A Tiny Little Snowman

Because my family lives so far from where I live, long ago, we had to come up with a Christmas plan that worked for everyone. Bob's family likes to open gifts together on Christmas Eve, I like to open gifts on Christmas morning. And somehow get to my family 630 miles away to celebrate with them!
So, we spend Christmas Eve with Bob's parents, here in Fredericksburg, open our Santa gifts at home on Christmas morning and then hop on a plane and fly to Tennessee for family Christmas there! I appreciate that my brother and sister always plan their trips around us so we can all be there together. Often, our family Christmas takes place the day after, depending on when we can all get there! My parents are great about being flexible and we have our celebration when we can all be together.
Chelsea and I are headed to Franklin, TN on Thursday for the Christmas festivities with the Franklin family! I like travelling on Christmas Day, smaller crowds, people are cheerful, Santa has been to the house!!!
Bob is staying home to take care of the catty-cats, Smokey and Dorothy.

This Christmas, we are missing our sweet Jacquie, Mike's wife, who passed away in October. She was a bright star in our family and I miss her. She, Melinda and I normally would clean up the dishes together and giggle in the kitchen...I will miss that. My grandmother, Marie Elizabeth Valentine Franklin, also passed away this year, so things are a little different this year.

We will open some presents, play with the most darling children, catch up on each other's lives, eat a wonderfully prepared meal and yes, maybe take a little nap...a wonderful Christmas day.

I wish blessings to you, gentle readers, during this precious Christmas season. Enjoy your loved ones and tell them you love them!
Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!

A Tiny Silver Bell

Lalo Eduardo, Angel, Miguel, Estella and Renesse


Believe it or not Jingle Bells, one of the most famous American Christmas songs, was originally written for Thanksgiving! The author and composer of Jingle Bells was a minister called James Pierpoint who composed the song in 1857 for children celebrating his Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving. The song was so popular that it was repeated at Christmas, and indeed Jingle Bells has been reprised ever since. The essence of a traditional Christmas is captured in the lyrics of Jingle Bells and the sound effects using the bells have become synonymous with the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus to the delight of children of all ages!
We made some jingle bell necklaces at preschool last week and sang the song...lots and lots of times!!!
Several of the children are now speaking English fairly well, but the funny thing is that even the couple who don't speak much or sing much, know exactly when to say "Hey" at the right time!
So, ring those bells, sing those songs and find joy in the little things...Hey!!!

A Tiny Television

Have you heard of the group from Indiana University called Straight No Chaser? If not, check out the video...sit back and enjoy!

A Tiny Christmas Ornament

The first Friday of December is the Fredericksburg Baptist Church Ornament Exchange. Some yummy food, some fabulous ornaments and a wonderful time of fellowship with good friends!
Susan hosted the party and I especially loved seeing her newly remodeled kitchen!! Loved all of the sliding trays in the pantry cabinets!
After drawing the numbers and getting started, Darla was trying to figure out which bag had the ornament she wanted. The rules of the game state that an ornament can only have 4 owners...so she was sweating!! She opened the red bag with the big lime green bow and there was the ornament she wanted!! It was "stolen" from her and then stolen again...But fortunately for her, Miss Ann took what Darla was holding thus allowing Darla to "steal" back the ornament she wanted!
In order to keep it safe for the rest of the party, Darla chose to wear it as a necklace, although I hear it has ended up on her mantle in her family room.
The three snowmen represent the Holy Trinity, according to the artist. She likes to paint things in threes.
Darla and I also discovered we shared a love of the Vince and Jenny Gill song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth".
As you journey through the Advent Season, think of your friends, remember that the best ornament for any house is good friends!

A Tiny Sleigh Bell

I love Christmas music.  I can remember my parents having albums by Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and a host of others. Lots of those old albums are on a shelf in my room, back at my parents house, even though there is no turntable to play them on. I can remember my grandparents also having a delightful selection that they played on one of those fabulous stereo consoles in their den.  I loved the slightly bizarre version of "Little Drummer Boy" sung by Bing Crosby and David Bowie...still do.  I remember learning to play "Silver Bells" on the piano and singing along, mostly to annoy my brother.  I love Handel's The Messiah, which is being performed this weekend at my church.  I wish I could sing the high parts like Lisa Welch Kosier could back in high school.I look forward to the Sundays during Advent when we sing Christmas songs from the hymnal each week. When Chelsea was little, she would look at me in amazement when we got to the part " In excelsis Deo" of Angels We Have Heard on High.  It sounds like you are saying her name in the song and she loved that.There is a radio station in our town that plays Christmas music from Thanksgiving until Christmas...all day and all night.  And I love to play that in the car.  I turned on the station Thanksgiving morning on my way home from serving breakfast at church to our community friends and the first song I heard was, " The Christmas Shoes".  I am going to say that the first 2700 times I heard the song, it brought a tear to my eye.  Now, not so much.When Chelsea was a tiny baby, I would rock her to sleep every night and sing to her.  The only songs I could readily recall in the middle of the night were Christmas songs and songs from "The Sound of Music".  So those were her lullabies.
Christmas music reminds me of my family, of growing up, spending Christmas with my parents, my grandparents, my brother and my sister.
As we enter the Advent season, I have shopped a little, sung a few songs and made some cards and ornaments.  But what I really enjoy is the little trips down memory lane that each song bring to me."Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ting ting tingle-ing..."