Happy New Year!

Christmas Baking Day

It was a great day to spend in the kitchen getting some more goodies made for Christmas.

First up was some Midnight Mints which is one of my favorite squares.  I love chocolate and mint and this nanaimo type square is so yummy.

And I think the light green layer is so festive looking.

Second was the Cherry Chocolate Squares.  They are basically the same as the Midnight Mints only made with cherries.

These are my hubby's favorites and he was getting a little concerned that I might no make them this year so before tucking them away in the freezer I put a few in his lunch box :)

The pink coloring is so pretty and comes entirely from the maraschino cherry juice.

And another batch of Rum Balls.  This is a new recipe I wanted to try.

They have apricot jam in them and sound so yummy.  I haven't sampled any yet and they are also tucked away in the freezer until Christmas.  I am looking forward to trying them.

Now I'm off to clean the kitchen which looks like a disaster zone :)

Snow! The Finishing Touch!

There's nothing quite like a gentle snow fall to put the perfect finishing touch on the outdoor Christmas decorations.

So when the sun came out following our overnight snowfall I couldn't resist snapping some pictures.

As friends come to the back door they are greeted with lanterns and trees.

With the branches catching just the right amount of snow to make a pretty picture.

It was love at first sight when I saw these golden cone trees.

I love how they sparkle in the sunlight.

(Unfortunately I wasn't able to capture that here)

Presents greet all our front door company.

And our front gate stands open, welcoming all guests.

With silver ribbon and bows.

And just the right amount of snow.

I am joining Cindy at "My Romantic Home" for Show and Tell Friday

Hearts for Home

Today I am joining in with Gae from Cherished Hearts at Home . She has a weekly post called Hearts for Home which is open for others to link up with and share some thoughts on home-centred ways. She encourages us to think of 4-6 things to commit to each week to make homelife special and to bless us as keepers at home.

~*~

My daughter will be home from college next week so a lot of my focus this week will be on getting as much ready for Christmas as possible so I won't have to do it once she is home and will have more time to spend with her.  So, this week I need to:-

~*~

1.  Finish off the Christmas baking.

2.  Finish up the last bit of Christmas shopping.

3.  Wrap the presents.

4.  Go over the Christmas Eve menu with my mom to confirm what I will taking for the meal.

5.  Give the house a good cleaning, hopefully before Friday as we have guests coming over.

 

I Love My Snow Globes

As a little girl, I always dreamed of owning a snow globe.

I thought they were the most wonderful thing to be able to own.

My cousin had one, you know the cheap, travel, touristy snow globe.

I was so jealous.  I thought she was the luckiest girl on earth.

My husband discovered my childhood dream of owning a snow globe

and surprised me one Christmas with a snow globe of my very own. 

I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was.

And each and every year since I discover a new snow globe under the tree for me,

either from my dear hubby or from one of my children.

And I love them all.

Every Christmas I feature some of the snow globes in our living room on top of the piano.

It is the focal point of the living room and your eye is drawn to them immediately as you come in through the front door.

And every Christmas season as I lovingly take out each snow globe and put them on display

 I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Not because I own a snow globe, or two or three, or more.

I am the luckiest girl in the world because I have a husband and children who love me so much.

Sure, owning a snow globe may have been a silly childhood dream

but because it was important to me

it became important to them.

So, each and every snow globe is just a tiny representation of the love of a family.

And like our family, each and every one is beautiful and unique in its own special way.

Some are immediately stunning.

Some have intricate details that take your breath away.

Some play the most beautiful music.

And some don't even need winding up,

they just play!

And there's some that aren't even snow globes,

but are just as special and are part of the family.

I hope you enjoyed my snow globe collection.

Every time I look at them they make my heart warm and put a smile of my face.

And I am reminded again and again of how lucky I am to have such a special family.

I am joining Marty at "A Stroll Through Life" for Tabletop Tuesday

I am joining Cindy at "My Romantic Home" for Show and Tell Friday

Thrifty Christmas Breakfast Table

There's something special about coming downstairs on a Sunday morning and seeing the table set and ready for breakfast.

This week my table was put together using old favorites and good finds.

I started with a simple white tablecloth with gold trim.  Then I added a runner which I boought at a craft show many years ago.  I love the gold sparkles between the red poinsettas and the dark green background.

Next I added a simple candle centerpiece which I found in a clearance bin.

I have white candles in right now but can also add red or green if I wanted to change the look.

I then added some plates which I found at a Thrift Store.

Along with the rest of the table setting.

The napkin rings were in a box of things I bought at a garage sale.

And these glasses were also a garage sale find.

These small trees were also a garage sale find.

Now these little acorns I did pay full price for last year as a treat for myself. 

The box of them was still under $5.00

And here we are, ready for Sunday breakfast.

Fresh baked chocolate chip muffins and fruit salad.

The muffins are also in a Thrift Store find while the fruit salad is in a bowl given to us as a wedding present many years ago.

Hope you enjoyed my Thrifty Christmas Breakfast table.

I am joining Marty at "A Stroll Through Life" for Tabletop Tuesday

 

And Susan at "Between Naps on the Porch" for Tablescape Thursday