It's a Book Party (with a Giveaway!) & You're Invited ...

Hello my friends, and Happy Sunday! :)

This past week has found me in the midst of my mid-year homeschool review, an annual event which generally panics me spurs me into reorganizing our home library, so currently I find I'm in the mood to talk about books! And since there's so much to SAY about books, I thought this would make for a fun posting series, much like my Planner Party last fall. So I'd love to have some input from all of you! Or most of you, or some of you - as many as can join us, anyway! :)

Here are the details ...

Please send me your thoughts on the topic of storing, displaying, and/or sharing books - in other words, how do you live with books at home and encourage your children to enjoy them? Oh, and please send pictures too, if you have them! Visuals are so helpful and fun. If you have a blog, I'd love to have you post about this and link up with me, or perhaps send me a link to an older post you've written about books and/or joyful reading. That would be lovely and you are welcome to use the "baskets" graphic I have at the top of the page if you'd like.

My email:

bysunandcandle AT gmail DOT com

(Be sure to leave off the "light" ... that handle was already taken!)

I will share everyone's input - however brief or comprehensive - as "guest posts" as I receive them, and at some point I will also share my own library pics. And just to make it a little more interesting, I have a little giveaway in mind for one of you, a kind of pre-spring "goodie" package will be sent off to one of my readers later in the month ...

All you have to do is join our book party and your name will be part of the drawing. I will draw a winner on Monday, Febuary 15th ... so that's two weeks from tomorrow! Plenty of time to join in the fun ... and please help spread the word if you have a moment. Thanks!

So I will see you tomorrow with our first guest post which is FULL of awesome book pictures, but for now I wish you well and I do hope to hear from you soon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, my friends ... see you here again very soon ...

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Preparing for Lent ...

It's on my agenda this weekend to finalize my thoughts, and our plans, for the upcoming season of Lent ... and as I worked out some initial ideas last night, I tried out a potential countdown ...

Would 40 purple post-its fit on the kitchen door?

Well, yes they would - with a little shuffling. And this project, as you can imagine, attracted a fair bit of attention from the family ... raised eyebrows from Bill and the older boys, a good deal of excitement from the younger two ...

Well, excitement turned into curiosity for Earlybird (How many post-its tall am I?) and pouting for Little Bear (What do you mean I can't tear all these papers off the door?). ;) So I'm still working out all the details, but I think this will work nicely ... if I can keep the 2 year old's fingers busy elsewhere!

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Enjoy your weekend, my friends! Thank you so much for all the lovely book thoughts and pics - Our Book Party will kick off very soon!

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Living Joyfully with Books

"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift."

~ Kate DiCamillo

So important is "atmosphere" when we encourage children to read ...  and not just to read, but to be readers! How do we, as busy (often overwhelmed) parents, do this when we ourselves might struggle with the concept? I adore reading, but the fact of the matter is, I find it a challenge to fit in these days. Partly because I'm pretty busy and partly because I don't always manage my time wisely. Hello Facebook, I'm looking at you! Also, I will admit, in this age of computers and sound bites, sometimes I have to re-train my mind to slow down and concentrate. Reading a book - as opposed to a magazine or web post - often demands greater focus, something I don't always have at my disposal. And yet, still ... I surround myself with books - of all sizes and shapes - and hope that the time (and brainpower) will present itself so that occasionally I might indulge. And that's how I see it - as an indulgence, a gift!

My children are young and have so much free time - as they should! I want them to relish this freedom and choose their passions wisely and cultivate reading habits that will stay with them the rest of their lives ...

So, I say we start with atmosphere. Here are a few of my ideas:

 ❤ Have your books all about - in tidy piles or pretty baskets if it makes you feel better (it does, me) - but the point is, show that books are important. However often they are opened, they deserve to be part of the family circle. I like to set them up in displays, even - especially picture books that tie in with a current season or subject.

❤ Make trips to the library - with and without the children - and get involved at the your local branch! Participate in talks or clubs or perhaps volunteer when you can to offer help where they need it.

❤ Talk about the books you're reading or long to read, and peruse reviews in the Sunday paper. I'm forever clipping (and pinning) books I'd like to catch up with someday. Also, I just subscribed to a really neat service called "Wowbrary" which sends me a list of new releases at my library each week.

❤ Now, it goes without saying that an occasional trip to the bookstore is a real treat for the whole family - especially when a bit of pin money has been put aside for the occasion. We have a Barnes & Noble not far from here and I love to take the boys a few times a year - usually after birthdays or holidays when they've received gift cards. We splurge on a special coffee and bakery treat and just soak in all the mutual book adoration around us.

❤ It's nice to have a special time of day perhaps just before or after supper, when everyone brings what they're reading to a common area to just read together. This very often coincides with tea-time for me. Nothing says let's read! to a toddler like a mama sitting down with hot tea ;) This might not be possible everyday, but perhaps once a week can be managed? What afternoons/evenings are quiet for your family? I'm thinking of setting up a dedicated puzzle/game table in our library ... because quiet pastimes like this make a nice complement to reading.

❤ If you have a true TON of books (like we do), cycle titles in and out of circulation from time to time. It's amazing how interesting a long-stored book looks upon its return to the family shelves! You could set up a "pretend" library with a homemade library card system. You might punch "borrowing" cards and offer rewards for so many books read, while reviews (which earn extra points, natch) can be kept in a notebook with foil stars. And of course, it goes without saying, as soon as the children are "of age" a very big deal should be made about getting that first library card! We even made Earlybird a special felt pouch for his own many years ago.

❤ Subscribe to magazines and keep them somewhere easy to reach. I myself have QUITE the pile of periodicals stacked beside my reading chair, but I encourage the boys to choose a title or two of their own. Little Bear has a subscription to Babybug and Earlybird enjoys Highlights while the older boys - who used to love Legos and Star Wars - have moved on to Time and Entertainment Weekly. I have posted before about my own obsession with affinity for magazines!

❤ Take books with you in the car, to the beach or even the yard. I've laid a blanket right in the middle of the lawn and read aloud as if they were all sitting beside me and not just swinging on swings, or tossing balls or digging in the dirt. I know they can hear me - and they might even come close enough to listen, especially if I have snacks. :)

It's trendy these days to "simplify" but it's nearly impossible for me to declutter our books. We've been collecting them (one might say, amassing them) for many years and they've played such a big a part in our children's lives. And now that we have our Little Bear, why, it makes no sense whatsoever to start culling this vast collection! We'll need ALL those books again - I'm sure of it! (Or that's what I told Bill who is, in this case anyway, definitely more "on trend" than I.) But boy, am I rubbing my hands over the favorites we'll get to revisit ...

I do try, however, to use the library as much as possible because it does cut down on the volume of books filling our house and also, of course, it saves us money. As a homeschooler, the inter-library loan system is a blessing! I make use of it each week and I have been told, we are our library's best customers ... ;)

Well, we're preparing for our weekly trip to the library just now, in fact - I'm rounding up books and videos etc. and adding them to the big tote in the foyer.

We don't have a set day for our library run, but our library bag stays packed with things to return and I keep an eye on due dates. It's fun just to browse the library of course, but sometimes give the boys an "assignment" to find a particular type of book. For instance, I asked Crackerjack to pick out a picture book he'd like to read aloud to Little Bear, and I asked Earlybird to take out a book that is not about planets. ;) I myself am going to pick up the selection for next month's book group, and ask how long Bill's request will take to come in. And on the way to and from - as whenever we get in our car - we'll listen to our current read-aloud which is a perfect pick for this time of year! When we're deep in winter but longing for spring ...

So, how about a little conversation about how we store and organize our books? I think that will best be saved for a separate post, but it is something I'd very much like to talk about. Would you be wiling to share your thoughts (and perhaps pictures) of how you live with books at your home? I'll be taking pictures myself and we'll throw a little book party in a week or two. Does that sound like fun? :)

But, while we're on the subject of books, I'd like to address one of the pictures in yesterday's post ... I left a few of you wondering!

The book I am currently reading - a chapter every night before I go to bed - is called, One Woman's Year and oh, is this book just my cup of tea! Just the kind of book I wish I had (or maybe could) write myself.

The funny thing is - I bought this last June and didn't get around to reading it till just now! (See first paragraph of this post - its all about finding the time!) OWY was written in 1953 by an English wife and mother recounting her domestic "observations" throughout the months of the year. Every month has its best and least liked chore, a local excursion, a recipe or two, and an anthology, which is to say, a selection of fine reading. Here are a few pictures to give you a better idea:

The illustrations, as you can see, are lovely and Mrs. Currey's sense of dry, Birtish humor is just wonderful! I don't know how to suggest finding a copy - they are quite expensive through Amazon it appears - but perhaps try your local library or look (and ask) around at vintage bookshops or maybe try good ol' Google. In fact, it was while trying out that last option myself that I found a very nice article about the book published in the Yorkshire Post last year: "Diary of a 1950s Housewife."

Well my friends, I have truly kept you here long enough, so I will wrap up now and thank you very kindly for stopping by and reading. Please leave a comment if you have some thoughts on sharing the joy of books with your family, and keep in mind my upcoming post about book storage and organization! I would love to make it a joint effort, so as always, I am hoping for emails and photos!

You may send me correspondence at:

bysunandcandle AT gmail DOT com

Have a nice evening, everyone ... and I will see you all here again very soon!

❤

Wordless Wednesday {Sunny, January Joys}

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Masterpiece Monday: Downton Abbey, 6.4

One day late! But here are my thoughts on last night's episode ... so many plotlines trucking along, some more speedily than others. But not many more episodes to go? They have much to do before it all ends - though how I wish it would never end, and I am not exaggerating that feeling one bit. 

Anyway. A great episode last night! I like that so much of the action revolved around the House itself and luncheons and homecomings and such. Very domestic and visually delicious!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Well, it's so good to have Tom back, isn't it? I just love his character - he might be my favorite of all, so dependable and kind. I missed Sybil last night, as did the family ... she was so wonderful and together, they made such a beautiful couple. I wonder if there will be a new love interest for Tom before the series wraps up? I would love to see him find happiness in that way (though he seems pretty darn happy as it is now). I don't think that will be Mary who called him brother (aw), and especially not now that the dashing Henry Talbot is on the scene ... !

And not to sound old-fashioned, but DEAR ME was it nice to see Mr. Talbot back "clicking" with Lady Mary - and having watched Mary now for several years, we could see she was definitely swooning beneath that aloof exterior! (I love that actor, by the way, Matthew Goode - have you all seen Leap Year? Oh, you must! A lovely movie which would be especially appropriate viewing this year!) Henry's chemistry with Mary was clear to everyone including themselves. I had to laugh at Lady Violet and Lady Shackleton's conversation, watching their young relations with a speculative eye. "Mary needs more than a handsome smile and a hand on a gear stick." Ha!

I'm betting though, that Henry's profession will be a difficulty for Mary - whose husband, as we all remember, died in an awful car crash. I think that will be a potential fly in an otherwise very nice ointment.

Now, on to Thomas - and, well - this was "first season" Thomas all over again, wasn't it? Here we are, all feeling badly for him lately, and then he goes and reminds us just how vicious he can be. And pompous. And vain. But that line to Baxter: "You're wrong. I do care what people think of me." Well, it makes me sad (even though I wanted to smack him for embarrassing Gwen). He clearly has such issues - he wants to belong, and be liked, but he just can't stop biting the hands that try to feed him. Or pet him. Or whatever. He's like a wounded animal that can't help being mean. But the scene when Mrs. Patmore told Baxter that Sargent Willis was looking for her - and Anna quipped to Bates that it was nice that for once he wasn't looking for them - well, Thomas spoke up and reminded them that it wasn't very funny for Miss Baxter, after all. So he does have a clue about being kind ... or protective, I guess. Remember how he saved Jimmy? And how he was with Sybil? And how he is now with the children. sigh I really hope he gets himself on a better path emotionally before he has to find himself a new job.

As for Baxter herself - she reminds me of Anna in some ways - they're similar characters. And because of her past, she has issues too, though she has kept her softness whereas Thomas has only hardened. Being asked to testify against this Peter Coyle character was a hard decision for her, but I'm glad she will do it. We all knew she would ... because she is for others first, herself last.

Oh, and about Gwen - what a lovely scene that was! Except of course for Thomas's cruelty and Mary's being all snootily affronted. As she recounted how she made a life for herself - with Sybil's kind intervention - it showed the Granthams how things have changed (and should change). This young woman worked and lived in their house for two years and they never spoke to her - hardly recognized her! But then you had Sybil - so ahead of her times - looking past society's norms and befriending Gwen. Helping her because she was in a position to do so ... and wasn't that quite the wake up  call for them all, especially Mary. I loved how the camera would find Tom's proud, smiling face as Gwen spoke ... and I seethed when Mary thanked Barrow for alerting them to the "truth." Arggh ... hang it up Mary! Enough of the snobbery!

But so happy that everything is all right for Anna - and kudos to Mary for taking charge and getting Anna to that doctor straight away. Mary was feeling (and perhaps rightly so) ashamed about Sybil's behavior in comparison with her own ... but she really does have a heart. "I realized how much better Sybil was than I am ... It was quite chastening." Mmm-hm. And I would have loved a more intimate scene for Anna's big "reveal" to Bates, but I guess that's how things were for the "downstairs" crew at the time. Your lives are constantly put on hold, secondary to the House's agenda. And today's was welcoming back Carson and ... Mrs. Hughes. How funny that they decided to keep the names like that. Again, what works best for the House ...

And UGH - Daisy. For goodness sakes, she's acting crazy this season and I've had enough. I can't stand that they're having her act like this but I guess she's always acted irrationally if we go back to the Jimmy thing. She's young, I get that ... but she's supposed to be smart. She's perhaps a symbol of how the lower class were getting sick and tired of coming last. But honestly, she had it all wrong about Lady Cora - and she's fortunate it didn't play out as she envisioned (challenging Cora about "duping" her). But thankfully, Mr. Mason now has a new home and job ... and did I perhaps detect a little romantic interest on Andy's side towards Daisy? He said he loves the countryside ...

Speaking of new jobs - who do you think Edith will hire as editor? They kind of dangled that out there ...

Now, onto the Hospital thingamabob. Boy, am I growing weary of that storyline! It's the same argument each week with just one more voice lent to the fray. This time it was Lady Violet's friend, Lady Shackleton, who found it hard to argue with reason and support an opinion without knowing all the facts. "That's never stopped me," cries the Dowager. Lol! She gets all the best lines. But you can see her defense (or is it an offense?) is crumbling. And I have a feeling that Robert's "indigestion" is reaching a boiling point - and that will be just the dire medical situation to show the Dowager Countess how important it is to have the very best, modern care at their disposal. I don't think anything less will do it. Certainly not reasonable argument! But I will say Rosamund's "funeral" comment to Robert is haunting me ...

*Quick note before I go - and I could talk about the clothes again because as usual, they were gorgeous - but I wanted to mention how especially lovely the house seemed in this episode. More homey and less grand. (Though it's still, obviously, quite grand.) There was a scene in which Cora was heading upstairs when Mr. Molesley asked to speak with her and the pause here - the way you could feel the lateness in the day, the comfort in the routine ... and then we switched to a scene downstairs with Daisy and Mrs. Patmore in the kitchen ... and it all just looked so cozy. Quite late in the day, supper getting on, lights low, a quietness about the place ... this was a real home to these folks. All of them. And not just a manor, but HOME. This is part of what I'll miss about the show. They really know how to set an atmosphere!

Well my friends, I thought I'd write a shorter recap than this, but I do hope you enjoyed it! And I would love to hear your thoughts on this week's installment ... are you enjoying the final season so far? Do you have any predictions for what is to come? Drop me a note below if you have the time!

I will be back later today with a few photos - a Tuesday Tidbits post I put together late on Monday - so I'll see you here again very soon! :)

A Fresh Start: Printable Monthly Calendars

Hello, my friends and Happy Sunday ... I hope your weekend has been nice!

I've had a couple of folks ask if I might make the monthly calendars I created for my homemade planner available for others to use ... and today, that's just what I did! With Bill's help, natch! ;)

So I have two calendars for you to choose from ... one has (some, but not all) Catholic feast days and the other does not. I believe they should be printable by following these PDF links but please let me know if you have any trouble! Anyhoo - use them as you wish, maybe in your own planning notebook or binder or in your file folders? The vintage clipart was found on Pinterest and to the best of my knowledge is free to use for personal use - so please keep it personal! :)

By Sun and Candlelight 2016 Month-at-a-Glance Calendar (Catholic) PDF

By Sun and Candlelight 2016 Month-at-a-Glance Calendar (Secular) PDF

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Also, I'm making good fair progress on the Early Spring planning sheets and should have those available to share (as printables) in another week or so. I am so excited to plan for the next season on the horizon ... not that we don't have a WHOLE lot of Deep Winter ahead of us, but a little forward thought turns those "possibilities" into "probabilities!"

Well, that's all for now - I have a game to finish watching with Bill (or not watching, as is my way - I  like to keep busy because I get too nervous to sit down and stare at the screen, lol). I may or may not get to see Downton tonight - supper will be late ... and last night was late ... and my need for sleep may catch up to me. But I will post a recap just as soon as I'm able! And in the meantime, I wish you all well and hope to see you here again very soon ...

(P.S. Please let me know what you think of the calendars if you have a chance - I'd love some feedback!)

Winter Weekend: Warmth & Wonder

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Now, you may have heard about the gigantic blizzard that is hitting certain parts of our country - parts that aren't used to this kind of thing! I do hope everyone who is in the storm's path is staying safe and warm. We're only getting a couple of inches overnight here in New England, though the winds will be high. Remember, stay home and "weather the weather" as best you can! It's the safest way ... and enjoy all that snow! :)

So I'm just popping in quickly this morning to share a few photos and say "hi." Above you see my cheerful mug which is holding a gallon or so of hot tea - sitting on top of two things that came in the mail yesterday which made me so very happy: my Isabella catalog and Green Parent magazine. I have a lot on my "to-do" list this weekend, but I will be making time for perusing these two publications at some point! (Over a giant cup of tea, of course.)

And how about a slice of this, too ... ?

Dark and spicy gingerbread - a result of our Friday baking. A Trader Joes mix, easy-peasy to make with the kids, and it made the house smell amazing! (Even better with a dollop of freshly whipped cream ...)

And this sweet little book is one of Little Bear's favorites right now. We pulled it from our Winter Book Basket and have been reading it over and over through the week ... as you can see below, we have a lot of animal tracks in our yard at the moment!

Before the snow hits this afternoon, I plan to take the boys out so we can figure out just WHO ALL has been traipsing through our yard! I have lots of books on my nature shelf for doing just that - filled with great illustrations of the various prints. And while we're out there, we'll refill all the bird feeders so our feathered and furred friends will be well fed through the storm. If they don't have to search so hard for sustenance, they can conserve a little of their precious energy!

Also on my weekend agenda - if I can eke out a little spare time - is to work in my big seasonal planning binder. I aim to finish up the Deep Winter section (cover page shown above), so I can turn my eager thoughts to Early Spring. Why am I doing this now? Well, it is the second to last weekend of the month and that is when I do a little forward planning: calendar updating (in this case, February) as well as seasonal planning (in this case, early spring). One of those planning "tasks" that really need a spot in the schedule to call their own ... otherwise they never "fit" in!

And finally, another peek into a favorite vintage book of mine, Round the Year with Enid Blyton ... this one was a gift from my dear friend, Kimberly ... and I just treasure it. Especially as I plan out nature activities for the upcoming seasons. This is a page from the Winter section, all about "Foot-Writing in the Snow." How lovely!

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Well my friends, I will be off now, but I hope you are all doing well and that your weekend will be a good one for you - with some rest and refreshment perhaps, and a little "recharge" of the batteries. What's on your plate this weekend? Are you in the path of some "weather"? Are you hunkering down or heading out? If you have a moment, please leave me a comment and let me know how you are doing ... I would love to hear from you!

But for now, I will leave you all with my fondest farewell and a hope to see you here again sometime soon!

How I Use the Weekly Planning Sheets ...

Happy Thursday, my friends! How's your week going so far? I do hope it's being kind to you!

A few folks asked if I could show how I use my weekly planning sheets, and today I am here to do just that! To be honest, I'm still kind of figuring them out - tweaking things as I go along, trying to make them work better - so these sheets are still a work-in-progress! But I'll show you some examples below and then describe the way I'm utilizing each of the blocks ... as well as when in my week I actually work ON them. (That's half the battle sometimes, isn't it? Finding time to do the planning itself!)

Currently I am using these sheets in coordination with my file crate system and it's working out pretty well. I staple the two weekly sheets (one for household planning and the other for lesson planning) onto the front cover of the folder itself.

So here is one sheet stapled to the front of the folder ...

... and the other sheet stapled to the inside of the cover.

 

The folder itself is clamped onto the front of a rather nifty contraption I bought at Target a couple of years ago. It's called a "clipfolio" and it's basically a "padfolio" with a clipboard attached to the front. As you can see above, the papers found inside this week's folder are held securely by the clamp on the front of my clip folio. I really like this set up! It's easy to tote around and it makes a sturdy base for writing in my planner.

And here is the inside of the clipfolio ... embellished with somebody else's scribblings!

(I haven't decided how I want to use this pad and pocket yet. I'm thinking a master-to do list might work well here.)

Here's the clipfolio without the folder attached:

It's made by greenroom and I'm not sure if Target still carries them but I found something similar at Amazon.

I keep the folio-with-folder on my kitchen counter - aka mission control - next to my domestic journal (which is always open to today's page) and beneath my planner, which is flipped to the side of the week we're working on ...

Now, about how I use these sheets ... (you were probably wondering when I'd get around to that!)

Above is the general planning sheet for next week (1/25-1/31). I started filling it out today because it's Thursday and that's when I start my "week ahead" planning. (This gives me time to organize my weekend "work" - errands, supplies, prep, further planning.) I wrote in the days and events of note and the seasonal theme for the week, and these helped me shape the rest of my plans. (If you click on the photo it should open up so you can read my scribbles a little easier.) I wrote in nightly suppers, home & garden notes, blogging ideas as well as a few crafts and comforts. These are the kinds of things I love to dream up and plan out - but must accept that we may not get around to doing them - at least maybe not this year! They often tie into the weekly theme, or a favorite holiday or feast - so here I have ideas for celebrating Burns Night, exploring ice, and concocting home remedies and growing a medicinal garden.

As for the housekeeping notes, well ... they do tend to be a bit sentimental. Less "unload dishwasher" and more "embroider dish linens." So, am I romanticizing things here a little? You bet! But I love reading books about the old-fashioned "art" of housekeeping and this is my attempt to write something of the sort for myself.

Finally, in the lower left hand of every planning sheet there is a bit of vintage clipart with a simple seasonal suggestion ... and boy, do I have fun creating these snippets! I will confess, these sheets were (are?) going to be part of a bigger seasonal project, but for now, I'm just having fun with it. Trying them out to see if they actually make sense! But I thought it would be nice to make the sheets printable in case someone else might like to use them ... Deep Winter pages here ... Early Spring under construction!

Next, here is the home learning planning sheet - with note space for each of my three (still-at-home) boys and a weekly overview. This provides a framework for organizing lessons as well as all the seasonal ideas and activities.

Now, about the week's rhythm - I find this to be a great planning tool if your schedule allows for it! Especially for my younger children, but it's lovely for me too. I consider the busy-ness of each day and then give it a name - Monday is for nature, Tuesday is for book baskets and drawing, Wednesday is for storytelling and handwork, Thursday is for painting or projects (music and poetry) and Friday is for baking/cleaning. (The weekend is for family fun and faith @ home.) This gives all my seasonal ideas a place to "live," if you will.

So since I know next week's theme, holidays and feasts ....

On Monday we'll devote some kind of nature activity to the concept of ice: a walk, a journal entry, an addition to the seasons shelf.

On Tuesday we'll pick up library holds (books about Scotland and ice harvesting) and do a coloring page or two (flag, map, loch ness monster).

On Wednesday, while the boys play with dough, I'll tell a couple of stories, and depending on my audience it might be about woodland animals finding a frozen puddle ... or perhaps about my Scotch-Irish grandmother's family.

On Thursday we'll listen to celtic music and read a famous poem by Robert Burns. We might also work on ice painting as we listen.

On Friday we'll bake Scottish shortbread and learn the Selkirk Grace. We may even watch Brave, an old Disney movie that's new for us!

And over the weekend we'll watch football, play farkle, attend Mass, and ... relax. :)

Now, it goes without saying - but I'll say it anyways - things do NOT always go according to plan! I try not to stress when the week flies by and we've barely done anything on this chart. I try not to fret if the "theme" I so carefully chose was never recognized in any real way. As long as the boys are working on their weekly goals - lessons, habits, family, faith - then we're good. If I've worked in some seasonal awareness and appreciation somewhere along the way - well, that's great!

Below is next week's folder, open ...

Coloring pages for the boys (Scotland/Burns Night), and some photocopies from a wonderful book I own called, Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends by Pippa Middleton. She has a fantastic section about hosting a "Burns Night Supper" and I have a few of her ideas in my folder to consider for next week. My shortbread recipe is in here too, as well as a birthday card that needs to be mailed next week.

So there we have it - the planning sheets in excrutiating detail! I hope this was interesting to some and helpful, perhaps, if you're using the planning sheets (or the file crate system). I would love to hear what you think - questions, comments, how you are using the sheets if you're using them ...

As I said, I'm always tweaking ... and trying to find a balance between letting things go, and getting things done. As laid back as I try to be about letting things slide, I do try to include enough activity (or awareness) that would suggest there is a seasonal rhythm to our life. Something beyond the tasks and to-dos, but a greater rhythm that connects us with our world, our family, and Faith. That's what I'm doing all of this for ... as personal as I make it, and as much joy as I find in the planning, it all really comes down to my children - the attitude I'm modeling for them, the memories I hope they take with them ...

But now I will wrap up and "let it go" ... because I've really kept you here long enough! I thank you - as always, but especially when my posts go on and on - for stopping by. I wish you all a happy weekend and I will see you here again very soon!

Tuesday Tidbits: Frost, Frosting & Wintry Fun!

Happy (frosty) Tuesday, everyone! :)

I have just a few quick things to share today ... but first! What is the weather like where you are right now? It is SUPER cold here in my neck of the woods - in fact, I don't think we'll see 20°! Theres snow on the ground (a few inches) and plenty more on the way this weekend ... but such is January in New England!

Now, a few of you asked about my birthday cake frosting - it is a favorite in my family and one my mum is expert at making! It's called "penuche frosting" and it is buttery and sweet and fudgey in texture ... here it is if you'd like to try it sometime:

Penuche Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
hot water

Melt butter - add brown sugar. Bring to boil. Lower heat and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add milk and bring to boil. Cool to lukewarm.

Gradually add confectioner's sugar and beat.

Add hot water if too thick.

❤

Also, while I'm here I wanted to mention - for those of you on Pinterest - that I have a few new boards set up. These are each specific to my seasonal planning and I'm using them for links to go along with ideas, activities and special days coming up. So here is the January-February board if you'd like to take a peek. :)

2016 Planner: January & February Links

If you are not on Pinterest, I can do a post with links sometime if that would be helpful. I just added some wolf coloring pages this morning in light of the Full Wolf Moon coming up this weekend! :)

This week our seasonal theme is "snowflakes," and I have some fun things planned for the boys - the bigs and the littles! Something I'm working on this week, too - and I meant to mention this during the planning chat last weekend - is the concept of craft bins for seasonal planning and organization. Someone asked me not too long ago (and forgive me for not remembering who) how I keep the craft materials and other resources for the week organized ... and believe me, it's a challenge! I haven't really tackled the craft bins we moved from the old house - nor the craft storage here in the new house! My thought is to have bins for the seasons though - and as I plan and prepare for certain projects I will add those items we'll need to those bins. There should be six bins in all once I'm organized, and you can be sure I will post about them once they're established!

❤

And finally, I had to share this pretty page from a book I have displayed at my writing desk right now. I think I've shared it before, but it's worth another look. It's such a lovely sketch - a mother having her tea and gazing out her kitchen window ... taking such joy in her "lot" in life, days spent at home with the children. The stanza below resonates with me so much ...

***

She has a kinship with the earth

Though busy in her own domain,

And comprehends its noble plan

From just a kitchen window pane.”

(Milly Walton)

❤

Well my friends, I will be off now, but as always, I thank you for stopping by! It's a busy week of lessons, therapy and activity here ...  Bookworm's back to campus and our relaxing holiday routine is well and truly over. I'll be posting as I can, though - and there are lots of planning posts coming up! In my next post, I will show you my planning sheet "in action" so you can see how I'm using it for seasonal planning. And I am currently working on the next set of printables (Early Spring) as well as a big post about making time in your schedule to DO the planning! Giving all the WHAT a WHEN! I also have a couple of "cozy nests" posts in the works ... 

So I hope you'll stay tuned! Enjoy the rest of your day and I will see here again very soon ... :)

Masterpiece Monday: Downton Abbey, 6.3

Good Monday morning, my friends!

Well, I am eager to hear your thoughts on last night's episode! I enjoyed it very much and was pleasantly surprised with one particular turn of events! I do need to re-watch the episode because I'm sure I missed a few things, but wanted to pop in and throw down a few thoughts. (It just so happened Little Bear stayed up later than usual last night, so we were getting him to bed just as I was finishing up Downton!).

Now remember ... SPOILERS AHEAD!

***

So Anna is pregnant ... I think? Or she suspects she might be but it's too soon to tell. (These were the days before CVS and EPT!) Mary wants to whisk her off to see the London doctor but Anna is ... tentative? Anxious? Or something. Mary looked disappointed things weren't going her way. (Imagine that.) I think I was on a "clean pajamas hunt" at that point in the show so I'm not exactly sure how that whole scene played out.

Now except for the ugly scene in her bedroom, finding "the staff" trying on her clothes, I appreciated Cora this episode. I love how she resolved the wedding tension by bringing all interested parties into the room and letting them speak their minds. Good for Mrs. Hughes for being honest, and I'm glad Mary apologized for her interference. I think she apologized anyway ... I remember she said something about wanting Carson to have all he deserves. I had to laugh, though, at her calling Cora a snob!

I also liked that Cora took the hospital business in hand and went off on her own to see the involved officials and hear from them directly. When she reported back to the local "team" there was of course, a mixed reception. Isobel was thrilled and Violet was appalled and Dr. Carson somewhat disgruntled. But Cora was the one who did what needed to be done - learn the facts and consider the big picture. 

Edith saved the day by throwing out her angry, arrogant editor and managing to get the magazine off to the printers. This man who helped her - I'm trying to remember when the met before but I missed the part of the conversation where they covered that - Rose's coming out in London, I think? He was awfully nice and I'm going to guess that there will be  a love interest here ... :)

(And can I just say here how lovely Edith looked in this episode. I sound like a broken record but I just love her clothes and the softness of her makeup and hair. And those HATS! Seriously, where might one find this style of dress? I just created a new tag for future posts called, "Fashion & Femininity" ... I think this would be fun to discuss as we move closer to Spring! I'm ready for some grooming chat and a little wardrobe renewal, how about you?)

But - back to the show! Poor Mr. Barrow, I really do feel badly for him. And what the heck is going on here? He wants to leave because he fears cuts are coming but also he feels nobody wants him around. And to a point that is all true ... but some of the staff are clearly fond of him - Baxter, Anna, Mrs. Patmore to a degree. He had been friends with the new footman but then the younger man was warned away? Is that right? Is it because of his sexual orientation (and the mess with Jimmy) or because he's done some not-so-nice things in the past and is not to be trusted? I can't quite put my finger on what is going on here. That "interview" scene was so sad ... I think that was meant to represent the decline of that kind of lifestyle. Nobody really lives like they all (or the upper class) once did ... and this is what happens to a "great house" left in the hands of an aging, dwindling family.

And then we have Daisy ... ridiculously irritating Daisy. Lol, I wanted to smack her! I know she's young and just so eager to have things settled for Mr. Mason but GAH ... why can't she have a little discretion and sense about this? I'm thinking Cora was NOT able to secure the Drewe's Farm position for him, and Daisy just took that tiny bit of hope and ran with it. And now Mr. Mason is believing this to be true ... ugh ... this could be so messy. But if I know Julian Fellowes, he will make this all right somehow!

Oh! And how about that crazy side story with Spratt and Denker? What the heck was that all about, lol?

But finally the day of the wedding arrived - and wasn't it lovely? I'm so happy for the new Mr. and Mrs. Carson! I love how this episode reminded us how much the staff and family care for each other ... Cora apologizing to Elsie and giving her the coat, Baxter staying up late to hem it, everyone doing what they could to help out and take part. Even Thomas, grabbing a boutonnière so he could be an usher, too! And gosh, didn't the schoolhouse look lovely? How blessed they are to have so many family and friends!

But the best - absolute BEST - moment of the night came when ... TOM AND SYBBIE returned home! Oh, how wonderful! They (the show) kept that such a secret, I had no idea they were coming back to the Abbey! What a touching and happy scene ... I admit, I had tears on my cheeks! 

Now, what do we think about Tom's reappearance? Will he take over the Drewe's farm? (Remember he comes from a farming background and always had a good way with it.) Or will he step in to help Edith at the magazine? And will something happen between him and Mary? I know it gets hinted at from time to time, but I can't really see that ... they are close friends for sure, but I don't think they're a good romantic match. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

I can hardly believe we only have a few more episodes! I am so eager to see how it all wraps up and yet, I don't want it to end ... I really wish the show could go on ... even if just in occasional specials or perhaps a spin-off?

Did the previews hint at much for next week? I will have to pay more attention when I re-watch the episode tonight! (I think I might have spotted another familiar face returning though ... ?)

***

Well my friends, I would love to hear what you thought about last night's show ... if you have a moment, please leave a comment below. I know I'm missing things here and there but such is the result of watching with a little one in your lap!

Thanks so much for stopping by ... see you here again very soon!

Seasonal Planning: Why the Moon?

During the Planning Chat Workshop this morning, someone asked why I write the moon phases in my planner ... and it's a very good question! Because it got me thinking about why I enjoy seasonal planning so much ... and in the case of the moon's phases, while we may not be amateur astronomers or anything, I still find it useful information to have on hand ... and here's why. :)

 

For one thing, the full moons, as named by the Native Americans, are tied in with the season in which they fall (Sap Moon, Pink Moon, Flower Moon, Thunder Moon, etc.) and sometimes I include them in our nature study plans. So for example, we might schedule a maple sugaring field trip (a popular local tradition), during the week of the Full Sap Moon ... and that week might be assigned the theme, "melting/sap/thaw." Actually, there's a lot of science and history to be tied in with this topic! We could investigate what conditions are needed for the sap to start running (freezing nights, but day temps above 50) and what it signals to the trees (and the rest of us): Spring is truly on its way! Or maybe we'd learn how the early colonists "discovered" maple syrup (thanks to the Native Americans) and I might even plan a maple-based dinner one night. The younger boys have such fun with all of this, but I think the older boys enjoy these family activities as well.

 

It's also helpful to know when a new moon will occur (which means, no moonshine) because it's easier to see the stars on a "moonless" night. And perhaps that's something I would like to do with the boys as part of our home learning that week or as one of our family "adventures." There are also several meteor showers that occur throughout the year and some are easier to view than others - especially when they take place during the darker sky of a new moon! So it's handy to know whether the moon is waxing or waning when scheduling these kinds of seasonal activities in my planner.

 

Beyond all that though, I like the idea of my planner serving as an old-fashioned "almanac" of sorts, so I include weather notes and simple observations of the nature around us. (Two deer in the yard just now ... heard a raven in the woods ... spotted a fisher cat on Main Street this morning!) I even check the Weather Channel app on my iPhone when doing my weekly "look ahead" planning!

 

Another example of seasonal planning, and this one applies to both nature's seasons as well as those of the Church ... this week we'll be celebrating the Feast of St. Agnes, and our weekly theme is "snowflakes." For years now I've tied snowflakes with this saint's day (because of the tradition of St. Agnes's "flowers") and there are certain crafts and comforts I like to weave into our week. Snowflake science, baking and stories, so many options! Not must-dos, but may-dos. And as it appears we may be in for some snow here late next week, I'll make a point to get the boys outside to really experience the season, this depth of winter ... does it smell like snow? Feel like snow? Look like snow? What signs are telling us snow is on the way?

 

(Now, I was just writing these very notes in my planner for next week and that reminded me I have a half-written post in which I show you how I'm using my printable planning sheets. (In other words, with the spaces filled in!) I am also going to make the monthly calendars I showed you in my planner tour available as PDFs this week in case you'd like to use those as well ... so stay tuned!)

 

So anyhow, this question really made me smile and think for a bit about why I spend so much time finding out about nature and then working it into our family plans. It's something that brings me a lot of personal joy - tying my energy and inspiration to the season - but it's created a lot of fun traditions with my children as well! :)

 

So if your family, like mine, enjoys checking out the night sky from time to time, here's a great calendar for 2016 astronomical events, including full moons and shooting stars, etc. And as of today (or tonight) we are on the way towards the January full moon WHICH -  according to my planner - takes place next Saturday. It's the Full "Wolf" Moon this month and there is some very interesting history tied into that ... but I'll stop there because as usual, I'm getting carried away!

 

But speaking of the Planning Chat Workshop this morning - it was such fun! I hope you could join us, but there is still a way you can listen in - click HERE to sign up for the replay as well as the links Mystie, Jen and I shared from our blogs. I would love to follow up on some of the points and questions that came up during the talk, so please leave me a note or zip me an email (bysunandcandle AT gmail DOT come) if there's something you'd like to see in a future post!

 

For now though, I am going to sign off and enjoy the rest of this slow, snowy Saturday ... I hope you do the same! But thanks so much for stopping by! I will see you all here again very soon ...

 

🌛 🌝 🌜🌚

A Fresh Start: My 2016 (Homemade) Planner

Planners are an important tool for multi-tasking, care-taking mamas, and they're always a popular topic of conversation. (Case in point, my bulging "Calendars and Planners" archive!) Well, today I'd like to show you the planner I'm using for 2016, and you're probably not surprised to hear it's homemade ... ;)

(Now, I'm going to try my best not to be overly wordy, but we are, after all, talking about one of my passions!)

So I started with a notebook I really liked ... loved, in fact, upon first sight. Funny thing was, I had just had a "planner" bound for myself at Staples the week before, filled with favorite loose-leaf and pretty scrapbook paper, when I came across the above beauty at the Paper Source. It was a nice size and weight - easy to hold in one hand (so, portable) and sturdy. The paper itself was gorgeous - a comfortable off-white, lightly-lined, and trimmed in a shimmery silk. The bindings, made of a copper metallic, were strong and tight and the cover ... well, it just wowed me. At the time of my "discovery" I was out Christmas shopping with Bill, and I just looked at him, notebook in hand, and with a big smile said, "Merry Christmas to me?" ❤

(Here's the notebook set on a file folder to give you a better idea of its size: 7.5 x 9.875").

My long-time tussle over planners has played out something like this: commercial planners, while undeniably beautiful, never quite fit my "exact" needs. (And, when it comes to planners, I can be a bit exacting, lol.) Homemade planners can be tailored to my own specifications but tend to come out a bit too oversized to be practical, and I've never liked the plastic binding to be honest. They're also, admittedly, rather time-consuming to create ... though I do enjoy the work of it. So I decided this particular (and very pretty) notebook was simply made to be a planner and by golly, I was going to be the one to make it! :)

So here's what I did ...

First I counted the pages and determined a weekly spread would fit well in this book, with plenty of room for seasonal planning. (This is what I've found lacking in most planners - seasonal organization and workspace.) I also listed out the events of note for which I need to plan this year. Then I worked in the very back of the book on a "dummy" design ... starting with a wish-list of all I'd want to SEE in my weekly planning, measuring columns and counting lines, etc. And, once I nailed it, I divided the notebook into seasonal sections, including room for each planning project. Then I added monthly tabs for structure and convenience ...

And colorful flags to denote event/project planning sections ...

(Some events fall within the seasons themselves, while other projects are set in the back of the planner.)

Inside the front cover I adhered a year-at-a-glance calendar for handy reference (a printable found online), and the first page (a bit blurred out for privacy) serves as a title page, with my personal and emergency information (name, address, email, phones, kids, who to call ...). I named my planner "My Yearbook," but I also like thinking of it as an almanac of sorts ... eventually filled with all my annual "doings" and seasonal observations.

:)

The next pages are for my New Year's planning ... a quote for our family "word of the year" and then an overview of monthly events - from recurring holidays and full moons, to things like inspection stickers, tax collections, and jury duty. Then I listed out my own personal resolutions (or "goals" as I prefer to call them) on the next page.

Beside each goal I made small, succinct notes for next steps to take - i.e. how to make the goal happen. These will get funneled into the planner itself. (Yes, I'm confessing to you all, by sharing this photo, that my old pants don't fit me ... but we're all friends here, right? Lol.)

Now we get to the meat of the meal! On the next pages we find my first seasonal planning section of the year (Deep Winter: January-February). On the left side I (washi-) taped a folded copy of my Deep Winter Overview, which I shared in my "printables" post. This is a breakdown of seasonal notes, things to focus on, each week. (There is space on the front of the fold for more notes.) On the right side I have a page for listing more practical concerns - household tasks, projects and goals. As you can see, I've only started filling in this section!

I used a lot of washi tape and coordinating fine-point markers, as well as several kinds of post-it notes to add color and vibrance to my planner. I think it makes the pages pop. :)

After the seasonal overview comes my monthly calendars. Now these (12 in all) took me a while to create, but I'm so pleased with how they came out! I used the Pages application on my Macbook (just as I did with the printables mentioned above) and chose seasonal shades, quotations and vintage clipart for embellishment. THIS was such fun - if perhaps a bit fiddly - and I love how they look! I printed each month out and cut it to fit the planner page and then simply taped it down. Not the slickest looking calendar you've ever seen I'm sure, but boy do I love it! :)

Now comes the weekly planning spreads for this season ...

My weekly agenda allows a column for each day of the week, as well as one for tasks and to-dos. I like a Monday-Sunday rhythm because Sunday is the "dessert" in my week. :) I used a ruler and pencil and then a Sharpie marker for color. Yes, I did this by hand - 52 times - and yes, it took quite a while. But you know what? I enjoyed it ... I found it kind of soothing. I would work on this when I had quiet times (like now, with Little Bear sleeping beside me) and I would think about each week as I drew its planning page ... and pray for it, as corny as that might sound. I "visited" each week of the year in my mind and breathed hope into those days, and asked God to bless them with His grace and guidance. So it was good work, I think, all in all. Time well spent. ❤

Let's take a closer look at the agenda itself:

The start date is noted in the top left-hand corner for reference, and the first column lists things I need to do sometime THIS week. On the very top lines I listed this month's housekeeping zone and the individual tasks to focus on that week.

There are quotes peppered in the generous white space above the agenda - they reflect the week's seasonal theme (winter stars, here - warming drinks and birthdays, below). Weather and nature notes are scribbled along the far left margin. I leave a check next to each date as we move along in the week.

Along the righthand margin (tough to see in these pics) I have the time ordered from 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. This allows me to write appointments and activities in the daily columns in a timely manner.

Above each date I write what is "of note" that day: a birthday, a feast day, a full moon ...

Beneath the to-do list is a place where I can check off everyday repetitive tasks as I complete them. I had a post-it note for this in my domestic journal, but it makes sense to move it here. I started doing this when I had to keep track of medicine for my special needs son, and it helps remind me what still needs doing in my day. The next section of this column is for recording money spent through the week. 

Each day's column is split into agenda (top half), supper, and to-dos. The to-do's include, first, my housekeeping calendar chores (the ones from those index cards, you may remember?). The very bottom line across the whole agenda is for planning my posts here at the blog. :)

In the Deep Winter section of my planner there are nine weeks (1/4-2/28) and one planning section for Lent. Here is where I will plan out our family Lenten journey and activities. I've allowed two spreads (page turns) for this project.

And next we have the second season of the year: Early Spring! (March & April)

And several pages for planning Holy Week and Eastertide ...

Late Spring! (May & June)

High Summer! (July & August)

In late August there is a planning section for Back-to-School notes. I adore that washi tape!

And then we have Early Autumn! (September & October)

A couple of pages for Hallowmass planning ... includes Halloween, All Saints and All Souls.

Late Autumn! (November & December)

And here we have space for Thanksgiving planning ...

I love that turkey! :)

There are purple-lined pages for planning out Advent ...

And, of course - space for Christmas plans! This section is several pages long ...

And after the last week of the year (12/26-1/1) I have planning sections for: Blogging, Gardening, A Certain Party We're Hosting, Vacation/Travel, Gift Ideas and Miscellaneous Notes. I can add more tabs for projects as they come up through the year - there are plenty of pages back there!

A note on the monthly tabs (which are made by Avery and are adhesive) - I place them on the page where the first of the month falls. So, the January tab is placed on the weekly spread for 12/28-1/3 and the March tab is on the spread for 2/29-3/6, etc. They lead me, not to the monthly calendars, but to where my weekly planning starts for each month.

Oh, and by the way ... that notebook I had bound at Staples? The one with the loose-leaf and vintage paper? I have an idea how I'll use it, so it will not go to waste ... :)

***

Well, I am sure there is more I could say about my planner but in the interest of time (mine and yours) I will bring this post to a close. I know many of you are planner junkies like myself, so I hope you enjoyed the tour ... and for everyone else, I hope I didn't bore you too much! ;)

I'd love to hear your thoughts or any questions you might have, and I will be happy to talk more about my planner and seasonal planning in future posts AS WELL AS during the planning chat I'm doing with Mystie and Jen on Saturday! That's just two days away, so don't forget to sign up! You can listen in live (and ask questions) and/or watch the video after it's recorded. We're meeting quite early to chat - 10 a.m. EST! - so you can be sure I'll have a mighty large cup of coffee in hand! It should be such fun!

Well my friends, as always, I thank you for stopping by and I wish you all a pleasant evening ...

See you here again very soon!

❤

My Birthday Tea Journal ❤

Happy Tuesday, my friends! I hope your day's been a good one!

Mine has been very nice ... my dear family treated me to a lovely birthday today! By chance, everyone was home, and my folks came over for lunch (bringing said lunch - plus cake and presents!) and now, at the end of the day, I am sitting upstairs in a comfortable chair, sipping tea, blogging and listening to Bill and the boys making supper downstairs ... :)

So originally, I was going to do this big list - a kind of "favorites" quiz I found online, answering "47" things about myself (I'm 47 today!) but my time sort of ran out (and honestly, I'm not that interesting, lol) so instead, I am going to share a whole bunch of pictures from today with you all ... just for fun and kicks! :)

🌞

"Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live."

❤ Afghans in lots of colors - this one knit by my grandmother many years ago.

❤ LL Bean tote bags - I adore them! This one is my favorite, though - for the color AND the monogram. :)

❤ Carnations are the January birth flower! This is a small $3 bouquet I bought for myself the other day at the grocery store - that's right, I bought myself flowers! - and I have never seen them in prettier colors. All my favorites: buttery yellow, soft peach and deep coral. "Sunrise" colors. :)

❤ Another shot of the front of my 2016 planner. I love what it says, I love the color of the text (that shimmery copper) and I love the background scenery ... This morning as I walked up the driveway, I realized why I love this notebook so much:

Look familiar? :)

"The best journeys take you home."

❤ And these guys ... well, you all know how I feel about these guys. :)

❤ My favorite hobby, I think, is journaling. I love adding bits and pieces of my days (words, ideas, observations, pictures) to this ever-growing tapestry in a three-ring binder. In the background is a mug I love - red squirrels are another favorite of mine!

"I can measure the quality of my life, at any given period, by how much or little I journaled. They go hand-in-hand." Stacy Duplease

❤ My pretty penuche birthday cake - I think they tried to get all 47 candles on there! ;)

(p.s. Penny, I will ask my mum for the frosting recipe - might be similar to the fudge - and the cake was "Golden Vanilla," Duncan Hines I think. All to say ... it was delicious!)

I am grateful, deeply blessed, to have all these healthy lungs (and the young men attached to them) around me!

"Sons are the anchors of a mother's life." Sophocles

And finally, one last "mug" shot ...

❤ Bill found this cute little mug in one of the many boxes we still have yet to unpack since moving here 2 1/2 years ago. He presented it to me the other day as an early birthday "present" and he knew how it would make me smile. This came from my late grandparents' house and it was one of my favorites. The date stamped on the bottom says 1978, and like any child in the 70s and 80s, I just about LIVED for rainbows. I drew them, collected them ... wore them everywhere: on my socks, my pajamas, in my hair, on my suspenders. I'm so happy to have "found" this mug and will use it happily and remember my Gram ... who would have been 102 on Thursday. She was my birthday pal and for that and so many reasons, I miss her, deeply.

"Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." Maya Angelou

I think this makes a mighty fine birthday resolution, don't you? :)

🌞

Well my friends, I am going to let you all go now ... you've been so good to humor me! So thank you very much for stopping by and I hope you all enjoy a pleasant evening ... I'll be watching a movie with my fellas in a bit and then hitting the hay early, thankful God has granted me another year here on earth. I look forward to seeing what He has in store for me on my new journey 'round the sun!

Next post - pinky promise! - a look at my 2016 planner! I took the pics today and everything! :)

See you all here again very soon ...

Masterpiece Monday: Downton Abbey, 6.2

Happy Monday, my friends! A blustery start to the week here in New England ... and snow on the way tomorrow ... but enough with the weather, here we go with episode two!

And, as usual, there are SPOILERS ahead! You have been warned ... ;)

***

Ok ...

So, the wedding between Carson and Hughes - it's coming up and soon! Like, next episode, maybe? Anyway, now that they've gotten the important things taken care of (their feelings for each other, and hopes for their marriage) the reception venue is causing some strife ... and I can honestly see both sides. At first I was like - Oh for goodness sakes, Carson get over these people! Marry Elsie somewhere where you can relax and be yourselves! Let her have her day!

But then ... it really does mean something to him, doesn't it? This house and this family - where they met and live out their days - and while Mrs. Hughes doesn't want to marry there, he really doesn't want to marry just anywhere. Well, he really wants to marry at Downton, to be sure. And of course, Mrs. Hughes bristled a bit at Lady Mary's "generosity" ... we all know Carson has a particular soft spot for Lady Mary, so this should prove a rather delicate situation going forward. I will be very eager to see how it all resolves!

Now, Mary as Agent ... I am loving it because it really does make the best use of her assets! She was born to be in charge, lol! She does rather like to dispense advice though, doesn't she? In this episode, to Carson, Anna and even her godfather, Lord Merton - giving him a bit of (false) hope in regards to Mrs. Crawley.

But do you know what? I really wish Edith would tell her that Marigold is her daughter - Mary's own niece, for goodness sakes! The parents both know the truth, but they fear Mary would "use" this information against Edith. (What a realization to accept about your own children! No, not children - grown women!) But we all know Mary has her own skeletons tucked tidily away - Robert knows that, as does Cora - so why wouldn't they impress upon her that it is in her - everyone's - best interest to accept the truth and leave things alone? If for nothing else, they should stand up to Mary for Edith's sake! They can exert some influence over Mary can't they? Why would they be just let it pass that Mary can be (and often is) so cruel to Edith?

That scene with Marigold gone missing was tough to watch. I know it was brief and we all knew who had her pretty much right away and since this was Downton Abbey and not CSI:Yorkshire I figured it would all end OK. But it tugged on my mama heartstrings, this scene ... for Mrs. Drewes, to be honest. I felt bad for her and her loss. SHE should be told the truth, if Mary never is ... it would give her peace at least, I think, to know Marigold is growing up with her own relations.

And poor Thomas, my heart breaks for him. He's so sure no one is on his side. Such a lonely man. Why are they all being so (unintentionally I presume) unkind? Are they afraid he'll make moves on the new footman? Are they harboring resentment over past behavior? Has he not redeemed himself? I liked it when Baxter told Moseley that she was kind to Barrow despite the fact he wouldn't return the favor. She knows that means he needs it all the more. She's a lovely woman with a very good heart.

And the hospital "situation" is moving forward ... I find the lines being drawn interesting, but not surprising. I am glad to see Cora getting involved, though - let's give Cora something to do! She simpers an awful lot but she wield power when she chooses to, and she sneaks in little comments here and there ... sometimes in a motherly tone and other times with a gentle reminder that she is, after all, American. :)

Robert has not always been my favorite character (I STILL haven't forgiven him for his near-discretion with that maid, Jane or whatever her name was) but I love when he treats people - of all stations - well. His kindness to the Drewes was wonderful. If that family moves on (as it seems they should, given Mrs. Drewes strong attachment to Marigold) would this possibly be a place for Mr. Mason? Could this be Cora's plan, the one she mentioned to Daisy?

And then we have Anna, seeking out medical help - with Mary's benevolent intervention - for her infertility. Bill asked me if this was a procedure women still had done today or if it was something the medical community came to realize was unwise. (Like so many other early interventions.) I told him I am not sure, myself ... I do know some women can't carry an established pregnancy due to womb issues, but I don't know if stitching is still the prescribed remedy. That would suggest a more structural problem rather than hormonal, I think? Anyway ... I'm hoping it be a blessing for Anna and that she and Bates - in one way or another - will find happiness as parents.

(I really enjoyed the scene in Mary's bedroom when Anna was helping "m'lady" dress for dinner - first of all, what a gorgeous room. That felt like such a sentimental scene, looking back - when Mary said "You've earned it fair and square. Keeping my secrets. Hiding that fearful Dutch thingamajig and carrying poor Mr. Pamuk down the gallery at the dead of the night." That was such a sweet and funny moment between them - filled with reminiscence.

Now, what am I forgetting then? Hmm. Oh yes! I wanted to mention again, the look of the show ... as lovely as ever. Of course the plot is always absorbing but I just cannot get over how beautiful the series is once agin, this year. The scenery for one thing, but especially the way they are dressing the main (upstairs) cast. I am just loving all the fabrics and styles and shades and the hair-dos. What a feminine time in fashion history! (Aside from the menswear look, that was big, too - but still done softly and prettily.) That scene at the Fat Stock Show (what a name, lol!) was all done in such gorgeous tones ... everyone matched - even the buildings and pig pens!

Now, in closing -  here is my favorite line this week, and it was said by Isobel Crawley:

"I'll come with you. We must give them time to gnash their teeth alone."

Haha!

***

Thank you, my friends, for stopping by and I would love to hear your thoughts on Downton this week! I hope to see you here tomorrow for tea, but I will see where the day takes me!

Blessings to all, and see you again soon!

Planner Chat & Q & A

Happy Sunday, my friends! A quick(ish) post today to follow up on some "planning sheet" questions AND to share a little bit of planning news!

First my news: remember last month I participated in a live planning chat "webinar" with Mystie from Simplified Organization and Jen from Wildflowers & Marbles? Well I'm so pleased to announce that we are going to do an encore webinar NEXT Saturday, January 16th at 10 a.m. (EST)! I hope you'll grab yourself a cup of coffee and join us for some more planning chat!

Now, if you signed up for our December workshop you will get an email reminder for the talk (plus the link for playback) but if you missed us last time, you can go HERE to sign up and join in the fun. I believe we are going to focus on seasonal planning this time around, but please let me know if there are some specific questions that you'd like to see addressed. You can also ask (or type!) your questions for us during the live chat, but I'd love to hear what's on your mind these days when it comes to a new year of planning!

:)

And speaking of planning, and switching gears a bit, I wanted to answer a few questions that were raised about my printable planning sheets. I'm so glad the links worked and that they are of interest to some of you! :)

From Michelle:

I would love to see how one looks when it is filled out with your daily routines. Also, I was wondering how you incorporated your cleaning schedule into these sheets?

Michelle, I will share a planning sheet "in action" in a follow-up post. I am waiting for our new printer to arrive so I can print out more sheets - our old one died a few days ago! (It's scheduled to arrive tomorrow - you've gotta love Amazon Prime!) I will print out next week's planning sheets and then, in another post, I will show you all how I'm filling them in. And I've incorporated my cleaning schedule into the planner itself (the spiral-bound notebook I've made up and will share in a post this week). I have listed my housekeeping tasks in my weekly agenda, in checklist form.

    From Deb:

I especially love your "Deep Winter Overview" and would love to see how it flows through and works into your week(s). Your themes change weekly, time flies so quickly, how do you establish each theme? Crafts, menus, books, decorating details?

Deb, some weeks the theme features more prominently in our plans than others ... but I always like to have a theme! It helps me grasp some of the beauty of the season. I've done this since I was a child ...

What I do is sit down and and brainstorm the year as I see it, filled with so much joy - as I go through my past journals and read through some favorite seasonal resources I take notes of things that I love about the seasons. Using this large list of ideas  - events, qualities, remembrances - I work themes into the weeks of the year. Some of them just fit with certain weeks because they match up with a full moon or a feast day - eg. winter stars at Epiphany, candles at Candlemas, maple during the full sap moon, snowflakes for St. Agnes, etc. With this outline of themes, I schedule activities and observations where I can - in our homeschooling, craft projects, family meals, our weekly book basket, and sometimes just my own thoughts and personal activities.

So, for example, next week my theme is "warming drinks." I chose this theme to be part of January because it is National Hot Tea Month and because I feel hot drinks to be such a comfort and joy at this time of year. It is also my birthday week, and tea (and coffee) is such a big part of my life! So I want to celebrate it a little ... with a "birthday tea" for myself and with my kids (who prefer cocoa) and perhaps a cleaning out of my china cupboard - dusting my pots, cups and saucers. (Remembering the tea I shared with my late grandmother - in those very pots! - whose birthday is also this week.) I retired my autumn and Christmas mugs and found my "new" mug for the winter season - a cheerful, golden mug that holds a very generous volume of beverage!

It would also be fun to explore hot drinks through the world and over time - what do people drink where? What are some global tea customs? How and where is tea grown? We could take a look at the herbs used for tea - and sketch a tea garden for the spring, with plans to make our own tea blends next year? (Homemade gifts!) Perhaps a look at the history of tea in New England, with a visit to the Boston tea party ship and museum? Any or all of these things could be woven into our home learning this week ...

I keep it fairly low key - or not, depending on time and interest! I just like being aware of all those beautiful "comforts and joys" that are part of the year itself. My aim is to come up with all kinds of ideas (like the ones I mentioned above) so I can pick and choose what fits with our needs each year. Like, we didn't do much with "winter stars" last week ... but maybe next year we'll visit the planetarium, hang shiny window stars, and bake star-shaped spice cookies for Little Christmas ... 

Naming "themes" to the weeks is just my way of organizing a large umbrella of many ideas. And these are the ideas (and framework) that are making up my book which I hope to "publish" sometime this year. For now though, these ideas live in my planners and posts and binders - and, of course, in my heart! I carry them around with me and nurture them when I have time to sit and reflect on just why I love the seasons. :)

Well, I got a bit rambly, Deb, but I hope I answered your question. Please let me know if I can clarify further! 

Here's another question, from Shelly:

I am wondering.... did you do these in Word? The reason I ask is that I would like to create a 'deep winter' overview, but my lists would have different things to focus on.

Shelly, I did these sheets in an application called, "Pages" on my Macbook. I don't know how or if that would work with Word, but what I did was I went back into the Deep Winter Overview page and deleted personal text. I left the dated nine weekly blocks and the snowdrops graphic. If that would be something you could use, feel free to grab it! I had someone ask if they would be able to make the pages editable, but I'm not sure how that would work.

Deep Winter Overview (Clean Copy)

And finally, from Kelly:

I could see using these as brainstorming sheets, and then transferring the ideas/thoughts to my planner (monthly, daily, and weekly to-do's). Thank you for sharing these! Isn't planning such a joy, especially when it helps us live out our lives more intentionally?

Kelly - yes! Exactly. I use these sheets (and exercises) to brainstorm seasonal ideas that can (possibly, hopefully) be funneled into my weekly activities - things I might do with my family and/or on my own. The planner - which I will show you all this week - is where I get into the "nitty gritty" of the week. It shows me what is happening when and where I might be able to squeeze in a little seasonal appreciation. :)

Planning IS such a joy, Kelly - and you nailed it when you said: "it helps us live out our lives more intentionally." YES. THIS. Time flies, joy passes by - and I love to find ways to harness it, appreciate it, and share it with my family when and where I can. And the blessing is, seasonal living is a joy we get to revisit every year! :)

~❤~

Well, my friends, I'd best wrap up now, but I hope you enjoyed this post! Please let me know if you have any questions - regarding the planning sheets or perhaps my upcoming chat with Mystie and Jen on Saturday. I would love to hear from you! And I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday ... we've got Downton tonight! Woohoo! So let's chat about the episode tomorrow! :)

See you here again very soon ...

A Fresh Start: Printable Planning Sheets

Happy Friday, my friends! I hope this week is treating you well.

I have some really fun posts coming up - there's a new "Planner Tour" in the works and of course "Masteriece Monday" as well as a "Birthday Tea" on Tuesday! - but for today I'd like to share some printable planning sheets with you all ...

Now originally, I was designing these sheets as part of a "spiral-bound, weekly planner-book kind of thing." I was also creating another set of pages for further description of seasonal projects and homey little "assignments" ... but this all became a bit overcomplicated (not to mention oversized!) so I decided the planning sheets would work well enough with my file crate folders. I've been looking for a way to make the FCS more useful and this just might be it! So I went on to transform a simple store-bought notebook into a more user-friendly weekly planner (details soon) and the seasonal project/assignment pages are (slowly) being churned out and set aside for that someday (soon I hope) book. :)

Anyhow, since I very recently figured out how to make a document a PDF and link it here at my blog - I thought it would be fun to share these sheets here in case they might be helpful to someone in some way ...

I have two page designs - one is for general planning and the other is for lesson planning. I am stapling them to the front cover of the folders, with general planning on the outside and lesson planning on the inside. You could also use Washi tape to attach them, or a decorative paper clip, perhaps ... but so far, stapling works for me!

I only have my first season (aka two months) done so far, but if there is interest, I will share the following seasons as I complete them. So here first is my Deep Winter Overview 2016 PDF which breaks down the season by weeks and themes, and will perhaps give you a better idea of what those project pages cover. This particular sheet I have attached inside my notebook planner, at the start of the Deep Winter section, secured with some pretty washi tape. 

(Edited to Add: Here is a clean copy of the Deep Winter Overview Planning Sheet.)

And here is a link to my lesson planning sheet:

Home Learning This Week (Dawn's)

Home Learning This Week (blank)

 (I've included my own personalized sheet just to give you a better idea of how I use it, as well as a clean copy for you to use if you wish.)

And, finally, here are the Weekly Planning Sheets for January and February. There are sections for planning "days of note," a weekly "theme," suppers, to-dos, crafts & comforts, home & garden tasks/projects, and thoughts & prayers. I also had fun choosing a bit of vintage clipart and adding a simple seasonal "suggestion" for the week.

Deep Winter Week One Planning Sheet (12/28-1/3) PDF

Deep Winter Week Two Planning Sheet (1/4-1/10) PDF

Deep Winter Week Three Planning Sheet (1/11-1/17) PDF

Deep Winter Week Four Planning Sheet (1/18-1/24) PDF

Deep Winter Week Five Planning Sheet (1/25-1/31) PDF

Deep Winter Week Six Planning Sheet (2/1-2/7) PDF

Deep Winter Week Seven Planning Sheet (2/8-2/14) PDF

Deep Winter Week Eight Planning Sheet (2/15-2/21) PDF

Deep Winter Week Nine Planning Sheet (2/22-2/28) PDF

I can do a follow-up post to show how I fill out those blocks. This sheet shown above was hot-off-the-presses and just set on top of a folder for a photo-op.

Now as I mentioned, I also have my notebook planner going on, and I use that more actively than I do these folders/sheets. I refer to my folders/sheets for ideas and direction, but I have daily checklists and a weekly agenda in my planner. I hope this will all make more sense once I give you the full planner tour - WHICH I am hoping to have up midweek! I have a busy weekend with family visits and such, but I will be working in my planner as I find time and taking pictures to share. My goal is to post the tour by Wednesday!

So for now, I will let you go, but I hope you enjoyed this post and seeing all my Deep Winter planning! I would love to hear your thoughts on them if you have time! I would also love to write more about how I'm using the sheets but nap time is nearing its end so I'd better wrap up. I will be back very soon, however, and for now I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

*❤*

Thoughtful Thursday ~ Planning

Happy Thursday, my friends!

I thought I'd share this "thoughtful" quote with you all today ... I really appreciate this sentiment, because goodness knows, I can get a bit obsessed with plans - and what I imagine to be THE perfect plan, which is undoubtedly, out there, somewhere, maybe just beyond my grasp ...

So I wrote this quote on the first page of my 2016 planner, and I hope it reminds me to just get on with things - today, not tomorrow! - and not worry so much if the plan/planner isn't perfect. It's more important to just get started and do what we can, while we can!

Not that there's anything wrong with dreaming about that elusive "someday" plan/planner ... right?

;)

But speaking of plans and planners -  my own homemade 2016 planner is finally just about done and I am so relieved! It took a good long while to draw out each weekly spread by hand ... 52 weeks, plus seasonal spreads and special planning sections ... and there was probably an easier way to do it, but I didn't take the time to think too much about it - I just did it! I used quiet sitting times (nap times, mostly) to work with my pencil and ruler and Sharpie accent pens ... and now I'm just going back through the individual weeks and adding in as much information as I can. I am really loving how it looks and in just a couple of days I will post a full tour! :)

Now, I also wanted to mention another project I've been working on, and about which I am quite excited! I began designing a set of planning sheets late last year with a different end-result in mind (something spiral-bound) but have since decided they would be great to use with my weekly file folders ...

I have chosen colors to complement the seasons, and the grid is tailored for home, garden, crafts and lessons planning. In the corner of each page is a small bit of vintage clipart I found on Pinterest with a seasonal "suggestion" for the week. I am stapling these sheets to my file folders (home/garden up front and lesson planning inside) and this seems to be working well so far!

(So said in the SECOND week of the year, lol!) 

Anyhoo! What I also wanted to say is that I think I have figured out how to save these planning sheets as PDF links and I would like to share them here at my blog! So, if you are interested, you should be able to print out these sheets for your own personal use - whether you use file folders, or not.

So please give me a few more days and I should be able to put up a post with my Deep Winter (Jan-Feb) planning sheets! I will also describe how I'm using them along with my folders (so far).

***

Well, my friends ~ I'll be off for now, but I do thank you for stopping by and I hope you'll swing by again when you have time. I will be back to chat more very soon!

❤

Wordless Wednesday ~ Little Christmas

:)

Masterpiece Monday: Downton's Last Season! (updated)

Happy Monday, my friends! Hope your week's off to a great start!

Now, you might notice that this post is rather brief ... and that would be because, as I feared ... I just could not stay up late enough to watch the whole show! #tiredmama #babyinbed #sleepcomesfirst! I WILL, however, be watching tonight, so tomorrow I will update this post with my thoughts ... but I wanted to put this up in case anyone would like to get the discussion rolling! So you are welcome to share your thoughts on the first episode of season six in the comments below. I won't be popping in till tomorrow so don't worry about spoiling me!

(Can you believe this is the FINAL Downton Abbey season???)

(And p.s Did anyone catch the new Sherlock? What did you think?)

See you all tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by!

***

(And here are my thoughts, now that I've caught up! I'll join you in the comments a bit later on ...)

Well, that was a wonderful final first episode! I loved stepping back into this beautiful world, but how bittersweet it is to remember this is the last season ... I miss it already! And so here are my thoughts ... I took notes as I watched last night and this morning (with but a few sips of coffee in me!) I am attempting to make sense of them!

SPOILERS AHEAD! 

So happy for Anna and Bates, that their troubles finally seem to be behind them. In the beginning of this episode, as Anna was crying and Bates was consoling, all I could think was: Gosh, are they ever going to get a break? Maybe once her stress lessens, she will relax and be able to conceive. I found it interesting (sad, really) that Anna's assumption was that she was the one who "couldn't get pregnant" ... it points to how for so long, throughout history, it was women who shouldered the blame of infertility. 

Interesting how lovely Thomas is with the children ... how they have taken to him. And he worries he'll be the one to be let go. When he said that nobody wants him there, I immediately thought, despite his past misbehaviors, they obviously trust and rely on him. To allow the little ones to be in his care for so many hours.

Now, about the whole Carson-Mrs. Hughes "how married will we be" drama ... it was sweet and real, and I loved how it was resolved. That final scene was beautiful. I'm still befuddled, however, that Mrs. Hughes asked Mrs. Patmore to speak to Carson about her intimate anxieties?? Did that not seem strange to you? I mean, I know they're all friends, and it did provide some humor, watching Mrs. Patmore struggle with her task ... and the look of Mr. Carson's face when he realized what she was asking! But in the end, such a sweet, even swoon-y, scene ... the love and admiration Carson professed for Mrs, Hughes (and she him) was just lovely.

(Side note - if they marry and live elsewhere will they still run the household? Just as Anna and Bates do I expect?)

Then we have the hospital situation unfolding ... so the "Royal Hospital" wants to take over the little local hospital that Isobel runs and the Countess oversees. I must say I'm relishing this drama because as much as I love the friendship that has blossomed between them, I relish their sparring very much!

Best line of the night:

"Does it ever get cold up there up on the moral high ground?" (Lady Violet to Isobel Crawley)

And I can see this situation has stirred up the potential triangle between Isobel, Lord Merton and Dr. Clarkson once again. I detected a little "fire" between Isobel and Clarkson and might that be the spark needed to change their friendship into something else?

Then of course we had the whole Mary blackmail drama. She's being quite "Mary" again this season, all aloof and snooty and picking at Edith. But boy did I want to smack that little snit who was following her around and harassing her. Another symbol of the changing times - Mary's power and station didn't impress or intimidate this working class woman. But I loved how Lord Grantham took care of her with finesse and resolved this particular pickle for Mary - stepping in to take care of his daughter, but also acknowledging she is no longer a child. And so Mary moves forward as agent of the estate ...

And all this talk about downsizing ... because houses like Downton just don't exist as they once did. Is this all about money or just that too much extravagance is unseemly? In the Grantham's particular situation, is Robert worried about appearances or money?

Now, that scene with Daisy at the auction ... just ... UGH. I was so upset with her ... and for her! I  know she was acting out of love and outrage, but honestly. She's a very smart young woman - emphasis on the word young - and she really should have known better. What an awful way to handle things! She was fortunate not to have been dismissed (and I'm sure in another house she would have been) but I worry now for Mr. Mason. What on earth will he do? 

Edith's storyline is interesting and I like how she's carrying herself. (And I must say I like how she presents herself as a mother, much more than I do Mary: "Come to Mummy, George" makes me cringe.) So she's considering a life in London with her daughter ... I think this all sets a certain tone of movement and change among the classes and genders. Both she and Mary are now working women - working mothers! - without men in their lives. Each of them strong in their own way, and resolved to live their lives fully without a man if needs be ... but you know of course, there must be men out there just waiting for another episode to appear. I'm hoping that handsome race car driver whom Mary met at the end of last season returns ... I love that Irish actor, Matthew Goode. As for Edith, well - she's certainly due some happiness as well! Does anyone wonder if Michael Greyson might return "from the dead" at some point? Or is he really and truly dead?

There were mentions of Rose being quite happy in New York and Tom and Sybbie well-situated in mostly Irish-Boston. Wouldn't it be nice to peek in on them? Might we get a look at their lives in America at some point, I wonder?

Oh my goodness, and can we just talk for a moment about the CLOTHES this year? Too gorgeous! And the hats, especially ... love the little cloche hats. I find myself needing a little hat just like that this year ... :) I'm hoping Victoria Magazine or some other similar publication will do a sizable spread on Downton fashions once again before the series wraps. The 20s were quite elegant and feminine ... While I think of it, I have a really nice book to recommend if you are also enthralled with 20s fashion:

Vintage Notions: An Inspiration Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Fashion, Sewing and Fun

And finally, I was once again endeared to the Grantham family by how they live with, and handle, their staff. There is a distinct separation, of course, but also, a true partnership, with real respect on both sides. I love Mary and Anna's relationship especially - protective, honest and open. I like who Mary is with her - just as I liked who she was with Matthew ...

And I loved the final scene when they all gathered for champagne to toast the end of Anna and Bates's trials ... I really think this closeness set Downton apart from other houses of the time. The "upstairs and downstairs" rely on each other, but also, deeply care for one another as well. How funny was that scene with Robert snooping in the kitchen! "Is this the fridge?" he asks Cora. :)

 What this episode did for me more than anything is remind me how much I adore this show, in all aspects, and how much I am going to miss it ... it is a true treasure, and I aim to savor every last minute! Will you join me?

Ok, so week one is a wrap! I would love to hear your thoughts if you have the time ... I will be back again next week to talk more, and I will strive to be ready on Monday! I'm now off to poke through some of my Downton books ... I think I'll be turning to them often for "a fix" as the series winds down ...

Thanks so much for stopping by, my friends ... see you here again very soon!

Tea with Friends ... ❤

Happy New Year, my friends, and Merry Christmas, too!

Yes, it's still Christmas! And for several more days!

Well, I hope you're all having a nice weekend ... I'm sorry I've been so slow on replies and posts, but I seem to be off my routine a bit lately. Finding it hard to get myself back online in a regular fashion. I feel like it will take some time to get back to our usual household "rhythm" ... we've been spoiled with Bill home so much and so many easygoing days. Next week - a return to "normal!" (Whatever that means, lol!)

Anyhoo, today I am very happy to share some lovely tea notes with you, from several dear readers, and these reflect not only on Christmas, but the Winter season, too. I hope you'll pour yourself a cup of tea and join us! And please see me at the end of the post for a bit of this and that ... :)

First, from Karen T. - my Massachusetts friend :) - an invitation to Christmas Tea at her blog: A Servant's Memories. Thank you for sharing, Karen! I am honored to be linked and share tea with you! I am with you on starting earlier next year - YES! I hope 2016 is a great year for you. :)

And now some Christmas Tea notes, from Amy P.  ...

Christmas Day was wonderful. It was just my husband, younger daughter, and myself, and we had a completely relaxing day - slept late, had a leisurely breakfast after presents, and spent the rest of the day watching a couple of movies, assembling a puzzle, and just being together. Then the next day my older daughter came with her family for the weekend and it was so good to spend time with them. As for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, they were the most hectic and overwhelming that I can remember. :(

What was the best thing you ate (or drank) this Christmas?

 

There are a few things I only make at Christmas, but my absolute favorite is a gelatin-based recipe that was handed down through my Dad's family. It has pineapple and dark sweet cherries and sour cream and I know it sounds like it should be gross, but it's SO good. 

 

What are your hopes for next Christmas? What would you like to do differently?

 

My husband and I have been talking quite a bit about this, given that every year seems to be more horribly busy and overwhelming to the point that we don't enjoy the season at all. Our hopes are that we can enjoy the entire Christmas season, and that we aren't completely physically and emotionally exhausted by the time Christmas arrives. Unfortunately, the way I think we will need to accomplish this is to do more Christmas-y things before Thanksgiving, such as write cards and put the tree up. Over the past few years I've cut back on baking and purged decorations to the point that I don't want to cut any further. We also may not attend any Christmas parties at church - my husband is on the pastoral staff (his first year there - he recently retired from the Army) and we were invited to every party for every class and organization there. We only attended a few - there was no way we could have gone to all of them! - but some people were upset that we didn't attend their particular party, which added to the stress we were already under. So yeah. Next year, we'll probably attend none of them.

 

Do you celebrate Christmas beyond December 25th in any way?

 

We pretty much celebrate Christmas until the New Year - the decorations stay up, we're finishing up holiday treats, and and there are unwrapped gifts and half-stuffed stockings left under the tree until at least the 2nd. :) 

 

I'm glad I finally got to answer some of your questions! I wanted to join in the last month or so, but have had NO time. Thanks for hosting these, Dawn!

 

~ Amy

 

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Amy! I agree wholeheartedly about getting an earlier start on things next year because I found myself (my family) in a similar situation very close to Christmas. We had been so slow-paced and peaceful about things early in Advent ... and it was wonderful ... but things didn't get done! So there was a bit of a scramble there at the end and that was NOT the way I wanted to enter Christmas. Next year will be different I hope!

  

From Shirley  ... :)

 

What is Winter like where you live? Is it true to form this year?

Here in England we tend to have very changeable weather. Snow is not always a given, some winters can be more volatile than others, we are an island after all. This year we (in fact most of Europe) are having a very unseasonably warm time. I have to say that I DO NOT like it! Winter should be winter in my books. I love that each season is so distinctly different and relish what each new season brings. Right now my snowdrops are blooming - in DECEMBER! Some people have daffodils blooming already. I find this all a bit sad because it means spring is not going to be as bright and colourful as it usually is.

What are your favourite things about winter?

Snow and frost hands down. I love bundling up warmly to go outside. I love how the world is transformed by a snowfall or hard frost. I love how the birds flock to my feeder. I love having the fire going, candles glowing and wholesome meals cooking in the crockpot. Honestly, there's so much to LOVE about this season :)

Hobbies?

Well I love to have something on my knitting needles all the time. I'm keen on trying to dye my own yarn but that takes a whole lot of setting up and I'm thinking that summer may be a better time for that endeavor.

What foods do you like serving over winter?

Well my crockpot works overtime during this season. You can cook just about anything you want in the crockpot. I love setting it up around lunchtime then smelling the warming, delicious aromas all throughout the afternoon. I love that the afternoon is then mine to do with as I wish - no having to stop to prep supper. I find that with the shorter days I always get restless to start supper earlier because it feels later. But with the crockpot all that restlessness disappears :)

Other than that, root veg, pies, hot chocolates, tea - lots of tea. Home-baked cookies and goodies - gosh, thank goodness winter does not last all year! We would all be HUGE! :)

~ Shirley

 

Lovely thoughts, Shirley, thank you! We have also been unseasonably mild here in New England ... it is only just getting truly wintry here, with snow that finally fell last week and stuck! I also appreciate the distinctive seasons and like things to stay true to form! And I'm with you on the crockpot - such a lifesaver and a real homey comfort on blustery afternoons. :)

 

 

From Helena ...

What is Winter like where you live? Is it true to form this year? 

Normally it’s quite a bit warmer than the rest of the country, but not *this* warm! Apparently our Christmas temperatures are supposed to be in the mid-80s, which is hot for this time of year. We had a chilly day or two over the weekend (overnight lows in the 40s), and we were hoping the chill would stick around for the holiday, but no such luck.

What are your favorite things about Winter?

Well, during a typical winter, I enjoy opening up the house to the breeze, working outside without getting all sweaty, and being able to wear jeans and a sweater.

What are some hobbies you might try over these long winter days?

I’d like to improve my embroidery skills and maybe finally learn how to use my Nonna’s sewing machine—she gave it to me about a year ago and I’m still trying to convince myself it won’t eat me. :)

What foods do you like to serve during the Winter? Are there seasonal meals you return to every year? 

I like to make more soups and roasts, fewer grilled things. This year marks the first winter of our low-sodium journey (for my husband’s heart) so there are several favorite dishes I have to figure out how to modify. It’s a process, but definitely worth it.

What refreshments are you enjoying this week?

My sister and brother gave me a tin of Simpson and Vail Winter Wonderland Rooibos and it is amazing. I don’t usually put milk in herbal teas, but with a little milk and a smidge of sugar this tastes like a Christmas cookie in tea form. So delicious! (And no caffeine, which means I can drink it later in the day, after I’ve had my cup of Welsh Breakfast in the morning.)

What are you reading this week?

I was flipping through some old holiday issues of Tea Time magazine, but not much else as far as personal reading. Lots of Christmas stories with the kids though.

What are you listening to this week?

Heather Dale’s holiday album, This Endris Night. (She has the most amazing voice. She has become a favorite with the kids too.)

What are you working on this week?

Cleaning, baking, cooking, trying to slow down and stay sane.

What's happening in nature this week?

As I mentioned, it’s been quite warm. We’ve seen some of our usual migratory birds at the feeder, but not in their usual numbers—not sure if this is due to the weather or something else. We’ve had a ton of bees visiting our heather plants lately—so many that when I sit on the porch I can sometimes hear them all buzzing over there. In the garden, our beans are done and the lettuce actually bolted because of the heat, so I’ll be planting more of that. The romanesco, carrots, and sweet potato continue to thrive so far.

Any projects with the children this week?

Not really. They’ve been baking cookies with my husband’s aunt, but at home I just haven’t had energy for much in the way of projects. Last week we made pomanders with our homeschool co-op though, and both kids loved that. Even my little guy was completely absorbed in poking holes and inserting the cloves for a lot longer than I would have expected him to be.

~ Helena

Thank you for sharing a bit of your "southern" winter with us, Helena! I love hearing about your weather and how things are so different from here where I live. What you describe sounds familiar to me - only at the other side of the year! And I love the sound of that tea ... sugar cookie in a cup? Oh, I'm going to have to try that! I have a tough time liking herbal teas, but with a little milk and sugar I could give anything a try! :)

Well, my friends, I'l be off for now, but thank you so much for joining our happy friends' tea. You might have noticed a new Tea button up at the top of the post - some pretty vintage clipart I found on Pinterest, doctored up with a bit of text. :) I am going to use that throughout the new year to host seasonal teas from time to time. I must refrain from naming a set day or schedule because I will likely only set myself up to fail! But I will hope to host Tea here a few times a season, anyway, usually around a holiday or feast of some sort ...

And in fact, I will host my next Tea with Friends on Tuesday, January 12th - it will be a Birthday Tea for me! :) My theme will be "favorite things" and I will of course, have some pretty CAKE to serve alongside our tea ... stay tuned for more information, and watch for that button to pop up now and again ... :)

Now, I would also like to mention that on Monday I will have a Masterpiece Monday post up - just as soon as I'm able! Things like late bedtimes and sleepy mamas sometime take precedence but my aim is to watch the premier of Downton Abbey's sixth and FINAL season (sob!) in live time AND write up notes to post the next day.  I know there are plenty of places around the web to chat about Downton, but I do enjoy sharing my thoughts here and would love to hear from you, if you have the time. :)

Hmmm ... I'm pretty sure there was more I was going to tell you, but I will keep it there for now ...

Thanks so much for stopping by and I will see you here again very soon!

(p.s. Sorry for the odd formatting - I think Typepad is on the fritz!)