Granny Nanny and A HaPpY Child

~GRANNY NANNY here~

Sure hope your week is going well and you're enjoying this time of the year!

Even with the weather being soooooo COLD.

brrrrrrrrr

Lil Miss was given this SWEET gift from a friend and she loved it!!!

Sometimes it's just plain hard work to wear the antlers that are placed on our heads....but remembering that Jesus is the Reason For the Season is worth it all.    

.thinking about it.

Have a Blessed Christmas,

~Deanna~

Granny Nanny with antlers on

Blogging BOGS My Mind

I officially have been BLOGGING for 3 Years!
Wow....the things I've learned bogs my mind or should I say BLOGS MY MIND.

On the 4th Of December 3 years ago, I challenged myself to take the blunge and create a blog.  It was something else not knowing the first thing about how to start, 

but start I did and away I went.

Example of early blog:

http://homehavenministry.blogspot.com/2009/02/since-i-started-blogging.html

In the beginning, first came email that my daughter helped set up an account.

Then all the neat sights to read.

Researching topics was awesome.  Like a Library right in my home.

We were living on the Farm when I first came across a Christian Ladies Blog where she wore dresses to do her daily chores.  I was fascinated at this electronic magazine.  Gosh I was just getting started.

We were Empty Nesters at the time and this blog hopping helped me with some loneliness I was having.

My Husband and I were raising Airedale Terrier Puppies and he created a web site for that and I thought Gee, that's neat.

We moved.

As time passed, I was getting more familiar with cyberspace.

MySpace showed up on the scene.

Not long after that FaceBook.

More and more Blogs, etc.

Decorating Blogs to beat the band.

I became hooked.

Now there's pinterest!

Blogging at first was an outlet to write a little.

I learned that typing on the keyboard is actually faster and easier on my hand 

than writing long handed and I didn't think I'd ever say this because I don't know how to type!!!

Then I had to learn how to download pictures.

Change the text style, color and size.

Cut and paste.

Move pictures about on the page.

Enlarge and change pics to a variety of sizes. 

Do print outs.

Attach music.

Link here and there.

Still learning.

I'm hooked.

To update my Blog I'd like to do a few more things to it....gotta learn how to do more on my own.

I've come a long ways baby and I have a ways to go.

Though I've spent many, many hours on here...my time is limited.

I have to do other things, not just blogging.

So I haven't learned all there is to learn concerning blogging

and making gorgeous headers where the pictures change from month to month.

No flashing ticker tapes.

Shucks.

Perhaps I will in the near future.

Hope hope.

One thing's for sure.....i luv blogging and i've met some neat people on here.

God bless and the best is yet to cometh.

Is it possible to teach an old dog new tricks?

YES, it is.

Bow Wow,

~Deanna~

Home Haven Happy Meal

~Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Crackers~

HaPpy when we eat HOT Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Crackers.


It disappears and there is seldom left-overs.

With this COLD WEATHER, Soups hit the spot.
Home Haven HaPpY and proud of it,
~Deanna~

Home Happenings

Lil Annie (de~annie) here.....sometimes I feel like my Husband 

is Superman.  Like a SUPER man.  

A MAN that is SUPER DUPER.

This past week-end he was a SUPER MAN to me.

Went to get Christmas Ornaments and came home with a Christmas Tree.  OOPS...how did this happen?

We had Lil Miss with us on that cold Kansas day.  

The wind was blowing and the temps were less than nice.

So glad we saw SANTA.  

He wasn't very talkative....i suppose he was tired or just stuffed?

Since Honey likes TRAINS, each year I like to buy Hallmark TRAIN ORNAMENTS for him.  

After visiting 3 stores we had the Locomotive, Tender and Caboose for this year's collection. 

Stopped off for a cheap hotdog from SAM's.

Noticed their beautiful Frasier Fir. 

 Hummmmm....our membership was needing renewed 

and the tree was such a great price we reasoned that with the tree and membership renewal we would be spending about the same amount that we would have paid for Manhattan trees that were 

spray painted green.

Nope not this year.

Our little community doesn't have Christmas Trees for sale. SHAME.

Renewed our membership and bought 

the SAM's TREE.

Came home with the Ornaments AND a TREE.

It' BEGINNING to look a lot like CHRISTMAS around here.

 ~TREE JUST FIT~

Treated Lil Miss to a STARBUCK's 'Cookie on a Stick'....guess what we treated ourselves to?  

Skinny Latte is delicious on a COLD DAY.

Home Haven's KITCHEN has much to be desired......the remodeling is coming in 2012!!!

PRAISE GOD and THANK YOU HONEY.

The stand's instructions says to clip the tree branches off of the trunk about 8 inches up so the trunk fits in the stand.  Honey snipped the branches and made a wreath out of the clippings.  I was eye balling real Christmas Wreaths and decided that I didn't want to spend the money this year because I've got some more gifts to buy......so I was thrilled when Hubby made a large wreath to hang on the front of the house out of these clippings!!!

Figured large real wreaths would cost about $50 to $60.  So we reasoned take this amount off of the actual tree cost and now the tree cost us even less than what we spent......Happy Accident.

'AINT she purdee?

Next SUPERMAN decked out the porch.......

Hearing Lil Miss squeal with excitement made my heart HaPpY.

Have a delightful Month.

God Bless,

~Deanna~

Granny Nanny and Curls

...being 4 sure is hard work.

Granny knows.

May this month be full of joy 

and special moments like this one.

God bless,

~Deanna~

the Granny Nanny

Decorating On The Prairie: Pretty Much A White Sale

~WHITE DAMASK TABLECLOTH~

For only a couple of dollar$ Decorating On The Prairie is accomplished when I place this THRIFTY buy on the Dining Room table for an upscaled look.  She washed up really pretty.

With the Winter months coming I plan to use the white tablecloth and more whites through out the house.  

Kind of like....s n o w.

THRIFT items are a BLESSING to us.  

I have fun shopping when I capture a great bargain.....i know i'm treasuring my thrifty buys.

I don't know what the HUNT will turn up.  It's a thrill to come across bargains like these all in one trip.  
Makes my heart sing a song of joy to the LORD!!!  Lead me on.  A walk by FAITH.

My spoils were a Second Hand Damask Tablecloth, 12 matching Napkins, 
3 different White Pillowcases, and 2 pretty Hand Towels. 

~TWELVE MATCHING NAPKINS~

~THREE DIFFERENT PILLOW CASES~

~TWO MATCHING HAND TOWELS~

Decorating On The Prairie is an ongoing 'thang' and ohhhhhhh how i love this,
~Deanna~

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Blessed to write for the Design and Decorate section of The Christian Home Magazine published on Mondays.  This week the carnival can be found at http://www.daybydayinourworld.com/

CHRISTMAS TREE December 4th

~FRASIER FIR~

Named after Scottish botanist John Frasier (1750-1811)

Widely used for a Christmas Tree.  It's fragrant, green, nice shape, strong limbs, ability to retain its soft needles for a long time when cut (which doesn't prick easily when hanging ornaments).

FRASIER FIR has been used more times as the BLUE ROOM CHRISTMAS TREE (the official Christmas Tree of the President of the United States's White House) than any other type tree.

This year I think the O b a m a s are using a Douglas Fir.

Not Home Haven....Frasier Fir it is!

~SWIVEL STRAIGHT The 1-Minute Christmas Tree Stand~

HO HO HO

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FRIDAY

The month of December has begun 

and leisurely we are getting around to the details.

A LIVE Christmas Tree...FRASIER FIR was purchased Friday.

Hauled her HOME.

She sure smells good.

SATURDAY

It's been a dozen years since we had a real tree.  

Artificial Trees have been used and enjoyed, but this year we decided to get a real one.

Went looking for our Christmas Tree Stand.  No can find.

Think we got rid of our collection of tree stands because we weren't using them anymore.  

Called local hardware store...no stands.  Shucks.

Soooo we went to ACE HARDWARE and came home with their SWIVEL STAND.

SUNDAY

Christmas Tree put up in the Family Room.

Will allow the tree time to relax and spread her branches 

before stringing lights on her.

Perhaps Monday night we will string the twinkle lights and get the Hallmark Ornaments out to hang on our Family Room Tree.

CHRISTMAS TREE CARE

AFTER BRINGING THE TREE HOME

SAW ABOUT AN INCH OFF OF TREE TRUNK.

SOME PEOPLE HAMMER THE BOTTOM SIDES of trunk 

SO THE TREE WILL DRINK UP THE WATER.

Be sure to water.

ADD SOME SUGAR TO HOT WATER TO HELP PRESERVE THE CHRISTMAS TREE.

Place tree in coolest place in the room away from heat source 

and light.  Water everyday.  

This evening, The Nativity Scene will be unwrapped 

and placed in the Parlour.

CHRISTMAS WREATHS on the doors.

CHRISTMAS MUSIC and EGGNOG today!

One of the simple pleasures in my life is to sit 

and observe the lit tree with the room lights turned down.

I love this.

God Bless you my Friends.

~Deanna~

Pointing toward Heaven

i am human......

i am human.
i do get tired.
this morning i was bummed out...overly tired.
the weeks leading up to thanksgiving were busy with moving big pieces of furniture and working at deep cleaning home haven in preparations for the holidays.
my very good friend mary died.
i grieved.
cleaning continued.
christmas presents were wrapped and given away.
wonderful thanksgivings day did come and go.
family came to visit!
this was wonderful.
the christmas decorations started to come out.
husband's favorite aunt sue died.
attended her funeral.
i have stopped counting how many relatives and friends have passed.
hug your loved ones when you still have time.
continued to christmas shop.
bought a real christmas tree.
a live one to represent real life.


this morning i was tired.
saddened a bit.


then it happened.
hubby put christmas music on.
brought me a cup of coffee.
daughter and granddaughter hung paper snowflakes up by the stairs.
stuffed santa and the misses were placed on the plantation desk.


ahhhhhhhhhhhh......i feel so much better.




Dear God,
THANK YOU for my HUSBAND and FAMILY and HOME and paper snowflakes that hang from the ceiling and stuffed Santas..........music and coffee and blogland.
Thank you for lifting my spirits.
Thank you for this month and all the neat festivities!
I love you,
~Deanna~