- scheduling in my third art student

- baking bread

- going over my New Year’s list

- planning some New Year’s Eve fun

- cleaning the kitchen

- thinking about the past twelve months

- almost a year away from turning 20!

- happy

.:. .:. .:.

Thank You , Heavenly Father, for . . .

61. old heat radiators and rice bags that keep us extra warm

62. keeping me from getting sick before and during the holidays

63. homemade bagels

64. all You are still teaching me from the SOS conference

65. the fellowship at the conference

66. my quote journal so I can collect bits of wisdom

67. all the time Momma put into our afghans

68. plenty of food

69. lots of new books to add to my list

70. a puppy, proud of his new sweater

71. the hope of heaven and that we need not (and can’t) trust the U.S. gov’t  to save us!

72. the Birth of Your Son and that He knows me!

.:. .:. .:.

(Two days late but still thankful!)

Silent Night, by Viggo Johnson, 1891

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior is born
Christ, the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

.:. .:. .:.

Listening to Bing Crosby’s Silent Night

The final painting, “Snow Birds.”

.:. .:. .:.

.:. .:. .:.

Slowly adding color.

Requires patience.

.:. .:. .:.

“Evening Prayers” by Eugene Ernest Hillemacher

“. . . For every wife the first duty is the making and keeping of her home. Her first and best work should be done there, and till it is well done she has no right to go outside to take up other duties. She is to be a ‘worker at home.’ She must look upon her home as the one spot on earth for which she alone is responsible, and which she must cultivate well for God if she never does anything outside.

“. . . There have been wives who in their zeal for Christ’s work outside have neglected Christ’s work inside their own doors. . . . While they were winning a place in the hearts of the poor or the sick or the orphan, they were losing their rightful place in the hearts of their own household.

“Let it be remembered that Christ’s work in the home is the first that He gives to every wife, and that no amount of consecrated activities in other spheres will atone in this world or the next for the neglect or failure there.”

- from The Wife’s Part in The Family by J.R. Miller

“Is it heartless to be unconcerned about needs far away? We must not be unconcerned, but we must remember that we cannot fight every battle.”

- from Fathers, Daughters and “Mission Work” in So Much More by Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin

“It is in her own home that this warmth of heart and this openness of hand are first to be shown. It is as a wife and mother that her gentleness performs its most sacred ministry.”

- from The Wife’s Part in The Family by J.R. Miller

(All emphasis mine)

“Snow Birds” starts as a sketch.

.:. .:. .:.

Don’t you love baking for the holidays? I’ve made pies before, but never my own pie crust. The recipe I used was from my dear Aunt Lou. It was very easy to make, but I did have quite the time trying to get the hang of it!

Pie Crust:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tbs shortening
- 2-3 Tbs cold water

“Mix the flour/salt together, cut in the shortening really well with a pastry blender and then sprinkle in 1 Tbs of water at a time as you mix with a fork til it miraculously wants to cling together, then you can form it into a ball. Flatten the dough into a disk before you roll (on the clock, 12, 6, 3, 9, 2, 8, etc.).”

Edit: This recipe makes two pie crusts for two one-crust pies.

Here are some pictures of my first homemade pie crust experience:

Yeah . . . this was my first. Looks scrumptious, eh? After I trimmed the edges it didn’t look too bad, so we let it slide.

The second . . . not so much.

We decided it would be a good idea to try again. I wadded it back up, threw it in the bowl, added another tablespoon or two of water and kneaded it once more.

There we go. :)

And little crimped edges, too!

The kitchen smells so good when pumpkin pie is in the oven. Mmm!

-

Check out my Aunt’s blog for more pie recipes, and especially this wonderful Sugar Cream Pie recipe.

.:. .:. .:.

This little puppy thinks I’m his servant. And really, I am. But I like to think of it as training for when I have my own babies. Most mornings Bentley will wake me up at 2:00 AM to take him outside. Since it has turned cold, he’s been trying to do better.

But even during the day, with winter breezes and snow on the ground, the cold is almost too much for Bentley’s little frame. Poor little guy.

So I’m making him a sweater.

I’ve been collecting wool sweaters from garage sales for the past few years. I felted this $1 bargain by throwing it in a washing machine full of hot water.

Bentley would fall asleep every time I tried to measure him. Good sign, no?

Here are the pieces on the slow journey to being trimmed to the right shapes.

Adding buttons and and a blanket stitch edging.

And some final fittings . . .

. . . Isn’t he a handsome puppy?