Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’s birth and his gift of love for each and everyone of us.

With everything being so commercialized these days, it is sometimes hard to put it all aside and remember what Christmas is all about. Frank and I, have a Christmas Eve tradition of going to a candlelight church service and having dinner at Waffle House.  We like to leave a big tip for our waiter and slip out before they find it.  There have been times when we have been able to watch through the window as they return to the table to be surprised.  We look forward to doing it each year.  This year, for the first time in many years, we missed the church service.  The service that we usually attend was earlier than expected and we couldn’t get there in time.  So we watched a service on-line and ate at Waffle House on Christmas Day.  The message was the same but the experience wasn’t.  I really missed being in church and singing the songs with my husband and family.  Next year – I will not miss it!!!!

Honestly, some years, I really dread the holidays, and I don’t want to participate.  But, some years, I have the Christmas spirit and really enjoy all of the decorating, baking, wrapping, and festivities.  This year, I was all about Christmas from start to finish, and it mostly had to do with a day that I planned for everyone in our family of five kids and their families to be together for the first time in 5 years.  I couldn’t stop buying decorations.  Every time I went into a store, it was like I was Frank in the fishing isle at Walmart, except I was in the Christmas section of whatever store I went in.  My spare time was searching Pinterest and LivingwithLandyn.com for ideas for my table and recipes.  And of course, I gave Frank a list of things that I needed him to work on too, and he came through with flying colors!!!  Because of his hard work, the whole family was able to sit together at one long table in our sunroom and have a meal together.  Let me tell you – this momma was happy!

When all of the kids confirmed they would be here for Christmas, my heart leapt for joy!!  I immediately started planning the menu and making lists.  My biggest obstacle was, where was everyone going to sit???  I was scouring Wayfair, Crate and Barrel, and Pottery Barn, like a mad woman.  My next great idea, was Frank can build me a table!!  He wasn’t excited at all and quickly squashed that idea, especially when he was trying to finish up a couple of jobs before the holidays and didn’t have time to be doing honey-dos.  One day, out of the blue, a video popped up while I was on-line, that showed someone putting wood on top of white plastic folding table to dress them up.  I watched it a couple of times and then forwarded to Frank.  It was the answer I needed and evidently God, google, or someone, sent it right to me.  We had already wondered, if Frank did build a table, where would we store it when not in use???  Obviously, we don’t need a table that big all of the time, so this worked perfectly, and it will be something we can use for many years to come.  I think they turned out wonderful.  If you want one, let me know. We can make one for you too!!!

My oldest daughter, Paige, originally wanted to surprise me and show up for Christmas unexpectedly, but she told me, that she would have been upset to show up and not have a name card and a place setting at the table.  I was so happy to have her and her husband, Armin and my sweet little Anderson here.  They really made my Christmas special and I will never forget it.

My cheese board was a huge hit this year.  Everyone gathered around the kitchen island for some fun convo and snacking.  Kitchen tip – Don’t let Kasie’s fiancee’, Cody, near your cooktop, or at least, have some good cleaner near by.  😉 We love you Cody!!

Here is some of our Christmas decorations this year, and my helper Francis the cat.

We had a great game of dirty Santa for the adults and of course, when we finished, the girls had fun playing in a box!

We have been looking all year for an older jeep to have as our third vehicle and I happened to find this one on-line one day and asked Frank if he wanted to go look at it.  Turns out, it is my Christmas present. Thank you Frank – I love you.

I want to thank all of you for following along with me and my family on our journey at Periwinkle Lane this year.  It’s been a wonderful year and we are looking forward to all kinds of fun and a great 2018.  Let’s do this!!!

xoxo – Mitzie