Annalee Dolls

 In my previous post, I showed you my Christmas tree and decorations of all my Annalee dolls.  Well, I made a little reel on Instagram with my pictures and one of my friends, message me and said her sister-in-law was selling some of those on market place in Iowa.  She sent me the pictures and I said "I'll take them!"  She then told me she had more.  So in a series of messages, images, bundling a deal for all, ride to visit Grandpa in Wisconsin for Christmas - I was able to add 20 more to my collection.  The ones I'm most excited for are the shepherd, Joseph, Mary and Jesus from the Nativity.  My new challenge to to assemble a Nativity of Annalees.  You always have to have something to look for as a collector right?! 

The oldest ones from this purchase is the Santa and Mrs. Claus sitting on the floor.  They are from 1971.  I like the older ones the best.  In my opinion, their faces are softer, friendlier than the newer ones.  

Well, one last Christmas today at my sister-in-laws house.  Like I said, first Christmas without Grandma on that side.  My daughter, Justine, made something so thoughtful for each family unit on this side.  I can't say what it is yet, but she did a super job and it will be a treasure, something to cherish forever.  

I've been nominated to do the beef tenderloin - pressure is on, as last year, when I made it everyone said it was "best ever had" - I can't remember what I did....so I better get going and get started.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Christmas Week

 I'm not sure of the day...ahaha...somewhere between Christmas and New Years.  The mixed up days of eating, visiting, napping, watching movies, staying in my pj's all day.  

I was gifted this plant from my mother-in-law.  It bloomed from Thanksgiving till Christmas.  It was beautiful.

We had a nice church service.  I read the book The Tree Trees and made all of these goodies for our after service fellowship.  I had so much fun making all the candy!  

I also made a couple batches of cookies.  

Baked sourdough bread

Our children and grands came over for a little lunch on Christmas Day

The smoked salmon was BEST I've ever eaten!

7 layer salad was a Christmas Eve tradition growing up and into my adult years when we all went to our parent's house.  My sister Lynn made it.  This is my first time making it.  I haven't eaten it for probably 15-20 years.  So good!

We also had roasted veggies, full fat mac & cheese, bacon wrapped dates and cocktail weenies, dips, cheese, ham, crackers.....

A few treasures from my mother-in-law's estate

Over the past few days, as I was cooking and creating, I did share it on my Facebook and Instagram page.  This morning I made a croque madame for breakfast and shared the picture.  My friend and neighbor sent me this.

Little did Lisa know that one of the main reasons I wanted this lifestyle was because of Martha Stewart.  I even named one of my first fancy hens after her.  I loved her magazine.  It was a compliment the younger me would strive for and the older me feels flattered.  

I told myself recently that I'm now to a point in my life where I can look back at the things the Lord has helped me do and be content and satisfied.   

I'm working on my New Years post - it is on this same order of a theme.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

December - A Few of My FavoriteThings

Here it is almost Christmas.  

Maybe my being in a walking boot and brace for 8 weeks prepared me for a more relaxed holiday season.  I have been mindful and realistic with HOW I wanted to spend my time, HOW I wanted to decorate and HOW much I wanted to bake and create.  The younger me, tried to do "it all" - truthfully, I did...ahaha, but, somehow in all that busyness, the feeling of the season often times escaped me.  Not that I didn't enjoy it all, I did.  It is just that I didn't "need" to do all that.  

So, what have I done differently this year?  

Created experiences for those I love.  

My daughters and grands came over for a gingerbread house and cookie day.  We decided to make this a tradition on the first Friday of December.  I made the kits and assembled them so that we had time to do the "fun" part together.  

My grands, Ezra and Lauren.

I hosted a Christmas Craft night with my 4H kids.  I supplied all the materials.  I also made kits of projects that they could take home and complete, this is my gift to them.  The first project, the sweater ornament, materials were supplied by Cheri.

I love these! I made 12 for my own tree.

You can see the kits, I put in baggies.  

A tree for me (wink, wink) I do have a lot of Annalee dolls.  This past summer, I was lucky to find so many from a flea market in Minnesota and my mother in law had a collection that we divided before here estate sale and I now have hers.  She was the one who got me hooked on these little felt cuties.  So my whole tree and pretty much only decorations this year are them.  I did do a Nativity area with my mother in laws old set.  

Finally hung the closet doors.  

We are breaking with the traditional Christmas meal and replacing it with a Christmas brunch.  I asked what they wanted to eat and smoked fish won (I will have some ham for Jon).  So today, Al and I went to Green Bay to Bearcat Fish House.  We also stopped at Woodmans (HUGE grocery store) - we instantly regretted it as it was a 3 ring circus.  However, I needed stuff to make my candies with tomorrow.  We stopped at a St. Vinny and I found this, I love it.  

Tomorrow I will make some candies that I have wanted to make for a couple of Christmases.  Monday I will bake cookies - I like them to be fresh.  We will have a get together with Al's sister and brother and families after Christmas.  First Christmas without grandma.  

On Sunday, I will be reading The Tale of the Three Trees for our church presentation.  This year, they asked everyone to participate if they wanted.  I bought this book for my grands last year and it's a tear jerker.  I hope I can read it without crying.  If not, that is o.k. too.  

Have you planned anything special for yourself or others this Christmas?  

Blessing from Ringle, Wisconsin.