Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Oh my Heart...Four Generations, Lovely Sayings, Truly Precious Things, My Mom

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Four Generations

This is a photo recently taken at our little grandson, Christopher Robin's family birthday party.    You see my mom's hand at the bottom, my hand, our daughter's hand and then her little 18 month old baby girl, our little grand daughter.   I loved the way it turned out, Grace took the shot.

 

Christopher Robin's mommy and daddy have such wonderful writings as decor in their home also in the Forest...

 

This one is  handwritten with chalk on a framed chalkboard...

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We are Rich!

A pillow to lay our head

Four walls to protect us

A loving home

Love for one another

Food on our table

Clean water

And a God who loves 

us beyond measure! 

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The most important work you will ever do, will be within the walls of your home. 

 

 

 

If you want to bring happiness to the whole world go home and love your family    ~Mother Teresa

 

Aren't those beautiful?   I loved them.  Beautiful Truths. 

 

Christopher Robin had the sweetest little birthday party, just immediate family and his little cousins.   Vintage spider man comic book images hung from red spirals and blue and red balloons adorned everything.   Our daughter, Zuzu, Christopher Robin's mommy got his old Spider Man dress-up suit and attached it up on the wall and the little cousins played pin the web on Spider man with string.  So sweet..  Zuzu made a big zucchini pasta gravy casserole and a huge salad along with a homemade birthday cake.   So fun, and so good and so much love shared.

 

 

 

One of the most cherished things in the world is to be loved and respected by a child, especially when it's our own grandchild, this is from Christopher Robin, he wrote us a Valentine, drew us a picture and picked out little gifts for us:

 

Kazoos!    He even wrapped them for us so sweetly in construction paper...  Oh my heart!   We called him later and played our kazoos!

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Oh But This One....

"What constitutes success?  She has achieved success who has lived well;  laughed often and loved much;  who has gained the respect of intelligent people and the love of little children;  who has filled her niche and accomplished her task;  who has left the world better than she found it;...who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty, or failed to express it;  who has always looked for the best in others and given the best she had."   

~Bessie Stanley


Our youngest daughter, Grace had this large print (below) done for me for my birthday and I just love it, as many of you know, we lost three of our precious fur angels in 8 weeks last fall.   

We had little Muffie for many years, since 2008, when he found us.  It's a mystery to how old our little guy was when Joycie found him in the intersection one day, he was just sitting and waiting for her.

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Muffie 

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I put the art print in a grouping with his little paw and nose print and precious card with a prayer that the vet and staff sent to us.  

 

 

Grace, our youngest adult daughter gave me this for Valentines!   It's a tiny portrait of me holding little Muffie This may contain: a small white dog sitting on top of a brown floor and precious Coffee-girl is on the left...This contains an image of:  We lost Coffee at the end of August if you recall, she was my little girlfriend and we lost Muffie in November.

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My mom.

The physical therapist said she has become much stronger and that is a blessing.  She has dementia so that can be heartbreaking but our family is trying to find good natured humor in funny little things she will do, and sometimes?   She will snap right back to her old self, doing far better as a whole.   A Gift.

 

 

As we go on to know Him better we shall find it a source of unspeakable joy that God is just what He is.  

~A.W. Tozer 

 

I must testify to God's faithfulness!   He has gone before us.  So many times I've been quite nervous about things (for good reason!), and Jem will reassure me, don't worry, don't be nervous, it's going to work out!   And before the day is out he will say...See?   I told you so.

 

The doctor who took care of her in the rehab could not see her until June. That was the Lord.   I prayed one morning...Who can we bring my mom to for a well rounded checkup and wisely remove some of the unnecessary meds?   In not much time at all, God gently put it on my heart, a doctor who is a Christian and one she had gone to 20 years before as well as me taking Janie our eldest to back when.   What a blessing!   Jem said that not only is he the nicest doctor he has met but probably one of the nicest persons he has met!   He remembered me from 20 years ago, and quickly took her off some of the things that were not necessary at all before I even had to mention it.  Hallelujah!   He even loved my son in laws natural sleep aid for her!  


Speaking of Dementia...

I would like to recommend a special program that PBS is still playing right now:   Supercharger Brain, Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities.  This program is both fascinating and encouraging, this will help us all, I do believe.   There are two very pleasant Italian ladies, one a neuroscientist, and one an associate Professor of Neuroscience at Cornell Medicine along with others.  There are wonderful testimonies of various people in various stages of life.  EDIT 3.6.24  Please check your listings, the above program is still playing in our area on pbs on regular antenna television.

 

This is not a special where there is one speaker on a dark stage, far more interesting than that.  I'm so happy I dvrd it.  You will see, things like a group of nuns who love to learn, a man who was diagnosed with Alzheimers who is beating it, very nice examples, all of them,  it is highly encouraging.


Jem and I are going to learn to speak Italian together, there are so many resources we can get to learn, we purchased a cd for the car and there is an adorable youtube on it.  I've joined a poetry site, I'm still sewing Little Dresses for Africa experimenting with trims and such.  Any educational leaflet from say...Hillsdale College we receive in the mail I am carefully reading and learning from.   When reading my Bible I am learning even from that in layers.    

 

I'll close with this song Jem and I will hear in the car occasionally, I think it's just...so pretty.  Oh the memories, oh my heart...

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Unchained Melody (1965)

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How we leave the world is more important than how we enter it.      ~Janette Oke 

 

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Me, (a little tot) and my Mom

 

 

Oh how I miss my dad...There are days when I say...Oh Daddy, I so need your help.  The other morning when I was at the kitchen sink though...I could hear in my dad's voice...I'm proud of you.

Oh my heart... 

Take care all, praying for you all, and I always covet your prayers.  I appreciate you all.

~Amelia 

 

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Update, Prayers Coveted

 I just wanted to post an update as to why I've not blogged in a while...My mother broke her hip and it has been a nightmare.  There are many things going on with her and I just don't have the words at this time, I feel helpless, I feel scared at times and I am also trusting God who truly has gone before me.  So in that respect I can rest in the Father, He has been with me.   

 

I am an only child and I thank God for my precious husband who has been a huge encouragement to me and help, our four daughters as well.  Many times I don't say much about my husband, there are many widows out there and I want to be considerate, our daughters are gems as well as their husbands who are like sons to me.  Again, I try to be considerate.   I try to share my life but with a caring and sensitive heart.  I can be funny, I can be serious and I am real.  

Here is a wonderful shot of my husband in one of his elements...He loves to work in his barn, woodworking etc.  He loves music, that is what he is doing here;  he is finding some music to listen to as he works.  He plays flute, guitar and many other instruments.  He has a recording studio that he loves. 


 

Our precious pets, at least the dogs of the family, they are a huge joy to me.   

Even our pet hens bring us joy, they are sentient little creatures with much love to give.  They were toodling along with me on a walk one day.

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Just an update from the Forest Cathedral, your prayers are coveted.  I write this with a gentle smile and I just need some time for my thoughts to even out a bit, the theatre of my mind is quite full, I answer prompts many times, that is fun for me to do.  Sometimes I let my hair down in comments but when it comes to a totally creative blog, I'm feeling a little inadequate at this time.   I hope you will understand.  


I read this, this morning, the quote is from my blogging friend, Mrs. White.   It is from one of her books.  Homemaking for Happiness,  Wonderful Days at Home.  

There is beauty , in trust and faith in the Lord.  he knows all of our needs, in all times.  He waits for us to ask and to trust in Him.  This is what makes life so precious.   ~Mrs. Sharon White


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Please enjoy the above song that ministers to Jem's and my heart many-a-day.

 

In closing I was just talking with my husband and he heard my blog writing here as I read it to him, he commented that it helps that we share problems that we may have because it helps others to know that we can put our trust in the Lord and He is our Helper no matter what we go through.   

 

Resting in the Love of Christ....Amelia 

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

New Years Show n' Tell, Sharing Thoughts, Including a Wowee Product: FurZapper!

I think I'll start backwards and chat about this neat product that WORKS. 

 

We saw these at Walmart last week hanging in the plastic storage box area, one aisle over from clothes pins etc.   This is a tiny Walmart, very old fashioned so your Walmart may have them in a slightly different place.

 

If you have pets of any kind and have a little trouble getting the fur off at times?   This is GREAT.   

FUR ZAPPER

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This is what it looked like hanging up in the plastic packaging.

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You get 2 in a pack. 

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Re-usable, non-toxic, fragrance free and made in the USA.

 

Yesterday evening, I looked at two of my doggy bed covers.  I make little removable covers for them.  Let's put it this way friends, they should have been washed before Christmas.  I'm thinking as I see literal sand on top of them along with a sea of fur that this needs to be done.  I quickly undid the diaper pins to secure them, went on the porch to shake the sand out and popped the hairy little covers in the wash with two of the FurZappers.  Put it on my normal quick 15 minute auto wash with extra rinse and my normal soap and borax.  It was so nice when I looked at my covers and hardly any fur at all on them!  Maybe several little hairs and that was it.   No fur was in my washer  barrel either!  I normally have to wash that type of thing twice and then have to clean my barrel out with a towel too!   Then popped them in the dryer with the two little FurZappers and we're pleased as punch.  They came out beautifully!

 

The price was $12.88.   So.  Worth.  It.  

 

I also purchased a pet lint roller brush but haven't tried that out yet, I thought that would be good for quick pick ups off of one of my black turtlenecks.   

 

No, I didn't get paid for this, but I thought it was very worth sharing!

 

It's New Years and I still have my Christmas Lights up, my mom always kept everything up until January 6.  Epiphany. 

 

I leave much of my stuff out beyond that too, perhaps later removing some icicles and putting those around cardboard because they are becoming increasingly difficult to find at normal stores!   My Wonderful Life buildings stay out year round and the white lights on the trees are a comfort to my heart.   I also leave my doggy ornaments on to look at.  They are a little more neutral and even go with cut-out Valentine hearts or vintage Valentine cards I scatter around on trees or the kitchen area.   

 

I Love Vintage Antique Cards... 

In our guest  bathroom I put them around...It's like a little museum in there.

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Many of the old antique cards contained New Year's Wishes too!

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Front

 

Inside

 

 

Front

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Inside.....We always wonder who the people were...

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Inside

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A very old Scrabble game with a Wonderful Life card, bulbs from Dollar Tree, a wonderful book on Lucy and lessons about loving God, book of beautiful photos of Shelter dogs and one of my Uncle Wesley's manners books from Rice University, probably from 1938.   ...And of course my Pitbull art, we had a loving Pitbull, a gentle giant named Buddy.

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Lessons from Lucy About Loving God, a wonderful little book. 

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Da moon.....    George Lassos Moon?

 

That is just a small portion of antique Christmas and New Years cards and old photos in our guest powder room.  

 

I hope to show more another time and my kitchen too, it's just a fun thing for me.   I love yesteryear and the joy it brings.  We can make our little parts of the country just in this same way, we can go back to the 40s if we like in different ways.   Why not?  We don't have to buy what culture tries to tell us.  Let's be like the little boy who asked Why?  : )

 

In this day and age where women seem to think they need to escape from some imaginary trap...Let's think a bit and ask, Why? 


I feel truly liberated to be a homemaker and mom.  If it meant I were to go without a vehicle for a time and my husband and I had to share a vehicle that was fine by me.  Our children and a peaceful and sweet home were more important.  : ) 

 

I read this, this morning from one of the books by Mrs. Sharon White, Homemaking for Happiness.  Her blog is The Legacy of Home.   This little paragraph speaks of mottoes and scripture and beautiful little pantings and things around our homes but I loved most what it referred to as in the spirit of the home as follows:

     A humble home is a place where materialism is not the focus.  It is a place of rest and old-time values.  It is where the simple life originates.  Filling our surroundings with old-time mottoes of comfort, and encouragement, is a precious way to build our courage and faith.  It will bring a smile of cheer, and a nod of contented peace.  


 

I hope everyone is doing well,  I felt led to post this most practical but important reminder and sharing today.   

 

I'll close with two beautiful and touching pieces that mean so much to me, the first... this beautiful song and tribute to a wife and mom, Ruth Bell Graham by one of my favorite artists:


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The second by Sara Groves, He's Always Been Faithful,  a very, very special song to my heart, you will see why when you hear the song...

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Take care Friends,   This contains an image of:    ~Amelia

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Beautiful. This Will Bring us Back to Where we are Supposed to Be This Evening.

 Sometimes the Christmas season brings different kinds of feelings and we miss our loved ones who have gone to Heaven and we ponder things, we ponder our Savior.  Maybe you have a loved one that is elderly as my mom is...She gets forgetful sometimes and it troubles my heart, I get scared.   I seek God's Face desperately in these times as I know you are too dear Readers for whatever may be troubling your hearts.

 

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The video above touched my heart and I simply wanted to share it with you all, one of our daughters sent this beautiful version of Away in the Manger by Phil Wickham to our family and I think this brings us back to where we are supposed to be wherever we are today.  

 

God is with us.     


 

 

Random shots that to me, are fitting for this entry.   If you have seen any recently please oblige. 

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My dad when he was a little boy with his mother, my grandmother, Amelia who I was named after.  She passed away when my dad was ten. I have her underlined Bible study book from Moody, a piece of white cloth marker is in the book from her sewing, I hold it delicately, her hands held the book too back then.  She was German, her parents spoke German fluently, my other grandparents were Italian and also spoke Italian.  It's very interesting, my parents went to elementary school together there in the waterfront town, both founding families, and were in the same grade and same classroom.  My Italian grandma knew my German grandma...My Italian grandma always said that my dad's mother was a kind, sweet and gentle woman. 

My mom and dad when they were first married.  Probably around 1953.

 

A gentle reminder of Peace and our fur angels who have passed to Heaven, this is in our guest bathroom in the corner like real kitties snuggled together on the floor.   Many things to look at in there, a little museum is what one lady called it.  

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Our little Muffie, we so miss our little guy...He passed away in October.  We've lost three fur angels in two months, just recently.  It's been painful.

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Some things don't change...Me when I was very little, my first puppy on my lap...Cutie.  As I wrote previously I drew this in highschool.

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A very old antique Christmas card, I love the little lamb looking upon Jesus.  I think this is so innocent, so precious and sometimes I grieve our culture especially when I look upon something that is supposed to be Christian in nature or secular variety 'family' show and then it screams of the world and I find myself clambering to get it off the screen and out of my home. I think to myself...This is not Christmas!  

 

But there are sweet things as above.

 

It brings us back to where we should  be.   May we remember that sweet manger and the true meaning of Christmas, there are many fun things but let's always head back home to the sweet manger. 

 

I'll be back soon, I hope to post some sweet decorations for Christmas, and at this point New Years but I felt an urgency to post this this evening. 

 

God is with us.

~Amelia  

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Last Minute Post with a Few RE-Post links, Music And..Don't Let the Heelots Get Ya! They Almost Got Me!!! Thoughts.

I thought this was so unique, and it's so very sweet...The black and white, the 1947 music, the big moon and the Granville House...Oh my.  What is there not to love on this one?

 

 

A Few Reposts You All May Enjoy !   

 

* Oh My Heart! Frank Capra's 'Meet John Doe' (1941) ...Our Little Town Peeps are Angels Right Here 

 

*Love is Not Rude...That's What the Bible Says. What I'm Doing Today. A Touching Clip. 

 

*Silent Night, May Your Week be a Peaceful One. 'Meet John Doe' (1941)   ...Don't let the Heelots Get ya!  GREAT CLIP HERE from 'Meet John Doe'.


EDIT  12.17.23  This evening.....Heelots.  If you are not sure what a Heelot is, please see the bottom of this page.   Enjoy!  

Do you know I almost succumbed to the Heelots a few weeks ago!   Horrors!   Our youngest daughter had a birthday and brought home a couple of clothing items from a nice department store, one of the items, the primary item was a beautiful burgundy real velvet, fitted, double breasted long blazer, it looked like something from Little Women,many times my style.   She handed me the hangers with the plastic covers over them for me to hang in my closet so I could wrap the birthday "surprises".   When I went to my closet and innocently hung the two plastic wrapped lovelies in my closet I notice my tweed blazer next to the goodies.  Oh.  The new stuff made my poor little much loved snagged, tweed blazer look frumpy and junky.  (Twilight Zone music plays here).   ....But alas!  I remembered the Heelots!   Nooooooo!    I did *not* succumb.  But it really was a temptation to get into feeling that way!!!  I walked away in freedom and PEACE!  Yes I did!   ...It was like when Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life told Potter something to the effect of....No, I don't want your help for your riches!   Yep, he felt himself turning into that Heelot too!   ...We can turn into Heelots for many different reasons! ...Don't do it!   Don't do it!   *big smile*  ...But it's true too!   Always remember, the quote....Comparison is the thief of joy.

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Look at precious Baby Jesus on hay in a manger with the little lamb and little birds...So very sweet.   It's very hard to turn into a Heelot or get snatched by one if we ponder this.

 

I hope you all are well, just some reposts here that ya'll might enjoy.  Yesterday I made my Italian grandma's eggplant and put it in the freezer for Christmas day.   I'll be putting Gardein brand vegan meatballs in baked in pasta gravy out for a treat, and making a large casserole of egg pasta gravy, (eggs cooked in pasta gravy)  it's quite delicious, may put some sauteed garlic simmered in-olive oil spinach in with it too, here and there.  Pasta of course too.   Everyone will bring sides.  

My poor 93 year old mom was frantic yesterday because she realized her great-grandchildren may not appreciate money only.  I told her...Don't worry, Consider it done.  I texted our daughters and told them to please pick out a very nice gift with the allotted money and wrap it.  Bring it over on Christmas for our  grand children to unwrap and for my mom to see and the children to realize who it is from.  I think that will work beautifully, one of our daughters, Zuzu was so thankful because there was one nice gift they could not afford for her youngest and she was able to buy that nice gift, a big red plastic toddler car that J can get in and scoot around in.  Remember those?  Zuzu loved hers growing up!   So now her little boy will have one too!    Mimi here has our grand babies gifts all wrapped, a very nice toy and an outfit for each child.  Yay!  

 

This will be a nice week I hope and pray, getting our home ready and my hair dyed for Christmas and keeping cozy.     


I have a few more decorations I'll try to share if I have time too!  : )  I have old vintage cards in our guest bathroom that I think are very neat...  


Take care for now...Have a wonderful Sunday!    ~Amelia


Edit 12.17.23 Evening.     If you don't know what a Heelot is and haven't had time to check the reposts above, this should explain.  Enjoy!  

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Christmas Thoughts and a Partial Show N' Tell of Christmas Decor with Pets

Dear Friends, grab some coffee or tea and away we go!

Christmas time is here, and it snuck up on me.   I started out with a bang around Thanksgiving and now suddenly feel overwhelmed somehow.  It's a fight for that Christmas spirit, I think maybe it happens every year around this time.  We see how far folks have gone, what happened to the sweet Christmas's of yesteryear.   It has a way of splashing cold water in my face so to speak and it feels....Well,   IckyYuck.  And I want to say, No!  That is not Christmas!   Christmas is when I was little and I gazed into my mom and dad's five and dime beautiful little manger scene and the Christmas tree with blown glass ornaments and icicles!   It was about that special doll!   Christmas cards had beautiful art on the front of them!  A signature and sometimes a sweet little personal note, like...'Hope you all are doing well, Mary Ellen got married last year and we are delighted, how is little Amelia?", sometimes there would be a family photo enclosed and my mother would slip those in her photo album.  .... People would display the cards.  My mom always hung those we received in the slats of the white dining room doors and I remember really enjoying looking at them.   

Christmas was about picking a special toy to bring to the altar at church for a poor little girl, my mother and I always picked the most beautiful baby doll we could find at the store!  

Edit 12.14.23  I still to this day wonder who the little girl was who received my pretty doll sets every year, an orphange?   A very poor home?  Where is she today?

Even as a mommy,  our family would go to the Salvation Army shelters and help with a music presentation (Jem is a musician plays guitar etc.) and our oldest sang, Joycie played piano.  That was the true Christmas spirit.  Gifts would be given to the children, oh that would do it as far as Christmas spirit!

Just this morning I called a nearby senior citizens center Jem and I thought about going to, to help stuff senior Christmas bags to deliver to seniors.   I called for specifics and asked the head lady if she received my monetary donation for the bags (this is smalltown not a huge organization).  I was sooooo excited to be able to send money to a need in my own backyard so to speak!  I had spied the need in their little newsletter and thought it would be such a blessing to them!  I wanted to make sure it got there in the mail okay, the mail has been very up and down lately.  I'm from the old school, I'm close to Pearl Harbor as they used to say, we were financially strapped for most of our younger until recent married years and we're still not made of money although God has seen fit to bless, praise His name. But we've been through it, trust me.  Hubs worked on commission only and we owned our own business, no perks in Real Estate.  I've been acquainted with this lady for years, see her coming and going once in a blue moon...She was busy though chipper but just quick-quick...Yep, I got it!  Oh friends, what has happened to a simple and polite Thank you and sincere appreciation.  I don't expect muffins tossed at my feet, but allow me to say, that that was definitely a cold water in my face moment.  It's as if the enemy knows when we have our hopes up high and does this kind of thing through people.  It's also a good lesson to at least say at least Thank.  You.   As my husband, Jem has always said...There is not much worse than ungratefulness.  I also think the good Lord leads by offenses many times as He closes doors and opens others.   ...Oh well, enough of that!  Just being an honest human.  It makes me grateful for missionaries, friends and organizations who give a hefty thank you!



When I Was Little...

One special Christmas the nightwatchman named Tom at my dad's waterfront business, a Gulf gas station for  both cars and boats and boat slips my dad would rent to shrimpers and boaters.  The little nightwatchman stand was up on stilts like a tiny little house and Tom would spend the nights there watching over the property and the boats.  Tom was chubby and had only one arm, he reminded me of a Fisher Price people.  He had a cleft in his chin and had a light peachy complexion, light brown hair, he always looked very serious.  That precious man picked a baby doll that came with a matching plastic rocking crib just for me!   Do you know that man with one arm wrapped that Christmas gift for me?!    I was SO touched even as a very small little girl, I doubt I was even four years old.  That was such a special Christmas knowing the trouble, precious Tom went through to buy this little gal, me, a gift.  I knew in my little heart and I always cherished that little baby doll, I always, always cherished that little baby doll and crib. 


Sometimes we must get hold of ourselves and pull ourselves back to those simple times.  We must not succumb to the world's way of Christmas or be discouraged, we can keep our homes a sweet and peaceful place.  


There are sooo many blessings to consider and we must fight to keep our eyes on the Christ Child and what the Lord Jesus did and does for us!   It's a perfect time to be that Jesus with skin on to others.


I strive to keep our home that peaceful and sweet place and especially at Christmas.   


Our fur angels are so very important this time of year, they are a blessing and I will start with this precious to-me photo of our little Muffie the evening before he passed away...I love this photo of our sweet Muffie as he lay next to Jem the night before he passed away.  I knew he was not doing well, he looked like a little angel to me.  I'm so glad I caught this beautiful image.  I miss our little Muffie so much, both Jem and I look over at his little wicker bed quite often to still check on our Muffie, the blankets are still just so, gently mussed over where we picked him up and whisked him to the vet's.  It will stay that way for a long while.  They will not be moved or straightened, no.

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Our trees represent our love for our pets.

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Liesl is that colossal ball of love.  She had been passed around as a large puppy and when she was around one year old we got that baby!    She's so cute...She tries to talk!

 

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This is sweet Gracie, she is a hound dog, she is precious and very sensitive.  She decided this day to relax in a new small kitty bed.  She's a large dog As Liesl is, and sometimes I call her "Miss America" because she is long and leggy!  lol   Our daughter found Gracie on the old ranch road literally skin and  bones, and no hair with demodex mange in FREEZING cold weather.  Our daughter threw a tablecloth she had in the trunk over her and got her home to us where we nursed that angel back to health. 

 

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Atticus, our daughter's dog, but he knows his Mimi too.  He's a very sensitive doggy.  That is a coyote collar he is wearing for extra protection outside.

 

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Elbee

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This is Elbee, (Mr. Blue Eyes), he will not let me get a good pic of him, that rascal.  He's a sweet kitty, a little guy and loves his treats.  He also likes to get in the dirt outside and gets his little nose dirty all the time!  The pic doesn't pick up on his blue eyes.  He was found toddling down a busy road with hawk talon marks on his back, he was just a tiny little kitten!   

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I have this vintage Christmas card, probably from the 30s or 40s and this looks a lot like Elbee.    

 

 

Howdy

Here is one of our kitties, Howdy. Howdy is shy but very affectionate, he can be a little bossy about that too!  Sometimes I call him, Bossy Britches! lol

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Elbee and Howdy this morning.  Edit 12.16.23  This table is hardly ever used for dinner except for holidays, I disinfect the table and placemats when we eat here! ; )


Momo.  

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Momo is a feminine little thing, beautiful Momo, glamor girl.  She is Howdy's sister.  She is also very clear when she wants pets. She is also very sweet and very delicate in her walk and actions and likes her food.  Howdy and Momo's mommy was Marilla, we found Marilla under a freeway overpass one dark night. 

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Momo, along with Liesl love to greet me in the morning first thing!  Good morning Momo!

 

Our Primary Tree

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Our primary tree, it's all of 4 and a half feet and I put it on the coffee table that I grew up with.   Most of our ornaments on this tree of our pets are from our daughters, or finds after Christmas.  The pale pink bulbs are from Dollar Tree, the kind that comes in the long tube.  These are lovely nonbreakable ornaments and I love the pale pink against the maroon wall.  (So vintage!)  The little silver star is from Dollar Tree as well.  

 


 My 'It's a Wonderful Life' Scenes

I've been working on Christmas since Thanksgiving and some of my It's a Wonderful Life Village stays up year round...In the morning I say....Good Morning Wonderful Life peoples!..as I light it up.

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This section stays up year round and it's so fun and fanciful.  

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We have Bailey Bros., the Granville House, Mr. Potter's on backrow, on front row we have Gower's drugstore, the library and the highschool.

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From what I've read, Donna Reed was just the person she portrays in It's a Wonderful Life.   Jimmy Stewart sounds very similar as well, and a family man.

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Our daughter, Grace gave this angel from Hobby Lobby to me one Mother's Day, I usually put something seasonal on her lap as she watches over all the Wonderful Life peoples and buildings.

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Here's George here standing in front of the Bailey Bros. Building & Loan Association, poor George, he's beside himself, he is very upset. 

This scene is atop a very, very old Henty book, probably from the early 1900s.  The inscriptions were usually written: Merry Christmas!  From Aunt Emma.   Or:  To Master Thomas.   The Henty books are adventure books written for young men or young women would enjoy them too.

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Here is that wonderful gal, Annie, the housekeeper here at the Granville House where George, Mary and the children live.  

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Don't worry, Annie, Bert the policeman is right around the corner. : )

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Oh no....It's Mr. Potter!   Yikes!  He's got that money on his lap I tell you!   That greedy meanie-boots crook!  

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Here's Ernie's taxi, parked right there in front of Gower's drugstore. I'm trying to find a Target brand Ernie, and a Mr. Gower.  But patience, patience...right?   All of these pieces here are the Target brand from the 90s.   Very good memories then, our girls were little and I remember saving my pennies for Gower's drugstore and the highschool.  It was later stolen by dishonest workers who were supposed to be cleaning for mold, but thank God I've been able to restore my little collection and more thanks to patience, gifts from Zuzu and ebay.  I try to be patient waiting on a good value, and sometimes use swagbucks to buy these things.  

 

Across the room we have this part of It's a Wonderful Life.

 

We have Harry in uniform standing in front of the church, city hall with the Bailey children there waiting on mom and dad who are standing in front of the train station.   Many of my Wonderful Life buildings are on my old Grace Livingston Hill books, some of the books are also The Bells of St. Mary's, and probably Peter Marshall's old sermons too. 

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Let's go Over to the Little Bookcase

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We have a model B29 from WWII that Jem put together from a model kit I got him for Christmas a couple of years ago from Hobby Lobby.  I have a fascinating stack of like-new condition 30s magazines called The Farmer's Wife.  We have the Bijou Theater from Wonderful Life, and they are even playing:   Bells of St. Mary's!  One of our little trees lit up and a wonderful Cathedral from Walmart I picked up a few years ago.   Do you see Baby Jesus under the tree?

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This is exactly like the little Baby Jesus my Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Cooley gave me when I was in the first grade.  It's made from plastic and the little Baby Jesus is removable from the hay.  The original was stolen as I explained above, and thank the Lord I was able to find another one on ebay last year.   

The bookcase with sliding doors is something my dad and my Uncle Bennie made together way before I was born.

 

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These magazines contain the sweetest articles you've ever seen, I read one about games for college age youth, just so innocent and fun, and look at the Christmas subscription price!   5 Years for $1.00!  

 

 

Let's go to the Breakfast table area!

 

The Precious Nativity

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 I love my Nativity scene.  I love to light it up in the morning and throughout the day I stop and ponder this scene.  I never want to lose the true sweet real meaning behind Christmas.

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A very, very old Christmas card, probably from the 30s or 40s.  Is this not so sweet?   I just love everything about it.


The Library Christmas Tree Area 

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This is another little tree, this one is Grace's real tree she bought.  But I do have a little 'police department' building that I thought went well with our Wonderful Life buildings.  I found it reasonably on ebay.  The light-up doggy always stays here atop my old cedar chest that Mr. Jeske made me when I was born.   The police department building sits on top of a stack of children's Christmas books for when the grandchildren come to visit.   This is near our breakfast table too.

 

I have quite a few other decorations even in the guest Edit: 12.14.23 bathroom, many old cards and pale pink bulbs....Another four foot tree that got scooted in the living room when Grace brought her real one home...Oh well, it works. : )

 

There are a lot of memories right now...A lot of precious thoughts too.   We miss those we love and those innocent years of childhood.

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 Jem when he was a little boy. This abc shirt was his favorite.

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I think I was almost 2 years old here.

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This is me with my little dog, Cutie when I was probably 4 or 5.  I drew this when I was in highschool.  

 

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Been to Dollar Tree Lately?

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Last week my mom had a total ball at Dollar Tree!  It was one of those very special days and it even did her so, so good, cognitively.   Here she is with one of our little grandsons, he decided he would take a ride on Great-Grandma's walker!


I've been enjoying this Christmas music video on our tv screen, it's so old fashioned and sweet.  Think WWII era Christmas. 

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I sure hope everyone is okay this Christmas season, I know days can seem strange as well as enchanting this time of year.   Many widows and widowers need our prayers, many who have an ill mate need our prayers, many who have very elderly parents as Jem and I do need your prayers.    

 

I appreciate you all so very much!    ~Amelia