MerryHeartCrafts.comMountain Momma… Country Living

I love to use this quilt every year as my tablecloth at Christmas.  I did not make the quilt and to be honest I have had it so long I don’t really remember who did.  I love it though.  It looks so pretty on our table.  I took the picture of it on the floor because I wanted you all to really see it good.  I think if quilts could talk, this one would say cheerful, happy things.

Monday, I did some grocery shopping for our Christmas meal.  We visited some with the Horns which is alway fun.  Yesterday, I worked some more on my sewing machine.  I am still not successful in getting it to work properly.  I hope to work on it more today.  I have many sewing projects I want to start on.  I might have to get Hubby to look at it and see what he can do.

We are getting a drizzle of rain here this morning.  Temperatures are warm-33 degrees.  Hopefully it will just be rain and no ice.   There is a chance of snow for tomorrow and  predictions for a winter storm coming in on Friday night.  If this happens, our Christmas meal plans will have to change.  Chuck and his family are supposed to come tomorrow and Jess and her family are coming on Sunday.  It is so hard to plan things in the winter.  You never know what the weather will bring. 

We are doing “half school” today and tomorrow.  Then on Friday, we will start our Christmas break.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

Yesterday was such a fun day for us.  We decided to take the girls to the movies as part of their Christmas gift.  As we very seldom go to the movies, this was a big treat.  We found (thanks to our friends, the Horns) a movie theater that is affordable and family friendly.  We watched The Chronicles of Narnia-Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  It was a very good movie and we all had a great time.  Grace has read the book and Julie is in process now of reading it. 

Also, as my aprons are now being sold in a local store, I thought it would be nice to try out some different patterns.  I had been told it would be nice if I could do matching aprons.  One for Mom (or MawMaw)and one for a little girl.  I found a pattern I like pretty well.  Here is a picture of it.

Not exactly what I was looking for but a good place to start.

This is the material I picked out.  The floral will be the main material and the striped will be the contrasting material.  What do you all think?   I am having difficulties with my sewing maching, so pray I can get it up and running soon.  (Could be the operator, who knows!)  Anyway, I am excited to start a new project and upping my abilities.  I have not made many things from a real pattern.  Usually, its something I just figure out on my own or I alter the pattern so that it fits my abilities.  Sally, our pastor’s wife, has agreed to help me if I get in over my head.  I don’t think I will though.  It looks pretty easy on paper.  I will show you the finished results when done. 

I think I’ll go check out my machine.  Take care and God bless.

We were blessed with a beautiful sunrise this morning.  Thank you, Lord!  I just love sunrises and sunsets.  They make me feel so special.

  We ended up getting some sleet and ice on top of the snow the other day.  Hopefully, it will start to melt today.   I have some errands I want to get done tomorrow.   We have warmed up nicely-30 degrees.  So much better than the other day.  Hubby and I walked down to the barn yesterday to get our milk.  Old Red (our truck) wouldn’t start and we thought the road was way to slick for the van.  It was a nice walk though.  I really enjoyed it.  I so much prefer walking outside to exercising inside.

I think I’ll get upstairs and do some sewing.  I have a few projects I want to get done before Christmas.  Enjoy your day and God bless.

We are getting snow here this morning, hoping it stays snow and not ice or sleet.  Predictions are for 3-5 inches.  I don’t think it will accumulate that much though but we will have to wait and see.  This picture is from our bedroom window upstairs.  If you look to the right of the picture, you can see the pond with the snow that has laid on the ice.  The good news is that it has warmed up!  Temperature of  15 this morning when we got up and hardly any wind.  YEAH!

Last night our youth did their Christmas play at church.  We were scheduled to do it Sunday but since we have had to cancel two Sundays in a row, the youth leader thought we should do it last night, just in case.  It went very well.  The kids did great.  I should have taken my camera and got some pictures  but, of course, I forgot.  We did school yesterday, caught up on some laundry, wrapped some gifts, all the ordinary things.  There is a lot to be said for just doing ordinary things.  It brings a sense of peace, I think. 

We experience some smoke problems the night before, so we let the fire go out yesterday.  Hubby checked the pipes when he came home.  All was well.  Not sure what caused it.  Maybe just the direction the wind was blowing.  This summer, we put a topper on the chimney pipe.  It is supposed to turn with the wind to keep the wind from blowing the smoke back down the chimney.  We had such a problem with that last winter.  Anyway, all looked well yesterday so hopefully it will not happen again.

Well, we have things to do.  I pray your day will be full of joy.  God bless.

Praise the Lord!  Water is once again flowing in the Dawson home.  We got it unthawed this morning.  We are so happy. It truly is amazing how much water we use during the day.  Temperatures are still cold here.  8 degrees this morning with a wind chill below zero.  Tomorrow though it is supposed to warm up a little and not be too bad until Sunday, then it is supposed to turn cold again.  We will be having an all day play practice Saturday for the Youth Christmas play at church.  We will be doing the play on Sunday-weather permitting.

We have decided no school today.  We are going to our friends, the Horns, to make some more candy.  I will be making peanut butter balls and Vicki is going to make oreo truffles.  We are looking forward to a day of fun.  Hope your day is as blessed as mine has already been.  God bless.

This little Nativity set is the star attraction on our mantle during Christmas.  It is already sitting in its place of honor.  It has been to cold too go to the building to get out our other decorations but we did venture out to get the Nativity.  Hopefully, it will warm up some so we can get the other stuff down soon.  Very cold here last night.  Acutual temperature 7 degrees with a wind chill of about -5.  Our water is frozen.  So sad.  Hubby thought he had fixed every little crack that the wind could get into but I guess we were wrong.  Remember last year, our bathroom water was frozen for about 1 1/2 months.  We were hoping to avoid that this year.  Well, this morning all the water is frozen, nothing coming into the house anywhere.  Definitely not good.  Hubby is going to work on it this evening as soon as he gets in.  Pray it will not be too hard to get it running again.  Then I guess we will just have to keep a small trinkle running at night to keep it from freezing again.  I am so grateful I went up yesterday to the cellar and covered up our pototoes and our canned green beans with quilts.  Hopefully they are in good shape.  Last year they froze in the cellar.  I do not want a repeat of that.  The green beans are closest to the door so I guess there must be some wind that gets in at the door.  Oh well, this is all part of winter, I know.  I can’t say I like it though.

I do have good news.  A local bakery, The Bread Basket, has graciously agreed to display my aprons for sale.   I am so excited!!!!!  I took her 9 aprons this morning.  I pray they sell quickly and that perhaps I could bring her more.  This would be so much better than trying to sell them myself.   All in God’s hands. 

Well, I have things to get done-not laundry though.  Can’t do laundry without water.  Stay warm and God bless.

Our cheerful Christmas dishes.  These were bought for us several years ago.  We get them out every December to use.  I love cheerful, happy dishes.  After December, we get out our snowman dishes.  We use them through winter. 

Temperatures were too cold for any outside pictures today.  After the snow, our Floyd county wind moved in.  Gusts of 50-60 mph put the wind chills down at zero.  I don’t think our actual temperature will get to 20 degrees today.  Very cold!  We didn’t have church yesterday, the roads were too slick.  We spent the day snuggled in doing fun stuff and keeping warm.   I watched a movie on INSP channel-The Perfect Gift.  It was kinda like the “Joshua” books.  It was a pretty good movie to watch. 

I know I have showed pictures of rolls before but I don’t think I’ve ever shown loaf bread before.  I use the same recipe as for the rolls.  Actually, I use this recipe for lots of different breads.  I tried a new hamburger bun recipe yesterday.  We did not like it as much as our old recipe.  I am cooking a beef roast on the woodstove today.  I think I will add some potatoes and carrots in the pot.  Then maybe open a can of homegrown green beans.  Nice hot fresh baked bread.  YUM!  I also have a peach pie in the oven.  I hope I made everyone hungry.  I sure made myself hungry.

Well, school is calling.  Take care and God bless.

Every year the girls and I try to do a gingerbread house for our centerpiece at Christmas time.  We did this one last night.  We always have so much fun decorating it and last night was no exception.  Good family memories.  I think it looks very festive on the table. 

We had a dusting of snow this morning.  Enough to excite the girls anyway.  It actually was warmer this morning than it has been.  We are already at 32 degrees.  I did my walk this morning, which felt really good.  I have had to do inside exercises this week due to the weather.  I much prefer outside but, you know, you got to go with the flow.  I am not dedicated enough to walk in 3″ of water with 40 mph wind gusts.  Maybe someday but not today.

Here is a picture of the new study we are starting today.  I think it will be very good.  This week’s lesson was on Eve.  Next week we will be studying Rahab and Mary Magdalene.  Well, I better get busy.  The ladies will be here in just a few minutes.  God bless.

Daniel’s little kitten, Gilbert, taking a much needed rest under the Christmas tree.  He certainly is a cute kitten.  Very fuzzy.  Sam’s eyes light up every time he sees Gilbert.  He would love to sink his chubby little hands into all that fur.

We had a fun day yesterday.  We went over to our friends, the Horns.  Vicki fixed us lunch, then while the kids played, we make some gingersnap cookies.  They were very good.  We also tried our hand at making some breakfast bars or as we call them energy bars.  They did not turn out near as well as I had hoped.  Not too bad just not as I envisoned them being.  We all had a lot of fun though.  God is so good to provide us with friends like the Horns.  We feel very blessed that they are in our lives.

We had so much rain here the first of the week.  I have no idea how much but I know it was a lot.  Everything was soaking wet.  Water was standing in so many places in our yard.  After the rain, temperatures took a drop.  It dropped about 20 degrees from yesterday morning till this morning.  The sun is shining though so hopefully things will warm up some.  I would like to hang my sheets on the line.

The girls and I have lots to get done today so we better get busy.  God bless.

 It is raining outside today.  We did not want to go to the building to get decorations so we just decided to make some candy.  I usually make this only at Christmas time but I should make it more often as it is one of everyone’s favorite.   This recipe came from a dear friend of mine and I have used it now for about 25 years.  Wow, that makes me feel old(maybe I should leave that sentence out).   Anyway the recipe is:

1/4 cup butter-softened, 1 tsp vanilla.  Gradually add in 1 box powdered sugar.  You will need to add a little evaporated milk at the end-only add about 1 tbsp at a time.  1-3 tbsp should be all you will need.  It needs to be a little dry.  Roll out and spread on peanut butter.  Roll up candy length wise and put in fridge until chilled.  Cut and enjoy.

Just a little note about the lady who gave me this recipe.  Her name was Vanessa Looney and she was one of the finest Christian ladies I have ever known.  When it became obvious to those who loved her that it would soon be time for her to be with the Lord, she made a profound statement to me.  We were talking and she said “You know, I am not afraid of dying.  I have lived my entire life for this moment.  I will finally see my Jesus.”  I consider this one of the most important statements a Christian could ever make-that we would all live our lives for the moment we will see Him.   Just a little remembering on my part. 

Well, I best be going.  My girls want to play a game of cards.  Enjoy your day and God bless.