~MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012~

Dear Friends...

Today is the Sunday before Christmas and I'm excited about attending church with my family for both the early morning and candlelight evening services.  I love singing all the old Christian Christmas Hymns and hearing the choir sing special holiday music.  I love hearing our Pastor speak and I always feel honored to partake in Communion.

I love Christmas and everything about it.

I love the baubles, bangles and beads and even the hustle and bustle that goes along with hunting down and choosing the perfect gifts for those I love.  I love the decorations and the sparkling lights and the hanging of the greens.  Mostly though, I love celebrating the birthday of my personal Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have all of what I need.  I hunger only for more of Him.

I have so much to be grateful for this year.  God has been so good to me and I'm thankful and so appreciative of His blessings.  I'm not quite sure just where He is leading me right now...but I'm trusting Him with my future days just the same.  I know He has placed a hunger deep inside my heart for something new, something different, I just can't put my finger on just what that is!  So...as I said I'm asking Him to lead me as I seek His purpose and direction for my life.

In early January I'm on track to begin my 5th year of blogging and honestly, at this moment, I believe I've shared all I can and all I know.  With both my hands scheduled for surgery on the 28th I'm hoping by the time I'm healed up (sure to be a few weeks plus!) I'll feel better about where I am, where I've been and where I am going.

While at church this morning I'll be praying for you!  May your Christmas be beautiful and your New Year blessed.

I wish for you good things and promise to share more soon.

Love to you...

~FEASTING ON AUTHENTIC PARIS BREAD~

Last Monday I celebrated another birthday with my family and friends.

I just LOVE LIFE...don't you?

 I sometimes dreaded my December birthday when I was a little child because someone was always gifting me with a 

Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas Present 

 and I just hated it...I was SURE I was being cheated out of something!!!  I suppose when you are little kid the grateful gift-giving & receiving spirit hasn't kicked in quite yet and I don't even like thinking today about how I might have behaved back then.

 These days I'm just happy to be remembered at all during what I know is one of the most busy, hectic and costly times of the year.

 Usually we dine in the evening with our children but this year my Mr. AGPMan and I enjoyed breakfast with our daughter and then spent our lunchtime  with our son and daughter-in-love. They are all sooo generous and never fail to bless me year after year.  I received wonderful, personal gifts and will enjoy each of them...  There is NOTHING quite as satisfying to me than my relationship with my two grown children and I love it that we all enjoy peace and laughter when we are together.

One amazing thing didn't come until yesterday because it was coming from far, far away!  My daughter knows how much I love all things French and couldn't resist a little extra gift for her momma.

 She ordered me a HUGE LOAF of French Bread from the Poilâne Bakery in Paris, France, and I was totally speechless when it arrived.  She ordered it on the 12th and it was baked this past Wednesday morning and shipped to America OVERNIGHT and I received it yesterday mid-day...

Now...I've had Americanized French Bread lots of times in my life.  But NEVER have I had French Bread baked in Paris, France, and then eaten it the next day.  It is WONDERFUL.  The loaf is huge and there is more than enough for several meals...

I know for certain the bread isn't expensive, but the shipping can be!  I'm thinking that next year I may order several loaves myself and combine the shipping to save money via the International Post!

My exercise bike is already calling out my name.  That's OK though!!!  The bread is soooo worth a few more minutes of stationary pedaling!  (Thank you, Adrienne & Brandon!)

Tomorrow I'll be signing off for the year.  Christmas is only a few days away and I want to spend as much time with my family as possible...

Blessings as we await the miracle of Christmas Day.

Love to you...

~CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS for ADRIENNE~

~STOCKINGS in BERRY VELVET~

You would think with all the Christmas Stockings I make each year that my own child, my daughter Adrienne, would have a pretty pair for their home.  Not so.  What is it they say about Plumbers?  They always have clogged sinks or something like that!???  Actually...I think it's more about her not being able to decide WHAT she's wanted more than me not getting on with making them if you want to know the truth...

~REMOVABLE PIN~

Since I know she's cramming on last minute work for college (she and her hubby graduate in May!!!) I'm pretty confident she's not going to see this Post.  So...I'm sharing with you the "By Special Request Christmas Stockings" fashioned just for her and her handsome hubby.

 ~PIN EASILY REMOVED~

My girl doesn't do WHITE like I do, nor did she do PINK like I did.  She's a fairly traditional girl and favors comfortable and yet classy decor.  Not too frou frou even though she's very girly.  Her Christmas colors are berry (a light burgundy) with silver, gold and soft white.

 ~PRETTY VINTAGE LACES~

Last Winter while shopping at Penney's I found a gorgeous soft berry velvet drapery panel on clearance for $7.  It had originally been priced at $98 and since I loved the color (and so did she) I decided to  bring it home.  At the time it matched the sofa we had in our home.  Well...my girl now has that couch and so I decided to use the fabric to fashioned her Christmas Stockings.

 ~LOVELY TATTED LACES and CROCHET~

 I tucked the remainder of the fabric back for the BABIES I know she's going to have some day...like ONCE SHE'S OUT OF SCHOOL! :)  (I can't wait!)

~INSIDE VIEW~

Just a few more days and Christmas will be here.  Can you believe it?  My Miss K is coming today and we are baking cookies this afternoon and then going to see the LIGHTS in Chickasha, Oklahoma...  Such a fun tradition for our family.

Love to you...