Oh, I’m so excited that it is time for BooMama’s Christmas Tour of Homes to start! Welcome to By the Lamp Light, I’m Lora and I’m delighted that you’ve stopped by on this wonderful wintery day. May I take your coat or wrap?
Please make yourself at home here in the living room. The mantel is dressed with fresh greenery, pinecones and a bird’s nest from our yard. And those darlin’ children pictured are our teens (several years ago, of course!) The berry embellished vases belonged to my grandmother and they are year round hosts to *the sticks* as affectionately termed by my dear husband, the Salesman.
From the front door, you’ll also be able to see this picture which is a *favorite* of mine and hangs in welcome year round. It is a dear treasure from my grandmother’s home entitled “For My Eyes Have Seen My Salvation” (Luke 2:30).
When the Salesman reads the Christmas story, I sit and look at this picture of Simeon holding my dear and sweet Savior, Jesus. Every year, I position myself so I can take in the full beauty of this picture as the Truth of the Scripture reveals why the Light has come. Oh, I do pray that your eyes have seen salvation, too.
This family Bible is a year round fixture as well and was given to my parents by my dad’s parents when they were married. It now finds its home here in the beautiful mountains with us. This year we celebrated 20 miraculous years of marriage; praise His Name! Oh, I’m rambling. Please come back and visit another day; today, I’ll try to stay on tour schedule. But I do love to visit, so please stop by again. The Bible has illustrations “by the great masters of religious art together with interesting historical facts about the artists and their paintings.” I’m a visual learner and so enjoy the paintings featured.
You’ve probably noticed, I tend toward the older items such as this deer planter. Every gift in this home has a story to go along with it. My dear mother, who is now alive with Jesus, gave me this planter when I was a senior in college and engaged to the Salesman. I have memories from seeing it in our home growing up.
And here is a snow village that my oldest teen enjoys putting on the piano. When I was a career woman, my boss started this collection for us. There is no greenery here because our darlin’ piano playing teen tends to sneeze when playing if it’s close by. I love hearing her play and sing and sometimes her teen sister, the violinist, joins in. And when the Salesmen adds his tenor voice, it is a slice of heaven. It would be wonderful if we could sing “O Come, Let Us Adore Him” right now.
Normally on the back of the piano, I have darlin’ pictures of the children from previous Christmas card pictures. I love seeing them smile at one another, sporting matching outfits and the cutest hairbows ever in their sun bleached bobs. Oh, sweet, sweet memories these pictures are, so they have to be displayed on a bookcase. (Can you see the dusting of snow out the window? It is lovely.)
Just glance out the window and you’ll see the snow on the holly. Isn’t the whole earth just full of His glory?
Our tree holds special ornaments that in no way match or have a theme. It is just Christmas fun and dear memories to each of us. And our darlin’ teens decorate the tree, which is a blessing! A couple years ago, one of them asked me how I did all the decorating year after year by myself. (The comment blessed me, yes it did.) Mama’s just do that kind of thing without considering it a labor. It was a labor of love. But now I’m blessed with little teen elves that beautifully and quickly help with the holiday decor. I’m so excited about how the lights appear on this picture and I don’t even know how it happened. Isn’t that cool? If y’all have been around here long, you know that I’m a techno dinosaur, but this picture just tickled me.
And under the tree are boxes my dear mother purchased from a candy company. They come in all sizes and are perfect for the special gift for ladies with a big bow or great for the men on your list tied with simple cording.
Beside the cozy couch is an old wooden six sided puzzle that gets much use during the season. Christmas books have replaced our current reading stack and a painted picture by dear young hands stands where a picture of the Salesman’s entire family normally greets us.
Are you all getting hungry? BooMama said we could offer refreshments, and since I wholeheartedly agree, let’s head to the dining room. Oh, you want to wash up? Here’s the teen’s bathroom with the cute-as-a-button Crabtree & Evelyn gingerbread man soap that I found at T. J. Maxx last year with a price tag of 50 cents. I love a Christmas bargain, yes I do.
I’ll meet you all in the dining room where the teens have made Oreo Truffles.Oh, just one will convince you that you have discovered your new favorite Christmas treat. So, please enjoy and I’ll pour the hot chocolate. And please, make yourself at home.
I’m delighted to share the easy recipe:
OREO TRUFFLES
1 package Oreo cookies
1 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
24 ounces white chocolate almond bark, melted
12 ounces milk chocolate almond bark, melted
Crush 8-10 Oreo cookies at a time in the blender or food processor until they look like smooth crumbs. Once they are all crushed, place Oreo cookie crumbs into a mixer and add one package of softened cream cheese. Mix until well blended and no white is seen from the cream cheese.
Roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 30minutes. Remove from freezer and using a candy spoon or a toothpick, dip balls into the melted white chocolate almond bark, place on wax paper until chocolate sets. You can dip them in the white chocolate bark again if you think they need another coating. Or just put the milk chocolate into a small Ziploc bag and snip off a very small corner and drizzle over the truffles. Enjoy!
Here is an upclose plate of truffles decorated by our youngest teen. Mmm… I always agree to be the taste tester when the teens are in the kitchen!
While we’re in the dining room (and before you and I need to go start dinner) I’d so like to share a few more favorites with you. This lovely trio of angels from the 1960’s graces my antique desk that is in the corner of the dining room. It is where I do my Bible study, writing, and spend my early morning time with the Lord. Underneath the glass, I have favorite Christmas cards from previous years.
And on my desk in my pen and pencil cup is the most precious, pink cheeked, curly eyelashed little drummer boy made by a darlin’ teen whose once wee kindergarten hands brought her mama many treasures. I can say I’ve not seen any drummer boys that make me smile like this one does. Precious, precious memories.
And I’ve saved the best for last. If your family is like ours, we seem to congregate around the food and this buffet is in the center of our daily activity. This was my dear mother’s nativity set and my father’s hard working hands made the stable.
Thank you kindly for stopping by and I pray that your eyes have seen His salvation.
You have a beautiful home and I enjoyed visiting with you. Maybe one day soon Georgia and I can come for a visit when I visit my family in Morristown. 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Patty
What a beautiful tour of your home! The decorations are just beautiful and I love that large Bible with the photos!
I have no words for the oreo truffles! Well, except for YUMMY!
I love the artwork “My Eyes Have Seen My Salvation.” What a beautiful passage of Scripture. I loved touring…come visit me at my house (blog!)
Thanks for sharing! Wow! Can I get your teens over to my house sometime. They seem pretty amazing and make such delicious treats! Merry CHRISTmas to you and your beautiful family.
I love that you treasure those things handed down from one generation to another as well. Your home is beautiful and I loved hearing the stories behind so many things!
How wonderful that you have so many family heirlooms. That Bible is a treasure. And your daughter is quite the talented truffle decorator. Thanks for having me over! Merry Christmas!
Your home is beautiful. I loved seeing the pictures of your girls with the large bows, as my girls used to wear those too…the bigger the bow they happier they were. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your home.
Everything is beautiful! Thanks for sharing your home with all of us!
-Kim
Beautiful picture! I like your vintage Christmas items!
Everything was so pretty, especially the snow on the holly picture:). Merry Christmas!
Beautiful! Love that nest! The picture of Simeon and the Christ child! And what a gorgeous Bible!!
The special effects lighted tree thrilled me too! A beautiful accident! Your home is lovely.
I had tears in my eyes as I “entered” your home and felt the sweet spirit of the Savior and your sweet spirit. What a beautiful home, a beautiful tour and a beautiful wintess of the true meaning of Christmas, our Savior.
Merry Christmas !
With Love,
Jaelle @ http://www.momtothreebabies.blogspot.com
Everything looks BEAUTIFUL! I love it! Thanks for letting us in!
Thank you, thank you, for a wonderful, meaningful tour. Merry Christmas and blessings to your family.
Thanks for sharing. It is beautiful and my husband will love the oreo recipe!
It all looks lovely! Thanks so much for the tour and the recipe (those look yummy)!
Manuela
I love the photos of your girls, and the fact that they do the candy making now. I love old things too; your home is just lovely! Merry Christmas!
Susan
the oreo truffles are great, i just tasted one the other day and i will definately be making those.
Oh Lora! Your home and decorations are beautiful. I loved the painting of Simeon and the baby Jesus. Oh Glory! What a beautiful reminder of the reason for this season.
I think my favorite part was the snow and the holly bushes. They are gorgeous and yes His glory is revealed in every little things.
Everything here was delicious. I’ve shared a second tour at my home… More of my favorite things. I share a big Bible, too. Not an antiquity like yours, but a work of art by Thomas Kinkaide… See you soon and thanks for havign us in – it has been great fun!
Blessings.
Oh thank you for sharing you home with us. I love the Simeon picture and using the Family Bible- I need to ask my Mom where ours is!
blessings
mary
Everything is so beautiful! Thanks for the tour. Hoping we can meet in person some day soon.
I would love it if you shared the idea of praying over the gift recipients while wrapping.
I will be gone for about a week and don’t know if I will be on a computer or not, so if not I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.
Cindy
beautiful, thanks for inviting us into your home!
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing! (Those Oreo treats look great!)
Everything is lovely! The oreo truffles look divine.
All of your decorations are so beautiful and I like how so many of them have a special story. Thanks for the truffles. 🙂
Your home and your love for Jesus are beautiful. I love the picture of Simeon – his prayer in Luke is one of my favorite parts of the story of Jesus’ childhood. Merry Christmas
Everything is lovely – – – but those TRUFFLES!!!! There aren’t enough words for those!!!! Gorgeous.
I love all of your sweet family pieces. Such lovely memories associated with so many things. And those truffles–YUM!
Your house is lovely. The picture of Simeon is just breathtaking because I have always loved what he says when he finally lays eyes on Jesus! Such awesome scripture!
Thanks for the tour, the sweet treats (yum) and sharing your home with your bloggy friends!
Have a blessed Christmas!
Thanks for the tour. I like the focus on the family Bible!
Thank you for opening your home!
May God bless you and yours during this Holiday season.
What a lovely holiday home. I enjoyed seeing all of your collections. Thanks for sharing the recipe, too. Merry Christmas!
The Oreo truffles sound wonderful! Yum! Thank you for sharing your pretty decorations. Merry Christmas.
I love your decorations! Your mantel is so pretty! I think I have the same laura ashley clock! Oh and the oreo truffles sound devine! I am going to have to try those!
I love the painting of Simeon & the Christ Child. It is amazing.
Your home is lovely!
Your home and decorating style are gorgeous. Love the whole thing. Blessings.
How fun to get a tour of your lovely home! I love seeing all of your treasures and hearing the stories behind them! 🙂 You are a wonderful hostess!
And I just tried the Oreo truffles at a party recently. Oh, my! Oh, my! They are soooo good! 🙂
Blessings to you and your precious family this Christmas!
K
Thank you for the lovely tour! I must say I am most impressed with those Oreo truffles though and your teens’ decorating skills.
Merry Christmas!
Your home is beautiful! And I am going to have to try those Oreo truffles. Merry Christmas!
HI My friend!!!
Your home looks just beautiful! I loved everything. Good job!
I’m going to have see about meeting up with you the next time I come to Newport to visit my little sister. 🙂
Merry Christmas
steph.
I thank you for your comment on my blog, I also thank you for letting us into yours. You brought back fond memories of Christmas from my past. My best & dearest are those when we had nothing too. Having less materially keeps it real. May God bless you and yours.
Just made those truffles (I call them “Redneck Truffles”. Being from Tennessee, I can do that!) and they were a huge hit. Thanks for showing us your family’s home. Have a wonderful Christmas!
What a delightful home! Thank you for the tour and have a blessed Christmas.
What a fun blog!
Love your decor – thanks for sharing!
Paula Idaho
http://bucketideasforchristmas.blogspot.com/
Lora,
This is my first visit to your blog. Lovely decorations! Very beautiful. But I enjoyed your sweet spirit evidenced through your words even more. Thank you for sharing the fragrance of Jesus with us!
Hi Lora,
Just wanted to let you know that we made the Oreo truffles this year – I’ve never even heard of these before I saw them here – and they are delightful! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home and heart.
Hugs,
Adrienne