Merry Christmas 2017!

This is my absolute favorite Christmas decoration this year!

My dear sister-in-law Joy has undergone six rounds of chemo, surgery, and now is undergoing six more rounds of chemo. And still she finds time to create ~ to relax, focus on the positive and heal.

She did a gorgeous job on this holly hanging and I adore it!

*Please keep her in your prayers.*

I found time this past week to stop at P.O.S.H. for a bit of inspiration.

Woodland wonder

Christmas magic

A bit of quiet at this hectic time.

This past week I took Mom to see this home in our town. 

 

An amazing display with lights coordinated to music,

including a salute to our veterans.

They do this as a fundraiser and this year they are nearing a $100,000 contribution to pediatric cancer in honor of a young neighbor battling brain cancer.

(please ignore the veteran's forget me not hanging from my rear view mirror ;) oops! )

I also had to share this car that we saw as my husband picked me up at the train station this week!

I had never seen anything like this before!

This Christmas will be different for us as our oldest son is in Japan.

But we are happy to know that he is enjoying the trip of a lifetime.

We are lucky to be in contact with him daily and enjoying each picture that he sends.

We will celebrate Christmas with him next month when he returns and get to hear all about his adventures!

Wishing each and everyone of you a Very Merry Christmas filled with love near and far!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

~Luke 2:8-11

Blessings, Patti 

Chicago Christmas 2016 ~ shopping

A Christmas shopping tradition with most Chicagoans is visiting Macy's on State Street - the former Marshall Fields. I have wonderful memories of viewing the Great Tree with my grandparents and eating at the Walnut Room at its base. Then years of doing the same with our boys and collecting their annual Santabear mugs during our special meal.

This was my favorite window this year - loved the little squirrel and the silhouettes.

My other favorite Christmas stop is this little shop:

A simple old door at The Tree Studio Building - an artists colony built in 1894.

Once you walk through the door, you feel like you are walking into another world!

The shop is called P.O.S.H.

The display immediately inside the door.

Of course I was drawn to this German display.

Be sure to walk to the back of the store to see a beautiful view

Isn't it gorgeous?! 

Especially with the wonderful courtyard garden as a backdrop.

Such sweet details everywhere you look.

I think that I need to go back one more time before Christmas just to take it all in :)

And for a few moments of that holiday peace and wonder that it provides.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Luke 2:4-5

Blessings, Patti

Chicago Christmas 2016 ~ Cookies and a Parade

Each year our church hosts a cookie walk.

While the cookies are always wonderful, this year there was an abundance of truly special cookies, many made by my friend Lois. She is so talented!

Isn't this wee mouse with the maraschino stem tail too cute!

And these little piggies - too cute to eat!

A sweet polar bear

and some darling snowmen as well

Some "Nutter Butter" snowmen and reindeer

A reindeer brownie

And an "ugly Christmas sweater" cookie!

I have to admire them for a while before we eat them ;)

After an absence of a few years, we decided to attend the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade.

Here it comes!

Mickey & Minnie Mouse are always on the first float to turn on the Christmas lights down Michigan Avenue.

It's fun to see the giant balloons from a different perspective.

The nutcracker was my favorite.

Of course it was a very windy night, so they had to be kept close to the ground.

Celebrating the Cubs World Series win.

 My oldest son was happy to see Ben Zobrist and his wife, Christian singer Julianna Zobrist on another float. 

And of course the man of the hour with all his reindeer friends :)

 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

~Luke 1:42-45

Blessings, Patti