thankful Thursday

 

Happy Thursday, friends! I was doodling at work yesterday and writing down things I'm thankful for so far this month.

I have this paper calendar/planner at work that I keep track of what I do at work each day, my schedule, and important paperwork. I love this one, because it has month at a glance, and each week has it's own set of pages. At the end of each month, there's a "notes" section, and that's where I keep a gratitude list going. I try to jot down a few things each day, just to keep me grounded and to have my perspective in the right place. There are so many things that I take for granted; doing this helps me to remember to not do that! And spoiler alert: I mess up in a million ways each and everyday of my life. Somehow doing this also keeps me humble. I'm not saying I have it all together, but this definitely helps me. You can see what I've written so far for this month, but here are a few more things I'm thankful for:

• fun choir rehearsals
• the ability and gift of being able to sing
• that I'm able to be back in choir after a two year hiatus
• God's continual provision for me in every possible way
• good talks/visits with my sons
• a cozy home
• excellent sleep in which I don't wake up too often
• hugs from sweet students to help fill up my love tank
• good health
• talking to someone from my old life (pre-divorce)
• less pain in my back and chiropractor visits
• a great mid-year evaluation with my principal and hearing the sweet things my co-worker told her about me

There's so much more, friends. So much more, but I need to run. Tell me something you're thankful for this week! I'd love to hear from you. Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn ❤️

the Wednesday hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm here with Joyce again today for the weekly hodgepodge...this is a post that I dearly love; thank you, Joyce, for your inspiring and thought provoking questions each and every week! I'll jump right in. Also, in case you missed it or if you're new here, yesterday I posted my annual Christmas home tour. I hope you check it out! 

1. Do you struggle with the commercialization of the holidays? What helps you keep your focus when the season's busyness and commercialism start to take over? For years I struggled with this very thing, but I really don't anymore. I know that no matter whether gifts are given/received or not, that the gift itself isn't at all what the holiday is about. To me, Christmas means celebrating the birth of my Savior, Jesus. I celebrate His birth by gathering with the people I love, and while we do exchange gifts, that is second to me. The real gift is Jesus, and a time of gathering with my family and friends. I love the season itself, not the day necessarily. The season is wonderful because people are a little more kind than at any other time of year. It really is a magical time of year, not because of tangible things, but because the spirit of Christmas is everywhere. 

When I do start to lose focus, I remember that I need to focus on my loved ones and friends, not the stuff that I buy for them. I don't expect perfection and I've learned to be content whatever the circumstance. I need to remember this more, but I give it my best shot.

2. What's one small thing you want to savor before the year ends? I want to savor this season of everything feeling festive. I want to embrace the joy and beauty that I see all around me! I know I will also want to savor each and every moment I get with my sons while they're all in the same city. I can't wait for this, actually. 

Please enjoy the adorable photo I got from Noah this week of Santa with his new pup Rocket. He'll be coming home with Noah in a couple weeks! I can't wait for them to get here. 

3. December 9th is National Christmas Card day. Do you still send Christmas cards? How do you feel about this tradition? I'm not including the whole question,  because this is something I've never done. I love receiving them, though! I've already gotten two in the mail, and I will usually display them somewhere in my home. 

I love these sweet pictures above; I'll always remember the year Dad made nametags for our Christmas eve meal at their house. 

4. What's your least favorite holiday related task? What's your favorite? My least favorite is dealing with the leftovers I always seem to have an abundance of. My favorite is definitely making my home appealing when people come over. I clean, I light candles, I put on Christmas music in the background. 

5. Let's do a little holiday "this or that". My answers are in the red ink.

shopping or wrapping

baking or decorating

eggnog or wassail

real tree or artificial (I prefer real, but I have an artificial one)

turkey or ham

white lights or colored

ugly sweaters or matching pajamas

peppermint or cinnamon

presents on Christmas eve or presents on Christmas day

5. Insert your own random thought here. I recently discovered the Christmas album by Maverick City Music and love this version of Oh Holy Night. Enjoy!

I can't wait to read your answers to these! Thanks for being here to read my blog today, friends. Love to all! 

Jenn ❤️💚

Tuesday Talk: Come on in! A Christmas Home Tour.

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! I'm taking a break from my inspired writing Tuesdays to share my Christmas home with you. Come on in! 

My Christmas tree is my favorite; I splurged on a new one last year, and I'm still just as smitten with it now as I was then. I love the new collar that I recently added; my sister Trish bought this for me a couple of weeks ago. Wasn't that nice? She knows how I feel about tartan plaid! 

I was so excited to decorate for Christmas this year because of how different my home looks now that it has fresh neutral paint, and new furniture. I think Chloe adds a nice touch, right? 

I love my mantel and hearth! Mom bought me new mantel decor last year, and I still love it this year. I don't hang stockings anymore, because of obvious reasons. 

I love having a coffee table to decorate and pretty books to display atop. 

This was before Chloe ate the bowl of ornaments. 🤣

Glimpses of things around the living room...I love these prints that are hanging. I actually keep them up all year, because I feel that strongly about them. They were gifts to me from my sons a few years ago and contain the lyrics to my favorite Christmas movie song, and a favorite passage from Scripture.

I like to use all the spaces in my home, so this includes the backs of doors. You'll see this same type thing in a few different rooms. I love this little sign that hangs by the front door; I want people to know that as they leave my home. It says, "You are so loved."

These are from the room that used to be my dining room; I don't know what to call this space now, but it's definitely not that. I'd love to make it into a little den or sitting room someday. I love the lamp on top of the piano; it's from Dad's house. He loved brass, and I have several things like this of his. 

It houses my favorite piece of furniture: my Dad's old hutch filled with a few of my favorite things.

I love this little gold basket of homemade napkins that Mom made for me several years ago.

I kept things simple in my kitchen, because I didn't want a lot of clutter on my countertops.

I love this old thermos bag that I found at an antiques store a couple of years ago. I filled it with greenery and berries. Also, how cute is my little sign above this door that leads to the garage? 

This piece of furniture is a new addition this year! I bought this cabinet a few weeks ago off of Marketplace. I love how it's painted! I keep mail and quiet time supplies inside, and I store my purse on one side when I'm not using it during the week. (I take a backpack to work everyday for my personal bag.)

This is the door leading into the downstairs half bath; I've never shown you this room because it was hideous before it got a fresh coat of paint! Now I think this little space is adorable.

I love this little board where I keep things that mean something; the pictures beside it were a gift from my dear friend Andrea several birthdays ago. 

I love this picture of my sisters and me that was taken while we were in Colorado last year!  

I like to add berries to faux plants that I have around the house. 

I love tea towels! A few years ago, I bought these stick-on towel rods that I attached to the ends of my kitchen cabinets. I love hanging towels there to display them, and the Christmas ones are just adorable. 

These old windows lead upstairs; I like their Christmas wreaths that I attached to them.

This is the top of the antique lawyer's cabinet that sits at the top of the stairs. I love these little gingerbread men! 

I love my Christmas bedroom! 

I love this little frosted Christmas tree that I added lights to last year. It gives my bedroom a little extra touch of magic. 

Do you have a favorite space? I love to decorate and to make people feel loved and at home when they're here, so I think my style reflects that. It's not fancy, but it's lived in and super cozy, at least in my humble opinion. I love seeing this kind of thing, so I can't wait to read some of your posts if you wrote about this recently! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn