New Year Fun!

With the New Year right around the corner, this is the perfect time for a peek through the past year of blogging. I would love for you to join in with me!

Post the first sentence of your first blog post of each month. You can also add a favorite picture from each month. Here are mine:


~January~
Did everyone have a nice time welcoming in the New Year?

Last year's New Year's Eve party.


~February~
Today is Grace's 9th birthday!

Birthday cupcakes.


~March~
Happy March 1st!

A view through our blooming Bradford Pear tree.


~April~
Hello everyone! Did you have a nice weekend?

Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies. I'm going to make a batch for this New Year's Eve party.


~May~
The merriest month of the year arrives bringing with it sunshine, birdsong, apple blossoms, budding lilacs, and longer days to enjoy life as spring's promise is finally fulfilled.

May Day tussie mussies.


~June~
June is bursting out all over as summer finally arrives.

The view through my bedroom window.


~July~
Happy Canada Day to all of my Canadian friends!!!

A watermelon and lemonade picnic.


~August~
Welcome to Homeschool Open House 2007!

Todd, the toad. He came to live in our fairy garden this past summer.


~September~
Summer's behind us.

Time for pumpkins, apples and Indian corn!


~October~
There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots
may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on
the feelings, as now in October.

Hot apple fritters.


~November~
We had a couple and their daughter over last night and enjoyed a dinner and fun evening together.

Vintage Thanksgiving postcards.


~December~
Phillip and I are excited to announce that the winter edition of Seasonal Delights is here!

Our Christmas Elves

If you would like to participate feel free to add your blog to Mr. Linky! Link back here so others can join in the fun too. I'll leave Mr. Linky up through Monday. Happy New Years everyone!!

"Show and Tell Friday'

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Today I would like to share with you some new gifts I got for Christmas. Phillip surprised me with this picture frame filled with photos of the girls and Benjamin. I absolutely love it and am impressed he pulled it off without me finding out about it early. :0)


Benjamin picked out these warm and fuzzy slippers for me to wear this winter.


Emily and I love jewelry and in particular dangly earrings. She picked out these beautiful gold ones for me, all by herself.


My favorite perfume is Wings and I ran out of it a few months ago. Grace surprised me with the perfume and lotion set, so now I smell good again. ;0)

Thank you for looking at my new gifts. As you can see I was spoiled this year!

Show and Tell Guidelines

What is Show and Tell Friday?
Show and Tell involves showing something to an audience, and then telling them about it. Your show and tell must be something that you own, and is in your home or garden.

What items work well for Show and Tell Friday?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Family heirlooms
-A collection you may have
-A piece of jewelry
-A special gift
-Gardening pictures

What doesn't work well for Show and Tell Friday?
-Posts with no photos have no "Show." Please don't use them.
-Photos of events (trips, vacations, celebrations, etc.)
-Photos of things you are selling or planning to sell.
-Photos found on the internet, graphics or screenshots. Please use photos you take yourself.
-Old photos of just people instead of things.

There is no place like home is the original home of Show and Tell Friday. Please do not host your own.

How can I participate?
Once you've got your photo(s) and your story, it's easy as 1-2-3!

1 - Publish your "Show and Tell" on your blog, including a link back to There is No Place Like Home.

2 - Copy the link (or "permalink") from your post.

3 - Add it to Mr. Linky, along with your first name only. (This will make the list easier to read.) I usually put Mr. Linky up on Friday at 12:00am Eastern time.

Our Christmas~2007

Thank you for all your wonderful Christmas notes in my previous post! Our Christmas celebrations began on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. We went to our church's beautiful candlelight service where we sang Christmas carols and listened to the story of the birth of Christ.

Afterwards, a friend joined us for a Christmas Eve dinner.


We had roast beef, potatoes, carrots and homemade macaroni and cheese.


Gingerbread with caramel sauce and whipped cream for dessert.


Before bed the girls and Benjamin made some food for Santa's reindeer. They love oats and cookie sprinkles!


They sprinkled it along our front walkway.


Then it was time to open new Christmas pajamas. Before Phillip took this picture, I told them to pretend they like each other. ;0)


Christmas morning came bright and early. The girls and Benjamin checked to see if the reindeer had eaten their food. :0)


We had a wonderful time opening gifts together...






Even Fern got a new toy!


Warm cinnamon rolls for breakfast.


Later that afternoon we went to Nana and Papa's house for a ham and turkey dinner. Thank you for looking at just a few pictures of our fun Christmas! I'll be back soon for Show and Tell Friday!

Merry Christmas!

We are enjoying these last few days before Christmas. Phillip had yesterday off and I was able to do my Christmas dinner shopping. We will spend a relaxing Christmas morning at our house and then go to Nana and Papa's house for dinner. My mother-in-law is making a turkey, I'm making a glazed honey ham and we are both making various appetizers, side dishes and desserts.

This evening we are driving around our favorite neighborhoods to look at all the Christmas lights and at some point I need to get the gifts that we've been hiding at Phillip's office and wrap them. I will be back to blogging sometime after Christmas. I plan on posting a show and tell next Friday for anyone who is around. Until then...

May you and your family a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

At the break of Christmas Day,
Through the frosty starlight ringing,
Faint and sweet and far away,
Come the sound of children singing,
Chanting, singing,
Cease to mourn
For Christ is born
Peace and joy to all men bringing."
~Margaret Deland

Christmas Keepsake Folders

I have made these Keepsake Envelope Folders for birthday and "just because" gifts before and thought they would be nice for Christmas too. Especially for gift certificates.


You will need 3-5 envelopes, ribbon, a hole punch and patterned scrapbook paper and stickers.


Fold the flaps back on all but one of the envelopes you want to join. With the unfolded flap on the bottom, stack the envelopes, open side up. Moisten folded flaps; affix each to the envelope behind it.


You will have several folders to hold your gifts.


You can decorate the front of the folder however you wish. I used patterned scrapbook paper...


...and Christmas stickers.


Punch a hole through the bottom center of all the envelopes and fold last flap over.


Thread a ribbon through the hole, and tie a bow.

"Show and Tell Friday!"

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.

Many of your know Anita from My Country Cottage Garden. She shares her amazing garden and sewing projects with us quite often for show and tell. I received a special package from her today, all the way from Germany!

Even the envelope is beautiful.


A pretty gift tag.


Some Christmas tea called "Fireplace Heat" and Blue Sweet Pea seeds from her garden.


She also included these four *beautiful* white hankies for me to add to my collection!


Each one has amazing detail work and delicate lace.






I have really enjoyed getting to know Anita this past year though blogging, email and letters. She is very sweet and I appreciate her friendship and thoughtfulness!


Thank you for all the lovely gifts, Anita! I shall think of you as I drink my tea and dream of your Blue Sweet Peas growing in my garden next summer.


Thank you for looking at my show and tell!

Show and Tell Guidelines

What is Show and Tell Friday?
Show and Tell involves showing something to an audience, and then telling them about it. Your show and tell must be something that you own, and is in your home or garden.

What items work well for Show and Tell Friday?
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
-Family heirlooms
-A collection you may have
-A piece of jewelry
-A special gift
-Gardening pictures

What doesn't work well for Show and Tell Friday?
-Posts with no photos have no "Show." Please don't use them.
-Photos of events (trips, vacations, celebrations, etc.)
-Photos of things you are selling or planning to sell.
-Photos found on the internet, graphics or screenshots. Please use photos you take yourself.
-Old photos of just people instead of things.

There is no place like home is the original home of Show and Tell Friday. Please do not host your own.

How can I participate?
Once you've got your photo(s) and your story, it's easy as 1-2-3!

1 - Publish your "Show and Tell" on your blog, including a link back to There is No place like Home.

2 - Copy the link (or "permalink") from your post.

3 - Add it to Mr. Linky, along with your first name only. (This will make the list easier to read.) I usually put Mr. Linky up on Friday at 12:00am Eastern time.