Happy Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100

Make a JOYFUL noise unto the LORD

All ye lands.

Serve the Lord with GLADNESS.

Come before His presence with SINGING.

Know that the LORD, He is GOD.

It is He that has made us and not we ourselves.

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with THANKSGIVING

and into His courts with PRAISE.

Be THANKFUL unto Him 

and BLESS His name.

For the LORD is GOOD.

His MERCY is EVERLASTING

and His TRUTH endures

for ALL generations!

This was one of the first chapters of scripture

that I memorized as a child.

I think of these verses often

and they remind me that even in 

difficult times,

I have SO MUCH! 

So being thankful is so much 

easier when I remember this.

 

I love to sing my Thanksgiving to the Lord

and this is a favorite hymn of mine.

I am so very thankful for my beautiful family.

I am thankful for the freedoms we enjoy in this country.

I am thankful for a variety of healthy, delicious food.

I am thankful for the gift of creativity.

I am thankful for loving and fun friendships.

I am thankful for the gift of music.

I am thankful for the beautiful rainbow of color,

evident both in people and in nature.

And most of all,

I am thankful that God loves me

so very much.

I pray that this Thanksgiving,

you enjoy love and bounty and blessing.

I pray that you bless others.

And I pray that you rejoice in 

the creativity that allows

us to share in the joy of our Creator.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy July 4th!!

Happy 4th of July!

I pray you are able to spend this day 

celebrating our glorious freedom

with your family.

Today I am so grateful for those

who have served our country well.

I pray pray for those who are currently serving

and do not get to celebrate with their families.

We are so very blessed.

(Image courtesy of Vintage Holiday Crafts)

Merry Christmas from Santa Rosa!

Merry Christmas!!!

We finally got moved in and put up our

Christmas Tree on Wednesday night!!!!

I am posting this from India's computer

because mine is still broken.

While I DID manage to bake 

two batches of cookies-

Peanut Butter Blossoms,

and Cherry Thumbprints,

I conceded defeat on the 

Christmas Jammies issue.

Yes, my girls are wearing 

STORE BOUGHT JAMMIES!!!

Tomorrow is Christmas and I still have

not baked the Spanikopita!

But, we are in our house, 

with a tree,

and some decorations.

And my parents are here with us from Nevada.

Ahnalin and I were angels at the 5:00PM service

at our new church!

Our church does 4 different services on 

Christmas Eve and the 5:00PM service

is specifically designed for young families.

So we were thrilled to be in the little 

play called "Where Is Jesus?"

Both Ahnalin and I managed to behave

"angelically" for the evening, even though

it was a challenge. Heehee!!

After the early service,

the girls went home with my parents, 

so they could get ready for Santa.

I heard that Ahnalin was especially angelic

before bed, preparing 

the cookie plate for Santa,

and not begging to stay up later. 

She was completely asleep by the time Don and I got home

from the 7:00 PM service!

Well, India and I are now snuggled up watching

"White Christmas",

while eating cookies and I am 

having a tiny glass of wine.

I still have to wrap presents 

for the morning.

My biggest present is being here,

in our own cozy house in Santa Rosa.

We are so thankful for this Christmas.

I would never recommend moving

right before Christmas,

especially if your hubby is responsible

for some Christmas services at church.

This has been the hardest move we have ever done,

but I am so very, very grateful.

Exhausted, but grateful. 

I pray that you all have 

a lovely Christmas, 

filled with love,

family,

good food,

music,

happy smells,

and good memories.

I pray that you know you are deeply loved

by our Heavenly Father,

who sent His Only Son

to us.

little, sinful, us. 

But He loves us.

Merry Christmas my friends.

The Spirit of Christmas Past

Awwww.......Christmas Memories......

My friend, Laurie, of SewnSo's Sewing Journal,

(also a famous contributor to Sew Beautiful magazine, 

and pattern designer of Brer Rabbit Designs.)

is having a little Linky party!

I have never attended a Linky party, 

so I really hope I am doing this correctly.

This party is all about celebrating home sewn

Christmas garments in our past.

So, I find that I simply must start off my little party

by showing you a picture of me,

in all my silver brace faced glory!!

You see, my wonderful mama

used to sew for me all the time.

But when I learned how to sew, I sewed my own clothes

most of the time, from then on.

This little outfit was something I made for myself 

to wear in a children's Christmas musical that I

helped direct when I was in high school.

Those puffed sleeves come straight out of my passion

for Anne of Green Gables.

And gone are the days of my 22 inch waist.....

sigh...

And then, while this is not the best picture,

it recalls the year I decided that 

India and I should wear matching Black Watch Tartan

wool jumpers. 

Not only did I make them, but I sewed Don a matching vest!

India's blouse was Hart Strings and my blouse was from Macy's

because I was in my "I refuse to sew blouses" phase.

India's buttons were pewter Santa faces and mine

were pewter angels. 

 And these little dresses were from the year

that India sang with two of her little friends

at the Calvary Temple Singing Christmas Tree

in Denver Colorado. 

The song was "Happy Birthday Jesus" 

and they were accompanied by the 

Denver Symphony Orchestra.

Don, aka "Hot Rockin' Hubby",

was the music pastor there

and I sewed the dresses, 

as well as sang in the "tree".

He still misses conducting that wonderful group

of musicians, and India was too little

to realize what a big deal it was. 

The dresses were sewn out of yucky panne' velvet.

And the pattern was a disaster. 

But they were cute!

And because we are moving, 

and I am a lousy organizer of past photos,

I have no idea where any more Christmas pics

are of dresses I sewed for India before

Ahnalin came home.

This was the Christmas Ahnalin was 3.

I smocked her a "Mary De" 

using a smockplate that is also packed

so I can't remember who designed it.

But this picture also shows

where Ahnalin trimmed her own bangs. 

She did a rather creative job and managed

not to jab out her own eye, 

even though I nearly fainted when I saw her hair.

I didn't sew India's outfit but I just love this pic of my 

two beautiful daughters. 

This was also the year I designed and made
Grandma's Brag Purses 

for my mom and mil.

I love how they turned out.

And then this little dress.....

(Carol by Children's Corner)

And this little outfit with penguins embroidered...

And this was last year...

India was chosen to play 

Queen Katharine of Aragon for

the high school Chamber Choir

Madrigal Dinner.

And of course that meant mama

had to sew an authentic 

velvet gown for her.

I mean, I HAD to....

Really!!! 

And Ahnalin's dress was from one of my all time

favorite Alexander Henry fabrics. 

This little outfit was thrown together 

at last minute for Ahnalin to wear the day she

was honored as student of the month in 

Kindergarten.

And yes, since you asked, 

the skirt IS a Monkey Girl Bloomer Skirt!

(She actually wore this outfit to church today too!)

And this is the girls in their 

Christmas jammies on Christmas morning.

Each year I sew them new jammies for

Christmas and last year,

they chose these.

These were the Christmas nightgowns

I made for the girls in 2008.

India chose a smocked style

with poinsettias on the front

and Ahnalin chose rickrack and

an embroidered gingerbread man.

Both were out of the softest white flannel.

And last but definitely not least,

here is Ahnalin in one  of my favorite outfits I have 

EVER SEWN!!

This was a little reversible  A-line

jumper with a matching quilted and

embroidered jacket. 

I CRIED when she was too big for this!

I have not yet even started 

Christmas outfits for this year.

Bad mommy.

The excuse...

THE MOVE!

But I plan to start an outfit for at least

Ahnalin this week. 

Really. 

I promise.....

Thank you peering into my Christmas Memories.

Now pop on over to Laurie's blog

and enjoy the other party participants too.

Happy December and Happy Sewing.