Author Archives: ~~Rhonda

Living in a small town, I share my life with my husband Russell (married in 1977), five children (one still at home), and six cats (one indoors, the others outside).

I teach an online class called “The Christmas Notebook” which is about all things holiday prep. The many facets of celebrating Christmas comprises one of my favorite hobbies. Other favorite things include gardening, reading, cooking, and scrapbooking.

Happy New Year

January 1, 2008 – 9:34 pm
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Happy New Year!

January 1, 2008 – 9:13 pm

I hope you have had a good New Year’s Day. We spent a quiet day, working on a few projects that need to be done before we leave on a mission trip to New Orleans this month. Happy New Year, one and all! ~~Rhonda

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Christmas House Tour ~ the downstairs

December 31, 2007 – 11:26 pm

Our Second Empire brick home was built in 1867. We bought the house in 1994 and moved in, after extensive restoration and while still renovating, in 1996. We love celebrating Christmas in this lovely old home. DH decks the porches with evergreen roping and white lights. He also strings many of the redbud trees in […]

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Christmas House Tour ~ the upstairs

December 31, 2007 – 11:25 pm

Standing at the top of the twenty-two steps, looking down toward the front door, you have a beautiful view of the staircase and railing. Original to the home, the staircase and railing are made of walnut. A small secretary at the top of the stairs was a birthday gift from DH nine or ten years […]

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DH’s birthday

December 30, 2007 – 10:30 pm

We celebrated DH’s birthday this week. All of 53. I made his favorite…red cake. Five candles on the left, and three on the right, as you look at it from this end of the table. Keeps the blaze down to a manageable level. 😉 Gifts included leather garden gloves, a short shovel for digging in […]

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mission team

December 30, 2007 – 10:20 pm

Our church is sending a mission team to New Orleans in January to work on homes hit by Hurricane Katrina. The team will be putting in insulation and sheet rock in one home and gutting another as we have time. I am serving as a cook along with another team member, being a better cook […]

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Christmas…come and gone

December 26, 2007 – 6:18 pm

Christmas morning is done, the Story read, the presents opened, the gift wrap scattered across the floor, the family happy and satisfied…and I…I’m a little sad. Happens every year, sometime after the morning’s festivities. Everyone is enjoying their gifts, watching new DVDs, playing new games, working a puzzle, or eating another treat. But, basically, it’s […]

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gift bags

December 26, 2007 – 2:11 pm

I like to reuse Christmas cards for lots of things. They make great gift tags, can be cut into Christmas postcards, and make beautiful little gift boxes…not to mention the pretty ornaments that can be made from them. We’ll look into these uses in later posts. Today I want to show you how easily an […]

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Holiday Petits Fours

December 21, 2007 – 5:01 pm

A rich, three layer, almond treat! This little bite of cake is one DD#2’s favorite Christmas goodies. There are five pieces on this tray. Can you find them? Don’t let this recipe throw you off. They are actually easy to make, beautiful to look at, and delicious! Holiday Petits Fours 1 can (8 oz.) almond […]

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dinner party, punch recipe

December 21, 2007 – 4:15 pm

Last evening’s dinner party was wonderful. The menu included: crackers and cheese spread (I left out the chicken.) pear/walnut salad roast beef (Delicious! Got rave reviews.) boiled red potatoes carrots and parsnips stir-fried sugar snap peas with cherry tomatoes almond cake for dessert Three of the guests came at 7:00, and the others about 7:30, […]

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