Christmas Tree Lights – Bokeh
All is Calm…
All is Bright…
For now.
Relaxing by the twinkling lights of the tree
willing myself not to worry about gifts and wrapping and baking
and all of the “material” things that aren’t the things that make
the holiday season special.
All is Calm
All is Bright
I think that will be the theme this year!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Sammy the Elf – the Magic of Christmas
Long before the Official “Elf on the Shelf” was marketed (and got a bit out of control – but dang! Why didn’t I think to market it!?!), our family had an heirloom elf who came to visit during the magical month of December.
Sammy (we knew his name because it was written on his shirt) came to visit and watch over our boys to assure they were being good and deserving of Christmas gifts from Santa. He would move around the house every night, and the boys had so much fun waking up each morning trying to find him and see what he might have been up to the night before.
Sammy always left with Santa on his sleigh after Santa brought the boys’ gifts on Christmas eve, and he didn’t return until the following December 1st.
One important thing about Sammy was that he could not be touched by human hands – never – ever – or he would lose his “magic.” The boys never dared touch him. (He came with a note from Santa the first year telling us so.)
Though our Christmas tree has become a smaller, themed, and artificial version of the live cut trees of years past loaded with sentimental and handmade ornaments, the one thing I still put on our tree is Sammy.
Our boys still often reminisce when they see him, laughing at how they believed so strongly in him and his magic – yet still almost afraid to touch him…
Sammy is an heirloom Christmas “decoration” that was my Grandma’s, so I especially cherish him. She had what seemed like dozens of these tiny toy elves all over her home doing silly things at Christmas. She was such a character and had a great sense of humor, so her elves would be hanging from curtain rods and peeking over picture frames and sitting cross armed and legged in the strangest of places.
And then, it seemed for many years, these elves were impossible to find (especially when friends’ kids wanted an elf like Sammy!) – until “Elf on a Shelf” became the rage.
Our sweet Sammy is worn and thread-bare in many places, but he will always have a place of honor on our tree and in our home in December.
He reminds me of the magic of the season.
The magic of Christmas.
The magic of children and believing.
The magic of family memories –
my children and my own childhood.
It is indeed
the season of Magic!
Happy December!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
WordPress Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s Not this Time of Year Without
Dripping with Joy,
Oozing Happiness,
Splashing Jubilation,
Expressing Elation,
Painting with pure Pleasure.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Is there anything better this time of year than pumpkiny, cinnamony treats fresh from the oven?!!
I’ve discovered a way to make a FABULOUS Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookie that is like no other pumpkin cookie you’ve ever had! These are crispy on the outside, chewy and gooey on the inside, and they are seriously BURSTING with cinnamon!
Most pumpkin cookies are “cake-like,” which is fine, but when you want a “cookie” to sink your teeth into, you have got to try these!
I had some pumpkin and was trying to decide what to make. I perused some recipes on Pinterest and came across a recipe that reminded me of my standby cookie recipe I use to make chocolate chips and blueberry white chocolate chips and so many other of my family and friends’ favorites. I decided to tweak it up a bit and found if I use my standard recipe, but substitute pumpkin for the eggs, change the ratio of sugars to a bit more brown, up the vanilla a tinch, and add a zip of cinnamon, I get these amazing Chewy Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies.
Make some to share with your family and friends. They are sure to bring smiles. They would make a great addition to a Thanksgiving cookie tray or even a new one to add to your holiday cookie faves. Go stock up on you Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips and get baking!
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream butter in electric stand mixer about 2 minutes. Add sugars and continue beating. Add vanilla and continue beating. Add pumpkin and slowly mix in to incorporate. Next add the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually mix in the flour on very low speed and just until all is incorporated. Stir in cinnamon chips with rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Scoop dough with 1/4 measuring cup and roll into a golf ball sized ball. Place two inches apart on baking stone or prepared cookie sheet. Bake approximately 15 minutes until golden brown on the outside with crisp edges. Allow to cool on baking stone/cookie sheet for 15 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
My BFF Jill is one of the most generous and amazing gifters I know, so I could not let this week of gift sharing pass without sharing her gift to me (and many) that is also a gift I can give.
What is better than receiving a gift you can give?
The #givingplate is a plate meant to be given away. The recipient is asked to sign the back with a gold paint marker that is included,
fill the plate with goodies or a meal or any kind of gift,
and give it away.
The person receiving it is asked to do the same,
allowing the #givingplate to “tell the story.”
The story of its travels and those that gave and received it.
Jill spent several weeks going to a ceramic shop hand painting, glazing, and getting 20 or so of these plates made to share with friends and family.
The funniest thing about this gift is that it is one I almost did myself.
One day in early December, Jill and I were browsing at Home Goods, and I was looking at plates and started telling her an idea I had for a Christmas gift that is made by painting a message on a plate for people to give away and share. I asked her what she thought of the idea.
She said, “Don’t do it.”
At first startled, I looked at her smiling, and I knew!
She was already doing it.
Quite the sign of “soul sistas” I say, when out of all the gifts we could think to create, we both think of this!
Mine would never have been done so lovely, so I am super happy she did it, and I got it, and I get to give it away!
Who knows – it may end up in one of your hands/homes one day!
#payitforward
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I have one more special little homemade Christmas gift to share this week. This is one I was excited to give to my son, Nick.
Nick had requested I put a cookbook together of his favorite recipes I make, and especially those that are EASY, so that he will have and be able to make wherever life takes him.
For the cover of this little book, I used a photo of our kitchen in the frenzy of pots boiling, cookies cooling, and flour and sugar and other ingredients out on the counter. I am hoping as he takes this little book with him throughout his life, he will remember the smell and feel and love of our family kitchen.
For the intro page, I wrote Nick a short note:
Nick is a chicken lover, so I tried to remember all of his favorite chicken dishes.
But remembering the “easy” part, I tried to include those simple things he always enjoyed.
So – it’s not a masterpiece or an Amazon bestseller, but it is simple gesture of a Momma’s love that I hope Nick will treasure.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I love making and giving handmade DIY Christmas and holiday gifts, so when I saw a similar snowman project created from logs, I fell in love with the idea and convinced hubby we should make these.
He was a real trooper and really did the hard work. He gathered, cut, and sanded the logs, drilled holes and assembled them with dowel rods and glue.
I broke out the sewing machine and created little fleece hats and scarves.
And Voila!
Stinking cute primitive wooden log snowmen!
We were thrilled with how they turned out, made about 15 of them, and had so much fun giving them away.
Handmade with love from both of us and sharing a little piece of our woods.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
One of my favorite Christmas gifts I made to give this year was a special family coloring book I made for Ella.
Ella is my cousin’s daughter, and we have a very special bond. She is very creative and artistic, so I was excited when my BFF Jill shared a fun site with me called ReallyColor.com where you can create your own coloring book pages from photographs.
Since I recently had the opportunity to do a family photo shoot of Ella and her family at Thanksgiving, I was excited to make some of these photos into coloring book pages in a special book for Ella to recreate.
Here are just a few of the pages. I can’t wait to see what Ella does with them!
Ella with Daddy and Mommy
Brother Mason and Daddy
Ella Tree Climbing
Mommy, Ella, and Mimi
Mason and Poppy (aka Oh Rob!)
Mimi’s Greenhouse
Check out ReallyColor.com and convert some of your family photos into a fun project!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Hope you are enjoying your day.
Cheers & Holiday Hugs,
Jodi
I posted this last December, and thought it was worth a re-post.
Remember to Cherish the Moments!
Happy Wonderful Christmas Eve!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 