It was Christmas

 We have enjoyed a happy country Christmas and hope yours was nice too!

Early on, the ladies decorated their chicken coop to get into the holiday spirit! LOL

They even hung a wreath, and on sunny days, it sparkles in the sun!

We walk every day, pretty much rain or shine. Unless it's absolutely down-pouring.

This was one of our recent cold days:

Bindie Jolene and Tammie Jayne

Found a strange mushroom on that  walk:

there were two or three of them

In December we enjoyed our church's annual Christmas banquet. This year it was prime rib, good salads, rolls, and baked 'taters. It was all delicious.

goodies on the dessert table!

my friend made this beautiful flower arrangement for the middle of the dessert table

Greenery, red candles, and lots of poinsettias

We were happily surprised to receive so many Christmas cards this year, as so many have decided to stop sending them, mainly due to the increase in postage, and another increase coming soon, I think.

Anyway, by the time Christmas Eve arrived, I had to double and triple hang the cards over and on top of each other on our card string. LOL

I loved all the cards, and also enjoyed getting our own together and ready to send, which we actually got them into the mail on time, ha ha LOL.

I loved going to get the mail when I was little during the Christmas season, the mailbox always had a flurry of cards in bright colored envelopes, some covered in Christmas seals for charity. Red Cross maybe? They were so bright and pretty, I sure miss them.
 There would also be mysterious boxes arriving from loved ones. Back then, you might receive 15 or 20 cards a day, it was just common because EVERYBODY sent cards, I guess.

two of my favorite cut-out globe ornaments with scenes inside:

And then Christmas Eve arrived:

Christmas Eve candlelight service

all of the Advent candles now lit and shining brightly:

I so enjoy all the extra music we get to enjoy this time of year. We've been singing all the beautiful old hymns and traditional Christmas carols at church since November. Here's a few of my favorites. Do you have a favorite?

We watched this movie a couple of weeks before Christmas. It started out pretty slow, but got better as it went on, and the story was so interesting how  he wrote this popular song which we still hear and sing today.

And can't leave out these three!:

Two of my favorite Christmas pins:

And of course, Amybelle and Tracie are all dressed in their Christmas dresses:

Speaking of Christmas dresses, we've had a little tradition where I give Fairy Granddaughter's American Girl doll a new Christmas dress and Easter dress each year. This is this year's:

I love the bright colors!

Taking a walk on Christmas Day:

I wore my Christmas holiday sweatshirt! That was fun!

the Jingle Bell necklace was a present

Helping the girls, Bindie and Tammie, get into their stockings

they ate the treats and loved their toys this year

Presents:

{from Mr. Front Porch}  I got a fluffy furry black coat which I LOVE! It has big pockets and a hood, I can't wait to wear it.

 It's been COLD HERE, and it's also been pretty warm here the past couple of days, it rained gently yesterday off and on all day, and then we had pretty fog. This morning we had thunderstorms and the temps are in the high 60s, which felt great.

......and this lovely freshwater pearl necklace, I can't wait to wear it!

a friend gave us this beautiful Cardinal snow globe

Friends gave us this pretty basket of goodies:

There were apples, a pretty kitchen towel, and goodies to eat.

This angel ornament was in the basket too:

Someone else gave us this good sturdy mixing bowl with utensils and cookie cutters in it:

it has a handle on it, I love mixing bowls with handles

I also got fun, pretty, and useful gifts from friends like cheery socks:

A beautiful journal and a really nice devotional book which I love, and a Bible verse coaster:

another friend gave me some cute chicken kitchen towels!! Fun!

and this pretty tin sign. I can't wait to hang it up somewhere!

she also gave me Mystery Date,  which is a game I so wanted when I was a little girl! The tv commercials made it look so fun! It came out in 1965. I was shocked to open it up and find it. I hope to play it  with Fairy Granddaughter someday.

I also got some nice scratch pads, papers, jingle bell fun bracelet, pretty ink pens, and a really nice keychain.

Got a nice brown pocketbook too:

and cute dish cloths. I LOVE the deer one, as we have those in our fields here and we sure love to watch them. They come out the same time every evening. 

this is a fun OLD record album I had as a little girl. Do you remember the "Chipmunks" singing? Well, it's like that.....only crickets. As a child I thought it was the most amazing thing! LOL

We've been enjoying lots of holiday movies on the winter nights:

As Andy Williams sang in 1963:

I try to read this little book every year, it's a lovely book. It came out in 1972.

Above, a bowl of sparkly pinecones and ornaments. 

I hope everybody's holidays were nice and peaceful and safe and full of love and happiness.

The brand New Year will be arriving very quickly now!

What are your New Year's Eve and Day plans?