Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, in which we can share our favorite things from the last week. This has been a wonderful exercise in looking for and appreciating the good things God blesses us with. Click on the button to learn more, then go to Susanne’s to read others’ faves and link up your own.

Wow, it’s Friday again already? Here are some favorite things from the last week:

1. On our anniversary Tuesday, Jim took me out to a cute little tea room for lunch:

Sorry about the blurriness — I’d forgotten the camera and we were trying to use cell phones. I took a picture of my lunch, but it turned out even blurrier. The proprietor was a big Paula Deen fan:

Then we had a great meal at a local restaurant for dinner, and when we got home, Mittu had made a cake for us as well as some peanut butter cookies and peppermint bark:

2. Lights!

The light over our dining room table was very dim, partly because of the covering:

And partly because it just had two little dinky bulbs in it. Jim replaced it with these:

Much better — although almost too bright now. We need to get some 40 watt bulbs! But it is nice to be able to read the newspaper or do paperwork at the table now.

Then the living room light fixture was just not to my liking, either in style or color:

The little shapes inbetween the green lines looked like rooster heads to me. Bleah. Jim put this up instead:

Much prettier and more peaceful!

And I didn’t get a photo, but I have been wanting those little battery-operated candles for the front windows for years, but kept missing them. I finally found a package of two — but I had three windows. Then I discovered Jason and Mittu had a package with some extras that they’re letting me use. I really like driving up to the house with the lights in the window.

3. A fixed dryer. It broke down Tuesday and I was afraid with the holidays that we’d be unable to get it fixed for a while, and that a part would need to be ordered that wouldn’t get here til the end of the year, etc. It’s a gas dryer and we thought the igniter was out. But someone came out Thursday, and it was just a fuse, so we’re back in business. I am SO thankful!

4. Winning! I won one of Thom and Quilly’s prizes for a 12 Days of Christmas, Island Style as well as one of Mocha With Linda’s Booked For the Holidays prizes. Plus I won fourth place in our Sunday School teacher’s annual quiz over the Biblical Christmas narratives and won a yo-yo he made. I neglected to take photos, but Linda’s prize was two books, always a good prize for me, and Thom’s was several items from Hawaii — macadamia nuts, dried mango, keychains, a note pad, a T-shirt, and my favorite, a little bottle of shells. Here’s Jesse sporting the T-shirt:

5. Jeremy’s home! It’s nice to have the family all here again. We’re very much looking forward to Christmas Day.

A very merry Christmas to you and yours!