"Christmas is forever...

..., not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself..."
~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time."
~Laura Ingalls Wilder

The tree is now down, for to get the house back to it's rightful state, things where they belong, it needed to go to make room. But may we hold the spirit of Christmas in our hearts every day. A spirit of love, giving, sacrifice and gratefulness. May we remember, daily, that God came to earth as a babe...to be the greatest sacrifice of all....because of His love for us!

Above are some mini bagels I had made over Christmas time. I used the same bagel recipe I have posted about before...but just made them smaller! :)

One of my favorite books I have gotten recently...

Jaxson loves *seek-and-find* books...

Madelyn received a *make-your-own* quilt set for Christmas and has been having a lot of fun putting it together...

A few pictures of around the dining room where I had to do a bit of rearranging to make a spot for the cupboard my parents gifted me for Christmas...





It's nice to have things basically back-to-order around the house. There are still a few things to put away...some trash to burn...etc. But overall....things are tidy. :)

Last evening was a wonderful night. After Chris arrived home from work, we enjoyed a supper of stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes and broccoli. We did a little Brain Quest trivia and then after supper was all cleaned up...we played Bingo! The children (as well as Chris and I) had such a fun time with it! I was the *caller*.

After a few games of that...we all snuggled into the living room and had devotions and read a chapter from Little House on the Prairie. We also prayed over our family for health...as we found out that some members from Chris' side had caught a stomach bug...and we had just been with them all the night before! So far, we haven't gotten sick...but only time will tell!

Thanks, so much, for dropping by. :)
Until next time,
Katy :)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ~Ephesians 3:16-20