Winter Wonderland

Snow took a redeye to Pittsburgh Friday night so that we all woke up with a large white surprise Saturday morning. Inches had already fallen, and just kept coming all day long. Sunday, however, Sun and Blue Skies returned making the snow very pretty.

So Tyler shoveled the driveway (again) and I played with his camera.

Our 1950s home. Love it.

Our huge tree and the beautiful blue sky and sun.

My manly husband looking all mountainy with his beard and all.

There are actually more photos but I can't get them to upload for the life of me! So here you go, a little piece of our Winter Wonderland. Hope you enjoy these last few days before Christmas!

An Unique Christmas Gift

In this month's issue of the Ensign President Eyring, inspired by the WWII Christmas song, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" writes about coming home to our heavenly home someday, and how we can create pieces of that heavenly home on earth now. It's a beautiful article with lots of truth, but there's one idea that is just burning my mind and so I have to share.

President Eyring describes the scene: "As we gather in that heavenly home, we will be surrounded by those who have been forgiven of all sin and who have forgiven each other. We can taste some of that joy now..." I imagine a room of people where all of us love each other purely and fully. No grudges. No hurt. No past arguments remembered. Just pure love. I'm sure you've felt moments like this before. They are so special and honestly, very heavenly.

So President Eyring presents an unique and simply beautiful idea for a Christmas gift that goes 3 ways: "At Christmastime you can give the gift of forgiveness." A gift that is free. A gift that is real. A gift that is eternal. One act of humble Christianity that's a gift to another, a gift to yourself, and a gift to the Lord. Although nobody in particular popped into my mind when I read this, the beauty of the idea struck me. And so I want to search my heart for old grudges or hurts that I've held on to, and I want to let them go, with the help of the Lord.

President Eyring also invites us to receive the gift of forgiveness this Christmas - from the Savior of course. I love this idea too. Repent of a sin - become more like Him and be forgiven of our past wrong and wrong way. Of course all this forgiving is connected: "As you forgive, you will feel the joy of being forgiven."

In the midst of all the giving (and/or talking about giving) we do at Christmastime, I find myself feeling a deep need for the love of Christ myself. I need Him in my heart. I need His love, His light, His power in my life. What better way can I fill the yearning for Christ in my heart that to use the gift He gave His life to give me? And what would be a better Christmas gift to Him? From His perspective, probably nothing.

So with me, I invite you to take President Eyring's invitation and give and receive the gift of forgiveness this Christmas. After all, what could be more Christmasy?


You can read the whole article here.

Craftiness & Christmas!

I am not neglecting my Thanksgiving/Crummett visit posts; I just haven't managed to get those pictures on my computer yet. I'm anxious to post something, so they will just have to be out of order!

Turns out that this is our 101st post. Look at that. Remember when I started this blog a year ago?? See here. That first post was probably my best and it's only been downhill from there. I'm not really sure why anybody reads this, but thanks to those of you who do. It makes us feel very loved.

Christmas is in full swing for us and I'm loving it! And it's got me feeling all crafty. See for yourself:

The Advent Wreath

I made my first wreath. Never thought I'd say that. I was actually super intimidated by the project, but I think it turned out alright! I even used green craft wire. I feel so crafty!

I should have taken a picture before lighting the candles for the second advent, but there you go (there are 4 candles there - two are just burned down). This is a German Christmas tradition that I LOVE. Each of the four Sundays before Christmas are the four advents. Each one marks the coming of Christmas. On the first advent, you gather with loved ones to sing carols, eat treats, generally celebrate Christmas, and light the first candle! You only light one. The next Sunday you gather again and light the first with the second. On it goes until Christmas is practically here!

We were invited to my boss's house on the first advent to sing carols (slightly socially uncomfortable, but fun), so we didn't actually light our candle (okay I hadn't even made it yet), but we did have some dear friends over on the second advent. The really humored me as we ate totally German food and sang carols. I'm such an awkward hostess, but it was still totally fun and somehow I just feel good about keeping the German alive in me.

Christmas Decorating

We picked out a real tree on Saturday, bought some lovely-great-deal ornaments at Costco, and decorated it with the help of some teenagers from the ward on Sunday with Christmas music playing and a roast cooking. Yummm! It felt so Christmassy, I just about burst.

We also found a little advent village at Costco. This is one of three structures that hold little treats for each day of December. When you come to my house, you better check to see if you beat Tyler to the chase. :)

My First Crocheted Blanket

Yes, it's a baby blanket, so it's not that big, and I did start it long before the Christmas season, but I just finished it last night and I'm so proud! I've made potholders and scarfs before, but never something of this size. There are well over 10,000 individual knots in this baby. Jackie inspired me while she was here. Can you see the little border edge?

Table Runners

This is my first experience with "machine quilting." That part didn't go so well, so there are several little puckers where there shouldn't be, but I think I kind of got it down by the end thanks to the pinning advice I got from several good seamstresses.

Christmas Parties!

This Ugly Sweater Party was very well planned and very fun! You can see my awesome bonnet sweater in the picture below. Then the ribbons on the front of the sweater make sense - they're holding the bonnet over my shoulders. (What a sweater, right?!?)

I love Christmas parties and didn't take pictures at any so far!! Luckily a superwoman friend sent these along to me! She did a stunning job at capturing an adorable smile of Tyler's is this one.

Merry Christmas-time!