added blogs

Hope it was a Merry Christmas!
It was here with some more Mrs. Buckinghams!
It was festive.

More blogs added on my sidebar. 
Really beautiful handwork and knitting. 
My hands are still itching !

I'm thinking about Ann Voskamp's word for the year as I think about 
a word for the New Year. This past year was the Year of Weddings for me. 
Any ideas?

Best Christmas Present Ever

Our first son was born today: 29 years ago!
He was the best Christmas present ever.
It was 7 degrees here in Charlotte that year.
He came at 12:59 a.m. and two weeks early and we were very ready for his arrival . 
He is now the tallest of 4 sons: 6'5" and married the longest. 
Profession: accountant. 
Best quality: thoughtfulness. perseverance.
Best quote:  " not my problem."
Best achievement: 1000 points  in basketball  during 4 years in high school
Favorite verse: Micah 6:8
Favorite book: Dave Ramsey and Narnia
Favorite meal: steak 

So, can you guess what we are eating tonight?


Bryan with his wife of 3 and 1/2 years: 

library books for the hands

These have been in my back seat since Tuesday! Just came out to look at during the holidays.
I did say to the librarian that I must have been reading blogs and put books on hold with all of these! I haven't done any handwork for Christmas at all. My hands are itching:

Links to blogs of the Moda Bake Shop Chefs here.4

                                                 Jane Brocket's blog:  Yarnstorm

. 
                    but was looking for her recent book from her blog of using quilts to tell stories

                                
 with some of  the designs: 

picked up this book that I had seen at The Purl Bee blog of the Purl Soho,  s in NY which we did get to go to in Sept. 

Christmas thoughts

"We all come with different personal feelings to the Christmas 

festival. One comes with pure joy as he looks forward to this 
day of rejoicing, of friendships renewed, and of love...Others look for a moment of peace under the Christmas tree, peace from the pressures of daily work...Others again approach Christmas with great apprehension. It will be no festival of joy to them. Personal sorrow is painful especially on this day for those whose loneliness is deepened at Christmastime...And despite it all, Christmas comes. Whether we wish it or not, whether we are sure or not we must hear the words once again: Christ the Savior is here! The world that Christ comes to save is our fallen and lost one. None other." --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

warmth with Tasha Tudor

PLUS a very rare book:

countdown

Just listened to Ann Voskamp interviewed on Desiring God:

The Cross Centered Christmas

I am thankful for her.

Aren't you?

I picked up a stack of books for handwork today from the library.

I said to the librarian: must have been reading blogs!

Post Christmas reading!

The week before Christmas

Irving Berlin's A White Christmas is on while the tree gets clothed. She is bright 
with lights but bare with her decor! We needed a tall guy to reach up high so now 
#4 son is home. We spent the weekend celebrating the White Coat Ceremony of 
a new daughter-in-law.  So proud of her ! It is a beautiful trip over the Appalachains
 to where they live. No snow but it was misty and foggy coming over the high elevations
 yesterday.

I am halfway done with Anna Karenina. 
Then , I want to watch as many film versions. 
It all started with Joe Wright's movie starring Keira Knightley. 
It helped to have seen it when I started the book. 
Although I do have different images in my mind  of the main characters rather than
 Keira or Jude Law.