Christmas Morning Breakfast

I'm joining Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.




A Christmas Morning Breakfast is a tradition Darrel and I have started for his immediate family. It's our way of doing something nice for his mother and sister and her family. His older sister, her husband and sons live out of town, so they aren't able to join us. We set the time for 8 AM so everyone could enjoy a leisurely Christmas morning.

This is how we greeted our guests

To the left we had a large poinsettia in a black, wrought iron plant holder and to the right there was a wreath on the French doors. I was in such a hurry, I forgot to take pictures of them that morning before the guests arrived.

Our den is just inside the door and I decorated the mantle with the same fresh greens I used on the baker's rack. We live in the country so fresh greenery is available all year. I used Leyland Cypress, pine, cedar, holly and variegated citrus. It smelled wonderful.

This was before we lit the fire. We haven't been able to have a fire at Christmas in years and we were thrilled to have a very cold, wintery Christmas day.

A closeup of the mantle.

Any time we have guests I want the table to be special. I used my Christmas dishes and a recent acquisition, my newest vintage tablecloth. I wanted to bring out the colors, so I used red, green and a touch of white in the dishes. I don't have glasses or coffee cups on the table because I set up a beverage station on the counter near the Keurig.

I absolutely love to cook and it makes me happy to share the fruits of my labor with family and friends. Our menu included bacon, grits, pumpkin muffins, sausage balls, fruit, monkey bread and breakfast casserole (out of view). I set the food station up on the bar and decorated it to match the table.

A few pictures of some of the decorations in the kitchen and den.

Our Bichon Frise, Keeper, has her own Bichon tree in the den.

The nativity in the living room.

It's so nice to spend quality time with family. Sometimes I wish life wasn't as hectic and busy and we spent more time just visiting and talking.

These are the times of which memories are made, to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with family and friends.

China: Christmastime by Nikko about 22 years ago
Chargers, Small Votives, Napkin Rings and Napkins: Target over the years
Flatware: Arlington by Reed and Barton
Tabletop Trees and Apothecary Jar: A local find
Red Candle Holders: Gift from a friend
Serving Bowls, Cake Stand and Platters: Carmen by Mikasa about 20 years ago
Santas, Gingerbread Houses: My own personal collection

Mountains

I recently took my second cruise through the Inside Passage in Alaska, a train ride into the Yukon Territory of Canada and a trip to Mt. Rainier in Washington. The mountains and glaciers are so breathtaking I thought I would share some of the many photos I took. On this trip I was able to visit Mt. Rainier for about 8 hours, something I really looked forward to and I wasn't disappointed! The snow was very deep due to a snowstorm the week before we were there.

Mt. Rainier

Endicott Arm Fjord

As we sailed through Endicott Arm Fjord the mountains towered above us and the fjord wound it's way through them. It is truly a breathtaking sight. The closer we got to the glacier the drearier it was, but it wasn't as cold this year.

Dawes Glacier

Endicott Arm Fjord

The glacier is two miles across at it's widest point. The tracks on the left are formed by scaly rock debris  from the mountain face that gets trapped in the ice over hundreds of years. We are probably at least a mile from the glacier.

Skagway, Alaska at sunrise

Along the Klondike Highway

Along the Klondike Highway

Sunrise as we sailed toward Juneau

Mendenhall Glacier Juneau

The entrance to Endicott Arm Fjord

The mountains and glaciers are absolutely breathtaking and pictures can never really capture the splendor that is Alaska.

First Table of Spring

Today I'm joining Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Stop by and enjoy all the beautiful tablescapes.

After all the rain and a very cold Winter here in Alabama I couldn't wait for the first signs of Spring so I could change my table settings and spruce up the house with brighter colors. I have been cleaning out a storage building where I stored a few sets of dishes and accessories. I thought I would share a Spring table I set with some of my newer pieces and some old favorites.

I love bright colors and for everyday use, a simple table. The sun was very bright on the day I took the pictures so I couldn't open the blinds or the glare would be unbearable. Let's have a closer look at the table.

I love these napkins. They are the newest addition to my napkin collection.

My beautiful Fitz and Floyd candleholders were a gift from my husband many years ago.

I hope you like my first table of the Spring. It's so bright and cheerful.

Dishes: Pier One

Glassware: Olde Williamsburg

Flatware: Arlington by Reed and Barton

Placemats: Target

Napkins: World Market

Napkin Rings: TJ Maxx

Fruit Candleholders: Fitz and Floyd

Flower Candleholders: Hobby Lobby

Plant: Springeri

Valentine's Dinner 2010

Today I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for the weekly Tablescape Thursday. There are so many beautiful tablescapes there for everyone to enjoy.






Valentine's day is such a hectic occasion around our house considering I'm a florist and well, it is a busy week for me, but I do like to make it special in some way for us so we usually grill steaks and stay home. I like to make the dinner and table special so I pull out different linens and dishes to coordinate with the holiday. I cut holly with berries from our yard to use as a simple floral arrangement.

I started out with ivory, cotton placemats I have had for quite some time and then went on a scavenger hunt through my dishes and accessories to adorn my Valentine's table. I added white dishes, clear glassware, red cotton napkins and candles.

The table was simple, but so pretty and my husband loved it. He thought it was so nice that I wanted to make it special for us. This is a votive candle holder he gave me for Valentine's this year. It's so pretty.

Our menu was grilled steaks, baked potatoes, salad and strawberry shortcake.

We had such a nice dinner and a Happy Valentine's Day.

                      Chargers: Wal-Mart (several years ago)

                      Plates, Bowls: Pier One

                      Candles: Gifts

                      Napkins: Target

                      Iced Candlering: Ganz (I've had this for several years)

                      Glassware: Wedding gift

                      Napkin Holder: Dillard's

                      Flatware: Country French by Reed and Barton

Christmas Breakfast Table

We had wanted to have Darrels' mother over for dinner for quite some time, but we could never find a time that was good for all of us. Christmas Breakfast was the perfect time! I set the table for eight because we invited his mother, stepfather, sister and husband and her daughter and boyfriend and the two of us.
The table was so pretty and Santa left a little present for each person.
Our menu was wonderful...breakfast casserole, sausage balls, pumpkin tarts, grits, bacon, ambrosia, orange juice, grapefruit juice and coffee.
Everyone had such a good time and really enjoyed our Christmas Breakfast. We can't wait to do it again, maybe next year.

China: Christmastime by Nikko... I've had this for over 20 years
Glassware: Olde Williamsburg...my everyday wedding pattern
Stainless: Arlington by Reed and Barton
Vases: King Street Trio by Southern Living at Home... several years ago
Chargers: Wal-Mart... several years ago
Tablecloth: Bed, Bath and Beyond
Napkins: Target

My Birthday

Today, 17 July, is my birthday! Today I am 51, but I honestly don't feel that old! Seriously, though, I am so blessed to be alive, to have a family who loves me exactly the way I am and I have a Lord and Savior in whom I have eternal life.
This has been the toughest week, but with lots of prayer and God's grace we made it through. Thank you, Lord, that my dear, sweet sister is on the road to recovery and will be fine. She is one of the most special people in my life and when all is said and done it could have been much worse, but we are grateful for her health and Your healing.
It's a happy day and I thank God for all the blessings in my life.

Puzzles

In my mother's home a puzzle is always laid out on a board in the den. This is no ordinary puzzle, though, it's a Springbok puzzle. The consensus of the family is they are the best because they're well made and truly interlocking. Hallmark stores are the only place we've ever found this brand and believe me, we've looked for them everywhere.
Daddy made identical boards for Mama and me years ago that would each hold all the pieces of a 1000 piece puzzle when it's laid out so that we wouldn't have to set up card tables. Our boards have picture frame moulding on all four sides so the pieces will stay on the board and we can slide it under the sofa when we have company over and it won't be in the way.
In my family putting a puzzle together is truly a competitive sport. If any of us, and there are about 17, walk into the den and Mama's chair is empty and the puzzle is out, get out of the way because we will sit down and take over the puzzle. We were raised putting puzzles together and over the years it has been hundreds of them. We used to have to help lay it out in order to help put it together, then put all of the edge together first, but Mama has become a little slack on these issues over the years. Now, we just lay it all out and begin in any area we choose. It's addictive and we love it.
We have so much fun while we are putting the puzzle together. We're always smiling, talking and reminiscing about the good times and everyone gets a chance to sit in Gran's chair, unless Toney or Ryan is around! We've even had puzzle marathons where we watched 3 movies and put a 1000 piece puzzle together at the same time.
Sometimes I think about families who don't spend special time together and it makes me sad. Now, more than ever we need to spend more time as a family unit laughing, talking, playing and yes, doing something corny like putting a puzzle together. The love we share and memories we make together as a family are important and truly unique. It really doesn't matter what the subject is, we may put together a Christmas scene in July or a Spring scene in December. What matters is that we are together laughing, telling stories and creating memories.