Hello, readers and friends! I just wanted to check in. This year feels so different. I can't believe how our calendar has been emptied of so many things. Right now we would be in the thick of Messiah performances, parties, church dinners, and school programs. As much as I have missed many of these I wonder if next year I will long for the slower, more peaceful season we've had this year?
The most exciting thing we have is that our oldest daughter, Lauren is returning home from her mission TOMORROW! We are so, so excited. It's been 18 months since we've seen her and we've been able to handle all that 2020 has thrown at us so far but I can't wait to get a hug from my girl. I've been trying to prepare a picture book as a gift of her mission experiences and have uploaded most of it but have decided that she needs to be involved in the final editing so it won't be much of a surprise! I'm using Persnickety Prints and will let you know how it all goes! I am trying to edit all of our family pictures from the beginning and want to put them in books so this may be a good starter project to see how it turns out and if we want to go this route for the other books.I really don't have any more pictures that are much different from last years. I seriously look at my own blog to remember how to decorate each year! So that's my tip for you is to take pictures of your decor so you don't have to overthink where everything goes. It's also handy to pull up if you see something in a store and wonder if it will fit in with what you already have. I did find these sweet little red berry wreaths you see in these pictures at a store called Coming Home in Orem. The same women that bought for the Tai Pan Trading stores have moved to this store if I understand it all correctly. Go check it out if you are local!
If you still need gift ideas, here are links to
I hope to be more on it next year with updating everything but I probably say that every year?? I did want to share a favorite song I've been listening to that my SIL Maryn shared -- I had never heard it? All is Well by Carrie Underwood and Michael W. Smith So, so beautiful.
ALSO, completely random but my sister, Kristin has been looking for this vase and we were going to get it for her birthday and it never was in stock. It just came in stock last night if anyone is looking! And the Walmart I was at yesterday was already marking Christmas items on clearance. Don't be jealous of the sweater I snagged for $5! I literally laughed out loud when I saw it and knew it had to be mine.
I hope you are able to have a wonderful, peaceful Christmas. If you want to see a beautiful depiction of the birth of the Savior, this is my favorite. Merry, merry Christmas to each of you. ♥
Jimmy Stewart about the filming of It's a Wonderful Life:
"In one scene, for example, George Bailey is faced with unjust criminal charges and, not knowing where to turn, ends up in a little roadside restaurant. He is unaware that most of the people in town are arduously praying for him.
In this scene, at the lowest point in George Bailey's life, Frank Capra was shooting a long shot of me slumped in despair.
In agony I raise my eyes and, following the script, plead, "God... God...dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if you're up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God..."
As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing. This was not planned at all, but the power of that prayer, the realization that our Father in heaven is there to help the hopeless, had reduced me to tears.
Frank, who loved spontaneity in his films, was ecstatic. He wanted a close-up of me saying that prayer, but was sensitive enough to know that my breaking down was real and that repeating it in another take was unlikely. But Frank got his close-up.
The following week he worked long hours in the film laboratory, repeatedly enlarging the frames so that eventually it would appear as a close-up on the screen. I believe nothing like this had ever been done before. It involved thousands of enlargements with extra time and money. But he felt it was worth it.
There was a growing excitement among all of us as we strove day and night through the early summer of 1946. We threw everything we had into our work."
This Williamsburg Christmas Cottage from Cottages and Bungalows!
and DEALS! These are the prices when I hit publish, they can change or run out at anytime:
* Glassware sets are only $12 shipped for a 12 pc set! Fancier ones are available too
* Target has a $25 off $100 Circle offer on toys and games! A great time to use it on big ticket items like electric scooters.
* Gap Factory has 3 pack of masks for $5 and get them shipped for free with code SHIPPED at checkout! A perfect stocking stuffer! Check out the kids masks that will be only $2.50 for a 3 pack shipped with code GFMORE and SHIPPED
and DEALS! These are the prices when I hit publish, they can change or run out at anytime:
It's candle weekend at Bath and Body Works beginning today! $9.95 candles online and in-stores. Go in-store if you can so you don't have to pay shipping and you can use mailer coupons if you have them! If they don't have the scent you want, go ahead and buy them and you can exchange later when they get more in.
* if you have a man/teenage boy in medium, this 8 pack of boxers are only $11 These are great to donate to shelters as well -- underwear is expensive and usually not a popular thing to donate!
OR
* Guiness World Records 2021 Hardcover $13.25 More bestselling books here!
* Lunar Explorer Model & Excavation Kit $9.98 - great Christmas gift or to keep on hand for birthdays!
Thanks for coming by -- Happy Weekend!!
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