Christmas snow

Well, I think we're gonna have a white Christmas. They're predicting snow for Christmas Eve and Christmas day. But even if that doesn't come, we've got about 6-10 inches(give or take a few) right now and another 14-22 inches tonight and tomorrow. We'll see if we actually get that much. =P Maybe I should try that snow horse again...

6 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes until Christmas Eve. =) =) =)

It is March

...And therefore time to start thinking about Christmas again!

So..here's my ideal Christmas.


Christmas eve
Making wassail/egg casserole.
Riding my horse and spending time with him
Getting everything set up and decorated.
Evening corn chowder for dinner.
Special Christmas story with wassail.
Singing Christmas songs.
Getting everything ready for bed.
Drinking last of wassail mugs and saving pot for next day.
It starts snowing.
Sleep.

Christmas day
Getting up and starting the day at 4:00a.m.(with a special Christmas gift, perhaps)
Finding that it snowed at least two inches outside.
Getting dressed in lounge/sweat pants and a warm, toasty hoodie.
Going to the kitchen and getting carrots and apples.
Heading out to the barn to see my horse and give him/her his/her Christmas carrots and apples.
Spending a little time with my horse just saying hey(hay!) and grooming him.
Possibly going for an early morning ride in the snow.
Coming back inside for some hot chocolate/hot coffee/wassail and sitting in front of the fireplace.
Possibly watching a Christmas movie.
Getting the egg casserole in the oven.
Making grapefruit and sausages and orange juice, etc.
Waiting for everyone else to get up.
Eating breakfast.
(skipping cleaning up until later)
Heading into the living room to open any gifts(save best for last, of course!)
Clean up kitchen and living room.
Get dressed to go outside and play in the snow with horse.
Possibly ride horse.
Come back in for wassail/hot chocolate.
Lounge around the fireplace or watch a movie.
Or hang out outside with horse.

One life goal

To build a snow horse.


It didn't work today. =(

A wow.

I'm actually having a good day today!

I just found out that I only have eight weeks left in Spanish, not twelve. I'm ecstatic!

Aaannnd, we have an inch and a half of snow! I've been out sledding, getting some bruises. Okay, well the first couple aren't snow, but I liked the rain on the window last week...




No, actually, I couldn't get her to go down the hill, but at least I got the picture. Training your dog to stay pays off...
White nose!!!


The first gold of the morning...

Snowflake blessings

When I woke this morning, there was snow coming down. I was seized by a fit of childhood madness (Big grin, here) and decided to try to catch some snowflakes outside my bathroom window. So I did.

I was thinking as I was attempting to catch the snowflakes. I began looking at the different sizes of snowflakes and I thought of them as blessings from God. Then I began to think of all the things I had been waiting on for God and how He fulfills more when I wait. Well, as I caught those snowflakes, I moved my hand around and reached for the bigger ones, but could only catch the smallest of snowflakes.

Then I thought, I wonder if this is what happens in my life? I try to reach for the big ones instead of waiting for the ones that God will send right to me. And most of the time, I miss out on the big ones. So maybe I need to work on holding my hand still to wait for the "snowflakes" that God sends instead of trying to reach for the ones that weren't meant for me.

Yay!

Christmas was pretty good, I guess. I'm happy with everything I got which was more than I wanted, but not everything I asked for. =\ So, I'll just have to wait 'til my birthday. =P There wasn't any snow. ='(

I got a REALLY nice pair of riding boots and my own helmet!

I can't wait to ride in them!

On that note...

I REEALLLLY want snow for Christmas.

Just a half an inch.

Just on Christmas eve.

Just for Christmas morning.

Then it can melt.

But I really want snow.

I've been praying for snow.

It's supposed to rain.

But I've been praying for snow.

So maybe it will snow.

Just for Christmas.

Rain, rain, go away...

I really hate rain.

It makes me feel sad and seems to drain me of energy.

And, yet, at the same time, it makes me inspired. I have no idea why. It's just an inspiring thing. It makes me think about God more. It makes me think about a lot of things.

I want to go riding again. I miss being around horses. It's pretty wet, though. And I was supposed to go with a friend.

Perhaps, people can't understand this, but for me, horses are very therapeutic. They just have something that nothing and no one else can give me. There's something special about each and every one of them. And each of them understands a different way. But, no matter how they respond, somehow I just know that they do. I can't really explain it. It's just so real and special. I really want a horse. No, let me rephrase that.

I really need a horse.

There's something awesome about riding in the rain. I've never ridden in pouring rain, but I have ridden in rain. I also really want to ride in the snow.

But I'm actually going to go hang out a barn tomorrow. I'm not riding, but I'm going to muck stalls, maybe clean tack, clean stuff, and maybe even groom some horses. I'm so excited. I can't wait to go. I'm also bringing carrots for them. And maybe apples. They'll be following me around like puppy dogs.

They'll love me forever. Maybe. I've never met these horses. I guess I will see. I'll be bringing my camera.

Cream cheese walnut muffins and more

As I drink my second mug of wassail, I will tell you about today.

Today started out kinda slow. We got breakfast and finally made a decision about where to get a Christmas tree. We decided to get one here. (Blogger did it again. So click on the pictures, please)

Christmas tree hunting...




I wanted to put this one in my room. Oh, well.






We finally picked out a tree and tied it to the car. After we brought it home, I started the wassail, and decided to start some cream cheese walnut muffins and we got the tree in the house.

Cream Cheese walnut muffins
Beat together-

1 c soft margarine
8 oz. cream cheese

Add-
1/4 tsp. salt

Work in by hand-
2 c sifted flour


Roll into ball and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours

Roll out dough cut to fit mini muffin tins

Filling(may have to make double)-
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 T melted margarine
2 eggs
1 1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt


Bake 350 degrees for 20 min.

Let cool in pan a few mins. before removing. (May have to use butter knife to remove from pans)





But anyway, after starting the dough, I ended up going out again to get some things an hour away. When we left, it had been snowing a litte, but I didn't think much of it since it usually doesn't do much here. So, when we came out of Walmart, it was really snowing. We drove the hour home through the snow and when we got home I went out with the dogs to get a few pictures of the half-inch of snow for my blog.

Then I turned the wassail back on(which I had never finished making) and we got some turkey soup for dinner. After dinner, I finished the filling on the cream cheese walnut muffins. By this time, it was probably about nine or so. I finally got started on decorating the tree. There is not much else(excluding riding of course) more satisfying or fun than decorating the Christmas tree in your pjs when you have Christmas music playing and wassail to drink and cream cheese walnut muffins to eat.



This was not a set up shot. She was just there. I got inspired and tried to get the other dogs set up, but the pictures just didn't turn out except the bottom one. =( But Lexi is sooooo cute! She looks just like a little present.

After decorating a I came up here. I'm going to redo my blog picture tomorrow. I think God sent the snow just for me today. =)

Also, I would appreciate prayer that it wouldn't be too cold or wet on the 13th as I am going riding with a friend. I am praying really hard, and I'm sure she is, too, as she hasn't had a chance to go since before last Christmas. So please pray.

OH, MY WORD.

I found these looking for pictures for my desktop background. I'm going to build one of these this year.

SNOW!!!

Haha. None of it stayed of course. =P

My, my...

It is actually cold in November in Virginia. Okay. Well...I'll take what I can get. =) 40 degrees isn't that bad for Virginia. It almost snowed here today, too. Maybe Christmas? *hopeful look*

But, other than that, We're having a huge Thanksgiving and a very small Christmas. NOT normal for the Langners. Okay, well, it's kinda normal, but Christmas has always been a big thing at our house. Nobody is coming home this year. They all want to have their own small Christmas. =(

Aaaannnd why am I posting? My family is the only ones who read this blog anyhow...oh, well. Maybe I'll have a reason to look back on it someday. =\