All decked out and loaded up approximately 4:15a.m. Christmas morning.
Thought I heard someone creeping around as I was about to come up much, much earlier with the stockings, so I decided to wait them out by dozing on the downstairs couch for a while. I told myself I'd wake up eventually because, while it's a nice, wide, comfy couch...it's a couch. Woke up at 4a.m. (-:
Love the happy gift-receiving faces.
They're the best!
I might be a year or two late on the usefulness of a coffee gift for Lara since she just graduated college this semester (wait!!! what?? Yep...no ceremony at all, not even anything online so, alas, no pictures, but, SUPER proud of her Bachelor's in Aviation that's for sure!), it's still fun to get a variety of "the expensive stuff" when you're a recent grad. (-:
We are all SUPER excited about my last minute Nextdoor App find of a brand new Klask game. Not even kidding. I never heard of it before but I saw, "New, In Box," looked it up online, saw that it's a great mix of air-hockey and foosball (two things I've always liked to have around to play, hahaha...but really, for real (-:) and that it was compact...unlike foosball and air-hockey. THEN...I saw they have international championships and I was hooked, bought it then and there. We really have played it quite a bit, both Livia and William like it a lot. Here's a link to the 2018 International Championship in Finland...find a slow day and watch all one hour and fifty-five minutes...I challenge you! (-:
I recalled Lara's desire to make Eggs Benedict for our Christmas breakfast last year and decided to reprise it, especially since one of my piano students had the most gorgeous honey-baked ham shipped to my house! If you like this dish at all, I think I did in fact find the "best eggs benedict" recipe out there. The hollandaise sauce is absolutely divine having been whipped up in the blender. I needed to add a bit more lemon juice than they called for but also, the sauce kept very well for leftovers today. Plus...who knew poaching eggs was just so darn easy and tasty. Doing that more, without the sauce. (-:
I've been a fan of making big batches of Randalls Turkey and White Bean chili for my sibs over the past few Christmases. I love to put them in these big, 64 oz canning jars. The Randalls recipe is already posted over on the right side bar.
This year though, my Randall's White Bean jar wished me some good times...that's fun, I thought that night. Then, out of the blue a couple days later it hit me..."Tootin!!" A "Rootin, Tootin' good time the bean makers just wished me!!" Hahahaha...couldn't have been a better gift for my brothers all this time, who woulda thought! You know how many "tootin" jokes, stories and tall tales I grew up with regarding this topic??!! 😂
Finally...what a delight it was to wake up Christmas morning to a fresh, clean covering of snow. We hadn't had any snow for a few weeks now and hadn't expected any until hearing news on Christmas Eve of the coming nighttime snow. Perfect!
So, those are some of my happy outtakes.
Aren't they just lovely and special and filled with warmth and beauty and fun?
I really do think they are, I'm not being funny here.
But...
Even with all that,
In this special little online place that I adore posting these joys,
Please just know there is real life going on here to.
The Merry
&
The Messy
Heart achingly Messy Sometimes.
I'll open that door just a crack again as I do very occasionally...
Can you even imagine that SP's clouded lens, heart & mind has convinced himself that I have "emotionally abused" even one, let alone all of my dear children? Do you know he tells our children and professionals who are in care of one really hurting child that that is part of his story? I mean, people...that rips the door right off the hinges here doesn't it? Of course, he is the only one with that lens, and he has never cited even one instance where that's happened, but it surely twists and turns the kids to have a parent doing that and watching the fallout on them is hard to bear.
Why did I crack that open here, today?
Well...I love posting all the beauty and joy and happiness I find in my family and the world cause, that's just what I'm drawn to do. But at the same time, there is no "always beautiful, always joyful, always happy," there is real life everywhere too, for everyone. Sometimes I just feel like there needs to be an online balancing act so we all know we're in this together during both the Merry & the Messy!
I am grateful to have been blessed with a heart that longs to hear, read and know God's truths which help me leave the Messy at the foot of the cross and cling to the Merry as best as possible. Join me!
💜
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