Day 28 * After Christmas Blessings!

Day 28 has been blessed with my beautiful

children!!!! What better blessing is there in this world !?!

Worked hard Thursday and Friday so my sweet husband gave me Saturday off...perfect timing since we had a house full of kids coming!  And come they did.

Tessa, Eric, Halle, Kendyl, Thomas, Kara, Dakota, Malinda, Mike, Dick and Me...what a group!

Great meal...Tessa's idea, everyone helped: A burrito bar including Tres' Leches Cake for dessert.

Fun, Farkle, lots and lots of presents, just ask Halle, lots of memories and best of all Lots of Love...The Best.

Days 26 & 27 - Blessed by Sunshine the Days after Christmas!!

Day 26 & 27 - The sun is shining, the snow is melting and everyone is mellow. I love the first couple days after Christmas. It is a great time to chill, even if I have to go to work. All the hustle and bustle is over and the "after Christmas blues" as Dick would call them, have not set in yet.

I am hoping they (ACB) won't. After keeping track of all my blessing this past 2 months, things look much brighter and I am ready for 2014.

But not for a couple more days......:)

Day 25 - Christmas Day Blessings

Christmas Day 2013

I began my Christmas morning by reading

Luke 2:1-20

the beautiful 

Christmas story.

Then....

So much fun....started out with Dick, Dakota and me in the sunroom with breakfast and Dakota playing Santa - for the 12th or 15th time!

Opened all our gifts...which were all a hit....then we just hung out till noon....I texted all my besties 

"Merry Christmas"...got a lot back and a call

from Moreen...which made me very Happy!

Headed out to Oestmans about 12:30 with my Cranberry salad and chocolates for the grownups and a bag of suckers for Halle and Kendyl.

Day 24 - Thankful for Candlelight and Memories

 

Day 24  - So many blessings on this day. Beautiful morning, great fun friend and helper at the jewelry store - Shelly, and
a beautiful evening at the Methodist Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

I picked up Sherre at 5:15 and

we met Tessa, Halle

Lori & Kortni at

the Methodist Church.

What a precious beautiful

evening. Halle sat on

my lap, Tessa on

my right side and

Sherre on my left...and

on my heart, memories

of Christmas past,

surrounded by my

sweet Momma and

Daddy with lit candles

and the amazing story

of my precious

Jesus's birth.

After the music and the bible stories and the candlelight

I went home and fed the boys hot soup,

and finished wrapping presents, before

I laid down for
"a long winters nap".

Perfect precious day.

I am blessed.

Day 20 * 21 * 22 * 23 * White Christmas On It's Way!!

Work work work!!!! Sell diamonds, wrap presents, The holiday fun is here...but on Sunday church with my Bestie Sherree, put up more Christmas lights...the kids are coming, and take off for Yuma in the snow for our 2nd Annual Dilyn Design Christmas Party at the China Garden...it was wonderful, and we got back before the snow got too deep.

So glad I got those lights up...they blessed by evening.

Day 19 - Blessing of Love, Kindness and Acceptnese...is that a word!?!

Day 18 - Blessed by a quiet heart (and mouth).

Day 17 - Thankful for Tuesday!

On this 17th day I started my morning with a prayer, writing in my journal for 3 pages, and reading in my Christmas devotional. Started the day out great!. Had a very good day at Amos Jewelry, and when I got home I helped my sweet Sherree finish her Christmas gifts. Although I was becoming very weary, I answered the phone when it rang and guess who?....my sweet Tessa! We had a nice catchup and she told me....ta daaaaa..... Her and Eric and Thomas and Kara will be here for the weekend after Christmas and we get to celebrate Christmas with them....I am so pleased...blessed and Thankful for this Tuesday and its good news!

Day 16 - Blessed by Good Health & a Happy Disposition

Day 16 was full of hidden blessings. I got up early and went to Yoga class. Loved it. Walked on the elliptical, which I also love, then "discovered the new stair climber!!! I felt so good when I got home this morning! :) Seems like I am having to chase off those blues quite a bit....but I managed to get rid of them...several times today. Had a store full of customers...who bought a lot. Went to lunch with Kristi and Karissa. Had a busy afternoon...got home helped Sherree in the shop with her last homemade gift. Walked Rusty....ate my supper and I am heading to bed in a few minutes. It has been a good day, and I am thankful.....Only 15 days left!!!!!

Day 15 - Oh Little Town of Bethlehem....

On this Sunday December 15; 3rd Sunday of Advent

...I am thankful to attend church services

 this morning with my sweet friend Sherree. As I was getting ready

I reached up and pulled down a little bible that would fit neatly

into my purse...I look what I found!!!

It is a little tiny bible my Grandpa gave to my Grandma on August 6, 1969. I believe that was their wedding anniversary.
Anyway what a blessing this morning. Felt like I had them setting right with me and Sherre as we watched the little kids perform their Christmas pageant with baby Jesus and Mary & Joseph in Bethlehem in the manger along with the wise men, all the cows and sheep, shepherds and lots and lots of angels.
It was a special way to start the day.

Day 14 - On the third day of Christmas....

My True love gave to me....

Day 13 - Blessings?!?

Day 13...On the second day of Christmas, my true love
gave to me....(A pain in the neck as usual)....2 turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree.

Day 12 - Blessed by Friends and Books

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A partridge in a pear tree!

Starting to run out of gas on my blessings, although this day was truly blessed with my girlfriends at book club...which was actually last night at Launa Gartons home.

Day 11 - Blessed by Hope

Day 10 - Thankful for Loyal Customers!

December Blessing Day 10. I am so thankful for a busy Christmas Day at Amos Jewelry. Saw some old loyal customers and sold a lot of goodies. Make my heart feel good when it feels "like old times". One of the reminders of why I am here after all these years.

Day 9 - Blessed with a Fresh New Outlook!!!

Day 9 - I am the captain of my Soul!!!

Day 8 - Blessings of Little Stars

Blessings of Little Stars for Day 8 of this December.

I pulled out Tessa and Thomas's Flavia book last night, and finished reading it this evening. In the meantime I finished decorating the Christmas tree and I did put the 11 little bread dough stars on, that me and Tessa made so many years ago. They have red sparkles on them and it is amazing that they have survived...probably 20 years or so of Christmas trees.

Need to see if I can find the Favia Angle...would like to send it to Tessa for the girls...but I need to find another one so when Thomas "needs" one :).

The blessings from this little book are many. One is remember Momma, and the love she shared with everyone. The real blessing is I know that love is more than a gift...it is a most precious legacy. A legacy we give our children....so that they will have it to give to their children.

Day 7 Blessings - O Christmas Tree....

Day 7 - Lori O put the O back in my O Christmas Tree!

Day 6 - Blessed by Answered Prayers

Day 6 - Blessed by Answered Prayers

Looking looking everywhere the last few days for my Christmas tree stand. Could not find it anywhere!!! I went to the hardware store and they had two. One stand was 65.00 and the other 52.00. On top of that I could not get anyone to wait on me. I was almost in tears. When I got home I was saying my little prayers....please Jesus help me find my tree stand.  Looking under a spot that was a little unsavory, to say the least, I found a red tote, that I suspected had the stand in it. When I got it our and upstairs and open the lid I DID NOT find the tree stand.

Day 5 - Blessed by Old Pictures

Thomas & Tessa 1989

Day 5 - Old Christmas Pictures are my blessings today. They remind me of old times....some really hard old times, and give me so much joy today.
         How can that be? At the time these pictures were taken I was really suffering from growing pains...growing up pains now that I look back. That growing up and learning about the world is a hard row to hoe... especially if you are a "little Pollyanna" like I was!
         Now I am ready to go back to that little miss...I now know for a fact what a rotten place this old world can be. But I am seeing it through these beautiful blue eyes looking

Thomas & Tessa 1986

out at me through these pictures. Tessa and Thomas have brought
me more joy and happiness, and so many blessing...I can not even
begin to count.
     I just know when I look at these beautiful pictures, that life is good and sweet, and so full of blessings. I always said "God must sure love me, because he set  you to me!!!" That's true... I said that, alot...Just ask the "blue eyes"!!!!

Day 4 - Blessed by Sunshine People

I am so thankful on this 4th day of December for the Sunshine people

in my life. I am going to keep track of the people I interact with this month so I can reflect on my relationship with them and how my interactions impact me and them. I believe there is a lot more sunshine..ie, happiness, love, joy, kindness, friendship in this life then I

have been giving it credit for...

I have faith..

We will see!

Day 3 - Blessing of Creativity

Day 3 - I am so blessed

 to be able to express my love of color and texture

light and darkness, patterns

 and everything that makes my heart buzz with

contentment,

 through my floral design.

Day 2 - Peace & Quiet

Day 2- So thankful for the peace and quiet in my home, business, mind and marriage. Yesterday I had so much fun with Dick, we got lots done and felt so good about everything...even though we were VERY tired! The outside tried to come in but I

 was able to guard our tranquility and even this morning it is still safe. My Siesta Memory verse for December 1 -  Finally, brethren,

 whatever things are true, whatever things

 are noble, whatever things are just,

 whatever things are pure, whatever

 things are lovely, whatever things are

 of good report, if there is any virtue and

 if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate

 on these things.  The things which you

 learned and received and heard and saw

 in me, these do, and the

 God of peace will be with you.

Christmas Blessings - Day 1 - Memories Full Circle

Kendyl and Halle Oestman Christmas 2013

Christmas Blessings. Goal: 31 Days of catching a breath of Christmas Blessings.

Yesterday was such a hard day. I could not figure out the reason or reasons; it was just a rotten day....or maybe it was me...ya think?

The last thing I read on Facebook was a discussion between Thomas and Tessa about the advent calendar  in this picture with my two beauties. I was amazed to hear about the importance of said calendar.

When I woke this morning thinking about the discussion I realized many things...one of the most important: Memories are subject to the person whose mind and heart they reside in :-)...and to have those memories to remember, one must make them in the first place.

I am blessed with memories today..of 56 past Christmases...and that is so many memories I can't even remember them all!!!! And reminded I must continue to make memories so All my beauties....not just the cute short ones...will remember me.