Holiday Thoughts
Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 which you can do any day of the week you want! No time limit.
It's frigid across Canada and America and winter is early this year.
There are only a few days left until Christmas...how are you spending this time?
1.What are you up to in preparation for the holidays?
Too much to write about! LOL. This last week is filled with a lot of little things that keep me busy. Tonight our choir has the dress rehearsal for our Christmas Cantata, "Christmas Forever Amen". We will record tonight's rehearsal for our website, but it won't show up until Sunday morning. I will post a link to it next week. I pray it will go well. We've worked really hard on it!
Oh, there's me and my other alto friend now! We are practicing our duet that is in one of the songs of the cantata! LOL.
I've been finishing up my shopping, and now begins the great wrapping marathon...I will have to break it up into segments so I don't wear out my back.
And yes, I am working on Christmas cards, little by little. Not as many are going out this year just because I'm having some issues with my back again, and sitting for long periods of time and writing is difficult. So I try to do a few every day as I can.
The little family at Pamela's Victorian Cottage has been busy finishing up their decorations and getting their house all ready for Christmas:
Oh, and some dear soul gave them some kittens, so that adds to the merriment! You can can that the little Mother is perplexed by yet another addition to her large family!
And it looks like they are just in time, because already there's some guests knocking at the front door!
Remember what is says in the Bible about entertaining strangers:
Hebrews 13:2 NKJV
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
I think it is a good idea to remember that especially during the Christmas season, because God may be sending special messengers to us to encourage and bless us in some way, and perhaps they could be "angels unawares", like the old King James Version says of this verse:
2. What is your absolute favorite holiday movie?
My favorite is The Bishop's Wife, with Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven.
3. What are your hopes for this coming season?
That we will focus our thoughts and attention on Jesus, the real "Reason for the Season"...our Savior Who came down from heaven as a little baby to grow up to live and teach us how to live, and to die for us so that we would know how to die and live for eternity with Him in heaven.
4. Tell us your view on the great tea/coffee/hot chocolate debate and do you want it with fruitcake or cookies? Come on own up!!
I wasn't aware that there was a great tea/coffee/hot chocolate debate? For me, it is always tea first, and hot Ovaltine as needed! I don't drink coffee in any form, and can't drink regular hot chocolate, but the Ovaltine does not affect me the way chocolate does. I do like home made fruitcake. My mother in law made a very good fruitcake, loaded with nuts and fruit. That cake probably weighed 10 lbs. when she was done with it, but it was very good. I've only made it once and took some to my mother in law when she was in the nursing home, and true to course, she told me I didn't do it the way she did, but she ate it anyway and I think she was pleased that I at least tried. I did tweak it a bit and used butter instead of "oleo" in the recipe. I personally liked it better, but she knew right away that something wasn't right! She was very sharp right up until the end at age 95!
Here is her recipe, in her own handwriting. It says "Nell Bateman's Fruit Cake Recipe", so apparently she borrowed the recipe from her friend Nell. To me it will always be "Vivian R. Steiner's Fruitcake Recipe"
Back:
I hope you've enjoyed this Advent Window for Day 17! Thank you, Annie, for coming up with these questions for our Tuesday 4 each week. Praying that you and yours will have a blessed and joyful continued Christmas season!!
we both love fruit cake, as a child I did not like mothers fruitcake, but as an adult I loved it and my SIL uses mothers recipe and hers is the best ever. i have zero plans, except take bob to doc today, me to surgeon on Thursday.
ReplyDeleteyour houses and dolls are just incredible, I am wondering just how big or small they are. of if they are a mix. up close I cant tell the actual size. I love miniature anything and yours are just beautiful. I can tell its a collection for years.
maybe your back is hurting from putting out all your wonderful Christmas decor.. It would hurt mine for sure. I am still suffering from Pioneer woman and have given it up for 2 weeks and my back still hurts. and now for 4 days I have leg pains that are really bad and the odd thing is, if I am up moving around no pain in back or legs, but 15 minutes of sitting and the pain comes, if I get up and stand it gets better. it can't be AGE! right?
Yes, "age" creeps up on us and does mean and nasty things like making our legs and backs and neck hurt when we sit (or lay down) too long, but I can't stand up too long either, so I feel like I am a yo yo, up and down, up and down all day long and tossing and turning all night. And the dampish weather doesn't help any either. I'm actually having xrays done tomorrow to see if there is any new "issues" that need to be addressed, since things seem to be getting worse.
DeleteI'm thinking of YOU today as you see your surgeon. Praying.
Re: the doll house, etc. The Victorian Cottage is about 2 feet tall and maybe 20" wide. The little Madame Alexander dolls have all been given to me over the years by my sister Doris, as they are each one a different Madame Alexander Hallmark Christmas ornament. She gives me one every year for Christmas, because we both loved M.A. dolls as children when our grandmother gave us each one, and then our mother collected the larger Madame Alexander Dolls for many years. I found the doll house at a yard sale a few years ago, and you can read all about that in some blog posts under the link in the right margin for Pamela's Victorian Cottage. The little dolls are about 3" tall. The only one that is not a Madame Alexander doll is the little mother. She is a porcelain "bell", that I gave my mother in law years ago, because she looks like my mother in law, with that expression and her arms up in the same way as if to say, "Oh dear! What am I going to do?" She was a worrier, and this little mother looks like a worrier. LOL. I told my MIL that when I gave her the bell/doll. She actually loved it. I was happy to get it back from her home when she passed away. So I have it here to remind me of her every day. She was one of a kind. There are two different "dolls" in the upstairs section of the dollhouse that are figurines. The little boy kneeling by his bed is a Norman Rockwell porcelain figurine that was a gift to me many years ago from a friend, and the little girl sitting in front of the mirror trying on the hat is a resin figurine that I found at a thrift store for $2.00. LOL I hope this answers your questions about the size, etc. The furnishings are a hodgepodge of items from the Dollar Tree and/or Walmart toys, or my own "creations" out of cardboard or odds and ends. It's been fun to put it together and I do enjoy having it. The dollhouse cost me $15.00 from that yardsale, and my hubby told me to go back and get it after we passed it by on the road. It needed some redecorating and renovations when I got it, but you can read all about that in the links to those posts un "Pamela's Victorian Cottage". It was one the few things that I've actually bought for myself that I've had so much fun with in my adult years. Best $15.00 I ever spent! LOL. Thank you for asking. I am going to send this to you via email too, in case you don't come back here to check for my answer. Thinking of you today dear friend.
I'm not a fan of fruitcake, but absolutely adore an old hand-written recipe card! A few years ago I had my own mother's nut bread card printed on 3 dishcloths -- one to keep and 2 for the grands.
ReplyDeleteYour 'little women' and their surrounds are precious, indeed. You make me want to build a doll-house of my own, but there's little-to-no room to display. Maybe when baby Penelope's older I can get one for her and we can play together.
I don't know what's going on, but I'm right there with you on back aches. Have you any potions/lotions you'd recommend? We can't let the dragon win!
I'm not sure I've ever tasted fruitcake. I hope you back pain will ease up. Have fun with the cantata. It's probably been almost 30 years since I've sung in a cantata.
ReplyDeleteMy spine has been just awful for a while now. I can't walk right, not that I ever do but this is worse. There are some huge storms around us and the low barometric pressure does a bad service to anyone with arthritis or old breaks, etc. My hot water bottle is on my spine a lot as well as my magnesium spray to alleviate the pain and sciatica.
ReplyDeleteTraditions are so important. The Bishop's Wife is a fav or mine as well. As a family we see A Christmas Carol, The Bishop's Wife and Mr. Krueger's Christmas.. so many good ones. We do this every year. Praying for your back.
Add me to the back club! I’m fine but I think I’ve done too much sitting due to the rain and I need to move. Plus Sunday I stood on my feet without sitting down for about 3-4 hours and I just can’t do that anymore.
ReplyDeleteThose miniature houses are so adorable. I always wanted a dollhouse like that.
I have never heard of a Christmas Cantana before I read your blog. My mind kept going to a Mexican Cantina. LOL. I bet it is nice. I looked it up and found they are prevalent in Episcopal, United Methodist, and Presbyterian churches. So that’s why I didn’t know.
My husband enjoys wrapping gifts and I enjoy delegating! He also is the fruitcake eater of the family. I’ll buy one for him and he’s happy to be able to eat it all by his lonesome.
I like the Bishops wife as well.
Thanks for letting us view this advent window. Always an enjoyable read!
Thank you, Debby. Re: the "Cantata", which is simply a musical presentation of the Christmas story by the choir. They are not limited to any particular kind of church, just churches who have a choir, which I know is becoming less prevalent today with all the contemporary churches, but personally I prefer a more "traditional" style of worship and love being in a church that still has a choir. The gospel message is given through music and also scripture readings to go along with the music. It takes a lot of practice and preparation, but hopefully it will be a blessing to those who come to see it. I will post the video (that we recorded at rehearsal last night) of it probably next Sunday after we give our live performance in the morning worship service.
DeleteMerry Christmas, Pamela! 🎁
ReplyDeleteHi Pam. Sounds and looks like you are ready to have a wonderful Christmas! I love the little Victorian Mansion. I have always loved doll houses! The Bishop's Wife is an excellent Christmas movie. I love how you and your family make Jesus Christ the very center of your Christmas celebration. Have a good week. See you again soon!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas. I know when one is busy rehearsing for plays and choirs it makes for an extra busy season. I pray your back will feel strengthened and not give you so many problems during this festive season. God bless you and your family with a lovely and meaningful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI am not particularly fond of fruit cake but have had some homemade fruit cake that is good. I'm so sorry that your back is giving you such a hard time. Take care!! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteLoved this. Fruit cake brings back memories. My Grandmother loved it for breakfast Christmas morning. My mom also loved it. The hand written recipe is precious. Bateman? My co worker has same last name. Wish you and family a blessed Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had much to do this month except knit Piper's sweater. I need to get it to her since I finished it last night. Shopping, wrapping and cards were all done by last week. I did make some "Christmas Crack" last week for a party we went to. I took the last of it to my crochet group where we make mats for the homeless. We had a little Christmas party today and the ladies liked it. AND, it's out of the house so I can't eat it.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to hearing your Christmas Cantata. I know how much work goes into those as I've sung in many.
I would rather have hot chocolate and a cookies. I never drink coffee, sometimes drink tea, but love hot chocolate. The only fruitcake/mincemeat pie I like is what our daughter-in-law brings us from London every Thanksgiving. She forgot this year and felt terrible. Mandy and I love it!
Take care my dear friend.
Blessings,
Betsy
I love your little Victorian cottage! So pretty! Hope your cantata goes well and that your back is feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are going to have a wonderful Christmas. I do hope your back will calm down and there are no new ailments being discovered.
ReplyDeleteOh the memories of cantatas at former churches. I loved singing in them and most I think I still could do a pretty good job on. Its actually one way I have learned and memorized scripture. Win/Win ...
I'm going to make a few cookies now that the difficulties of Dave's health seem to be behind us. Thanking the Lord for his recovery.
I adore your doll house and all the "family" you have set into place. Your imagination is wonderful.
I have to admit that I like fruitcake but it will probably never be in our home as the Hubby dislikes it a lot.
Wishing you a delicious cup of tea and some of your favorite cookies and of course Merry Christmas, remembering the Reason for the Season.
Sue
Kudos to you for making your mother-in-law's fruitcake. You are a gem and now you are blessed with Rose, who is a gem to you!
ReplyDeletePam: I like Swiss Miss hot chocolate; it's 99.9% caffeine free. I have herbal tea on my shelves for whenever I want something warm and soothing. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
ReplyDelete