Christmas Wedding

Saturday night I attended my niece's wedding. Here's the lovely couple, Terrie and Mark right after the minister pronounced them man and wife.


Terrie's brother Alan and son Curtis provided the music and her sister in law Debra sang. They are a big musical family. Alan received his masters in music and film direction and Curtis is currently working on his undergraduate degree in music at Berkeley in Boston. I could write volumes on their professional music careers.



The wedding cake was made by a lady who bakes all her cakes in a wooden stove and they are delicious. The cake was decorated with red poinsettias to keep with the Christmas theme.

They wanted a small intimate wedding at their home. It was an absolutely lovely wedding. The ceremony was in their great room in front of the fireplace with the Christmas tree on their left.
One of Terrie's friends prepared a lovely sit down dinner for everyone. There were about 40 people in attendance. It was a warm 77 degrees Saturday which made a perfect evening for a wedding. Several people ate outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Here is another picture of the couple in front of the outside fireplace.


Here's two more pictures. One of Terrie and her daughters and son Katie, Emily and Curtis and one of me and Emily.

Hope you enjoyed attending Terrie's wedding.

I've been bad about visiting the past few days but I will be by later today. Right now I'm off to have a holiday lunch with a couple girlfriends. Have a wonderful day.

I ran across this letter from God and wanted to share it with you today. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas!!!!

A letter from God to His children:

Dear Children,


It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santaʼs and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was me who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember, I LOVE YOU.

Hope everyone is doing well. I've been so busy these past few days getting the house decorated for Christmas, cleaning and planning the Christmas goodies to be baked. This afternoon I picked Kati up from school so we could work on her Tie Fleece blanket. I was going to have her do the cutting, with supervision, but learned it was too hard for her to cut through the fleece. I had trouble cutting one side. Even my electric scissors would not cut the fleece. I guess it was being cut against the nap. I had the blanket ready for her to start tieing this afternoon.

I thought it would take her at least a couple afternoons to finish, but that little girl can tie!!! She started and finished this afternoon. Originally the blanket was going to be for Josey, her sister that will be here in February. After finishing she wanted to give it to her Mom and not for Christmas, she wanted to give it to her tonight.

I handed my camera to hubby and asked him to take a picture of me and Kati. Next time I'll hand him the point and shoot camera. Sorry this picture is out of focus.

When Kati finished the blanket she rolled up in it and couldn't wait to take it home
to show her Mom. I think it will end up being her own blanket.
She was so proud to be able to say she made it!!!

Thought I would share a few Christmas decorations. These pictures were taken right after I put everything up and before I cleaned. The two snow men in the back were made by my daughter several years ago. As you can see I needed to glue a couple buttons back on them.

I always hang these quilted snowmen on the front and back doors.

Santa is taking a well deserved nap before his big trip on Christmas Eve. He rocks and snores. My dog keeps going up to him trying to determine if he's safe.

This is our Christmas tree.

I want to thank everyone who has stopped by or sent me personal emails during my blogging absence and hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I was so hoping to find time to visit, but I've had such a busy schedule.

This year we went to my son's home to open presents on Christmas morning and his new bride prepared Christmas dinner. It felt so different having someone else prepare the dinner, but it was NICE!!! Her Mom, Daddy and grandmother were also there for dinner. She has the most wonderful family. This was the first year my son did not sleep under my roof on Christmas Eve. As much as I missed him, I was also filled with joy knowing he his establishing his own traditions with his new family. This is his beautiful tree. It is real and the fullest I have ever seen. It's been up since Thanksgiving and he is planning on taking it down today.

For most people the holiday rush is over. Not for me! I'm hosting our family get together tomorrow evening so I'll be cooking most of the day tomorrow. There will be about 25 of us. I will take lots of pictures and do my best to post a few on Friday or Saturday.

Free Images on FreeCommentTags.com

For the next several days I'm going to be busy finishing my shopping and baking, so I'm going to take a break from blogging.

Comment Graphics at pYzam.com

Christmas Meme

In keeping with the general Holiday theme I want to know a little bit more about you and your Christmas habits! So I am passing along this cute, quick Christmas Meme that I have seen on several blogs. If you have not already done this Meme, please feel free to take it and let me know so I can by and check out your answers!

Here goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. I use bags for several toys.
2. Real or artificial Tree? Artificial. We got a new one this year.
3. When do you put Christmas tree up? We never put the tree up until mid December until the past few years. Now its as soon after Thanksgiving as I can get it organized.
4. When do you take the tree down? First week in January
5. Like egg nog? Absolutely not!
6. Do you have a nativity scene? No. I use to have one, just haven't bought a new one.
7. Favorite gift received as a child? A grown-up watch. It was a Helbros with two little diamonds. I was in the 6th grade. I will never forget it and I still have this watch.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My son and son in law.
9. Easiest person to buy for? The grandbabies.
10. Worst Christmas gift? Two cans of Campbell's soup. I need to do a full post about this one. ROFL!!!!
11. Mail or email a Christmas Card? Both. There are a few Internet buddies I send an ecard to because I don't have their home address.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Story.
13. Favorite food to eat at Christmas? Too many!!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. This is another post in itself.
16. Favorite lights? Multicolored but our new tree has all white lights.
17. Favorite Christmas Song? “White Christmas"
18. Travel during Christmas or Stay Home? Stay Home
19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen & the most famous reindeer of all...Rudolph.
20. Angel or Star on Tree top? Neither. I was using a snowman's head. Now don't laugh, it was really cute. The grandbabies loved it. Our new tree is too small to hold the head, so this year our top is bare unless I can find the appropriate topper.
21. Least favorite thing about this time of year? The stress. No matter how early I start planning for Christmas, it seems like I'm down to the last minute completing everything.
22. Which one person do you really want to see blessed this Christmas and why. I have two. First my daughter who has endured an extremely difficult pregnancy. Her baby is due in February and she is still experiencing more sick days than well. Second, a neighbor and friend who is in the early stages of a miscarriage. This would have been her second child. This Christmas will be hard for her and her family.

Maybe you have learned a little more about me from this little meme. I bet you look forward to the Campbell soup post!!

We got the tree up and the house decorated over the weekend. It seems each year I pull out less and less decorations. When the kids were home I would always go all out. Now, the extent of outdoor decorations are my indoor lights in the windows, which by the way, are there all year long.

I found out Nicole will not be coming home for Christmas. She has not felt well through her entire pregnancy and she said she just couldn't make the trip. What a bummer!! I'm through shopping for the grand babies, but am waiting for a few gifts to arrive that were ordered. As soon as they all come in I'll have to pack up all the gifts for shipping and hope they make it to North Carolina in time for Christmas. Had I known earlier she was coming home, I would have done the bill to ship to, and gift wrap option with all the gifts I ordered. To make the shipping a little lighter I'll be sending money for Nicole and Bret, with the exception of the one special gift I got Nicole back in the summer.

Between shopping, working out at the gym and visiting with friends I've had little blogging time. I'll be starting the baking soon which will leave even less time. But I know you are in the same boat. The last time I talked with Nicole she told me Bret said all he wanted for Christmas from me was my pepperoni rolls. I have to admit I make awesome pepperoni rolls, but I won't be making them for Christmas. I guess I better plan on taking the local ingredients I'll need to make them when I go to North Carolina in February when the baby is born.

It's my turn to host our family Christmas gathering. Every year I get together with my brother and sisters' family at Christmas. With the exception of my BIL, who is now remarried, I'm the oldest. My nieces and nephew's children are grown and one has a baby. Do you know what that makes me?? A great, great aunt!!! I cherish the time when we all get together. This will be the first year we get together after Christmas. I wanted to do it after Christmas so Nicole and my nephew, who also lives in NC, could be here. This will give us all something to look forward to after Christmas Day.

Christmas is just a week away and I’m almost ready this year. Yippee!!! All the packages are wrapped and under the tree, the house is decorated, the Christmas cards have been mailed and a lot of my baking has been done. I only have the last minute details to take care before the big day.


This year while I was addressing my Christmas cards I had to delete yet another name from my list, my brother. He passed this past June. Mom died in 1980, my sister in 1992 and Daddy in 2001. That means I’m the elder of the family. Ouch!!! I was much younger than my brother and sister and was always referred to as “the baby”. Even when I was in my forties, Daddy would tell people, “you remember our baby.”

My daughter and her husband and their three children will be coming home on Christmas day. They want to be at home for Santa’s arrival. My grandchildren are 5 ½, 4 and 2. As you can see, my daughter has been very busy. They live about 5 hours from here, so they will be home sometime in the early afternoon. The kids have always been early risers.

My son lives close by, so I’m able to see him frequently. It brings me such joy to have all my children and grandchildren home for the holidays.

One thing we plan to do as a family this year is the see the movie “We Are…Marshall”. Both of my kids went to Marshall for awhile. They got their graduate and doctoral degrees out of state. I was living in South Carolina when the tragic crash occurred. We Are Marshall is a true story of how Marshall rebuilt their football team after a tragic airplane crash took the lives of the entire football team, the coaches and some of their wives, and several dignitaries after losing a game to East Carolina in November 1970. The movie stars Matthew Fox and Matthew McConaughey. I’m hoping this movie will be popular across the country, not just here in West Virginia.

A letter from God to His children:

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santaʼs and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was me who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity that believes in Me & they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S. Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above & get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember, I LOVE YOU.