Wrapped in the luxurious micro-fiber, lush, spa-robe Dessa and Ryan got me for Christmas (it is kinda like being wrapped in a cloud), I lifted my coffee cup and looked down and there on the robe tie: a lady bug.
It was definitely looking rather disconcerted, like, “Where the heck am I? Heaven?”
No, Lady Bug. You are in Colorado in January. Not exactly safe for you, but fear not. I have just the place.
He happily resides now, in my tray of succulents where hopefully he will be able to make a life for himself until spring.
It’s snowing. Now re-read that like Alvin said it to Dave on the classic Chipmunks’ Christmas album. {Look, Dave – it’s snowing!} Did you insert you very own Chipmunk voice there? I hope so!
The morning snow delights and surprises. Yes, even though they told us on the news it was coming.
I come downstairs to a fresh pot of coffee and Bedford Falls glowing softly, ready to thrill the grandbebes for Christmas. Snow is falling with white, fluffy enthusiasm and the timing is perfect as now (after all the wedding excitement) we can begin to fully embrace this most joyous of seasons and do our decorating. This is the weekend for it.
Today is our first “official” day in the office for future ministry stuff (to be announced shortly). Meeting our new and most-amazing intern, Emilee, there too. She could not be dissuaded from driving down from Fort Collins even for snow. We will be working on The Christmas Party* (PLEASE COME! admission is canned goods for families in Joplin still struggling to rebuild their lives after the tornado in May). And looking ahead with anticipation.
Then home to unveil the Santa collection, I hope, and perhaps start putting up the family-tree, the one with handmade ornaments and bits and pieces of an enduring family life.
Naturally, Dean is in my head.
*The Christmas Party~
Professional photographers will be on hand to snap family photos and the variety of artists and talents represented is the best show in town! Put it on your calendar and plan to be there!
No, sorry. I can’t show them. Tredessa and Ryan are honey-mooning and we have to wait.
But I took a few.
But it was barely any at all. I cannot believe it. I am a picture nut. I must have been busy! But here is a sneak peek into the final few hours before the I-do’s.” This is a little of my day…just a few days ago. Exciting times!
The runner gives good marriage advice. It was on artists’ canvas and will be stretched for wall art for the newlyweds.
Yes. I actually grew succulents for the bridal bouquets. And corsages and boutonnieres. In my kitchen. For 2 months. I am so silly sometimes, huh?
Mia and Mairin are lifelong family-friends. Their mom, Lisa is my most cherished friend in life. And out whole family is deeply attached to the whole Bierer family. They came from Minneapolis and jumped in and relieved me of all stress. I love them!
At this time I am taking a deep breath of joy. Looking around, remembering what I forgot and realizing: it doesn’t matter. My little girl is about to get married. There is nothing I forgot that even matters at all. It will be beautiful.
Family China was mixed in with the caterer’s China. Embroidered dresser scarves from Grandma were mixed with embroidered linens. Vintage enaml-ware and small antiques adorned tables with dusty-greens in vases (Tredessa is not a big flower girl). It came together.
Mairin and Mia set the desserts. I walked up and breathed a sigh of relief. Had a cake disaster (more on that later). Smiled. Put on lip gloss. And walked in to the church at 4:15, right on time. Lovely, lovely, lovely day. Seriously. Really. Lovely.
My wonderful friend, Patrice Wilson, catered Tredessa’s wedding.
This is Patrice (my friend!!) a few hours before the wedding behind the photo booth. Yes, she was busy. But she stopped and let me snap her picture.
Here is what I love about Patrice doing the catering:
She is a fantastic cook. She is always coming up with new ideas and delsicious dishes and wowing us.
She brings peace. Patrice is one of those people who doesn’t get riled. I am driven and freaking out at big events. She is the calm saying, “It will all work out.” She is right everytime.
She can cook fancy or comfort or casual or elegant or anywhere in between.
She is so servant-hearted.
But best of all? She is Holy-Spirit-gifted with hospitality. So not only does she provide the spread, she warmly feeds your soul, too. When I started wrokig at New Hope almost 8 years ago now, she was one of the first people I noticed because hospitality and welcome just oozed from her. And she fed us good stuff. And I have loved her like crazy ever since.
And you? Should hire Patrice for your next party, big or small.
You’ll get great food, awesome service and peace for the day, all included in the price!
The wedding menu, in case you are wondering:
A delicious garden salad – a tomato/cucumber salad – hot rolls and butter – tilapia in a lemon-butter sauce – rice pilaf – chicken cordon-bleu – whipped potatoes – beef wellington, a tender steak with mushrooms in a flaky pastry wrap – garlic green beans – rotini with steamed vegetables in garlic butter – coffee – tea – water. Mmmmmmm……
THANK-YOU, Tricie. Love you. Hugs and kisses to Linda. And Jack, too!
My sister-in-law, Robin has made the Advent season a fun {not to mention super educational} adventure, great learning for the whole family that brings meaning to the Christmas story with symbols and stories from the whole Bible.
First things, first, though: I am totally ripping off all the images from THIS BLOG: http://alicia-lafamille.blogspot.com/2011/11/our-christmas-tradition-jesse-tree.html which you will want to go read because this is a mommy with young children who has actually been using the Jesse Tree for a few years and making it a family tradition for Christmas.
Tradition + eternal meaning = important! And fun!!
Robin has put together a whole box of goodies for Advent. There is a book called The Jesse Tree. It has scripture readings each day through Advent and a couple of devotionals to choose from , depending on the age of your children. But let me just say – every adult who participates will learn. too. The really fun part is that there is a corresponding ornament for each day’s devotional and you get to see the story of Jesus through God’s dealings with His people all the way from Genesis to the birth of our Savior!
Alicia (who has very groovy taste in music, I might mention) posted these great examples on her blog (along with bite-mark and “kid-scribble” explanations. You, of course will have to provide those yourself. They are not included in the set!
You learn. You hang the ornament on the tree. And everyday after that, when you see that ornament, you recall the plan of God to share His love with us down through the ages. Perfect!
I wholly encourage you to get your family one of these keepsake, limited edition sets. Contact Robin moslander123@gmail.com. Each set is $85 plus s & h. Good investment.
THIS YEAR, I am thinking of displaying the whole set for the whole season.
The blogger of My Sweet Savannah (www.mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com) offered this idea last year (a foam-board covered in fabric and framed, I think…it was a screen save…need to find). I may put a portion of scripture on each card so I may meditate on them all season long.
The last of the red-hot lovers. These are it. My final tomatoes from the summer garden. Oh, yes, there are a few plums I brought in green during that last snow and they are ripening like their store-bought cousins (in-bred, very distant cousins, at that), but these are the last I salvaged from plentiful vines as they succumbed to the ravages of cold nights and early snowstorms. And on the days following like we have been having, there is no reason the Thanksgiving table couldn’t have had platters of this most treasured delight.
But like all of life, the unexpected happens and so here we are – cherishing all the more deeply the deliciousness we are able to enjoy.
This is lunch.
Not quite as red as the late summer tomato, but o-so-pleasant to eat. Nice think slices of total juiciness, paired with extra-virgin-olive-oil and garlic marinated fresh mozzarella and sprinkled with sea salt. The senses piqued, the tongue satisfied. The heart knows: I will do this again.
The garden catalogs will begin arriving at the New Year….
They were not done revealing their zenith, had barely begun to undress. Tsk. Pauvres bébés.
You can see the strees down the fenceline, still almost fully leafed, and my little raindrop tree is bowing low, as are the Christmas lights strung across the patio for ambiance – hanging very low, indeed! The grill looks like it has perhaps 3″ on top? They have threatened 6″…we shall see…
An Aspen in the backyard that is 12 feet away is practically hanging in the kitchen window today. Well, excuse me.
Bonjour, snow. Have mercy on my tree boughs, s’il te plait.
Heavy wet snow on leafy branches = no bueno
Happy Birthday, Sherri Cramer O’Neal! xxoo
Joyeux anniversaire à un ami très long-temps. Vous apportez beaucoup de souvenirs heureux remontant au moins à 36 ou 37 années …. qui était, vous le savez, le jour de votre naissance! Bénédictions, ma fille!
I really wish I lived in a time when weather forecasts were not only made 3000 times a day, but everyone talks about them ad finitum.* It would be more fun like when I was a kid (before the dawn of actual time) and I’d just wake up and : voila! A winter wonderland. How exciting! Deal with it.
Is there such a thing as over-preparedness?
Us and everyone on our block blew out our watering systems yesterday for the winter season. But a few days after the snow? It is Colorado, it will be sunshiney and gorgeous and mild daytime temps will have me in the garden. My goal this year was to have home-grown tomatoes at Thanksgiving. It could happen. They are winding down, yes, but they live and produce and they are still the sweetest things I have ever tasted.
Two types of tomatoes from my garden for lunch over the weekend. Drizzled with Balsamic, sprinkled with Kosher salt, because who couldn’t use a few extra blessings now and then? Should I even mention how amazingly sweet, yet tingly-to-the-tongue they were? No? Ok, then. The memory of the little yellow-pear tomatoes popping like taste-fire-crackers in my mouth…Ooooh, yum! Must be lunchtime somewhere, yes?
As long as this little snow doesn’t hurt my tomatoes, I can deal with it.
*I talk weather, too. Though I was mortified when I first heard of the Weather Channel 20 years ago, just troubled that people would be that interested in watching weather all the time, I have come to appreciate it, too. Which also mortifies me. ;/
WEDDING PROJECTS ALERT: Never tea-dye paper lace doilies on a Monday morning for a possible Wednesday project and then try to short-cut by tossing them in the dryer for ten minutes…even on delicate. Just take my word for it and don’t do it. At least on a Monday. *sigh…
