Sushi, Christmas Tree Trimming, Decorations on Not Even a Shoe String Budget and Electricity

Yeah, so, even though I've been too busy to really blog about my weekly shananigans and goings-on, the Lord has been good to bless me with some really sweet moments in the midst of a choatically crazy schedule. So sit back, grab a cup 'o tea and prepare yourself for a mass update!

I finally convinced my mom to try sushie with me! I've been craving it for quite a while and never had the opportunity to go since I only have one friend in town that likes it as much as I do, and her schedule is just as bad as mine. My mom is a trooper and I have to say, she sacrifices so much for us! Even doing something she never thought she would do - or even wanted to do for that fact.

Yum!


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Decking The Halls

Two weeks before Thanksgiving my wonderful nieces got to spend the weekend with me. I took the opportunity to go ahead and put up my Christmas tree so as to keep with the tradition of having them help me decorate for Christmas. I mean, who wants to deck the halls by themselves!?!? Not this gal!! : ) And besides, these two sweeties just make it so much fun!

In an after-Christmas trip to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan (A place where a girl like me can truly be happy!!) I purchased another pickle ornament, and boy am I glad I did!! The girls always LOVE to hide the pickle ornament and now they each have one to nestle on a bough in the perfect hiding spot. If you haven't heard or read of the tradition (which seems to be controversial as to it's truth) of the pickle ornament you can read about it here!

And as usual, we goofed off in ways only us Douthit girls can! : )



I was especially amused at little Bugs and how she only wanted to hang the ornaments on the bottom of the tree. Thankfully Punkin and I were able to sprinkle a few up top. There was no way I could go behind little Bugs and move the ornaments around, so this year my tree is a bit ornament heavy on the bottom. I wouldn't have it any other way : )

At the end of the tree trimming and hall decking, Lou could finally curl up and sleep off the hours she spent sniffing boxes and dodging busy little feet. I think she likes the Christmas tree as much as I do. Last year she would lay under the tree and sleep. She hasn't done that yet this year, perhaps because of all the low-hanging ornaments! : )

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Christmas Traditions


I love "collecting" ideas for new Christmas traditions. One that I have adopted came from a friend. His family keeps a basket of Christmas books under the Christmas tree. After Christmas, the books are packed away with all the decorations and brought out again when it's time to decorate for Christmas. Each year it's like getting new books and visiting with old friends while looking through the familiar stories. So above is a picture of my little basket of books. I add a new book each year. After setting my basket under the tree the girls immediately pulled some out and started to read. It makes my heart smile : )


Our mom, for as long as I can remember always has fixed a huge breakfast for us on Christmas morning. In the early years we would sit down to eat after opening presents, because you know, as little kids we just can't wait to rip into the gifts!! And now that we're older, we have breakfast first and then proceed to the gift giving. I like it this way much better! It doesn't seem as rushed and makes for such a wonderful time together!

So, now is your turn! Leave a comment about traditions your family does each year, or traditions you've heard about - or even ones you wish you did! : ) As I said, I seem to be a "collector" of such traditions. I'll have to dig out my list sometime that I have in one of my journals. I have a pretty extensive list of family traditions buried in the journalistic annals of my life : )

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Making Due by Getting Creative

Decking the halls...on a budget! I like creative challenges like this...meaning teeny budget + lofty ideas. Always equals a good time for me! So my Christmas decorations all revolve around a polar bear theme (with a few penguins). That in itself presents a challenge because unless one lives in the arctic circle, there aren't too many polar bear Christmas items to be found. Therefore, I've begun making my own. Starting with a wreath. I found some wreaths online that had a polar bear in them or on them or around them and they were around $100 each. Sheesh! Not going to happen. So my first thought while looking at the wreaths was "I can so do that myself!"

My philosophy is: "if you can't find it or afford it, just make it yourself!"

So, as you can see from the picture above, and the picture below, I finally made my own wreath. I got most of the items on sale and I bought the polar bear last Christmas. It still looks a little "bear" (Ha!) but I have plans to add two smaller wreaths (one on each side) but that will have to wait until next Christmas.



And so, in keeping with making due, not spending a lot, yet decking the halls merrily, I broke out my paints, checked out from reality and sat for three hours to create a Christmas painting - polar bear themed of course! : )


I've been wanting a Christmas print to put up on my shelf in the living room where I typically have some portraits. But, since I'm saving for other more important things, a frivolous Christmas picture wasn't easily justified. Therefore, a grand opportunity to pick up the paintbrush and make my own. Thankfully, I had a canvas left over from some projects from last Christmas and all the colors of paint I would need. My inspiration for the print came from Christmas cards I bought early in the year on clearance. It was so incredibly nice to start painting again. I don't think I've painted anything on this level since high school. I think I should keep painting : )


Here's the finished product...


Now, I just have to figure out where to put it and what to put around it!

So, after painting, I moved on to other industrious/problem-solving things.

For some reason, only known to the good Lord above at this point, the electrical outlet in the bathroom no longer works. The breaker keeps tripping and after doing some research and talking to a few smart men I know on the subject it was suggested that I replace the outlet with a new GFCI outlet and see if that solves the problem. Big surprise - it didn't work! Ugh. Sooo, guess who's calling an electrician this week! :-/ I am so incredibly frustrated and frankly worn out with all the projects and issues. I once thought I would LOVE to buy an old house and restore it. Nope. Won't happen for this girl!! It really stinks being a single girl sometimes. I'm really feeling the weight of it all. I pray the Lord will take care of this and put me in contact with an honest electrician. ((Update -- Problem is fixed and the Lord did provide for me as my wonderful and fantastically smart brother was able to fix it! Yay!))

So now on to other projects!! I'll post some pictures *soon* of other projects that are in the pipes and should be completed soon! Gotta get all these projects done before the spring semester starts!!!

So there you have it! A mass update of just a few things I've been up to lately. The Lord is good and kind to bless me with such sweet moments amid the past few busy, busy weeks.

Aaaahhh...Good Stuff!

This is from my morning devotional. Such needed words for me now! And all around Good Stuff!! : )

"For my strength is made perfect in weakness."
-- 2 Corinthians 12:9

A primary qualification for serving God with any amount of success, and
for doing God's work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own
weakness. When God's warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own
might, when he boasts, "I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm
and my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory," defeat is not
far distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own
strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for
"it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of
hosts." They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall
return with their gay banners trailed in the dust, and their armour
stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve him in his own
way, and in his strength, or he will never accept their service. That
which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere
fruits of the earth he casteth away; he will only reap that corn, the
seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by
the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before he
will put his own into thee; he will first clean out thy granaries
before he will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God
is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs.
God will have no strength used in his battles but the strength which he
himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage,
for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give
thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being
filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting
up.

"When I am weak then am I strong,
Grace is my shield and Christ my song."