Snippets of Christmas

I'm up in the studio tonight, working on the scrapbooks. Boy won't you be glad when I finish them? Then you won't have to hear about them any more.



I love looking over at my old wooden 7-Up carrier and seeing the little snippets of Christmas. I can't say that I actually decorated - they are up all year. When I'm out junquing if I buy a small bit or some fluff I usually add it to the "shelves."



Tomorrow is our work Christmas brunch. We work till 11:30 then off to brunch until 2 and then we have off until January 2nd. I CAN'T wait! I'm debating on what to do with the extra time tomorrow. I may just come home and enjoy a Christmas movie.



Well my friends I'm not sure that I'll get around to visiting you all before Christmas, but my wish is that you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with love and laughter.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the LORD" (Luke 2:11).

More Last Minute Gifts

These note cards were a last minute order from Tom at work. He wanted to give his Mum a personalized note card set, but wanted them all to be different.




I love to create, but I get a little nervous when someone asks for something specific. Do you know what I mean? If someone says can they buy a birthday card and I take in a bunch of them to choose from I'm fine with them choosing what they want.




But making something for a specific person with likes and dislikes gives me a bit of creative block. Overall I like how they turned out. Some much more than others.




I've been at the boys scrapbooks every night. I'm up to 11th grade for both of them, so not many more pages to go. I only have 4 more cookie trays to make and deliver and then that's done too. I may just have to bake again on Monday for when all the kids are home - at least some chocolate chips. Somehow they are disappearing more than what I'm putting on the cookie trays. Mr OP pleads not guilty:)




I know that I haven't had any - gluten free for over a month now! It must be our resident ghost. That, or Santa made an early visit to The Old Parsonage!




We're headed to Costco tomorrow night (depending on how our work days go), for bulk things that we need for when the kids are all here, plus our normal Costco run. Well those scrapbooks won't get finished it I stay here chatting so I'm off...

Do you have any last minute gifts that you still have to get?

Stick a Fork in Me

I'm done... well the cookies are done! This year I made (4) different kinds of candies and 18 different kinds of cookies. (double and triple batches). I delivered 7 trays last night and the rest are due this week.







Mr. OP got the bathroom painted, the only thing left is to paint the trim and hang the new towel bars, etc. I can't tell you how excited I am. I chose a steel grey color that actually looks more blue to me. But, I'm not going to complain - it's done (or at least will be done) before Christmas.





I cleaned the spare room, just have to wash the sheets and comforter and the room will be ready for our Texans. The only that that I have left to do for Christmas (besides going to the market) is finish the scrapbooks for the guys. I have about 10 pages left for our Fireman and 20 for Flyboy. They WILL be finished by Christmas!




I hope that you are all checking those last minute things off your lists and are taking time to really enjoy this wonderful season of "the greatest gift."

What do you have left to do?

The Old Parsonage Loves to Dress the Part

She sure does love to put on all her finery at Christmas. See that porch roof? That's the one that I have to crawl out on to put up the wreaths. Don't worry it's out the window hang the wreaths and right back in the window. I don't do a lot of Christmas lights outside. Just a candle in every window (I actually leave them in the windows all year round), the Moravian star and white lights in the fern box that's in front of Santa.



I love my Santa! This was another of those things from my MIL that was headed for the garbage. Well you know me...Santa now lives at The Old Parsonage. There's also a few reindeer too. If you click on the top photo, you'll see just how big he is. I'm still baking and candy making. Yesterday I made 2 pounds of chocolate covered pretzels (dark and milk chocolate), and a double batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. Tonight I made a double batch of pecan tassies. Do you know how long those suckers take to bake?! 25minutes per tray - it took me forever to bake them. I also made a double batch of my Nan's pumpkin spice cookies. I've got pizelles, and spritz lined up for tomorrow night.




Chuck (my brother) is moving on Saturday, so Mr. OP will be on the work crew that morning. I feel bad not helping, but there's only so much time left to get all my baking done. He's actually going to be living right up the street from us. So, we'll be able to visit easily.

I hope that you are all enjoying the wonderful season! Don't forget to stop by Beverly's on Saturday for some Pink Saturday or Holiday fun!

Hurry... Hurry... Faster... Faster...

Does anyone else feel this way? I'm usually cool, calm and collected, and it's not like I have a ton to do. I have everything done except my cookie trays. I have about 20 to make and most people need them by Sunday with a few throughout next week. Although the later ones don't give me extra time, I have to have everything done by Sunday since those trays need to have everything on them anyway.



I keep a running total of how many cookies I've made of each kind and how many should go on each tray (large and small). Yesterday and today I made double batches of peanut butter, chocolate chip, chocolate crinkles and snicker doodles. Plus a triple batch of peanut brittle and a double batch of of peppermint bark.




I'm right on schedule, but feel so far behind. I even finished early tonight, have had my bath and have time to blog. So it's not time that has me frazzled...I think that there's so much that I want to do and I feel that I don't have time to do it. Why do I have to work? It gets in the way of everything:) That's a good 9hrs out of my day that I could be doing something that I want to do.




Two weeks from today and our Texans will be home! I can't wait to see them, but you knew that didn't you?! Anyone watching all the Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel this month?



They have those sappy-you-can-figure-out-the-ending-immediately Christmas movies running continuously. I usually wouldn't watch these kinds of movies, but at Christmas I LOVE them!



You know what? I feel better already... after pouring my feelings out to you, that and watching one of those sappy movies. You know what else? I'm hungry. I wolfed down my dinner so quickly that I don't think my stomach registered me eating. That or I'm just hungry. And no, I haven't touched anything that I baked. I get tired of seeing and smelling everything. So what are you all busy doing?

Handmade Birthday Cards at The Old Parsonge

December and early January find us celebrating a few birthdays. Andy (my BIL) and Pam (my cousin - Audrey Rose's Mimi) share the same birthday - December 21. I could make Pam's card a little more 3-D because I don't have to send it through the mail. It'll be tucked into a little something for her birthday - she's just like a sister to me and I'm so lucky to have her live so close by.



Andy's card is 3-D too, but it will squish down in the mail. I've learned (the hard way) not to make things to thick if you are sending them first class mail.



I got a lot accomplished this weekend. I only baked (4) different things - nut rolls which are a yeast dough that is rolled then filled with a ground walnuts, sugar, butter and milk mixture and they need to rise before baking, chocolate almond orange biscotti which need to be baked in a log then cut and baked again, toffee rounds and white chocolate macademia cookies.




I made a few more batters for the fridge - pumpkin, peanut butter thumbprint plus there's still others that I didn't get to. We got company both days which put me a little behind - along with me pacing myself. Mr OP got the upstairs hallway painter - yeah!!! That's one of the projects that has been on his "honey- do" list for awhile.



I'm hoping that Mr OP will finish one more thing by Christmas - the bathroom needs painted. We bought the paint this morning and I also got some new towel bars that are just screaming to be put up. Fingers crossed that I'll be sharing photo's of the finished bathroom by this time next Sunday. This last card is for my SIL Heidi (Andy's wife and Mr OP's baby sister). Her birthday is January 2nd and always seems to sneak up on me.

Thanks so much for all of your sweet comments this weekend and a big Old Parsonage Welcome to our newest followers! I hope that you all had a great weekend. I'll be by to see you all soon.

Weekend Plans

I've got big plans for the kitchen this weekend. I'll have Christmas music playing from morning till night and if you are anywhere in The Old Parsonage or close by you may hear me singing along.



I've made five different cookie batters this week and have them in the fridge ready for a marathon of baking this weekend. I've also prepped 4 pounds of pecans and walnut for nut rolls. I have 12 other kinds of batters to make plus 4 kinds of candies. This may sound like a lot but it soothes and de-stresses me to be in my kitchen cooking and baking.



The tree toppers are my favorite Christmas decoration. They are displayed in glass candle holders (secured by wax) that I top with lights and fresh greens. The collection has grown so much that it takes up the entire top of the piano.



I moved the rosemary tree near a sunny window in the dining room. I love to touch the tree every time I walk by just to smell the aroma. So what are you doing this weekend? Anyone else doing any baking?

Don't forget to stop by Beverly's on Saturday for some Pink Saturday or Holiday fun!

Multi-focal Lenses...hmmm

I went to the eye doctor yesterday - one because it's been awhile and 2 because it's getting harder to read the fine print in dark places. Now, I've worn glasses and contact most of my life.


I was hit in the eye with a baseball when I was 4yrs old and almost lost my eye. But, some great doctors saved it and my sight. My prescription is pretty bad though and now they say that I need bi-focals.


Since I wear contacts most of the time he gave me a pair of multi-focal lenses to try. I popped them in this morning and am willing to give them a shot. It's a little odd, sometimes they seem fine and others it takes awhile to focus.


Anyone else wear these types of lenses? I''m getting the progressive lenses in my glasses, so we'll see how that goes too. I just need to be able to read my recipes. I hope that you are all enjoying this most wonderful season of great love.

PS - Please continue those prayers for Bobby. He has since developed ARDS (it's like his lungs are hardening and not functioning), they put in a trach tube and feeding tube.

Old Fashioned Christmas Mug Collection

I've been working on scrapbooks for the boys from birth to till high school graduation for a few years now and will finally have them finished in time for Christmas this year (at least that's the plan).


The decorating is finished downstairs and I've cleaned Flyboy's bedroom (even bought new sheets and comforters for the bed). I've washed them all (remember Little Bride to Be's allergic reaction at Thanksgiving), and have the door closed so that Miss Alley Cat can't get in to lounge all over everything.


I'll start my holiday baking at some point this week. Everyone loves getting the cookie and candy trays and I love doing it! I'll try to share a few of our family's favorite recipes if you're interested. I'm thinking that I'll mix batters during the week and store them in the fridge and do a marathon of baking this weekend, then repeat for the following week.




Are you wondering where all the teapots and pitches went from our Hoosier cabinet? They all got packed away in the Christmas tubs and will return in the New Year. I've put the Santa mugs in this cupboard for a few years and love how they look in it. So jolly!




I've decided with everyone needing to be in multiple homes this Christmas day that I would host a brunch instead of a big Christmas dinner. It seems to make the most sense with all the other schedules, and I'll make a big dinner on the 27th when our Texans are home.



How do like my little sign? It's actually a white cake plate that I've turned on end. I wrote on it with our "Write on Wipe off" markers from our calendar. The ink wipes off with a damp rag. Mr. OP was a little concerned, but I assured him that it will come off.


Did you notice that I have a few other mugs tucked in with the Santa's - (2) Mrs Claus and (2) Rudolph as well as a sugar jar, a planter and a pitcher. the collection started out with the boy's mugs from when they were little and grew from there.

Stop by later this week for another of my many Christmas collections.

What do you collect for Christmas if anything?

An Angel at The Old Parsonage

This little angel, Miss Audrey Rose came to spend Saturday morning with me. Her Mummy had to work and her Mimi had to get her hair done, so I got to watch her. She is such good baby.


Another fun thing came to The Old Parsonage on Saturday - my white feather tree that I ordered from Victorian Trading Co. I had money left from my birthday and when I saw this I knew that I had to have it. I couldn't wait to decorate it.



Mr OP came home from deer hunting Saturday am (no deer - thank goodness) and then in the afternoon I finished decorating the downstairs and the back porch. Yesterday I made a few birthday cards for our December birthdays.



I also made a get well card for a friend of ours that we've known since childhood. He's in ICU, and has been since Thanksgiving. He's knocked out on morphine, they aren't sure what's going on, but he's had (2) blood transfusions, dialysis and pneumonia among many other things. They're not sure what the infection is. At one point (in another hospital - they've since moved him to a larger hospital) they said sepsis. Please keep Bobby and his family in your prayers.

The scents of Christmas

Well girls, I finished the foyer, living room and dining rooms tonight. I even added fresh cinnamon potpourri and cinnamon pine cones to several bowls and dishes. The smell of cinnamon mixing with the pine scent of the tree is just wonderful. I had a french vanilla candle burning too and if I could have made my own candle by mixing these three scents I would make a quick million and retire.



I get to watch little Miss Audrey Rose for a few hours tomorrow while her Mummy is working and her Mimi is getting her hair done. Can't wait to smell some of that sweet baby smell tomorrow. Now that's a smell straight from heaven. Starting next week other Christmas scents will start to come from the kitchen - chocolate, gingerbread, peppermint , etc. Mmm... can't wait to start the baking and candy making!

What's everyone doing this weekend?

Vintage Santa Boots at The Old Parsonage

I've got all the Christmas bins down from the attic - 11 total. That's not too bad. I stopped for fresh greens today - $5 for all you can carry. And let me tell you, I can stack branches to about 3 feet high and carry them all. This time the guy actually carried them to the car for me.



I filled the fern box and urn on the front porch tonight after I got home from work. My hands are a little sappy. I feel like Clark Griswold after they bring in their Christmas tree. While I was cutting branches I snipped a few to put in our vintage Santa boots.


These were my MIL's Nanas. She loves telling me how Nana used to display them. When they were headed to the trash pile I jumped at them. Can you believe that not one of my 4 SIL's wanted them?



I just have to hang our Moravian star on the front porch and put the ice skates on the front door and the front of the house will be done. I'm not going to crawl out on the roof to hang the wreaths on the second floor windows this year (we don't have tilt in windows ). I may try figure out a different of doing it or maybe they just won't go up at all. Any suggestions?

For more Pink Saturday fun visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. Although we don't actually have to share Pink this month, just some festivities.