A favorite!

After Christmas morning when I was a little girl I'd always want to share about what I'd gotten from "Santa" so I'd call a few friends to tell them and to find out what they'd gotten.  Or on the first day back to school we'd all have our lists ready to compare and talk about.  I couldn't help but think back on that time (so long ago) after this Christmas and the gift my daughter Kaylee gave me.  She knows I'm a sucker for the homemade gift and so she thoughtfully cross stitched this sweet and meaningful picture for me:

So I wanted to share one of my favorite Christmas presents with you!  And I think the reason why is clear!  

I'd love to hear some of your favorites too so I'll hope you'll comment and share them.  It'll be the 21st century version of sharing what Santa brought us.    



Closer

My living area is finally beginning to look the way I had visualized it before the remodel.  So I wanted to show a picture of it while also wishing all of you a very merry Christmas.  Oh, and while I'm at it I might as well show off the two most beautiful and talented people that I just happen to be the mother of! 

This will have to be the quick little post that it is because I'm off to do all of the last minute things that need to be done before holiday company and before Santa makes his appearance on our roof......well, I guess he uses the door at our house since we have no chimney.  Anywayyyyyyyy, merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!  

Christmas High Tea

Yesterday an old and dear friend called to see if I wanted to take her place to attend high tea at a popular little tearoom downtown called The Chestnut Tree.  She had reserved a place with three other friends but had a last minute conflict so kindly thought of me!  What a treat!  I knew the three other ladies so I really enjoyed visiting with them and just generally felt feminine and fru-fru. 

Some of the fare were things like warm harvest cranberry dip crostini, goat cheese and sun dried tomato profiteroles, and scones with clotted cream and lemon curd.  Pretty fancy, huh???  Midway through the meal a Victorian dressed quintet arrived to serenade us with beautiful a capella carols. 

It was just a fun and peaceful way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season.  I'm so glad I have a high falutin' friend.  So before I close I'd just like to say (insert British accent here) pip pip cheerio, merry Christmas, and all that rot!!

The two quilts

It's taken me just about three years but I finally finished this heirloom quilt.  It was done by paper piecing which means I stitched and quilted it all by hand except for the border.  The pattern is called grandmother's flower garden and it's one I've always wanted to do.   

I'm also working on another quilt of sorts.  I'm memorizing the book of James and have finished four out of the five chapters.  I've memorized scripture verses on and off over the years but those are like owning pretty scraps of fabric.  They're nice to look at but tend to get stuck off in a drawer somewhere to be used "someday".  Memorizing a whole book has been like putting all the fabrics together to create a beautiful work of art.  It's really been a fascinating experience.  It's more than just saying words by rote.  Every time I go through the verses it's like having a little conversation with Jesus, allowing Him to teach me one on one what He has in mind for me and how He wants me to live my life.  And memorizing a book has actually been surprisingly easy, really even more than memorizing a verse here or there and trying to hang on to it. 

So I'm thankful.  Thankful that God has given me the ability to create something as beautiful as a quilt, and discipline and desire to memorize the beautiful and most important heirloom that is His Word.        

Views from the Crosswalk Part 2

From time to time I'll see one of my old crosswalkers come by and lately I've seen one that is probably in his early 20's. He just lives about three houses down from where I park but I hadn't seen him since he was in middle school or so until recently when he's been riding his bike by every so often.

He was a quiet kid back then, probably not saying more than two or three things to me for the three or four years that he walked or rode his skateboard across the street on his way to school. But now he waves or smiles as he rides his bike by so this morning as I was standing there freezing my little booty off waiting for kiddos he rode by again and I stopped him. I asked him if he was going to school or working and he told me he's working at UNT and drives a pedicab!!! How fun is that??

I've heard about the new pedicabs that work around the university and the downtown area and I've been curious about it, secretly harboring the dream of driving one if I were only about 20 years younger. So I was filled with enthusiasm as he told me a little about what it's like to drive one. Then I probably should have just let him go after that but nooooo, I have to know it all. So I promptly asked him what he does at UNT. Well, it turns out he's a figure model!!! And did I just say "Oh, how nice."? No, I asked, "Does that mean you pose nude?". Yep, I'll just dive right on in there with my curious self! He just smiled and said that was right. Hmmmm!

So this morning was at least a little different than the usual at the ol' crosswalk!