Homemade Christmas

Every year (okay, this is only the scond year we have done his.) my 3 girl friends and I exchange homemade Christmas presents. We went out for Italian food last night and had our gift exchange.
I got a fancy calendar/scrapbook from one friend, a piece of canvas art from another and a stained glass snowflake from my third friend. The canvas art represents the eason of winter, so I am going to make matching canvases for the other three seasons. My friend Rebecca learned stained glass this year, so not only is it a new craft form that none of the rest of us can do, it is beautiful!

I also got some homemade fudge, and some homemade canned Vegetable Soup made by "Nana." The rumor is that Nana makes the best soup ever. I wanted some of her soup last year, but was too late to order any. She makes it each winter and sells it as a way to raise money for the missions work of her church. I have been waiting a year for this soup! Nana is one of those talented ladies that can turn anything she touches to gold. She makes delicious cookies and the best cakes ever. I got two cans of soup and I am going to have some for lunch today as I just can't wait any longer!

I came home to find my husband cooking apple pies. He took the most beautiful of the pies to work, but he left a pie at home and I also took a photo of the soup. Yum. He is the pie king.

Every year I make cake for Christmas, since it is Christ's birthday. But this year we are having pie. I think Jesus won't mind as I can recall no biblical preferences mentioned about His favorite dessert as long as he is remembered on His special day.

Tonight we celebrate Christmas with my parents and brother and his family, (he has the nicest wife ever, Angela.) and tomorrow morning we will open Santa presents. I feel like a kid, I can't wait to see what else I get!