Happy Post Christmas!  You probably didn’t check blogs yesterday, and I didn’t write a post, so take a look at my photos from the last two days and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

Keep refreshed!

Merry Christmas!  What a special day this is for those of us who know Christ as our personal Savior.  How thankful I am that He left the glories of heaven to be born in a humble manger bed.  When I look at my home, I think about the fact that Christ didn’t have a home while on this earth.  His grace enables you and me to enjoy so many blessings…all because He came!  The greatest blessing is a relationship with Him.  To walk with Him and know Him, to allow Him to make sense of all the hard things in our lives; and to One Day be with Him is the greatest blessing.

As I show you the rest of my picture tour of my home, I’m very mindful of the truths I just mentioned, and give Him the glory for the grace blessings He pours out so abundantly.  Without Him, my house would just be a structure.  Because of the Lord Jesus Christ, my house has become a home where love abounds through Him.

Now, on with the last half of the house tour…

The three bedrooms are upstairs.

The first guest room…

I have a full-length mirror hanging inside my closet. The first reason is obvious, but I also hung it there so it would reflect the fireplace in the bedroom.  I love that I can see it there!

There you have it, friends!  Thanks for stopping by for a virtual visit.  Stop in for a “real” visit!

No matter where you live, it is a gift from God, whose Son left His home to make a way for you to be saved.  Now He’s gone to make a place for us in heaven!  Rejoice in His birth on this Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas!

With love from my country home,

Today and tomorrow I’m going to share some pictures of our home in the country.  This is in no way a post to brag about us or what we have.  This is to the glory of a great God who answered my ten-year prayer for a place we could call “ours” with enough room to entertain family, friends, strangers and God’s servants.  In the nearly four months that we’ve lived here, we’ve already gotten to serve all of the aforementioned.  It’s been so wonderful.  This house is the Lord’s, and we desire to use it for His honor and glory, and it is with that heart that I share these photos with you today.

I placed these luminaries at the front walk…

I placed about a cup of Epsom Salts in the jars, then added a tea light.  The salts sparkle like snow.

Step up to the front door…

I love this doorbell ringer I found on clearance at Gracious Designs. My sweet husband got it wired in before our open house!

 I LOVE my rooster stained glass in the dining room window. My dad made it for me a good number of years ago. It gets the afternoon sun and is so pretty with the light pouring through it.  It’s so cheerful and adds such a colorful spot in that room!

 The Christmas touches I added in this room were in this corner – the wreath on the pantry door, the gingerbread garland in the window, and the greenery and “Merry Christmas” sign on top of the cabinetry.  There’s a strand of battery operated lights up there, too (I failed to turn them on for the picture!).

 My Pinterest inspired chalkboard…

 Come back tomorrow for the rest of the “tour.”  Thanks for stopping by!

I pray you’ll have a wonderful Christmas Eve preparing to celebrate our Savior’s birth!

With love,

If you follow my blog on any regularity, you know that I’ve been planning and preparing for a Christmas Open House that took place on Friday night.  We had so much fun welcoming almost 80 people into our home.  Each group that stopped in heard the short version of how God answered our 10-year prayer and provided this home for us for which we are undeserving, but oh, so thankful!

My counter was filled with the appetizers and goodies that I had been working on for the last couple of weeks.  Here’s a little look at the island of goodies…

For the appetizers I served Spinach balls.  Sounds odd, right?  These were one of the finger foods that the ladies at my church fixed for our wedding reception on my wedding day.  I got the recipe from them all those years ago and have made these so many times the recipe is ragged!  They’re soft, flavorful and spicy enough to make you do a little double-take.  Serve them warm.  Oh, I love these!

I also served my Cheese Straws that I’d posted about here.

I like knowing what is being served.  I found these little chalkboard signs at TJ Maxx in their stationery department.  I could lable the things that were a bit unknown to my guests.

I served a platter of assorted homemade cookies.  I served Aurey Nut Balls, Raspberry Jam Shortbreads, Pecan Tarts, Sugar Cookies and of course my new recipes…

 Chocolate Peppermint and Mint Milanos that I posted about last week.  Not sure which cookie is my favorite; I just love them all.  That’s what’s so great about Christmas; all the favorite foods are at your fingertips (that’s also why most of us vow to take off a few pounds after the New Year, right?!).

I also served Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies), Chex Mix and a new Pioneer Woman recipe – Holiday Roll-ups.  (Recipe below)

The beverages were simple – Coffee, Lemon Water and Peppermint Punch.  This punch is so simple, but absolutely delicious.  It’s refreshing and yummy!  You must trust me on this one…if you need a great punch for your Christmas Day, here it is.  Oh, and Blue Bell Ice Cream carries Peppermint Ice Cream AND it’s on sale at Ingles this week, AND you can get a dollar off coupon on their web site!  It’s the best ice cream there is!

Peppermint Punch
1 quart Peppermint Ice Cream
1 Cup Milk
2 Liters Ginger Ale

Tortilla Pinwheels – Holiday Roll-ups

Tortilla Pinwheels – or  Holiday Roll-Ups
Ingredients
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 package ranch dressing mix
Freshly ground black pepper
5 flour tortillas
1/2 cup finely diced green bell peppers
1/2 cup finely diced red bell peppers
2 green onions, sliced
Directions
Mix the cream cheese, ranch dressing mix and the black pepper together thoroughly.

Spread the mixture on the tortillas, and then sprinkle over the diced bell peppers and green onions. Roll up tightly, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until party time (for at least 1 hour).

Slice into small wheels and serve.

Here are the other cookie recipes:

Pecan Tarts
Ingredients
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
FILLING
1 egg
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup Diamond of California Chopped Pecans
Directions
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy; blend in flour and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups.
For filling, in a small bowl, beat the egg. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Spoon into tart shells.
Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing from pans. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired. Yield: about 20.

Aurey Nut Balls
1 Cup margarine
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 C flour
3/4 Cup walnuts
2 tsp vanilla
Cream butter & sugar.  Add flour, salt and nuts, vanilla and mix.  Form into balls the size of a walnut.  Bake at 325 degrees on ungreased pan 12-14 minutes or until they are lightly browned on the bottom.  Roll in powdered sugar a minute after coming out of oven.  Cool.

Raspberry Jam Shortbreads
1 Cup shortening
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
3 Tbl. milk
2 tsp vanilla
 2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup Raspberry jam

Cream shortening and sugars; add egg yolks, milk, vanilla and beat well.  Sift together dry ingredients, add to creamed mixture.  chill dough one hour.  On well-floured counter, roll half the dough into 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut with 2″ round cuter.  Cut small hold in centers of half the cookies.  Bake on ungreased cookies sheet at 325 degrees, 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Spoon 1/2 tsp jam on plain cookie; top with cutout cookie.
Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

What are you cooking and baking for Christmas?

Be sure to stop in tomorrow on Christmas Eve for a tour of our home!  See you then.

With love from my country kitchen,

Pine needles are in the floor.  Wrapping paper, tape and packaged bows lie strewn on the counter.  There’s something sticky that resembles sugar cookie dough and candy cane pieces on the floor in the kitchen.  The bathrooms look very well used and the microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator doors have more fingerprints than the local police station…and your company is coming tonight!

Can you relate?

I sure can, because today’s the day when at 6:00 this evening, approximately 80 people will make their way to our door (in 30 minute increments).  The luminaries will be lit at the front porch, the candle windows will have turned on, the outdoor lights plugged in, and all the goodies set out on the counter for our guests to enjoy!  Coffee will have been brewed, punch poured into the punch bowl, and the fireplaces lit.  But what do I do with all the mess that has happened as a result of all my preparation?!  My house needs a good going over before the guests arrive. However, I do have a plan!  I’m starting early this morning with Crystal Paine’s two-hour cleaning plan to ensure that everything is straightened up, wiped down, and put away!  You can find her plan here.  But let me also list it for you here:

Two-Hour House-Cleaning Plan – By Crystal Paine

1. Start a load of laundry (3 minutes).

2. Set the timer for 15 minutes and take a laundry basket and a trash bag and go through each room in your home. Quickly straighten, pick up, and put away everything that’s out of place. Put all trash in the trash bag and put everything that doesn’t go in that room in the laundry basket (15 minutes).

3. Put away all contents in the laundry basket and throw out the trash (5 minutes).

4. Head to the kitchen and load the dishwasher or hand wash the dishes (15 minutes).

5. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer and start another load in the washer (2 minutes).

6. Sweep or vacuum your kitchen floor and wipe down your countertops (10 minutes).

7. Take some toilet cleaner and go squirt it in all your toilets (2 minutes).

8. Take some window cleaner and spot clean the main glass windows/doors/mirrors (3 minutes).

9. Take a dust rag and quickly dust in the main rooms of your home (10 minutes).

10. Vacuum all the major traffic areas in your home (20 minutes).

11. Head back to the bathrooms wipe down the toilet, sinks, floor, and bathtub/shower. Change the towels (20 minutes).

12. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer and fold the clean laundry (15 minutes).

13. Light a candle or simmer some potpourri on the stove and enjoy your freshly-cleaned home!

If you’re having guests in for the holidays and feel like your house is a little less than presentable, join me in attacking the house in two hours and let’s get things ready for our guests!

Be refreshed,