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Lorraine D. Hebler

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With Family

By Lorraine

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
 Giving thanks to God for sending His Son for us

 Christmas Eve Cousin time

 The big kids

 together

 taking turns reading the Christmas Story before bed

 Christmas Morning

 Snuggle time

 Jamie Josh and their children (with one on the way)
Keri Noah Silas Caleb Cambrie

 Jill and Brad and their children, Ryan, Brenna and Shaela

 Erin and Jared ~ Me and John

 Silas Shaela Cambrie and Aunt Abbey

boys in hats & chocolate wand pretzels
Our Family

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Abbey, brad, Brenna, Caleb, Cambrie, Christmas, Erin, Grandchildren, Jamie, Jared, Jill, John, Josh, Keri, Lorrie, Noah, Ryan, shaela, Silas

One More Sleep til Christmas

By Lorraine

It took a little while to get to this…
from this.
Rudy (the Yorkiepoo) is visiting from NY with his family and Raider (the Schnauzer) has made great strides tolerating his presence.  First there was lots of barking from Raider and lots of instigating from Rudy.
Now they are becoming friends (almost)
♥
Heading to Christmas Eve service at 5 them home for new jammies, yummy food and treats, a couple of stories by the Christmas tree and enjoying each other.
I suspect there will be more than just pups running around with all the grandchildren here.
Can’t wait!

 

Filed Under: Family, Family & Friends Tagged With: Christmas, Raider

Crochet Wreath Tags

By Lorraine

Easy pattern for tiny crochet wreath tags work up in minutes. Sweet embellishments for holiday notes, gift tags or to decorate packages.Super quick ~ Super easy. You can make a stack of crochet wreath tags to decorate your packages in very little time. Make them in any color using tiny amounts of yarn.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: Christmas, Crafts, Crochet, gifts

A Child Again

By Lorraine

it starts with the sound of the sirens in the distance…
and builds as the shrill intensifies and the fire truck rounds the corner with lights flashing…
a little girl of long ago, excitedly emerges and waves as Santa drives by the house…
I am transported back many years with the same excitement filling my heart… every year!
John asked, ‘Doesn’t it look a little silly you being out here waving to Santa without any children around?’ Ah, but there is a child here!
For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.

Charles Dickens

I assume I get this charge because my parents made a big deal of Santa when we were children.  My Mom and Dad did not come to know the Good News and embrace Jesus as their Savior until they were in their later years.  Though Santa was never the focus of our Christmas celebration of Christ’s birth, and our grandchildren  have always understood the fantasy of Santa, I think their Mom-Mom will always run out to wave as the fire truck passes by. 
A photo snapped Friday evening, just before John & I left to attend his company Christmas Party.
We had a wonderful time.

Filed Under: Family, Family & Friends Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Christmas, John, Lorrie

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

By Lorraine

 
I am getting together with three of my dearest friends for a small Christmas Cookie Exchange.
Wanting to try a recipe I had in my file for a few years I finally made these pretty little cookies.
White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread are tiny in size yet are BIG on flavor. Each cookie measures just over 1.5-inches but could easily be made larger by rolling bigger balls.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Christmas, Cookies, Friends

Silly Hats

By Lorraine

 
There are going to been some silly noggins Christmas morning at my house. If Ella is any indication, they are going to have a blast wearing these  hats!

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: Christmas, Crafts, Crochet, gifts, Grandchildren

Friends & Fireplace

By Lorraine

Our weekly Bible Study group got together Wednesday evening for our annual Christmas dinner party.
I am so blessed by each person in this photo!  What a wealth of Godly wisdom and character each person brings to the group.  We love each other dearly as we encourage and pray for one another on our journey through this world toward our Heavenly home
Between Dinner and Dessert, we gathered in the family room for a photo in front of the fireplace
When we moved into our home 27 years ago, this fireplace had a fake brick front and a small, rough-hewn board for the mantle.  John and I designed and built the new mantle and added marble to the front and the hearth.  The wood-burning stove insert is what keeps us toasty warm through the winter.
We also added the windows to bring light into the room.
The metal screen belonged to my mom.  She used it in front of a decorative fireplace.
The counted cross-stitch Silent Night was made and framed many years ago and comes out each Christmas.
The Scherenschnitte (German for paper cutting) were made several years ago from patterns I found in a book and patterns shared by Cindy.

  At Abbey’s request, we brought the tree back to the family room.  The last few years it has been in the living room but she wanted a change this year.
 I wish the room was as large as it appears in this photo!
It gets pretty crowded when all the kids are here.
The coffee table that holds our Christmas Eve hearty appetizer dinner.
One of the only times I allow food in the family room…
after Candlelight Service and the kids are snugly in their jammies while Pop-Pop reads
The Night Before Christmas.
I think at least two of the little ones actually pay attention through the whole story    😉
It is just too hard to be still with cousins visiting and Christmas Day just one more sleep away.
The quaint village waits in anticipation for Jill and family to arrive and join their cousins to watch the trains go round and round the tracks with horn tooting and tiny puffs of smoke billowing from the engine. 
Linking to:
Show & Tell Friday @My Romantic Home

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Christmas, Friends, Grandchildren

Crochet Wash Cloths & Scrubbies

By Lorraine

Work up a lovely set of crocheted cotton washcloths and scrubbies to pamper yourself or as mush appreciated gifts. The handmade, spa quality cloths are durable and soft. Best of all, the patterns are quick and easy!Getting a gift for our oldest daughter is kind of hard. Gift cards are always welcomed but I like to include something personal. I worked up a set of crochet cotton wash cloths & scrubbies. I tied them up with a pretty plate and a bar of homemade soap to display in the bathroom. She love it!Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: birthday, Christmas, Crafts, Crochet, Erin, gifts, Mother's Day

Crochet Boutique Bag

By Lorraine

 
Easy pattern for adorable crochet boutique bags. Great size as a clutch to hold cell phone & wallet or as a cosmetic bag. Cute for little girls too.
Big girls and little girls will love these cute crochet boutique bags. Just the right size for carrying a wallet and cell phone or used as a cosmetic bag. I am making them for the little girls on our list for all the treasures little girls need to take along with them.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: Christmas, Crafts, Crochet, Crocheting, gifts, Grandchildren

New York City Fun

By Lorraine

John and I treated ourselves to a short getaway. An overnight trip to NYC. We drove to Hammilton, NJ then took the train to the NY Penn Station. A few blocks and we were at our hotel.
 
 Our first stop was Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes.
It was a beautiful show!

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Family, Family & Friends, Travel Tagged With: Christmas

Sweet Nostalgia

By Lorraine

My Christmas trees have some new ornaments this year.

Or, rather old, vintage ornaments that once hung from the branches of the trees we knew as children.

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Family, Family & Friends, Vintage Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Christmas, Daddy, Mommy

We’ve Been Decking the Halls

By Lorraine

 In the dining room
(paper star tutorial here)
 In the family room

In the living room

in the kitchen

Inside and out


Linking to:
Mosaic Monday @Little Red House
Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style
Whatever You Want Wednesday @Free Pretty Things for You
Wednesday’s WOW @This Good Steward
Blogger Block Christmas Party @ No Minimalist Here

The DIY Show Off Live, Love, TRAVEL

Filed Under: Home and Garden, Home Decorating & DIY Tagged With: Christmas

WIP

By Lorraine

Just a peek
at what I’m working on for the kids

 can you guess 🙂

This Mom-Mom has to get out of the kitchen and back to hooking real soon!
(When I’m finished I will give you the links where I got/purchased some really cute patterns)

Filed Under: Crochet, Family Tagged With: Christmas, Crafts, Grandchildren

Bacardi Rum Cake

By Lorraine

I baked a cake for
National Bundt Day
Mary @The Food Librarian is celebrating her 3rd annual
I Like Big Bundts by baking  a Bundt a day for 30 days!
I am baking along by sharing another one of my old recipes.
One I make only around the holidays as it is full of rum!
Very moist and quite tasty.

Bacardi Rum Cake

recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn

Print Version

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 package plain yellow cake mix
1 (3 3/4-oz.) package vanilla instant mix
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 large eggs

Glaze:

4 Tbs. butter (1/2 stick)
2 Tbs. water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Bacardi dark rum

Place rack in the center of oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
Lightly spray a 12-cup a Bundt pan and dust with flour.
Sprinkle the pecans or walnuts in the bottom of pan.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, rum, oil, water and eggs in large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl; increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more. The batter should look thick and smooth. Pour into pan.

Bake until golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed; 58-60 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool on rack 20 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Poke holes in the top of cake with a wooden skewer.

Prepare the glaze. Place butter in small saucepan and melt over low heat. Add the water and sugar, stirring. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and let glaze simmer until thickened, 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Spoon over warm cake allowing to seep into holes and drizzle down sides. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Store cake, cover tightly at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 1 week. Freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight on the counter before serving.

Linking to:
Tasty Tuesday Party @Naptime Creations
Tuesday’s Treasures @My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Made by You Mondays @Skip to My Lou
Under the Table Dreaming’s The Sunday Showcase Party
WOW us Wednesday @Savvy Southern Style
Home Decor and Organizing Link Party
Foodie Friday @Designs by GollumTransformation Thursday @The Shabby Creek Cottage
Frugalicious Friday @ Finding Fabulous
Think Pink Sundays @Flamingo Toes

The DIY Show Off

Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, Recipes, Sweet Treats Tagged With: Christmas

Black Bottom Cups

By Lorraine

Moist and chocolaty, black bottom cups are rich little cupcakes with a cream cheese & chocolate chip filling and topped with sugar and pecans.
Christmas Eve in our family doesn’t change much. Candlelight Service in the early evening then home to dimmed lights, soft Christmas Carols, and family. Black bottom cups are a yummy part of our tradition.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Cakes & Cupcakes, Holidays, Recipes Tagged With: Baking, chocolate, Christmas, cream cheese

Still a Thrill Seeing Santa Drive by on Fire Engine

By Lorraine

I can’t explain it
But it still happens
It sends me right back to childhood.
From the instant I hear the siren in the distance
The anticipation and excitement wells up inside
And grows stronger as the shrill approaches
Here comes Santa Clause!
I am five years old again.

horn blasting… lights flashing…

Yes, it’s me again, Santa.
The oldest child in the neighborhood.
Running out to greet you
e*v*e*r*y
year!

Filed Under: Family, Uncategorized Tagged With: Childhood Memories, Christmas

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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