As usual, I was probably doing what no one else in the US was doing two days before Christmas…I was mulching my front yard. I have a special photo shoot coming up in January and, while they’re not coming because of my gardening ability, I want the front of my house to look decent. We divided and conquered and all four of us accomplished a lot today. I even took some time to make a rather pathetic gingerbread house with my boys. It tasted good and we had fun, so that’s what counts.
Tomorrow is for wrapping, cooking and spending some time just hanging out, getting ready for Christmas. I did get an early Christmas present, though. My parents have been talking about moving up to PA to be closer to us and the grand kids for a few months and yesterday, they put a contract on a house about 8 miles from us. I can’t tell you how exciting this is for me. I grew up as a military brat, so I never lived near my grandparents or extended family and I moved several states away from my parents when I was 20. Having family just down the road is going to be amazing and I can’t wait until the house is built and they make the move. (It’ll also give me some more help with my projects and another house for photo shoots!) We picked all of the finishes and fittings yesterday, which was quite an enjoyable process for me. Hopefully everything goes off without a hitch.
Since I don’t have any pictures or projects to share today, I thought I would share a video from last year. For those who don’t know, I have a background in musical theatre, so I decided to share a song last Christmas. It seemed like a good time to post it again for all of my new readers. I’m not really a performer anymore, but it’s fun to sing a song on occassion, so here you go…
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
70 Responses
Love it and enjoyed hearing it again. My 11 yr old is in music theatre and she loves it. What a beautiful voice you have. Merry Christmas and way to go on your Mom and Dads new contract. Hope it all goes as planned. I know you will love having them close.
What a WONDERFUL surprise for the parents to come and live by you folks in PA, Marian—I’m soooooo happy for you ALL!
What a BLESSING!
And love the video- I came across it some time ago and listened. What a nice gift to ME today (and all of your Fan-dom-hood!)
God Bless you all this HolyDay season,
Suzanne & Kevin in NW Illinois
I’m so happy for you that your parents will be nearby soon. I remember when I was a young mother we lived far away, and I’d cry for hours after each phone call home! Loved the video, I guess I’d missed this last year, Christmas blessings for your entire family!! xoxo
You are so sweet! Merry Christmas to you and your family and peace, hope, joy and blessings in the New Year!
Oh, that was so lovely!! Thank you for sharing yet another of your talents. We are huge musical theatre fans and the girls have all had some training in it. Have a Merry Christmas and I’m looking forward to your book and all the other wonderful things coming from your blog in the New Year! Deb
After Miss Mustard Seed the book, we want Miss Mustard Seed the CD! Lucky you that your parents are going to be close. When my parents retired they moved the farthest away from each of us. They seemed to like it. It has been a great year for you, we are so happy for your success. Ann (nut bird)
Your kids will be so blessed to have their grandparents close by! I am so happy for you all.
Thank you so much, Merry Christmas to you and your family. Gods blessings.
Marian, you have such a beautiful voice! My mom played the guitar, hearing you, bought back a lot of memories! So happy for you that your parents will be close by! Merry Christmas! I hope you and your family have a beautiful holiday together.
Love it you sing so beautiful.God bless you always.
Marian, you have are so alented! You have a beautiful voice, you can play the guitar AND you are an amazing artist/decorator! I am so happy for you that your parents are moving close by!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
You have a beautiful, clear voice! This is one of my favorite Christmas Songs.
How nice that your parents will be moving closer to you. I’ve been blessed in that both sets of grandparents live in the same town as we do. I can’t tell you how great it is for the kids to be so close to them. So many good memories they have, which mean so much more since my mom passed away this June.
Have A Blessed Christmas.
Alice
WOW!!!!
Loved hearing you sing…just beautiful! God has blessed you with many talents…thank you for sharing them. Merry Christmas and many blessings in the new year!
So. Much. Talent. Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas to your family.
Yay!! How exciting! I grew up a military brat, too, and it is SO amazing to have my family close. We moved across country, away from them, over two years ago, but three weeks ago, my parents moved out here, too. They’re about 1.5 hours away, but it’s so much better than 3,000 miles. 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Marion! that was beautiful!
Beautiful. My favorite song .Thanks and merry Christmas!
What a beautiful voice..You can sing too…You are killing me…LOL…What a multi talented person you are..And what great news about your parents..I grew up a with my dad being a career Navy man so I know where you are coming from on family being close..How blessed you are going to be with them just down the road..
Merry Christmas..
Merry Christmas! I’m so excited for you to have your parents moving close! My parents live in Florida while I live in California. I know I would be doing a major happy dance if they were moving here 🙂
Thanks for sharing! You are so talented!
Merry Christmas! That was such a sweet performance and I’m glad I found your blog. My daughter just discharged fromt the Marine Corp and moved back home with my sweet grandson. I’m so happy to have them both here so that I may help her. Hope you have a very wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! Julie, thehouseofjuliet
This is the first time that I have seen/heard you sing and play the guitar! You sound amazing! Is there a talent that you don’t have? God bless you and your family. Merry Christmas!
Okay woman, what can you NOT do?? You are absolutely amazing! Merry Christmas Marian!
Mallory @ Classy Clutter
Merry Christmas Marian! What a blessing to have your parents moving close by. Thanks for sharing your many talents with us. Your posts are a daily inspiration to many of us who are striving to live a creative lifestyle! I so look forward to hearing about all your new adventures in 2012 and wish you a wonderful new year! Many blessings.
Donna @ Farmgirl Outfitters
Loved it. Merry Christmas to you and your family. You are such an inspiration.
God has blessed you with many spiritual gifts! Thank you for the beautiful song! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! I loved the video, and how wonderful that your parents will be so close by. I hope 2012 is as exciting a year for you as 2011 has been!
Kat 🙂
God bless you and yours Marian. What a beautiful voice you have thanks for sharing with us. Merry Christmas.
Thank you for the beautiful song. I’m so happy for you that you will have your parents close by. Merry Christmas to you and your family and thanks for all of the wonderful inspiration.
Thank you! I follow your blog all the time (you know me better as the pesky little proofreader!) so it was wonderful to hear and kind of “meet” you on your video. And it’s such a great song too. Merry Christmas!
Fabulous! I swear I was thinking about your parents today and how awesome it would be if they moved nearby. A brand new house!! All of you will have a blast!
Merry Christmas, friend!
Donna
Dommage que je ne puisse pas tout comprendre ce que vous chantiez…. C’était si beau! le timbre de votre voix est limpide, j’aime beaucoup… Un beau partage… Mille mercis.
Je suis heureuse de vous visiter… à chaque fois.
Je vous souhaite une douce nuit de noël…
Gros bisous
You have a beautiful voice…….I have not heard White Christmas this year, and it was just a treat…..Thank you so much for sharing so much on your wonderful blog….Merry Christmas and Happy New Year….
Girl….you just ooze talent!!!! Beautiful song!!! Thank you for the video!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wow!! You have a serious wonderful voice!!! That’s awesome about your parents moving up near you!! {the ending of your video was hilarious!!!}
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!
~*Jessica
Hi Marian,
I, too, was a military brat. I wouldn’t change a thing about my childhood, but I do still have a longing for “home” – which for me is any army base, anywhere in the world. I also still have a very hard time with goodbyes 🙁 My sister-in-law sent me the DVD from the Brats Project, called “Our Journey Home”. I haven’t had the nerve to even open it yet, since just the trailer on the website had me bawling my eyes out. Here’s a link if you’re interested. http://www.bratsourjourneyhome.com/index.htm Kris Kristoferson and Norman Schwarzkopf narrate it. Happy holidays !
Thank you Marian! That was beautiful! And the perfect song for me right now, we’re praying for snow here in Idaho. So glad your parents are moving closer, what a blessing!
That was beautiful! Thank you. You are so talented and such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing all your talents with us on your blog. I look forward to every post.
Wishing you and your whole family a very Merry Christmas and a year filled with goodness and blessings.
For some reason I can’t view it.Sounded like it was lovely.Have a Merry Christmas and much happiness in the new year.Thank you for all the wonderful inspiration you have given to me.
Thank you for the beautiful song. Your children will have even more wonderful memories of their grandparents now that they are moving closer. I hope you sing often around the house. I can still hear my father singing all those silly old time songs… He would break out in song all the time… when the mood hit him… That’s one of the things I miss most … RIP Dad… Happy Holidays to you and your family and thanks for sharing with us. Also, Fellow readers and fans.. Hope your days are bright as well….
What an amazing Christmas gift! Having your parents so close is going to be great for everyone. I grew up with all of my grandparents close and I’m really grateful for that now. My parents live 2 hours away now…not too bad, but I still don’t get to see them as often as I’d like.
yay for your parents moving closer to you!! And what an awesome voice you have – you are so very talented!
who are you? I am starting to think you are decorator by day and super hero by night……lol! I enjoy your blog as always! Merry Christmas!
Want to thak you for all your wonderful ideas. You are an inspiration. wishing you and your whole family a merry Christmas and a Happy, healthy New year!
Merry Christmas Marian!!!!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful and sweet voice. Your blog has blessed me so much and so often. I’ve made many changes in my home after looking at your tutorials and ideas. Merry Christmas to you and your wonderful family. God bless!
Thank you for sharing another of your beautiful gifts with us. May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and a new year with good health, peace and prosperity
Thank you ! what a lovely gift to give your followers! Merry Christmas! Deidre~
Lovely! You have a beautiful voice. Thank you!
Is there anything you cannot do? That was beautiful, thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas!
Wow you sing so beautifully! I have been so blessed since I found your blog, Merry Christmas!
I’m a new follower this year, so I had not heard you sing. What a beautiful song ~ sung so beautifully. Congratulations on your parents living close by. My children have grown up close to my parents and it is such a blessing. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Beautiful. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
And you sing, too!!!!!????? My Goodness, Girl… I almost want to ask that old cliche question, ” Is there anything you can’t do?” 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Merry Christmas! 🙂
Oh my Marian – I am a singer/performer/guitarist also. Music was my passion before art took over. But, I find time to also be in a band and I play in restaurants in the area. One of the other band members is a furniture refinisher – and I met him on a job through a mutual interior designer. We clicked from the first time we met – and decided to see if we could form a little band. It’s amazing – this world of interconnectedness.
So happy about your parents coming up to PA. That is great. My daughter in CA is moving back to New York – and I am so thrilled (she is also going to have a baby girl in April). So – I know your joy.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Linda
PS – I know what one of my presents is…an SLR camera! So excited!
Merry Christmas Marian, one of life’s biggest blessings was having my Mom & Dad move to my town – the joy that comes from that is one I will always be thankful for. God bless you and your family during this most holy time of year.
P.S. You have a beautiful voice!
Thank you so much Marian – you have such a beautiful voice!!!! Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas and New Years!!!! The Prince of Peace has arrived!
Happy Christmas!
Thank you for all your beautiful photos!
Have a wonderful evening!
Marian,
You constantly amaze!
You have a beautiful voice. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Holiday
I am a military brat too and understand the excitement over having family live in town – my family is still spread out all over the US – sister in Alaska, mom in Florida, dad in DC, and brother in NY. It’s so much harder when you have kids to not be around your own family, I think.
The previous owners of the house we live in now just moved this past summer to be closer to their daughter and kids in PA – would have been a really really small world if that had been you, but I don’t think they were military.
How does one person possess so much talent? Wow! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I was finally able to view this.WOW you have a beautiful voice.Is there anything you CAN”T do LOL?Thank you and may God bless you and your family this holiday season.
Beautiful. Been a devoted reader since I found you last spring and am excited to see all the things you bring us in the new year.
Thank you for the lovely White Christmas serenade~both my husband and I enjoyed hearing your beautiful voice:) I’ve been reading your blog for several months now; interestingly enough, just learned recently that our daughter has also found and follows you in blog land~thank you, Marian, for sharing your God given talents with all of us who benefit from your expertise and teaching. Wishing you and yours God’s best blessing in the coming new year.
Marian, is there anything you can’t do? You are amazingly talented! Thank you for the beautiful song. You have a lovely voice.
Happy New Years to you and yours. You have a beautiful voice. Please sing for us again 😉