It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~Christmas 2019 ~Countdown...10 days ~Memories of Christmas Past

Thank you, everyone, for your sweet comments on my last blog post.

Hubby and I are so excited to host Christmas

for our family this year. 

After my morning coffee,

I start working through my To Do List.

Check out this cute plastic plate and bowl

that I found at Walmart. I bought a set just so Jack

can have his own special place setting.

It coordinates with this little plate I found at Target

that he can use for breakfast and snacks.

I washed up all the Christmas kitchen towels

and included all of the Lefsa cloths,

just in case we girls get a chance to make a batch.

I gathered all of the Christmas napkins I could find

in my stash...some paper, some cloth.

I also brought my snowman dishes out of storage.

They are all here on the counter waiting to

run through a cycle in the dishwasher.

I have not used them for years. I forgot how cute they are!

Plus, snowman dishes can stay in my cupboard until spring.

This is another photo from Christmas Eve 2014.

This year, we will set another place for Jack!

Enjoy the Holiday Season.

Spend time with family and friends!

Take care,

~Natalie

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~Christmas 2019 ~An Exciting Update to our Holiday Plans

If you thought we were excited before, now we can

barely contain ourselves.

As you already know, Daughter #1, her Hubby, and our Grandson

are planning to be home for Christmas.

Today, we learned that Daughter #2 and her Hubby

are coming home too!

If you got a Christmas card from us last year,

you remember this photo.

It’s the last time we were were all together.

It was taken in July 2018.

We did see Emily and Jake this past June.

I spent the month of May with Amy and her boys.

But, to have everyone..all together..under our roof, is priceless.

Empty Nesters, you can all relate.

Whenever they were all home from college,

I would fall asleep at night with a feeling of being complete.

Notice that little boy on the right?

We can’t wait to scoop him up in our arms!

I hope all of your plans for a

wonderful Christmas are falling into place.

Take care,

~Natalie

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~Christmas 2019 ~Countdown...Two Weeks ~Where the Weekend Went

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Remember I have the stained glass window from our farmhouse...

hubby hung it over our fireplace mantle.

This weekend I brought out the Winter Garland.

Of course we need a tree

downstairs in our family room.

On Christmas morning we will gather here

to see what Santa put in our stockings.

I love this Santa...

we purchased it when our girls were

coming home for the holidays the last time.

And remember Hubby’s Vintage pickup truck

that I found in his childhood toy box last year?

I loaded it up with Christmas trees.

I strung lights on our third tree.

This will be Jack’s tree.

He can help us decorate it with

all of our special children’s ornaments.

This Santa is at the top, watching over us...

...adorned with a snowflake.

Quite appropriate for our current weather.

These ornaments are waiting for Jack to get here.

Hubby hung lights and garland outside

to welcome our family home.

The Weekend Highlights

Besides holiday preparations, here’s what else happened.

The Jazz group played at the historic Ward Hotel on Friday night.

On Saturday, we cheered our Bison on to another win.

The Buffalo Chicken Dip is easy to make

and such delicious Football Food.

This makes me chuckle.

Our Lizzie is not intimidated by Roomba.

It bumps into her and then proceeds to go around.

Lizzie is not giving up her spot in front of the heat register!

This came across my Facebook newsfeed.

I thought I’d share it with you...

After all, it is what the holidays are all about.

Be Kind to One Another.

Take care,

~Natalie

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~Christmas 2019 ~Our Countdown has Begun

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

With anticipation of our family’s visit,

I have created lists upon lists.

Friends, I could really use a couple of elves.

I am cleaning and toddler-proofing,

shopping and wrapping,

menu planning and recipe gathering.

And...I am thoroughly enjoying every minute of preparations.

Trust me, there’s a To-Do List for Hubby too!

Naturally, my first priority

was to decorate the tree in our living room.

This is where we gather on Christmas Eve.

This tree is the elegance of gold and silver,

topped off with a Christmas Star.

May all your days be Merry and Bright!

Take care,

~Natalie

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year ~Christmas 2019

Hubby and I are “Over the Moon” excited,

as our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson

will be spending time with us for Christmas.

Perhaps you remember that it has been five years

since they were all here for the Holidays.

So naturally, I am already planning and preparing.

After all, it is also our grandson’s first Christmas here in the Dakotas.

Hopefully the first of many to come!

Check back often...I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Take care,

~Natalie

Cyber Monday ~Tins and Treasures Etsy Sale ~Where the Weekend Went ~Our Friendsgiving Gathering

Cyber Monday...Time for my annual Coupon Sale

in my Tins and Treasures Etsy Shop.

Use Coupon Code CYBERMON to receive 20% off.

Local Friends, if you see something you’d like,

send me a message to make arrangements

to purchase and avoid shipping costs.

This sale is good..all..week..long.

And now for our weekend highlights...

We enjoyed FaceTime chats with our family...

both daughters,

a son-in-law,

and this happy little grandson!

With daughter’s input,

I made some great Black Friday purchases.

Small Business Saturday...

We were in the middle of a Winter Storm so many places were not open,

however, we found this locally owned establishment for some lunch.

Then home to watch some college football in the man cave.

Lizzie likes the man cave too, not for watching the game, 

but so she can explore.

This was the view from my Sewing Studio window...

...and the view out the patio doors.

On Sunday, Alan and Kari hosted our second annual Friendsgiving.

You can see that involves football along with fabulous food.

Our hosts made this delicious Honey Glazed Ham.

Our sides included all the necessary comfort foods...

Cheesy potatoes, Creamed peas, Cranberries,

Spinach Salad with oranges, berries, red onion,

pecans, and Parmesan cheese.

Sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows.

Best of all, is catching up with good friends.

We did a good job on that 8 lb. ham.

It was a great way to kick off a new week and a new month.

Another Thanksgiving Holiday weekend

is in the memory books.

Take care,

~Natalie