News for this week...

Just a quick update for y'all--which will probably be the last one until after Christmas...

On Wednesday, I officially finished all of my Christmas sewing, and have all the gifts bought, Christmas cards send out, house decorated, etc. This means that for the first time ever, I have practically two whole weeks to just enjoy myself and enjoy this time of year without all the hustle and bustle of last minute shopping (which I don't shopping like at all--unless I'm shopping for the baby, and then watch out!), and running hither and yon for different things.

Yesterday, I started cutting out a dress for Danielle. This will be the first dress that I have made for her. (I'll post a picture of the completed dress once it's finished.)


She had fun playing with scraps of fabric on the floor while I sewed.

I managed to get quite a bit of it sewn yesterday evening, and tried it on Danielle to make sure it was going to fit. I think she liked it--that, or she's a typical girl who loves trying on new clothes. :-P

Today, I did my morning chores around the house (dishes, vacuuming, laundry, etc.) sewed some more on Danielle's dress, and then my friend Rebecca came over with her daughter, Arielle. Our two babies had a fun time playing together. Although, at first, Danielle (who doesn't often have another baby to play with) didn't know what to think about Arielle, and just stared at her. But after a while, they both got to talking (as most girls do!), and seemed to make up their minds to be friends. It was rather cute. :-)

This evening I will go to my siblings' piano recital, and tomorrow begins Christmas for us (yippee!). We start with spending the day with Donald's parents and sister tomorrow, then Christmas #2 will be next Thursday with my Dad's family, with Christmas #3 on Friday with Donald's maternal family, #4 on Saturday (Christmas Day) with my family and Mom's family, and #5 on Sunday with Donald's paternal side of the family--with each one being in a different location. And yes, I know that's a lot of traveling, but at least we get to see everyone! I'm just hoping Danielle will survive all the long car rides--and be happy about it too. We shall see.

Anyway... If you don't hear from me before then, Merry Christmas, y'all!

Blessings,
Melody

Of Christmas Trees, Concerts, and Chocolate...

There is a song that goes as follows:
"Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.
Fill up the stocking,
I may be rushing things,
but deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas now."

Well, folks, I must confess that as soon as Thanksgiving is over every year, this is the way I feel--especially now that I have my own home and tree to decorate. So, Thanksgiving weekend, my darling hubby graciously brought all the Christmas things out of the attic for me, and I spent the following day (Monday) decorating our humble abode. Danielle watched in wide-eyed wonder as I plugged in the lights on the tree. She wasn't quite sure what this all was about, but I'm sure she loved how shiny and sparkly everything was.

Danielle is very mobile now, and rolls ALL over the place. The day after I put up our tree, I left the room (with her on the floor) for just a moment. I no sooner left the room, then I heard her cooing and laughing to herself. Now, normally I love her cooing and laughing....but something about this time told me that she had gotten into something (other mothers probably understand this), so I rushed back into the living room to find that she had rolled underneath the Christmas tree, and was engaged in wadding up my tree skirt and kicking at the branches above her. However, it was all so cute, that I made a photoshoot of it. Here are some of the pictures.


Last Friday evening, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Choir and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra performed Handel's Messiah. My wonderful husband kindly took me and our adorable baby to hear them. It was simply WONDERFUL. Every time I hear that majestic music, my heart soars as I think of the King of kings, Lord of lords, the Lord of hosts, the Messiah, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace Who came down at Christmas, took upon Himself "a form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

I believe every Christmas season should start out with hearing The Messiah. It helps put Christmas into the right perspective. After all, as the Grinch learned, "Christmas...doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

Now I have told you about the Christmas Tree and the Concert, so perhaps you are wondering about the chocolate...

Well, I just wanted to mention that I have such a wonderful, understanding, loving husband who makes sure I am well supplied with chocolate when I need it. Why, he even (at my request) will actually go into the kitchen and cook Chocolate Oatmeal Drops for me when I'm craving them (even if it means getting ridiculed by his co-worker, who says cooking is women's work). This he did for this past weekend, and then also brought home some chocolate from the store for me. It's just a little thing, I know, but it means a lot to know he was thinking of me (especially when he was going to buy Drano for a nasty plumbing problem [our kitchen sink kept backing up, and filling up the bathtub...]), and it helps to make the Season bright.

Anyway...there is a little blog entry to let y'all know what I've been up to lately. With my pro-longed silence on my blog, I didn't want y'all to think I'd fallen off the face of the earth, so to speak. But with trying to get all my Christmas sewing (I'm sewing presents for all my siblings) and shopping done, I haven't had an abundance of time to sit and write, if you know what I mean.

Now to get back to that sewing...

Blessings,
Melody