Day Twelve . . . 12 Days of Mail

Today was the last day of opening Christmas mail. I will miss it tomorrow, when there isn't any special mail to open. This was a BLAST! Today Tammy treated me to:

a beautiful card with note:

an adorable reindeer cupcake stencil:

and a "sweet" Sugar-Plum Tree Christmas poem (for my Christmas stories & poems collection :) ):

THANKS TAMS! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Day Eleven . . . 12 Days of Mail

Wow! I can't believe there are only 2 days till Christmas and only one more piece of mail to open.

Today I received some yummy candycane hot cocoa with 2 recipes and a pretty scrappin' flower to top it off! Thanks Brittany! I'm especially excited for the Coconut Rice recipe. I LOVE coconut rice, but I haven't had a recipe for it till now. Mmm! We will ENJOY & think of you!

Day Ten . . . 12 Days of Christmas

A beautiful Christmas story. Thank you, Connie. We will enjoy reading this tonight as a family for Family Home Evening. I LOVE Christmas stories! And what pretty paper!

Day Nine . . . 12 Days of Mail

A gold envelope:

and a golden testimony shared. This was a prefect start to my Sabbath today. Thank you for sharing, Amber. I didn't realize you and Cassie would think to share such personal things in our 12 Days of Mail, or I may have given a second thought to posting them on my blog. But I've photoed the heart-felt letters from a distance to respect the sensitive nature of these, and still share the idea of what can be shared in a 12 Days of Mail experience. Great idea!

I too am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the profound influence he has had in my life personally. I'm thrilled that we have this Christmas season to remember His life and sacrifice for our behalf. May we honor and cherish the gift of Him and His life always!

I love His gospel, and I'm so thankful for living prophets in this muddled, confusing and crazy world. They are such an anchor and blessing in my life.

Day Eight . . . 12 Days of Mail

Oh Goodie! Another gorgeous card from Cassie!

& a Martina McBride "White Christmas" CD!!!

THANK YOU!
I LOVE Martina McBride too!

The Nativity & Breath of Heaven

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope you enjoy this video link of the LDS Luke II video & Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven" half as much as I do. It's only 5 minutes, but SO worth it! Just click on this post's title for the link, (or click here: 
The Nativity & Breath of Heaven )
and remember to "pause" my playlist music. PEACE & BLESSINGS!
Jeannie

Day Seven . . . 12 Days of Mail

What a BEAUTIFUL card!

These look familiar Cassie. :) I think I remember when you made them at my house several years back. They turned out so pretty and I'm delighted to receive one!

I enjoyed your heartfelt note and your enthusiasm for your renewed relationship with God.

I LOVE Bible study classes as well. I especially miss Institute. There is so much "meat" in those classes! I bought the workbook for Beth Moore's "A Woman's Heart" several years back, and attended a few of the video classes with a neighbor. I wasn't very diligent with it, but she is fun to listen to and yes, zany! Keep enjoying! Thanks for sharing the link to Dr. S. M. Lockridge. I LOVED the video and word art! He was a little "shouty" compared to what I'm used to, but I really enjoyed it.

Here is the link Cassie shared in her letter:

He's My King by Dr. S. M. Lockridge

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Just wanted to share these BEAUTIFUL Christmas flowers my friend, Jenn DeCelle gave me. I LOVE white flowers and white lights at Christmas! They go so well with my snowman things! THANKS JENN!

Day Six . . . 12 Days of Mail

One of my favorite Christmas stories! The Empty Box

Thank you Connie. I cry every time I read it. It will go nicely with my collection.

Day Five . . . 12 Days of Mail

Oooo - ChUnkY MaiL! Who doesn't LOVE ChUnkY MaiL?!?

Have you ever seen more adorable packaging?

A pop top can! So creative! Am I the luckiest girl with all these creative sistas or what!

Oooo, SO sweet! Sweet for my heart & mouth! Thanks Brittany!

This was the highlight of my day!

I LOVE Snowmen!!!

As much as I hate to interupt my "12 Days of Mail" posts, I just couldn't resist posting my snowmen!

I have been collecting these for about 15 years now, and they just delight me to no end whenever I see them. There is a part of me that dreads getting out the Christmas stuff. I know, most of you can't relate. I haven't analyzed my psychie around this dread, but my brain is thinking, "It's so much work to get ALL those boxes down, and it takes so much time to set everything up. Then it seems like I'm putting all away so soon after I've put it up."

Anyway, once I actually get everything out, it really is a thrill to go down memory lane with each piece.

My four-year-old, Hunter, made it all worth it this year when he said several times while helping hang ornaments, "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!" I got goosebumps, and just looked at him with awe. WOW! They are so precious and simple to please at this age. I wish I could capture this moment forever. I guess that's why we journal and blog.

These won't melt your heart half as much as they do mine, but I hope you enjoy and at least get a smile.

Some of my favorite snowmen:

Probably my #1 favorite. He was one of my first in my collection. I bought him at Fred Meyer.

Something about snowmen in jackets just makes my heart pitter-patter.

This guy is even sportin' some flet pants & boots - adorable!

Another one from Fred Meyer, I think. So ChuNky! Love him!

Meet Stanley the Snowman. I bought him at a boutique several years ago.

My sister, Lola, gave me this one several years ago. It is from Gooseberry Patch. She asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I requested this. He's made from an antique spool of thread. Charming!

By Eddie Walker. Holding his sheet of sugar cookies and rolling pin.

A snowman after my heart and tummy!

Ain't he HANDSOME!

With his little bow tie and bead stockings, he looks all dressed up for a night at the theatre.

This one is a bell. His little feet go back and forth. He's so classic and another favorite!

About 10 years ago, I bought a snowman garland from Gooseberry Patch. I fussed and fussed with it wondering where to hang it. I finally chopped it up and use the snowmen as ornaments. I'm so glad I did. They fit so nicely with the rest of the family.

Bought him at a Christian store.

from my mom

from Goosebery Patch (1 in a set of 6 different fellas)

from my mom. LOVE his BUTTONS!

Another guy with a cool plaid jacket! and again from Gooseberry Patch (from that garland I hacked up.)

I can't remember where this guy came from??? I love his green outfit, candy cane and earmuffs!

from Gooseberry Patch

(part of a mini set of 6 - each one different - the candy cane one is my favorite of the set)

just a cutie - one of my originals - from Fred Meyer

another from the Gooseberry Patch garland - see that was worth it - several favorites from that. :)

I bought this while on a date with my hubby.

He (my hubby) INSISTED I pick something out, and I fell in love with this guy's ARMS & LEGS!

part of a set of 6 from Gooseberry Patch - clip-on snowman candles - wish I would have bought a couple sets of these . . .

This one is from my original collection from Fred Meyer - where this all started. I love his strand of lights, boots and hat.

My favorite BALD guy! This one is so squishy! I just LOVE him. He's got his bucket of 5 cent snowballs and his snow shovel. ADORABLE!

 My mother-in-law, Connie, gave me this in a set of three. I LOVE the rustic charm & personality of these! This guy sports a bucket of bows and a broom.

Here is another from the above collection. This fella's showin' off a bird and birdhouse.

Isn't he clever!

And I couldn't forget this adorable adventurous one on a sled.

These rustic snowflakes are scattered about as well. I was tickled when I found these at Target back when I first started this snowman collection. They go perfect with the theme, don't you think?

And for some snowmen not-on-the-tree . . . The framed needlework in the back is from my super crafty friend, Denise Erickson. LOVE it! The snowman spools and thimble are from Eddie Walker - which I purchased for myself a few years ago. The snowman on the right is made from a sock by my other super crafty friend, Chris Shurtliff.

Now aren't those CUTE! What do love to collect?

Virtual Festival of Nativities

One of my favorite things about the Christmas holiday is all the Nativities! My church just hosted its 9th Annual "Festival of Nativities" in which it boasted 600+ Nativities. With Nativities for children, grown ups and from around the world, it was truly a sight to behold. My collection is quite meager in comparison, but nonetheless it is one of my cherished treasures. ENJOY & GOD BLESS!

Bought this one with hubby on our 14th (?) wedding anniversary in Leavenworth, WA.

It also has a wind up of my favorite Christmas song, "O Holy Night."

(Leavenworth, WA - a quaint Bavarian town & place I recommend)

This is my favorite Nativity that I own.

I purchased this one gradually in sets as we were new business owners when I fell in love!

a close up of the holy family

Here are some from the tree:

I ordered this one from Gooseberry Patch catalog.

I like this one because it is real olive wood from Bethlehem.

Since I can't afford the REAL big olive wood Nativity from Bethlehem, this will do for now.

My mom loves Nativities as much as I do. She gives me one almost every year. I've had this one for about 10 years now. So pretty! From Avon.

Another one from my mom, also from Avon. This is my favorite Avon/elegant one.

Another from my mom and Avon (fyi: my Aunt Patsy, my mom's sister, sells Avon)

from my mom - 2007 or 2008

The Madonna plate we call it. From my mom.

Ooo, so sweet. A friend, Arlene Mills, made this one for me several years ago.

My Eddie Walker set. This was such a splurge for me in my newly wed days!

This is one of my kids' favorites. They look forward to seeing it on the piano each year.

I bought this one on clearance for less than $10 back when my oldest was a toddler.

I wanted one that he could touch without my insides flipping out.

Another super cheap one $1.50 I think from Burlington Coat Factory.

Totally fools the kids. hehehe. They think it's fancy and feel so privileged to be able to handle it. hehehe

It has lasted more than 10 years.

I glazed this one at a Relief Society Women's Organization activity several years ago.

My mom made this one for me out of small flower pots (bodies and manger) and wooden balls/beads) several years ago.

I painted this one at another Relief Society event several years ago.

I just love this paper background my then 3-year-old got at church last year. He has colored a little of it, and written H's all over it (for Hunter, of course.) So sweet! The Nativity in the front, we call our Cabbage Patch Nativity. The characters are so cute. It's probably my kids' favorite. It has suffered a few casualties, but nothing a little super glue couldn't fix.

a close up of the Cabbage Patch Nativity

Another super cheap one, but still pretty.

And I couldn't forget this wooden puzzle Nativity. My kids look forward to this one every year!

It's a little tricky to assemble, and they love to test their memories each year as they redo it.

I'll keep this one for the grandkids as well. It's a treasure.

 . . . and here it is displayed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!