New Year!

BLESSINGS TO YOU!!!

New Year is upon us,

d

Mondays Do Come

The CHRISTMAS TREE (that I didn't think we would have this year because Husband was in isolation due to radioactive ablation) was enjoyed for a couple of weeks.  "We Girls" put up a live tree in the Family room with three strands of twinkle lights and twelve Santas on it.  That was it.  Simplicity needed.

Precious Daughter loaded the tree into her car and brought it HOME to saw off the end of the trunk all by herself, but believes an ANGEL helped twist the very end off as it fell off.

CHRISTMAS was a quiet and pleasant HOLIDAY for us here on the PRAIRIE.  This past week has been a good one.  Time with Daughter, Lil Miss, and Hubby.   WISH we all could have been together like THANKSGIVING, but did the best we could.  

HUBBY celebrated his 59th Birthday and I fixed a German Chocolate Cake in his Honor.  THANKFUL he is here.  This has been some kind of year.  Medical tests, cancer, surgeries, and treatments.  Recoveries. 

Time to think what matters and how one wants to LIVE.

My emotions have been challenged.  Emotionally... I am drained.  I walked in the snow on Christmas Eve wishing that I had gone to a Christmas Eve CANDLE LIGHT Service.  As I walked past the little church on the corner with the beautiful stained glass windows I wished even harder that I had.  How beautiful it all looked.  Night time with snow on the ground and colorful windows with light shining through them depicting GRACE in the patterns.  Life can be just like that.   

A Piece Of Art

SNACKS for our supper followed up with birthday cake.  Sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY as Husband blew the question mark candle out.  Clapped my hands.  We ate well and he enjoyed some gifts.  Afterwards we opened CHRISTMAS gifts.  


Such sweetness. 

Lil Miss wouldn't go to sleep and her Momma had to reassure her that SANTA CLAUS would visit after she fell asleep.  Finally she did around two in the morning then woke to presents under the CHRISTMAS TREE.  A slow paced day with coffee cup in hand and body wrapped in my pink housecoat.  American Girl Movies to watch and a delicious CHRISTMAS DINNER to eat after we sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESUS.  This was our prayer.

Three Generations Of Sassiness

Christmas Dinner was served on VINTAGE DISHES.  Ham with Cranberry Sauce on top, Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Dressing, Salad and Dinner Roll.

We had a restful CHRISTMAS day.

Thankful for the Lord Jesus.
Majestic Lord.
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Hallelujah...HE is real.
Worthy to be PRAISED.
HE alone is worthy.

Husband and I arose early for the Day After Christmas Sales and I felt like I purchased all that I wanted to.  Very satisfied.  

I had run out of Christmas wrapping paper this year and knew I wanted to shop HOBBY LOBBY for 66% off wrapping paper knowing that they sell Christmas paper that doesn't look like Christmas paper for my stash.  Bought 10 rolls and smiled because I am now stocked back up.  Last time I did this, my paper lasted three years.

K-Mart was visited and I bought large acrylic snowflakes to pretty up my HOME for future Christmases and snow covered Januaries.  Waiting until the after Christmas sales took place, I wanted to take advantage of the reduced prices to purchase more snowflakes.  If they were all sold out....well that's just the way the cookie crumbles.  Better LUCK next year.  BUT the snowflakes were there to buy.  PLEASED.

Made a short trip of it and by noon thirty we were back HOME.  I like these shopping trips that go so smoothly with little stress.

Traveled to the TOWN my Parents live and had Lunch with them then relaxed at the Thrift Store that my Mom wanted to shop at.  I felt like we hit the mother lode when HUSBAND picked up twelve LENOX fine Bone China Montclair Tea cups and Saucers with seven Bread 'n butter Plates for $3.50.  They are beautiful.  Exquisite platinum trimmed ecru china of presidential design.  Lovely addition to our HOME ESTATE and it was my Hubby's discovery.  I give him all the credit!

LENOX BONE CHINA

Drove home after dark watching out for deer all the way. Dangerous this time of year.  Arrived safely home.  No deer.  Rested the entire night.  

Saturday Morning Therapy Sessions with my sweet Husband involves serious discussion, coffee and plans for the week-end.  The week-end is here and we continue to clean on the Spare room.  It is taking more time than I dreamed.  When this is completed....I will sigh with relief.  A little closer to having the SPARE room looking like a civilized place that civilized people have in their HOMES.  I am having pains believing that so much time passed before we got to taking care of this matter. Pains.  Forgiveness must take place.  Amen.  

Allowing for us to be HUMAN.  Not all goes as planned.  Sometimes LIFE happens and plans must change.  Being flexible and not fighting it... makes life easier to handle and enjoy.  I'm still working at this LIFE LESSON.

As Hubby and I clear out and sort through our SPARE ROOM....it makes my head hurt a tad.  Seven years of boxed STUFF are being sorted through.  NINE large trash bags of paperwork have been turned loose of and hauled off by the Sanitation Workers.  Along with our CHRISTMAS Tree.  Bye Bye.

The items being taken to the ministry are loaded into the backseat of the car and should be dropped off on Monday.  

Mondays do come,
d

Decorating On The Prairie: Invasion of the Snowmen

Paper Products Come In So Many Designs.

INVASION of the Snowmen takes place in December, January and February.  
Love 'em.  

From paper products and coffee mugs to just sitting around...they are here.

If it weren't for the cold weather Holiday Decorations to add some warmth to my emotional health, I'd be in a sad way.

SERIOUSLY.

I'm depending on some help with the Happy Meter.   
Cheery Snowmen are just the THING to help me out.

OFFICIALLY WINTER has not been here all that long, 

but the COLD WEATHER HAS.

LORD....warm my soul.

Counting the days til SPRING.  Busying myself with activities. 
About March I will tub up the snowmen and put them in a safe place until next December.  
Out will come the pastel colors and Spring items.  
FLOWERS.

God bless and may you have a WARM HEART and HOME,

d on the prairie  

MY DAUGHTER SOoooo LOVES THIS MUG AND HAS KIDNAPPED IT.

SHE TAKES IT TO WORK WITH HER.

OKAY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS~

Merry Merry Merry Merry Christmas to you all!

We had a very PLEASANT day.

Hope you did as well.

God Bless you and may you know that you are loved,

d

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Birthday Boy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

Hubby turns 59.

Thankful he is still around.

May you have a super day.

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday!

Hugs,

dd

Acting My Age

Being my age took a turn while I researched the actors that played on the 1963 episodes of PETTICOAT JUNCTION.  

Tonight after a full week-end of cleaning out our SPARE ROOM that is still in an upheaval, in the evening we watched old black and white episodes of PETTICOAT JUNCTION. 

The older Actors were all in their late 40s, 50s and 60s.  Miss Kate played by Bea Benaderet was 57 in the episode we watched.  I'm 58.  Somehow being 57 in 1963 looked so much older than I think 57 year olds do in 2013.  Grins. 

Mr. Drucker played by Frank Cady was all of about 48 at the time.  48.

There are somedays that I feel my age.  I need to get over myself and admit, I am old.  Getting closer to 60.  That's not exactly young.  

Today as we were taking a coffee break between cleaning frenzies, I asked my husband, "What would you do different if you could concerning how we have lived through the years?"

Striving to be more of a SAVER and live way below our means....wish I had been more determined to be like this when we were much younger.  I'd thrift more and be alright with off brand items.  Since none of us knows exactly how long we have to live, one can start this way of living right now.  

We aren't finished with the SPARE ROOM clean up.  It's going to take more time than I ever dreamed.  With CHRISTMAS this week...we will take a breather from the overhaul.  We can pat ourselves on our backs for the work we did accomplished.  My eyes bugged out on how much stuff we had stacked in tubs in the SPARE ROOM.  

Making piles of things to give to thrift, give away or keep.  Down sizing continues.  If we do get the blessing of getting to live to retire...I know that we will be ever so HAPPY that we downsized when we did.

It seems that it took years to build up what we have and will take years to downsize. Ironic.  

Instead of being 6 years of running behind, I decided that we are 6 years ahead.  If 65 is a retirement age that we hold out there like a carrot before our noses than we are 6 years ahead. Better to be organized and have order in our lives than to be doing all this clean-up at 65.  So with tongue in cheek, I'm saying we are 6 years ahead.  Ta Daaa.

I met Smiley Burnette when I was a little girl. 

Except Smiley Burnette was known as FROG.

I still have my autographed picture of FROG.  Somewhere.

Perhaps I will come across it as we plow away at the SPARE ROOM.

Not sure we have the CHRISTMAS episode of PETTICOAT JUNCTION, 
but it looks like a good one. 

"Cannonball Christmas" 

  

...and that's Uncle Joe he's moving kind of slow at the junction. 

PETTICOAT JUNCTION.

May you have a blessed week.

CHRISTMAS is almost here,

d

Happy First Day Of Winter!

~HAPPY FIRST DAY OF WINTER~

I'm getting my CHRISTMAS wish 

on the first day of WINTER!

It's sleeting outside and snow is in the forecast this week-end.  Finally....finally I warmed up to the idea that cold weather is here. Michael Buble is singing, I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas on our stereo as we're having a coffee break.  

The Christmas Tree is lit.  Some Christmas Cards are hanging on the Family room shutter.  
The Pantry shelves are filled with food.  The Christmas treats are ready.  Gifts ready.  

Sunday I hope to finish the Christmas Cards.

I'm running way behind on this yearly ritual, but am alright with being late.  God is good and I will be focusing on JESUS this Christmas.

Yesterday was a busy day and I think it to be a success without having an auto accident.  People are vicious in their automobiles and they don't seem to know how to handle it when smiled at.

Here in a minute, we'll return to clearing out the Spare room.  She's getting the attention she has needed for 7 years!  By evening the room shall hopefully look like a room once again.  

This makes my heart sing.

~HAPPY FIRST DAY OF WINTER TO YOU~

As this week-end passes, 

I pray that God will bless you as only He can.

Merry Christmas,

d

Decorating On The Prairie: Simple Christmas

This Year my Holiday DECORATING 

has taken a different turn.

Little will be done.

OVER THE TOP SIMPLE.  

Wreath on the Family Room wall.

Second hand Wreath on the DOOR.

A Snowman here and one there.

Maybe some garland.

Today while I was shopping, 

I put a REAL WREATH I had picked out...BACK.  Proud of myself.

Pat myself on the back.

The Wreath had no fresh smell of CHRISTMAS

so I placed her back.  Saved $20 this way.

MERRY CHRISTMAS u'all.

I wish you a very HAPPY one.

d

Blue Haired Ladies

HELLO DEAR ONES!

THIS MORNING in my small Kansas Flint Hills Town on the Prairie, is almost like an early Spring day as the temps were in the low 40s and the air was damp like I remember Texas being.  Snow is suppose to fall on Saturday.  Officially the FIRST DAY OF WINTER!  Let it snow.

YESTERDAY I took a chance and made a hair appointment at MASTER's CUTS.  Haven't been able to get an appointment with my regular Stylist....so what's a desperate woman with bushy hair suppose to do?  SO... I became a walk-in at the MALL and the young man that cut my hair did a super job.  Was so pleased.  He had TEAL COLORED hair himself and facial piercings.  Very nice personality.  We chatted about the hair dye he uses.  Apparently he likes COLOR.  I told him about two of my Aunts that were BLUE HAIRED LADIES back in the day when natural colored hair was what was desired.  We chuckled.

I ordered replacement glasses before the year runs out.  Sipped PT Coffee with my SWEETHEART at the new Furniture Store in the Mall.

Zipped through the LONG JOHN SILVER's for LUNCH on our way to Hubby's Medical Appointment to get a full body scan.  Overall the day was unrushed and I loved it.  Traveled HOME to pick Lil Miss up from School.  Got the mail and a newspaper.   Took a short nap on the sofa. 

Tonight I am attending a CANDLE LIGHT DINNER! I know I will be having Peach Cobbler.  Gotta take a soaking bath, locate my RED outfit.  The laundry is swirling in the machine and coffees on.

WHAT DID I DO TODAY TO MAKE HOME A MORE INVITING ONE???  I made the bed and placed a CHRISTMAS SPREAD on it!  Getting so adventurous in my OLD AGE!  GRINS.

In those more serious moments as I sat and prayed today, I know that there is much going on in the world that's displeasing to a HOLY GOD.  When I tend to sink lower than I need to be....the thought to speak out loud praises to my GOD erupt.  The blues vanish.  He is worthy to be praised.

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TO YOU,
d

WONDERFUL JESUS

JESUS is the SON of GOD 

that became the 

LOVE THAT CAME DOWN.  

He became the SON of man 

so we can become children of God.

How precious.

You become ROYALTY as an adopted member 

into the Family of GOD when JESUS 

becomes one's personal SAVIOR.

We can CELEBRATE the Lord JESUS every day.

CHRISTMAS is a time of year to concentrate on Him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LORD JESUS!

d

The Christmas Scale

Inviting HOME

What did I do today to make my HOME a more inviting place to call HOME?

I washed the dishes.

Bedsheets were laundered.

Beds made.

Bed Comforter was washed.

Christmas gifts were wrapped.

Watered the Christmas Tree!

Fixing Crock Pot Chili for supper.

Been Praying.

 

 

Over the week-end, I spent time with my Daughter and Grand-daughter.  We went directly to a Thrift Shop in Topeka.  A week ago on Monday, I went to this same Thrift Shop and purchased 3 matching Christmas Wreaths.  Each were $2.50.  I was hoping that there might be some more of these wreaths to decorate the outside of the house with, but they were gone. 

 

The Lord was good to me anyhow.  It had not rested with me that I didn't have a Christmas Tree.  I ALWAYS have a Christmas Tree.   My spirits have been a little low since my Husband has been ill with Cancer.  I decided that if I could get a Christmas Tree  stand at the Thrift Shop, I would go back through Wamego and buy a small tree at the grocery store.  As I was walking into the Thrift Store, there was a sign on a pile of Christmas Trees....FREE.

I bought the stand.  My sweet and energetic daughter loaded the tree into her car.

 

Now the inside of her car smelled of Christmas.  We drove HOME, unloaded the tree and Daughter sawed some of the trunk off.  Took her about an hour.  I cleaned the stand and together we carried the tree into the familyroom.  Strung some lights.  Put an oversized snowflake on top.

 

Just having this tree makes me HAPPY.  It seems more like it should seem during the month of December.  Now it can snow.

 

We watched THE SOUND OF MUSIC and ended our busy day.

 

On Sunday, I picked up my Husband from his isolation vacation.  I needed to buy one more package of twinkle lights for the tree.  I hadn't told him that we put up a tree.  Wanted to surprise him.  The weather was in the 50s.  NICE!  We stopped off for LUNCH and the Waitress tore up the ticket before us.  She said this meal was on the house because it had taken so long to be served up.  I thanked her and handed her a tip.

 

On Saturday, I got a FREE CHRISTMAS TREE.  

On Sunday, my HUSBAND came HOME.

We got a FREE MEAL. 

 

Today...I am wanting to help make our HOME a brighter place to live.  There is so much going on in the world that today, I admitted that I was trying to be God.  Though I am to imitate God's character, I am not to be God.  God is well able to be God.  I cannot nor should I be God.  Trusting HIM to be God.  I have moped around....just terrible.  Moping drains.......fill in the blank. 

 

I have to go to the Post Office.  With the weather being a tad bit warmer today, I will perk up some.

d 

WONDERFUL JESUS

Doing the HAPPY DANCE! 

while sitting down in my overstuffed chair.

Looking forward to some quiet time today.  Still in my pink housecoat.  THANKFUL the House is toasty warm.  Am iced in.

Alone with my coffee pot and a hot cup of JAVA in my mug.
Not going  a n y w h e r e  today.
Staying put at HOME.
Can I do this?  Not stir crazee.

Have plans to sit and think.
Wrap a few presents.
Make a few phone calls.
Pay some bills....broken record.
Maybe make some Christmas Peppermint Patties.
So quiet here.
So nice.

Don't you find yourself sometimes needing quiet?
I do.

I have been on the go.  Ready to sit.  So sitting I am.

Yesterday, I made a deliberate trip to the Mall.  Saw Santa.  Met up with Daughter.  Lil Miss smiled while sitting on SANTA's lap.  She wouldn't tell her Momma what she told SANTA she wanted for Christmas.  Grins.  A well kept secret.

Walking through the Mall.  Noticed on display Dillards beautiful Christmas dishes.  One of these days....Christmas Dishes will be at HOME with me.  Need to price these Fitz and Floyd beauties.

It is so bitter cold out.  When I have errands to run....grin and bare it.  Shaking the whole time.

Noticed that the Grocery Store had available a few Christmas Trees wrapped in netting.  Easier to transport home.  Hummmm.  It isn't easy for me to say no, I'll not put up a tree this year.  The Porch isn't decorated.  Inside the House only has a few decorations out, but CHRIST IS BIG IN MY HEART.  CHRISTMAS every day of the week.  Every moment of the day.

Wonderful JESUS. 

This relationship I have with the LORD isn't a religion...it's a heart warming relationship that makes it easy to talk to HIM.  Makes it easy to enter God's Courts with Praise and Thanksgiving in my heart.

Jesus did all the work so you do not have to.  He gives you rest and peace.  It's not by your might nor by your power, but by God's Spirit.

So when the Lord Jesus is in your heart, you can be at ease.  Those long needed heart to heart talks that you are needing to have with someone, can be between you and God even while driving.

I drove through the City Park decorated with Christmas Lights because I heard that Sleigh Rides were taking place.  Gosh, I wish I had my camera.  Their Park is beautiful.  The Horse drawn Sleigh had twinkle lights on her and was leisurely moving through the Park with a sleighful of children bundled in winter attire.

Onto my HOME,
d