Merry Christmas To All My Friends!

Merry Christmas dear friends!! May the Lord bless you richly and my your day be full of joy!

Let me just leave you with one last quote from By The Shores of Silver Lake...

' "Well," Pa said. "It's the first Christmas dinner anybody ever ate in this part of the country. I'm glad it was a good one. In time to come, no doubt a good many folks will celebrate Christmas around here, and I expect they'll have fancier fixings in some ways, but I don't know how they can have more solid comfort than we've got, for a fact." '

' "Every Christmas is better than the Christmas before," Laura thought. "I guess it must be because I'm growing up." '

Lots of love,

Sommer

Christmas on Plum Creek

On the Banks of Plum Creek has three different Christmases in it. Each are wonderful.

I love the selflessness of Laura and Mary in putting aside their own desires for Christmas and coming together to wish for horses for Pa. They knew the horses would be useful and in the end it gave Laura happiness to wish that for Pa.

Later we see the family joining others from town at the church for Christmas festivities. What a special treat that night was. And the surprise of the Christmas tree and all the gifts on and under it had to have been amazing.

"Laura was too excited to speak. She squeezed Mary's hand tighter and tighter, and she looked up at Ma, wanting so much to know what that was. Ma smiled down at her and answered, "That is a Christmas tree, girls. Do you think it pretty?"

They could not answer. They nodded while they kept on looking at that wonderful tree."

But my favorite Christmas in the book is the one that happens just after the Long Blizzard. For days they are not sure where Pa is. He could have stayed in town, but perhaps he is lost in the blizzard! Those days were long and difficult. But then, Pa came home! He was safe and all of a sudden they realized it was going to be Christmas.

"Laura patted Jack's furry smooth forehead and scratched his ears for him, and then with both hands she gave his head a quick, happy squeeze. Everything was so good. Grasshoppers were gone, and next year Pa could harvest wheat. Tomorrow was Christmas with oyster stew for dinner. There would be no presents and no candy, but Laura could not think of anything she wanted and she was so glad that the Christmas candy had helped to bring Pa safe home again.

"Supper is ready," Ma said in her gentle voice.

Pa laid the fiddle in its box. He stood up and looked around at them all. His blue eyes shone at them. "Look, Caroline," he said, "how Laura's eyes

are shining." "

What finer gift could they have, but to have Pa home and to know that they are all together, safe and sound.

I look forward to this Saturday, as my parents, my brother, and his fiancee come up to spend Christmas with us. It has been a while since we were all able to spend Christmas together. It will be special because we will all be together under one roof again...celebrating and reminiscing :-)

Lots of love,

Sommer

Christmas in Indian Territory

This is the first Christmas where we see Laura's family wondering how they will have a happy Christmas. The despair we see in Laura knowing that there is no way Christmas can happen is heartbreaking, but more so is the helplessness that Ma and Pa seem to have.

***

"After supper that night they washed their hands and faces, buttoned their red-flannel nightgowns, tied their night-cap strings, and soberly said their prayers. They lay down in bed and pulled the covers up. It did not seem at all like Christmas time.

Pa and Ma sat silent by the fire. After a while Ma asked why Pa didn't play the fiddle, and he said, "I don't seem to have the heart to, Caroline." "

"After a longer while, Ma suddenly stood up. "I'm going to hang up your stockings, girls, " she said. "Maybe something will happen."

Laura's heart jumped. But then she thought again of the creek and she knew nothing could happen."

***

As a child, I never understood this despair. We never had much, but if my parents ever felt this helplessness, they did not show it. But, now as an adult and most especially as a parent...I have felt this helplessness. I know Christmas isn't about the gifts under the tree or in the stockings...but it is such a horrible feeling knowing that you can't afford even a few gifts or maybe not even the tree! We have had several Christmases recently where we could not afford a tree and we could not really buy much of anything(including what would be used for mama-made gifts). So, as I read this section or other sections in later Little House books now, I can sit in Ma and Pa's seat and KNOW what they felt that night.

But...there is always a way :-)

***

"She sat down again by the fire and Laura almost went to sleep. She woke up a little when she heard Pa say, "You've only made it worse, Caroline." And she thought she heard Ma say: "No, Charles. There's the white sugar."

***

And then there is the love shown by neighbors and family. Just when one thinks there is no way and that things will be depressingly meager...He provides! How many parents have been blessed by an unknown giver? Someone decides to send a card with money for food, or gifts or they find a bag/box of presents for the children, left anonymously on their porch? This is such a beautiful gift from our Lord. And I think I learn to love Mr. Edwards in this particular section simply for his selfless giving. He is a true neighbor!

***

"It was too big a risk, Edwards," Pa said. "We're glad you're here, but that was too big a risk for a Christmas dinner."

"Your little ones had to have a Christmas," Mr. Edwards replied. "No creek could stop me, after I fetched them their gifts from Independence."

***

The most beautiful, scraggly ol' wild cat :-)

"That was a happy Christmas."

And I don't think it was because they got so very much...but the selfless love shown by one man...makes me think of the selfless love shown by our beautiful Lord.

Lots of love,

Sommer

A Big Woods Christmas

For my first little sharing of favorite Little House Christmases, I am sharing one from Little House in the Big Woods. One of the biggest differences about this particular Christmas (from what I see)is that the Ingalls family is at its most well-off. They have an established home with plenty, both from garden and woods. They are not lacking anything. They are surrounded by family...their immediate and extended family. All are well and really, I'm sure they felt very happy that Christmas.

Despite their plenty...they still had a simple Christmas. The food and love was the most abundant.

This Christmas is one that I've always used to compare the later Christmases recorded by Laura to. So many other Christmases were during very difficult times...and yet, there was still such joy.

So, let me share:

"In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens, and there was a long, flat stick of red-and-white-striped peppermint candy, all beautifully notched along each side.

They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. They just looked with shining eyes at those lovely Christmas presents. But Laura was happiest of all. Laura had a rag doll."

"She was so beautiful that Laura could not say a word. She just held her tight and forgot everything else. She did not know that everyone was looking at her, till Aunt Eliza said: "Did you ever see such big eyes!""

"Laura sat down on the edge of the bed and held her doll. She loved her red mittens and she loved the candy, but she loved her doll best of all. She named her Charlotte."

"In just a little while the merry sound of the bells was gone, and Christmas was over. But what a happy Christmas it had been!"

Lots of love,

Sommer

Christmas Corners

It's Christmas time! What a wonderful time of year! I hope all of my friends are having a blessed and joy filled holiday season.

Obviously we've been quite busy here...or I would no doubt have posted sooner than almost two months since the last post! As usual, I am sorry for the long absence.

With a new home and town, we are having to find new traditions and ways to celebrate the birth of our Lord. It has been a little tough dropping old traditions, but fun too, to see what is here.

Mostly, we've stuck to the home. This year we haven't gone to any local things, but I hope to next year. We did enjoy making candy with our new homeschooling friends and of course have had fun making our traditional Sugar Cookies :-) Christmas music has been playing in the background and decorations have gone up.

One of the newest things for us has been lights on the house! Dan and I have lived in apartments all our married life until this year...so we've never put lights up on the outside..well, not even on the inside for that matter ;-) But we both felt the desire to have them on the house...so last Thursday(I know, late...) my dear, sweet, darling of a hubby set them up. We only did the front of the house and they are just a simple strand of white lights...but I LOVE them! I love the simplicity of them...just right :-) I just realized that this shot is a tad blurry..but I still think it gives the feel of the house at night :-)

Of course, it just wouldn't feel like home if we weren't able to put out the little decorations. I've gone about it slowly, but I finally finished putting everything out last week. We are still surrounded by moving boxes and haven't finalized where everything will end up in the future...but I like how most things turned out.

This is our front entry way...we have a large wreath outside on our door, but this little one graces our inside. You can also see a few of our snowflakes hanging from the entry that we made and our stockings(these are the ones that I made a year or so ago) and our advent calendar.

The other thing we enjoyed doing this year(something we have wanted to do since having children) is to take a trip to a Christmas Tree farm and we cut down our own tree. What fun...though it decided to start pouring while we were out there. It is the biggest tree we've ever had and a lovely(though crooked) one!

It was such a blessing to put out all of our ornaments this year. The last two or three Christmases we could not afford a tree or didn't have the space...so this was just sweet!

As you can see, Rowan is loving this. She has been such a good girl about not touching the tree since after the second day of having it. But she likes to look at the ornaments and point them out...especially the Winnie the Pooh ones :-)

The funny thing about this season...it doesn't matter how much you have or don't have, as long as you remember the great gift we received so many years ago and that we never deserved it. And that the love we show others...family, friends, or strangers...is but a shadow of the love God has for us, His children. Too often I feel lost in the busyness of the season...and then one of my sweet children run off with scissors and tape...to lovingly hide one more gift...and it just slows down and the simplicity I love so much is once again seen. The simplicity of love and grace and mercy.

I desire this week to share each day a snippet from my favorite Little House on the Prairie Christmases. These books have always clearly shown me a view of Christmas...well, life really...that I wish to have for my family. Contentment with little, joy in the difficult and love of family...beautiful to me every time I read these books. So I hope you will enjoy my little sharings as we head towards Christmas.

Lots of love,

Sommer

*edited to add: I just changed the poem in my Poetry Corner on the right to suit the season :-)

Merry Christmas!

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

I want to wish all of my dear friends a very Merry Christmas! May you remember the great gift our Lord and Saviour gave us. May your day be full of joy and blessings and peace!

From my home to yours...Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to pop in and say that I've updated the Poetry Corner! I'm loving the Christmas Hymns right now :-)

Blessings,

Sommer

A Meme~Because it's Christmas Time and I Can :-)

Mama Hen posted this fun Christmas meme over at her blog and well, I thought this would be fun :-) You know, it is Christmas time and well, wouldn't you like to know more about me?

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate for sure, with a hint of peppermint if at all possible..yum!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? We don't do Santa. Well, we watch shows about him and will read books but we have always told our kids that he isn't real, though there was a man named Saint Nicholas. But we wont spill the beans to your family if you do "do" Santa..I promise ;-)

3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white? I like them both. Usually on the tree though are the colored ones.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Strangely, no..we never have. I'm really not sure why as I like the fun idea. Perhaps when we are actually in our own home we'll start doing it. Of course who really needs an excuse for a bit of kissin' with your fella?

5. When do you put your Christmas decorations up? I usually start decorating the first few days of December. Haven't done much this year though...just not very motivated in our cramped home right now. We don't ever put our tree up until a week or two before Christmas..just like it that way :-)

6. Favorite holiday dish? Well I really enjoy stuffing and I greatly enjoy the Sorenson Salad. I'm really sad if either of these items are missing for Christmas gatherings.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Wow, I don't really remember any big memories. The one thing that does stand out are the stockings my mother made us one year which I modeled our new ones after. I posted about them here and I am making Rowan's this year. I hope my children will have more memories that they cherish than I have.

8. When did you learn the truth about Santa? Well, my parents never told us Santa was real..I never had that shock ;-)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Actually we get together with Dan's family Christmas Eve(my family the next day), so yes...many gifts are opened :-)

10. How do you decorate a tree? Well, we have ornaments that we've collected over the years...Dan's mom sent him to our marriage with each ornament he received each Christmas growing up(21 to be exact) and we have since tried to carry on this tradition with our children. Sometimes we can't afford a big tree, so not all ornaments are put out. I also put colored lights on(sometimes white) and then either plaid ribbon or some other simple garland goes about the tree. I usually put up the lights..not sure how I got that job...and then we all put on the ornaments with Christmas music going in the back ground :-) Fun!

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I'd love it...but, we live in CA and we don't get snow where we are. I think I've been in snow a total of 3 times! It would be neat to have a white Christmas...even if it snowed us in!

12. Can you ice skate? Uh...no...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I've had so many things that I appreciate...so nothing really stands out to clearly right now.

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Being with my family and making traditions and memories that center us around Christ. I want my children to have amazing memories, but most importantly to know the great gift that was given us the day Christ was born and what He did for us!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Well, either Pumpkin Pie or Maple Custard Pie. If I'm lucky, I'll have both ;-)

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love for us to go to the live Nativities or Christmas displays that our town has. I also love hanging stockings.

17. What tops your tree? We have a pretty little stained glass angel that we bought our first Christmas...it is 11 years old now.

18. Which do you prefer-Giving or Receiving? Oh, I love to give things and receive things. It is especially fun to give things.

19. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night, no contest.

20. Candy Canes-Yuck or Yum? Definitely Yum!

21. Favorite Christmas show? I LOVE A Charlie Brown's Christmas, Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and How the Grinch Stole Christmas(old cartoon one). We still watch them every December :-)

22. Saddest Christmas song? I think Mary Did You Know is a really sad one...I think it is a Christmas song(though it could be for Easter too I suppose). I love this song, but it is sad.


Feel free to join in! And if you decide to do the meme let me know in the comments!

Blessings,

Sommer

The Gifts

I have finally taken the time to take pictures and upload them to the computer, of the gifts I made for the kids this Christmas. I enjoyed it so much that I plan on doing it this way again next year...though, perhaps giving myself a bit more time;-)

The above picture is of the dresses I made for the girls' American Girl dolls, Felicity and Elizabeth. To buy dresses is way too expensive and so making them seems best:-) I thankfully have two or three patterns for this size doll and I hope to make more as time goes on. I used the same pattern as for Brenna's birthday doll dress. Only things I did different is the trim on Brenna's(the flowers with red ribbon trim) and adding some length to the sides of the back bodice to make the dress fit better on the dolls. It seemed to help:-)

I made a bag for church and car trips and a stuffed dog for Liam. The bag I just made from my own design...fairly simple and pretty quick to get done. I stitched the star on the pocket with a straight stitch. I really don't know how to embroider or it might have come out a bit better, but Liam likes carrying things around in it:-) The dog comes from a simple little pattern I have. One side is a soft, fluffy material(rather annoying to work with) and then a polka dotted cotton fabric. Again, he enjoys it...and that makes it all worth the work.

Now for the final gifts! I made little aprons for the girls. Again, I didn't have a pattern, just worked them up as I went. They are simple and perhaps not as professional looking as some I could have bought, but I was really happy with them. I wasn't really sure the girls would like these but they put them on and wouldn't take them off for the next few hours! So, I think they enjoyed them:-)

Fiona's apron has a purple bib with little butterflies, bees, frogs and other little insects on it. The ties were contrasting depending on where they were located. Brenna's had a marbled yellow/creme bib with lovely butterflies all over the skirt portion. There were few differences structurally and I really don't think I could explain it if there were;-)

All in all, I am happy and so are the kids. Christmas was pleasant and free of stress. All the fabric I used I had in my stash and I only bought a little thread:-) I look forward to next year!

Now I get to focus on baby clothes, burp cloths and some little boy pants! Yippee!! I actually just went an bought quite a bit of fabric for the baby and I will share those lovelies soon :-) Oh, and some absolutely precious buttons!

Blessings,
Sommer

A Little Trip to the Railroad Museum

This Christmas break I've been blessed to have my hubby home a bit more. He works two jobs and his teaching job is on break right now also:-) So, my sweetie suggested that we take the kids up to the Railroad Museum on Monday and a grand idea it was!

We left early(well, sort of) Monday morning and headed out on a 2 or so hour trip. The kids were all surprisingly well behaved, non complaining on our trip and Dan and I had an opportunity to chat on the drive up.

Once we got there, we finished any lunch and drinks we had and wandered about the grounds. The kids promptly found the above train car and had to be up on it. Of course, Liam wanted to be up there with the girls...so I climbed up too:-) There were some tracks too to run along and Liam enjoyed staring at some huge engines locked away in some shed..I'm sure he was planning ways to get in that shed.

After a little time out there, we headed to the actual museum and began our adventure. The old steam engines are just awesome! The size of them amazes me and surely made us feel a touch dwarfed in comparison...

Dan and the kids graciously posed next to the enormous wheels of this grand engine. Dan just barely stands taller than them!

The pic in the very beginning is of the oldest engine of the Central Pacific line. Beautiful and awesome. I also got some pics of very lovely engines, painted and decorated/shined up beautifully as well as the interior of one of the coaches. If I remember I will post a picture or two of those later. Really worth looking at. I know that trains today are much more efficient in comparison to the old steam engines...but the beauty with which they were designed just floors me sometimes. It is kind of like the old sewing machines..today they look so boring(and often don't work half so well), where the old Singers and Whites look so gorgeous(and usually can still function if well cared for). Unfortunately I don't think the steam engines function as well as the old sewing machines.

After we had a tour Dan took the girls up into an old engine that you could sit in. They waved at me, but I had to move to make Liam happy and missed the picture opportunity:-( After that we headed up to the toy train display and that was fun. Seeing all the old Lionel trains and tracks was great. I know Dan really liked that and Liam was pretty enamored with it himself! Of course, the icing on the cake was the Thomas Train play area...little boy heaven!

Doesn't he look pleased?! A few minutes later we had to move on and we had a bit of drama. For shame on mama and daddy for removing him so soon! Of course, it would have been too soon no matter what! LOL!

The large workings of an engine..beautiful in its iron splendor!

All in all, it was a splendid day! A lovely way to round our out Christmas holidays. I'm so glad my hubby thought of it and I know that the kids(even the girlie who just the day before insisted-dramatically-that she didn't want to go and didn't like trains) had a good time:-) I just wish we could have stayed a touch longer to enjoy the Old Town around the museum area...but it was great!

And just a side note to say that I have not forgotten that I said I would share what I'd made for the kids this Christmas. Soon...

Blessings,
Sommer

Merry Christmas!!!

Well, the countdown is going and things are bustling:-) Okay...I'm not bustling as much as some folks I know, but for a pregnant woman in her 6th month...well, this is as good as it gets!

Last night I was able to complete the last gift for the kids and tonight I will be wrapping the gifts after all the munchkins go to bed. I'm glad to give my sewing machine a break(I think it is glad too). I will share pics after the gifts have been given:-)

Today, between a doctor appointment and daily duties, I baked some sugar cookies and packaged candy(that had been made Sunday afternoon). Tomorrow we will be icing cookies and I will begin early in the morning making Challah bread. I made it one year and it has become the bread of choice for our Christmas Eve gathering. I'm glad...I enjoy making it, although it is rather time consuming.

We will get together with Dan's family tomorrow night and then on Christmas day we will go to my parents'. Originally, Dan was going to be able to come to my parents' but he just found out that he must work the day shift :-( I'm totally bummed out, but I am glad that I can use the car(after taking him and then picking him up later to work)and go to my parents' with the kids...they will like that. We will do our private family festivities after he gets home in the afternoon.

Well, it is nice to be taking a break. My back has begun to get sore now when I stand or do too much, so I need to remember to take a break as I can. I know the present wrapping will be hard on me, but I will gladly do it:-)

I wont probably get back on here before Christmas, so I pray all of you have a safe, blessed and joy-filled one. May the Lord bless you all very much!

Blessings,
Sommer

**The pic above is of our tree for this year. It is small and Charlie Brownish...just how I like it:-)

Christmas Program and Such

I've been very busy working on Christmas gifts and hope to finish a couple tonight. I finished Liam's gifts last week and I will take some pics and share tonight I hope. I've been working on some doll dresses for the girls and I believe I will finish them tonight(or at least up to the closures). I still have one more gift for each of the girls to work on though. It has been such fun!

I thought I'd share our decorations for our little place today. Above you see what is beside our front door. I cleared my fall decor and put up some pretty evergreen/holly faux plants in a vase and set out my snowmen. My favorite is a little blue and white one to the left in front. Sorry you can't see it very well. This old treadle machine and cabinet make for a perfect display piece:-)

Here I decided to share where I placed our stockings. They are a bit high for the kids to reach when they have goodies in them, but I told them we'd get them down Christmas morning. This particular wall area was so bare and the nativity scene looked so lonely. I've had this particular nativity scene since we were married and I really enjoy its rustic look. I also have a garland around the area with a good smelling Christmas candle and a snow globe that belongs to one of the girls. I'm really enjoying looking around my house right now and I feel very much at peace this Christmas.

One of the things I like doing during the month of December is looking at Christmas lights on the streets of our neighborhood and other areas as we drive about. I often finish my errands as the night falls and lights come on and it is so beautiful:-) One of our simple ways of celebrating. Last week we also took a trip to downtown and looked at Christmas in the Park. I believe I mentioned this last year, but it is something I've been doing since I was a girl and we try to continue the tradition with our family. It is fun, pretty and relatively inexpensive.

Sunday our church put on their annual Christmas Program. I usually sing with the choir but I didn't return this year because of the time and lack of car at that hour. Brenna decided she didn't want to join in either and so only our Fiona participated. She sang about three songs with her Sunday School choir and then was an angel for our nativity scene(done to music). It was lovely and I was so proud of her. Here she is waiting for practice to be over and the show to start. Cutie pie!

So what are you doing to celebrate Christmas?

Blessings,
Sommer

Something for the Season in the Poetry Corner

Just wanted to let you know that I've put up a new post in the Poetry Corner. It is a Christmas song that I very much like and wanted to share the words with you. I hope you enjoy

Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care...

If you remember, I posted about some stockings I wanted to make since the size of my family is increasing. Well, it took me a little while to sit down and get to it, but I have finally finished:-)

After making a simple pattern(inspired by my Mom's stockings from when I was a girl), I cut the fabric out and began! First, I hand sewed the pieces for the toes and heels on and then sewed on the lace(for the girlies) and red ric rac(for the men folk). I thought it would be easier to apply these touches before sewing the stockings together...and I was right...splendidly simple:-)

Yesterday, I sewed each one up and then turned them all out. I am very pleased with how they've turned out.

These are the kids' stockings(from left to right): Liam's, Fiona's and Brenna's.



And here are Dan and mine(Dan's on the left, mine on the right):



The only thing left to do when I took these pics was to put the little loop on for hanging. I asked the girls whether I should make a little elastic loop or use some of the ric rac and they voted unanimously for the ric rac:-) I put that on today and I really like them.

Now, I will wait until next year to make one for our wee one:-) Can't wait!

As I get some more gifts completed, I will no doubt share. So far, I've only gotten Liam's little toy made. Tonight I will be cutting out some fabric/patterns for the girls' dolls and perhaps making a little bag up for Liam. We'll see just how tired I am though.

How's your crafting coming along(if you are doing any)? Do share:-)

Blessings,
Sommer