Recap

Christmas is over and plans changed. But that's OK:) We go with the flow, huh?

Celebration:
We had a really low key Christmas. I spent a lot of time outdoors walking around, listening to sounds of nature, taking many photos and enjoying God's blessings. We communicated through text and other methods with family who we will see after the roads improve.

Gifts:
We spent about the same as last year, I think.
Gifts tended to be practical -- sometimes cash for those we know preferred that, clothes, paying for yard work, dinners out, etc.
My Christmas gift to myself was a Fattigman cutter, Rosette & Timbale set, a Norwegian Rosemaling calendar for 2009, LED lights and expanding the pantry with specialty items! I am very excited to start using a lot of these soon; the lights were marked down to 50% and I'll use them next year.
I'm still trying to decide about the Goro iron (used for a specialty Norwegian cookie-cracker that looks like a work of art) but ....save or spend?

Christmas meals:
Breakfast was seasoned fried potatoes with scrambled eggs & ham. The potatoes were perfection! (Actually the meal was more a brunch as I woke up nauseated this morning and didn't cook it till about noon). Thank goodness it got better; it would be such a bummer to not be able to eat Christmas treats, right?

Dinner ended up to be fresh angel hair pasta with a marinara/seasoned ground beef sauce and shredded (not dry!) Parmesan cheese on top! We'll have the apricot-orange honey glazed Cornish hen tomorrow and the roast later. Yum--that sounds good.

Trips:
A lot of time outdoors in simple pleasures enjoying the handiwork of God.
Earlier this week we went on a drive--past some beautiful mountain scenery and gorgeous Victorian homes. They looked really Christmasy with the snow! (Is Christmasy a word? Apparently not per blogger..) Oh well.

Blessings:
Many, many. The music of the season, snow, hearing from friends & relatives and much more!

Well that is a little recap for you all. How was your Chanukah or Christmas celebrations?

Blessings, Aimee

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you joy & peace this Christmas, and always!

Photo: Wyoming. © J. Blessings. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission..

A Walk in His Gardens

Sights & Sounds of a Christmas Week Walk~

A walk? Yea mom! See, I remembered my coat;

but I could use some winter boots.

Did you see that? Even the apples have hats on. They must be frozen.

I'm doing fine though; this cold, wintry day feels much warmer then a rainy one to me.

We walk by a wheelbarrow laying, at rest, under a deep snowy blanket.

Looks peaceful although I don't think I'd enjoy it much.

Next we wander beside a pond laying at rest too; frozen under a layer of ice and surrounded by snow. All is silent except for the sounds of a few passing cars and the birds singing nearby in the trees; they're calling each other to share in the bounty of a winter's feast of fruit.

And finally a table that's become a tall snow covered mushroom with no place to put a book or plates; but whuch looks very cool.

And inside the warm house, Aimee keeps a watchful eye out for any visitors and more snow!

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Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas.May you experience the amazing joy & peace which does not come from gifts or a nice meal, but instead comes from receiving the greatest Gift of all--God's Holy Son.

Blessings always, Aimee

Photos: rural NW views