A Year of Wishes!

I just had to share a gift my oldest daughter got me for Christmas, and New Year's Eve was the perfect time.  I unwrapped the package to discover it was from Red Envelope (love, love, love).  Upon opening the box this is what I discovered...

A glass plate, a set of tweezers (yes, tweezers!) and instructions...hmmm...After futher inspection, this is what I found...

12 chunky brightly colored candles, each with a silver plate and word of inspiration on the front (health, joy, adventure, fun, peace, wealth, success, comfort, love, balance, luck, longevity).  And, the following instructions:  As your candles burn, each reveals a tiny treasure hidden inside-a keepsake charm to remind you of the power of intentions, dreams and wishes!  How cool is that!!!!!  I am super excited to burn each of them and discover the charm inside, plus each silver piece on the front is a keepsake too!

Wishing each of you a Very Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!

Unexpected Christmas Present~

Guess what WE got for Christmas????  Anybody????

Yup, the very 1st White Christmas in Georgia since 1800-something!  It was beautiful.  We spent Christmas Eve going to church, then eating with my folks and the girls' respective boyfriends.  It was a lot of fun!  Christmas Day found us sleeping in (thank goodness for teen/college age daughters!), opening presents, and eating a pancake lunch (I told ya we slept in!!)  We headed out to my brother and sil's late in the afternoon.  It had just started to snow.  By the time we reached their house (30 minutes to the West) it was really coming down.  His property is gorgeous...3+ acres on a lake with lots of deer (got to see the new babies too)...looked like a postcard!!  We stayed there until around 6, then headed home as we had a dessert party to attend at a dear friends' home.  OMG...I so need to go on a diet now!! YUM!!!

Our oldest took her new puppy out to play in the snow for the 1st time!  He loved it!!  Kylee likes it too, athough she is so low to the ground that it sticks to her little legs (she's a Cairn Terrier).  The big guys preferred to stay indoors (smart, if you ask me!) 

Today was kinda quiet...the oldest headed back to her place with all her goodies, and the youngest is watching a movie with her beau.  Hubby is watching the football game.  Me, I'm in that inbetween stage-not ready for Christmas to be over, looking forward to the New Year, but not looking forward to packing all this stuff up!! LOL

New Year's Resolution-(don't hold me to it, but if I put it out in public maybe I'll actually stick to it???!!!)  SIMPLIFY!!!  In all areas.  Things that have happened in recent weeks have lead me to realize that "things" don't matter, people do.  I want less stuff, and more time with those I love.  So, I figure if I simplify our home then I'll have more time for the things I love and really want to do (spending time with family, friends and diying/crafting).  We started by simplifying our Christmas...it was a NEEDS year versus a WANTS year.  And, everyone was happy!!!

Looking forward to spending the New Year with all of you!!

Christmas Blessings~

The tree has been trimmed, the decorations set out, shopping is done, and packages are wrapped! Whew!!  The events of the past two weeks really had an impact on our family...it made us stop dead in our tracks and reflect on the true meaning of the season.  The loss of three wonderful people will do that.  Thank you for all of the prayers sent our way.  All of the families effected by loss take great comfort in knowing so many are holding them up in prayer!

Wanted to share a few more holiday photos with each of you.

A Little Chalkboard Fun...

The best presents ever!

Wishing each of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and BLESSINGS for a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!! 

                                            ~Simply LKJ