Nashville Wife

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Christmastime

Christmas Lights in Nashville

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This holiday season, we visited two iconic Nashville attractions to see Christmas lights. Do you enjoy viewing Christmas lights?The first place we visited was Cheekwood, a historic estate that has both a botanical garden and a small art museum. We enjoyed walking the one-mile loop through the outdoor lights, touring the mansion, and browsing the art museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we have for the past few years, we also walked through the three beautiful atrium at the famous Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Opryland is magical at any time of year, and Christmastime is no exception! This year, a portion of the parking lot was blocked off because they are building an indoor-outdoor water park called Sounds Waves, a very appropriate name for a Music City attraction.

 

 

 

In the largest atrium is a huge fountain that shoots water to the beat of Christmas carols.

 

 

 

 

Outside, they had their usual manger scene and giant tree made of white lights.

 

 

 

Simple Crock Pot Wassail

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Have you ever tried wassail? It’s a hot, apple-based drink usually served around Christmastime. The picture above is my in-laws’ dinning room table set for Christmas dinner, with teacups about to be filled with wassail. In my opinion, wassail is great at any time of year (especially the dreary days of February).

This recipe is simple, but oh so delicious! You can make it in a crock pot (or any type of slow cooker) or on the stove.

Simple Wassail

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider
2 cups orange juice
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 Tablespoon allspice

Slow Cooker Instructions:
Combine ingredients in slow cooker, and stir. Cook until hot (approximately 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low), stirring every 30 minutes. You may need to adjust the time depending on the strength of your slow cooker. Ladle into mugs or teacups, and serve hot.

Some people leave their wassail in the slow cooker all day on the lowest setting. (It makes your house smell
wonderful if you do.) If you choose to do that, I definitely recommend
keeping an eye on it and stirring it every 30 minutes.

Stove Top Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot, and stir. Bring to a boil, and turn heat down to a simmer. Cover, and cook 20-30 minutes. Again, make sure to cook the wassail until it’s hot so the flavors have time to combine. Ladle into mugs or teacups, and serve hot.

 

Thoughtful Christmas Gifts

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It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). This biblical truth is especially evident at Christmastime, as we are all eager to find the perfect presents for our loved ones.

This year, instead of trying to come up with gift ideas at the last minute, I started a list on my phone that I have added to periodically since my wedding in June. When it came time to purchase presents, I had thoughtful, unique options for most of our family members.

Mr. Handsome and I celebrated two Christmases, one with his family and one with mine. The picture to the left shows my in-laws’ tree just before we opened our gifts. With two parents, seven kids, two children in-law, one granddaughter, and one boyfriend, there were 13 of us.

It may seem that there was an overwhelming amount of presents under the tree, but we didn’t spend an overwhelming amount of money.

My husband’s youngest brother wrapped up several of his favorite devotion books to pass on to his younger siblings. My mother-in-law made a dozen freezer meals for her second-oldest son who lives alone and has limited culinary skills. Anne (my oldest sister-in-law) and I found a number of gently used Christian books on Amazon for as little as $3.00 each.

What does your family do at Christmastime to place a greater focus on giving than receiving?

Discount Anniversary Trip

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We just celebrated our six-month anniversary and were blessed to spend three days in sunny Fort Myers, Florida.

We went with another close friend from my husband’s college friends, whose parents own a condo, and his wife. They were unable to make it to the surprise birthday party that I threw for Mr. Handsome in November, so it was wonderful to spend time with them.

My husband and I are very frugal and were not planning to take a trip for our anniversary, but we just couldn’t pass this offer up. Our accommodations were free, and we found tickets for less than $250 on Allegiant Air. Although the condo was located 30 minutes inland, the owners graciously left a small car in the garage for us to use.

We’re accustomed to cold weather at Christmastime, so it was odd to walk along the beach wearing summer clothes and see holiday lights and decorations.

 Christmas lights on Sanibel Island