Weekly Header Challenge -- Getting Ready for Christmas

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Getting Ready for Christmas

Chosen by me.

I'm chuckling to myself as I realize I chose this theme a while ago, and now that it's time to post, I have no current pictures to share with you.  Although we started this year with great hope that our situation would improve--and it did in many aspects--we find ourselves just hanging on right now.  We will share a beautiful, simple Christmas at my brother's home, though, so I'm not sad having to post last year's photos.

Usually within a day or so of Thanksgiving, we purchase a Christmas tree.

My dad carries the tree to the car.

The tree is set up...

The ornaments are hung...

And the atmosphere is set!

Cookies are baked...

Peppermints (my favorite!) are set out...

Decorations are placed...

The manger figurines are placed...

And we're ready for Christmas!

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge - Sparkles

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Craver VII 

Fishing Guy 

Katney 

Imac 

Lew 

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Feel free to click on the other participants' blogs

to see what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Sparkles

It was my turn to choose the theme, and it was pretty random.  A word pops into my head, and I'm rather stuck.  So there you have it.  I thought of raindrops, and then my mind traveled to snow, snowflakes and other things Christmas.  Here's the header image in all its sparkly glory:

I collect snowflake and icicle ornaments, so here are a few more from our Christmas tree:

And since we can't afford a tree this year, I made one out of sticks and my neighbor's spruce trimmings, with lights and snowflakes.  It's much more sparkly in real life.  :)

And now since I'm thinking about Christmas, here are a few more things that make the season sparkle:

I think it's time to plan my holiday baking!!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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365 Project -- #337-343

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured

throughout the previous week, and choose my seven favorites.

These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.

December 3 - December 9

If you keep up with my family blog, you have already seen these images.  Instead of taking my Ellie out every day and just snapping "something/anything," I've purposefully taken her out to shoot things I actually want to remember, or to blog about.  I guess I've done that for most of this project, but now that it's winter, and I'm not running out and about much, I'm being more deliberate in my photography.  Since this "event" was pretty much the only major occasion in our home, it is all I shot and so I am repeating images here.

Anyway, if you want to read the full story of one of the ways our family (both us and our extended family) celebrates Christmas by giving to others, click here.  (Psst--you'll also see all of the photos I took that day.)  Otherwise, skip that post and scroll on down for the abridged version.  :)

 [337] Sorting names

[338] Sorting gifts

[339] Wrapping the gifts

[340] The gift receipt?!

[341] Line of gifts

[342] Bag of gifts

By way of explanation, the above bag of gifts went to my dad's church, where it will be given to the family we shopped for.  :)

Below is our family Christmas tree, all decked out and sparkly in this nighttime shot.

[343] The tree

Twinkling tree, shining lights, silver bells, frosty windows...  I'm so excited about Christmas this year!  I hope you are, too, as you look forward to the birth of our Savior.


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

Visit my website
Stop by my family blog
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