‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, except a brown dog.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
and Charlie couldn’t reach them – he didn’t even dare.
Mom and Dad were nestled all snug in their bed,
while visions of head cold relief danced in their heads.
But Charlie was anxious, he just couldn’t sleep.
He wondered if Santa would bring him a treat.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Charlie ran to his door to see what was the matter.
He flew out onto the porch and skidded across
Woofing and sniffing even every piece of moss.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
made it a bit easier for Charlie to see all below.
When what to his wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
“It was SANTA – Oh Santa! You’re coming to my house.
I knew you would remember – I’ve been a good boy!”
Charlie ran back inside and jumped into bed,
he climbed under the blankets to cover his head.
He quietly waited and listened intently,
but he waited so long, he fell back asleep.
The next thing he knew, Dad was getting out of bed.
Mom gave him a pat, and said “Okay – Go Ahead!”
His stocking was full! Santa really was here!
A new donut, a new donkey, and a tasty new bone.
Another Christmas miracle
for an adopted brown dog.
Merry Christmas Eve!
Woofs & Wags,
Charlie
Charlie is an adopted dog with brown eyes and a white-tipped tail who brings joy and laughter to his family and friends. Charlie is a gifted writer, raving food critic, cat, chipmunk, and donut lover, and exceptionally photogenic model. Some of his best friends are Mike the UPS Man, Cliff the Mailman, and ANYONE who delivers pizza to the house. If you would like to read more guest posts by Charlie, simply type “Charlie” into the Search box at the top right hand corner of this link: thecreativelifeinbetween.com. If you would enjoy a companion like Charlie, please consider pet adoption.
Front Yard, Mars, PA December, 2016
December snow
is the brightest snow.
It makes the sky bluer
and tree trunks browner.
December snow cleanses the earth
and also the soul.
It evokes memories
and fills us with anticipation.
December snow…
I love your Christmas spirit.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
“She was beautiful,
but not like those girls in the magazines.
She was beautiful for the way she thought.
She was beautiful for the sparkle in her eyes
when she talked about something she loved.
She was beautiful for her ability to make other people smile
even if she was sad.
No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks.
She was beautiful deep down to her soul.
She is beautiful.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Let’s teach this to our daughters
and granddaughters
and sisters
and friends.
And….
let’s teach this to
ourselves.
#BestGiftEver #LoveYourself
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Do you love buttery shortbread as much as I do?
Add a dab of apricot jam and a drizzle of icing, and O M G!
I wanted to bake one more batch of Christmas cookies and wanted them to be something with apricot for hubby as it is one of his faves.
I usually make Apricot Kolaches, which we love, but I just ran out of time and energy to make them this year. When I found this recipe for Apricot Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies at Little Spice Jar, I thought I would give them a try. No rolling, no folding, no pinching, less time, less work, and all the ingredients that that make yumminess for a Christmas cookie is a winner in my book.
If you are still baking and still looking for that last amazing, delicious, beautiful cookie, here is a great recipe for you to try!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer 1-2 minutes. Add egg yolks and mix completely. Add vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour slowly and mix until dough forms.
Place dough in airtight container or Ziploc bag and chill for at least 4 hours.
Heat oven to 350.
Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Place on backing stone or cookie sheet, and bake 3 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully indent center with your thumb. Add 1/4 – 1/2 tsp apricot filling. Return to oven for approximately 12 minutes.
Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Prepare glaze by stirring powdered sugar, half & half and vanilla until smooth. Pour into small baggie. Snip small corner of baggie. Squeeze gently to pipe in stripes on cookies.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
*recipe originally found at Little Spice Jar
“Those of us
who are warm and dry
and safe and well-fed
must show up for those
who are cold and wet
and endangered and hungry.
That’s a rule of life.
Every ethical and religious and spiritual
tradition in the world
agrees on that rule.”
-Elizabeth Gilbert
thecompassioncollective.org
The true spirit of the season is not in simply buying gifts,
but in giving and doing what we can for those in need.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#RealMeaningofChristmas
Snowy Pine Tree Way, Mars, PA – December, 2016
Just be…
whatever it is
you were meant to be.
Just be.
During this time of year, so many of us push ourselves beyond what any human is capable of doing.
Others suffer with stinging depression because their life is not like the “Hallmark” Christmas card or movie.
Remember to just be…
It’s okay…
It is actually more than okay!
It is what you are meant to be.
Let it go – let it be – and just be.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
My sweet daughter-in-law never ceases to amaze me! With a brand-new baby, she still managed to pull off the loveliest of Christmas Cookie Exchange parties this past weekend. I am so proud of her. I love that she values creating traditions and memories for her family…. and admire that she does it on a few hours’ sleep each night!
This year, three new babies attended the party. Although our granddaughter is the first grandie on our side, she is the fourth on her other side – three of which were born this year! What a joyful occasion.
Of course no cookie exchange party is complete without a hot cocoa bar (oldest nephew’s fave – especially when stirred vigorously with peppermint candy cane sticks). And my daughter-in-law’s s’mores cookies made it even more special.
And don’t veggies taste better when shaped into a Christmas tree on the platter?
And cheese and sausage on a bed of aromatic rosemary shaped into a wreath?
Deviled eggs are more festive, too, when dyed red and green.
There is nothing like Christmas through the eyes of children and passing down traditions.
Lovin’ from the oven! The best kind.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Are you looking for a fun party treat?
Everybody loves a good cheese ball, but how about bite-sized appetizer cheese ball bites?
Mini individual cheese ball bites rolled in bacon, chopped pecans and scallions and served on a pretzel stick.
Enjoy this fun party appetizer for the holidays!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Blend together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder and paprika. Roll into approxiately 30-40 small balls using approximately 1/2 tsp. of mixture. Refrigerate approximately 1 hour until firm.
Mix together cooked chopped bacon, green onions, and pecans in a shallow bowl or plate.
Roll balls in bacon mixture. Insert a pretzel stick into each ball.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I am having so much fun creating a nursery at “Grandma’s house” for our new granddaughter.
A sweet little haven for her to rest if I ever decide to let her out of my arms when she is at our home!
I promised I’d show you how I turned bumper pads into a window treatment valance. Didn’t it turn out great?!
Almost everything in this room was a passed on from a friend, was given as a gift, is something I made, or something I re-purposed.
Thanks to our friends Sue and Rodney for “gifting” us with this beautiful crib they had outgrown from their two beautiful granddaughters.
And thanks to our BFFs Jill and Todd who gifted us with this beautiful rocking chair when we learned we were going to become grandparents. (Hope you don’t mind I painted and distressed it!)
And thanks to our sweet Joyce and “Oh Rob” for this darling antique child’s art desk with paper roll that will be so fun in coming years!
And a dear friend, Diane, who sent this sweet little hanging pillow months before our granddaughter arrived, but made me wait until her birth to open (and I really did!). What truth there is in this message! What joy!
I’m looking forward to reading many, many books – over and over and over – in the years to come.
And playing with the basket of toys generously passed down from a sweet friend and incredible young Mom, Stefanie.
Sometimes I just walk into this room and smile… thinking of the memories that are going to be created and the love that is already there from the sharing of so many.
I remember the days when this was a little boy’s room with blue marbled walls and baseball trophies. I reminisce about the two boys who shared a wall between their rooms and secrets I still don’t know about… Two boys who were best buddies when they were little, didn’t like each other very much when they were teenagers, and are back to being each other’s “bests” as young adults.
Creating a nursery at Grandma’s house…
It is so very much
home sweet home.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 