Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

We had a joyous Christmas!

Christmas and New Years was an amazing blessing! First, we got to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in our new home state of Tennessee, and we also had the blessing to have my parents drive all the way here for 2 weeks!!!

My parents on the Appalachian Trail on Smoky Mountain at the Tennessee / North Carolina state line!

 We missed them SO MUCH! Though we saw them last a month ago, but being one day away from them has been hard on Dustin and I, and sometimes it was harder on Dustin because he became very close to them since moving to California from Hawaii.

My husband doing what he does best... being goofy! He can always make my mom laugh, she loves him so much! He's an amazing son to her.

 But I think the one person they missed the most was not Dustin or I... but Sadie. My goodness how much they missed her! Right when Sadie heard their voices, i've never seen her go that crazy!!!!  We had to hurry and let her out of her crate or else she would bend it (she's quite strong), she made a beeline for them and was so excited she was running in circles and between their legs and licking their hands and faces, she was practically crying for joy! She's obviously their baby. I've been over ruled now as the baby in their lives. HaHa! 

My parents "grand dogger", Sadie! She has them wrapped around her paw. She was ecstatic to see them, she missed them so much!

My parents are our best friends, we look up to them so much, their wisdom and giving hearts and selflessness is inspiring and I can't help but beam with pride that I was raised by them and I hope I have made them proud of the daughter they raised!

In our living room playing Apples to Apples, watching reruns of the Office and having amazing family time! When us four are together, it's always fun. Haha!

 Dustin and I talked in our first year of marriage about Christmas. We decided that we won't be giving out gifts unless it's from the heart. We don't believe in going into debt over gifts that really doesn't come out of love but obligation. We have not only enjoyed Christmas more this way but have sometimes pitied those who felt obligated to give or else they will offend! So sad!

 But anyways, my parents have known since September how I desire to own a spinning wheel and make my own yarn! I want to process, dye and spin my own art yarn and have a small home business to sell my designs, for months i've researched and did my homework and already knew the wheel I desired! 

 Christmas morning I woke up and did my morning routine, and as I walked out to the living room, I stopped in my tracks and completely flipped for the amazing gift I saw underneath our tree...
 There was my dream wheel... an Ashford Kiwi 2!

 I felt my heart fluttering, and my mouth slowly opened and I didn't know if I would scream, cry, laugh, or speak in tongues! HaHa! I was so excited and in an overwhelming shock, nothing dramatic came out of my mouth but a whisper, "Is this for real?", to my mama smiling ear to ear and saying, "Merry Christmas!"...

 This was absolutely the best Christmas ever! I was spending it in my dream home, with my dream man, with my dream dog, my dream state, my dream city, and my amazing parents to gift me my dream spinning wheel!!! To God be the Glory!!!

My Ashford Kiwi 2 Spinning Wheel!

 My parents didn't have the instructions for the wheel (as the ladies at the place they purchased it from, were in on the surprise and they had to sneak the wheel from its resting place to their vehicle without me knowing, and they didn't have time to get into a box, they had to get it off display quickly before I found out anything... They have a sweet little shop in Gatlinburg, TN. www.smokymountainspinnery.com), but that didn't stop me!

 Months of watching videos on spinning and blogs and articles, I kind of had an idea... after almost 5 hours of investigating the wheel and refreshing my memory with youtube videos, I began to spin my first yarn from a merino top and hand dyed wool. The next day I finished the spinning and began to ply with another yarn that I spun on my drop spindle some weeks ago!





 There is so much more I need to learn and practice hands on, but i'm excited for it!!!

 For New Years us four went to fellowship with other believers and enjoyed fireworks and a bonfire and yummy food, and rang int the new year with the most amazing worship and prophetic prayer! Oh, how grateful I am to know them and call them my friends and family!!!! 

Amazing Worship!

 I am ready... SO READY for 2015! This year has been full of growth and learning new things, I am now ready to apply certain things in this new year and see what other surprises will come our way, no matter what in all things we give thanks to the Almighty for giving us the blessing of living a new year in Him and whatever comes our way and whatever things we will be experiencing... To God be the Glory!!!!!

My Beloved making the fire!

These 3 are the best family in my life!

Mom and Dad always make the best turkey meals!

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Christmas Tree, Oh! Christmas Tree... that's the only part I know in the song.

Merry Christmas!

 You know, i've never really remembered having a "cold" Christmas. The cold I experienced in San Diego was a zip up hoodie with a tank top underneath and thin sweat pants with flip flops on. My cold was in the low 50's and maybe it'll hit to the mid 40's up in the mountains where I lived... that was FREEZING to a born and raised cali girl like me!

 So coming to Tennessee... hmmmm... just a tad bit different... ok maybe not "tad", more like a major difference!!!!

 My first priority when we found our beautiful home was to make it a home right away before we unpacked one thing from our boxes and suitcases and to make a Christmas tradition right away to make the most of the month of December (as we moved in day after Thanksgiving).

 After putting all of our belongings in our home, my beloved and I hopped in our Cherokee (leaving sadie back with her blankie covering the crate with the scent of our apartment back in Alpine and of the car so she wouldn't get so lonely and a yummy kong filled with peanut butter!) and went looking for Christmas Trees. 

 We really wanted to go cut down our own Tree, but we didn't know where to go or who to ask, so we decided for this year we would go to Costco or Home Depot and get a tree. 

 We went to Costco and it just didn't seem fun to me. They all looked exactly the same, they were all wrapped up tight so you had no idea how full they would be, so we decided to drive around and see if there was a tree lot somewhere.

Not less than 2 miles down the road was a tree lot full of rustic looking trees that looked fresh and ready to be taken home!

Our tree wrapped from the lot ready to go home!

 They were a bit more pricier but it was so worth it!

These trees were freshly cut right across the border in North Carolina from a local farm there, the young man there definitely looked and talked like he came from North Carolina! He was an absolute charm! He not only talked to us about the tree but we ended up staying almost an hour just chatting with him in the cold! 

 His character was so warm, and of course he talked with us about our like minded beliefs in politics and God (We are very Conservative and strong believers and followers of Jesus Christ!), and he helped direct us how to train sadie to hunt and retrieve fowl when Dustin goes hunting (and I wouldn't mind learning to hunt as well with him!). 

He talked fondly of his "girl", a 1970's GMC truck that was passed from his uncle down to him, and he said, "I don't care how much someone offers, that truck damn sure ain't for sale!"

Brought our tree back home! I love everything in this picture!!!

 I then proceeded to find a tree that had a nest nestled deep in the tree!!!!! It was an old nest but it looked so natural and rustic how could I say no? Haha! We could have ended up like Chevy Chase in National Lampoon Christmas Vacation where a squirrel comes running out! But no, we didn't have that happen, Sadie would have had a fun time chasing and taking that squirrel out (she's hunted and killed other things. She's a hunter all right!)! HaHa!

You can see Dustin's legs as he is trying to make the tree more straighter, and of course i'm just snapping away photos... It's not like he needed help or anything. Sigh, i'm such a wife! Heehee!

 Finding a tree at a home depot, walmart or costco may be cheaper and quicker, but nothing beats finding a small lot and talking to the people who work there and not only finding a beautiful fresh tree, but make a memory and a friendship even if it's brief! That lot has been in their family for over 30 years!

I think I know which lot will be the place we will be going too to find our tree. It was such a wonderful time we had!

Sadie completely confused by this dinosaur bone! Haha! She had a look that said, "Is ALL this for me???" Let's just say she devoured that thing!!! It kept her happy and out of our way for that evening!

No, Dustin isn't saluting the tree. Lol! He was just trimming the top and inspecting his work as the top of the tree was hitting ceiling.

Lights are on, the burlap is wrapped around, all we need to do is decorate with ornaments! The fireplace  was amazing! It crackled and warmed us up!

How can you not have egg nog in santa cups and popcorn in these festive tins while decorating?

Ya, you CAN NOT leave out the Peanut gang!

The very first ornament we put on the tree was our very first ornament together as a married couple we got back in Hawaii!

The star was the last and final touch!

A simple and sweet rustic Christmas we will finally be having! The Lord has been so good to us! When you honor Jesus and obey Him, He honors you right back!

Dustin sitting on the couch enjoying his home, he didn't know I took this photo! I am so flattered each time I see my husband enjoy the works of my hand in our home!

Sadie's first Christmas experience!

Christmas jazz playing softly, fireplace lit up, egg nog in hand, with christmas lights on, snuggled up in the arms of my beloved with Sadie napping at our feet... This is the best Christmas EVER!