they had given her a basket of food at the holidays. Well, we asked her to share Christmas dinner with us. She looked at us and said “really?”. We said, we would like you to share dinner with us, although it will be a little hectic. You see there will be all of our 4 children, my dad, my sister and her 3 children. So that became the tradition of each holiday. After opening gifts and getting things in order, my husband and my brother in law would go pick her up. She was 90 years old a tiny little fragile thing(prob about 80 pounds), and two big men would go pick her up with her walker on the ice and help her get to our home. We would always have a few little gifts for her, some gloves, a calendar, things like that. She would always say ”You people are too much!!” After that first Christmas together, Marsha shared all holidays with us, Christmas, Thanksgiving,Easter, etc.    So our children grew up learning to give of themselves for others. They didn’t go without, in fact they were blessed because of it.

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A while ago I was asking my children, tell me a memory of Christmas that you liked when you were young and growing up. Here is the response. Christmas to me is giving, like the time we got those gifts for Darrell. Darrell was a young guy that worked with my husband. He had a child with a girl but they weren't together and he wouldn’t be able to see his child on Christmas Eve. Darrell didn't have a very good home life growing up. He was tossed around foster homes and ended up going to a Christian school for a while, after being kicked out of public school. Well our daughter had remembered him from school, he was a year older than her in that Christian school. Well Christmas was getting close and so hubby invited him to our home for Christmas Eve Dinner. He said, but you have to go to church with us first. So we mentioned this to the kids, all teens or early twenties by then, working and going to school, and asked them if they would give up one of  their gifts so we could buy Darrell a few gifts for Christmas Eve. He had mentioned he bought his child some things, but he didn’t have anyone to get him anything. Well our children jumped up and said we want to go buy him something. So they all took their own money and went out an bought him gifts. Christmas Eve came and we weren’t sure he would even show up. We were busy getting dressed in our Sunday best for  Christmas Eve service and Darrell came to the door. My daughter opened the door and there was Darrell all dressed up ready for church. When we returned home, we had dinner and proceeded to the family room to open a gift. The room was filled with a beautifully decorated 12 foot tree, fire going in the large woodstove, all festively decorated to celebrate Christmas. The children all got their gifts for Darrell and piled them in front of him. He was so overwhelmed, and just couldn’t believe it. Why would you do this for me, I am just a trouble maker, he asked. The kids told him that we give gifts, because God gave the ultimate gift for us. The best gift that my children received that year was the joy of giving to others.

 

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There are so many simple things you can do to show love. You can buy a bag of gifts and leave them by the door secretly for someone that has children  and needs help, or leave a Christmas tree by their door. Send an anonymous Christmas card with money in it. If there is someone in your church that is in need, you can drop money secretly  in their car, in the church parking lot.  All things we have done through the years.

 

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Our Children have learned and picked up on the giving spirit. Our daughters are involved with MOPS(mother’s of preschoolers~ would recommend highly for all young mothers), and are involved in providing meals for each other, Samaritans Purse, Angel Tree(providing Christmas gifts for incarcerated men’s  children). When our daughter was making a wedding guest list, she was adding family, friends, the boss, the shop owner, etc . Well there were elderly people in our church and she asked ~did she need to invite them all. I gently quoted her a verse  ~But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 13:13-14

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This year we don’t have much financially to give, but we are truly blessed! Hubby is feeling better, he is unemployed but we have been busy with the business and have not missed a meal. A big Thank you to everyone this past year for you care, concern, prayers and support!

 

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And now what you have all been waiting for~ The winners!!

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All of the numbers were put in a nice Santa mug~ how simple!

there will be 3 gifts…..

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Not telling what you will be sent~ it’s a surprise

And the winners…..

in no particular order~

Lucy- The Farmer's Attic

Deanna~Laurel Leaf Cottage

Amy~BumbleBeeLane

Please send me your addresses and I will get these right out to you!

Thank you to all who entered, I wish I could send you all something. Blessings~Sara

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Christmas is for giving~ giveaway~

 

 

When I think of Christmas, I think of giving.  I always like to be on the giving side. I just prefer it that way.

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As we remember the ultimate gift that was given for us on that special day that we celebrate!

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So I have a gift I would like to share with someone this Christmas season.

This will be quick and simple so that I can get it into the mail for you in time for Christmas. The items I will be including have more of a winter feel to them. I am so late in getting my decorating done this year, I am leaning more towards a winter look. Oh I will still be getting my Santa’s out as well, but also lots of greenery, berries, snowmen and birds.

All you have to do to be entered is to leave a comment here on this post and tell me how you like to give on Christmas.Please make sure I can find you to get your address. This will end on Monday evening 12/17. I may even pick 2 winners. Below is a pic of a couple things that may be included. This is Christmas after all and I like to give surprises.

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So go ahead and leave me a comment. Good luck!

Blessings for a wonderful weekend~Sara