Traditions?

I know that everyone is busy and it amazes me how so many of you

are able to keep up with posting wonderful Christmas stories, pictures and recipes!

Your posts have caused me to think - what are our family's Christmas Traditions?

I found myself feeling sad that we don't really have too many

wonderful traditions like some folks have.

They change from year to year as situations change I guess.

What makes a tradition?

After uploading my pictures I noticed that there are actually a few

things that have become Christmas traditions of sorts:

Homemade Biscotti

Cherry Cheese Tarts and Rheo Thompson Chocolates

Nuts and Bolts - my mom's recipe

Tete de Moine Cheese

Jarlesberg, Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Brie cheeses and Garlic Stuffed Olives

The back Porch "walk out" fridge - so thankful for this!

Chilling with our friends and their growing family on Christmas Day!

Visiting with Grandma Leis at the home - Oh how I wish I could tell her the good news!

As you can see, the pictures I've taken this Christmas are mostly food related

because I have been dubbed the annoying family paparazzi - do you ever feel this way?

Perhaps I need to take a long and hard look at what things our family

can add to make Christmas more meaningful and to savour the moments

even more than the food!

Even though the moments are rare - they are the most important and much

more precious than any food or photos.

I want to be intentional about making 2015 meaningful and precious.

The Lord has blessed us as a family beyond anything we could have asked or even imagined
just as Ephesians 3:20 promises!

Till next time - HAPPY NEW YEAR dear friends ....

Cookies for your Best Pal

Don't foget your canine friends

this Christmas....

My favourite grand-doggie is a beautiful 

chocolate labrador named Macie
Even though she couldn't come "home" for Christmas this year,

she sent us a wonderful gift!

I decided to make her some homemade

doggie cookies as a thank you.
I used to make these for our Cairn Terriers and thought the recipe 
bears repeating.

They're ever so easy to make and sure to please your "best friend"

There's still time to make them ......

Puppy’s Golden Cheese Dreams

3 Cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. garlic powder

½ Cup vegetable oil

1 Cup shredded cheese

1 Egg – beaten

1 Cup milk

In large mixing bowl combine flour and garlic powder.  Make a well in flour and gradually stir in the oil, cheese, beaten egg and milk until well blended.  Knead dough on floured surface for 3-4 minutes.  Roll out dough to ½“ thick.  Use bone shaped (or any shape) cookie cutter and place on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400F for 25 minutes till crisp and golden.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen large (4" X 1 1/2") bone shaped cookies.  Keep refrigerated or frozen.

Here's to Macie, Daisy, Tucker, Cooper, Lokie, Lucy, Ping and Pong, Kobee, Ellie, Mitsy, Finn, Scooter, Rory and all the others who's names I've forgotten but who's owners are friends, blogdom friends, and family. Cheesy dreams to you this Christmas!

Missing our Cairns Thistle and Poppy!

Good Dog Macie!

Hope your paws are healing nicely.....

Picture taken by Becky 

Till Next Time - on this Eve of Christmas Eve - Merry Christmas from our house to yours. May God bless each and every one of you.

It's beginning .....

The decorating has begun

Better Late than Never!

Some of my simple solutions are these "icy" crown jar candles:

All you need is a jar (I like using

my vintage Crown jars with the zinc

rings and glass sealers),

some plastic wrap (the heavy duty kind that comes from the florist),

some water,

a bit of ribbon and sprig,

and T-lites.

It couldn't be simpler!

Just stuff the jar with the plastic wrap - fill with water - set the jar ring upside down on top of the jar creating a nifty little tray for the T-lite.

Any T-lites will do but 

these larger than usual T-lites from Ikea (Glimma 2 1/4 inch) are ideal. They burn for up to 9 hours.

Decorate the jar ring and there you have it - some icy looking jar candles.

Another quick solution is to add a few trees, mini candles and wreaths to my Noah's Ark, transforming it for Christmas. 

Even the little Noah's Ark Store just needs the fence and the lamp post turned around to reveal its Christmas bows and wreaths.

The snowman is about to lose his carrot nose!

The mantel is beginning to look

Christmasy.....

..... and the china cabinet is ready!

The tablescape for the upcoming office party

is starting to take shape.

I've been reminded several times today about the importance of preparations

and especially those of preparing one's heart for Christmas.

How are your preparations coming along?

Till next time .......... remembering that Jesus is the reason for this season!