On the way to the farm, Matthew was all bundled up and wanted to ride on the back of Mike's truck. Of course, mom thought, "No way! It's freezing cold outside and plus it's snowing!" Daddy responded, "Sure, hop on the back!" Then little sister thought she wanted to do that too but mama stood firm! "NO!" We asked Matthew soon after we left if he's warm. "Yep!" So we drove all the way to the farm with him in the back, open truck.
Everyone jumped out of the truck when we got the farm. We love this place. They always have such nice lights and greenery by the farm. It didn't take long until one tree was picked out. Matthew swung on the wagon while Mike and Hadassah pulled down the tree off the wagon. Ashlyn helped too! Matthew said, "Sweets, you don't have your gloves on." He can be the biggest tease ever but he really does care and love her so much! She looked at him with proud blue eyes and said, "I don't care?" She grabbed ahold of the tree and helped drag it the truck. We paid and headed back for home. Everyone rode inside the truck this time. :) Mike and I chuckled at Ashlyn's response on the way home.
The kids decorated the tree after Mike and I got the ornaments down from the attic and the tree straight. This always seems to be a problem! I'm not sure if we should get a better tree stand or if Mike just likes to cut off the branches from the bottom? One year, he cut off too many and the tree looked a tad funny until the gifts were placed underneath. He even attempted to stick the cut branch into the trunk water base. Funny ... but it did not work so well. This year, however, he cut off only one branch! I think it looks nice! Hadassah and I strung the lights around the tree. Then the kids hung the ornaments. She was so annoyed that Matthew thought his monster truck ornament needed to be right in the front. He teasingly wanted to put her special ornament in the back! Ashlyn was busy hanging ornament after ornament everywhere. No pattern. No color sequence. Hadassah would now and then grab one off and place it somewhere else. They all decorated it with such fun and ease.
Now we have the smell of a fresh pine tree in the house!
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I also baked some cookies yesterday. I am feeling like some of my energy is slowly coming back! I could still sleep a lot but if I chose to not take a nap, like right now, I am tired but not too bad! Yesterday, it was else a nap or bake. I chose to bake! I mixed a batch of sand tarts. Then while they chilled, Ashlyn and I mixed a batch of sugar cookies! I'm not sure why, but they got extra puffy! The kids love these! Then we rolled out the sand tarts. I rolled the dough while Ashlyn pushed down the cookie cutter. One made one by one until the whole batch was finished. Meanwhile, Hadassah and Matthew came home from school. Hadassah jumped right in and helped sprinkle on the sugar and toppings. I got the kitchen all cleaned up, again, just in time to think about supper.
It's a good feeling knowing that some of our cookie baking is started! They make the perfect gifts or festive dessert when gathering with friends.
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Today, I finished up the cards! These are so much work but I usually enjoy it. I thought they were extra much work this year.?. I had our Christmas cards ordered and in the envelopes for a few weeks already. I just wasn't taking the time to finish them up. I wrote our family letter and printed them. Then I printed out return address labels. Then my Christmas label list. I stuffed each envelope with a card and a letter while Ashlyn put on the stamps and address labels. She did a great job with getting the sticky things straight! :) I finally have them all ready to go! Oh, but first, I made my different stacks. One stack for the mailman. One stack for the church mailboxes. Another stack for the employee banquet. One for the dealers. One for school teachers. One small stack of "extra cards" for friends that I don't have on our mailing list. They are now all on the kitchen counter ready for me to deliver! If you are close friends, family, employees or someone really special to our family ... yours will be coming your way soon! Yeah!
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I am reading about the nativity story in my devotions right now. This morning I saw I had a Christmas edition of The Daily Bread, so I read that. It reminded me of how stuffing all those envelopes is not without purpose and meaning. We really do wish you a Merry Christmas and peace and love and joy throughout the Christmas season!
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given." Isaiah 9:6
