Christmas -Part 1

Wow...I'm finally able to take a few minutes to try and post again. I trust you all had a blessed Christmas!

Thank you for all your well wishes...my tummy bug is better but now both my husband and I have that cough that seems to hang on. But I'll take this over the first one any day!

Our snow finally...finally...melted. Only the piled up high snow banks remain as lumps now...reminders as the rain falls and temperatures soar to a balmy 45 degrees. But we did have a white Christmas, and on Christmas Eve the girls spent an hour building snowmen with the neightbor girls...


As most of you who either now or once had young ones can relate to, our Christmas morning was full of excitement...
And even though we had cut back on spending, it seemed Santa still brought the girls so many things! We were grateful, knowing not all parents have the privilege of seeing their children receive so much.
We were also grateful that seemed excited even over the little things too...like boxes of crayons and hair barrettes. Way to melt our hearts!

They each got a cute little cowboy hat, which their daddy borrowed for part of the morning. Guess he should have asked Santa for one, too!
And my big homemade project ...non-seamstress that I am...was making each of the girls a new-sew fleece blanket.
Although it's suppose to be easy, since making anything like that is new to me, it was a bit challenging at first! Especially sneaking in time to make two of them.
But it was well worth it to watch them receive them...they absolutely loved them.
(I want to thank Barb of Chelsea Morning for showing a tutorial of this awhile back...the minute I saw it, I knew it was something I wanted to try to make for my girls! Thanks, Barb!)

And this year I got some snazzy clothes and earrings...but most of all, I got one main gift from my husband this year. A very exciting gift...
That's right...a new laptop!
WOW!!!
For years, I've wanted one because the four of us share the one computer...and with home school assignments, my writing, blogging, ect...it can be rather challenging keeping all of our family items on one computer. (And when I was sick last week, it would have been such a luxury to check my e-mail from my quarantined bedroom.)

Now at last...a real laptop! Thank you, Sweetie!

That evening I was feeling under the weather again, so my family went on to the big family gathering with his siblings and I rested at home. You'd think I'd have felt lonely, but it was a much needed rest in the cozy Christmas living room, watching It's a Wonderful Life and other Christmas gems.

Because of icy roads, it would be the next day before we could go get my mom, who as most of you know, is 81 and lives an hour away.

But once we did, there would be more wonderful times in store...let me just say that my mom still knows how to have fun, even at her age!
But more on that in Part 2!

Now, I hope to finally have some time to visit some of you...in between cleaning up the after Christmas mess and catching up on laundry!

Blessings!

Winter Wonderland

What an incredible week...the good, the bad, and the beautiful...

First of all, our entire northwest region has been engulfed in a deep freeze for over a week now...
allowing some of us only a small window during last week to get last minute shopping or errands done as the roads temporarily cleared. Then, last Saturday it hit will even more vengeance, dumping a foot more of snow in many places- followed by freezing rain- and then more snow!
They say this is the worst snowstorm in our area in 40 years!
Sadly, all of Sunday's church services for canceled on Sunday- but some are going to hold Candlelight services on Christmas Eve no matter what.

Thankfully for our personal area, there was no wind...but not the case in other areas just a few miles east.

Because the last huge storm was in 1968, maybe that's my memory of having the livingroom window up in Washington state with snow up against hit higher than I was tall!
And maybe it was then I built this guy behind me...with the help of my daddy...



Unfortunately for me, something else hit on Saturday...a nasty stomach virus! For me, these things are the worst! I holed up in my room (and bathroom) with a fever, thankful that my husband was home to entertain the girls...but I was pretty miserable to say the least.
I'm on the mend, now...but have a few "remnants" hanging on.

So, if I haven't stopped by yet to wish you a Merry Christmas, hopefully you'll understand why!

It's frustrating to be not quite well at Christmastime, but then I remember that I still am so blessed compared to so many others. All those fighting more serious diseases...or those with not enough food to feed their children...no presents under the tree.
I don't know about you, but I can really feel sorry for myself sometimes! So it helps to keep things in perspective when things aren't going perfectly...and to purposely thank God for what I do have!

But on the "beautiful" side, here is our street...

And this was my view from my "sick room"- and it's still like this today...

And the girls sure have loved it...
Here they are playing with the neighbor boys on Sunday...the girls found a sheet of ice but weren't sure if they could lift it... so the boy gallantly did...

Yesterday, my husband came home early from work and played with the girls...


So...now I need to attempt to finally make those Christmas cookies with the kids...and wrap the last of my presents.
And in between, I hope to visit some of you...

But if I don't get to you personally...please know that I wish you a very Merry Christmas...filled with God's peace!

And if you haven't already seen this, please take the time to watch this video...all the wrapping and tinsel just falls away as we view the Gift...

A Little Christmas Tour

Wow...my 3rd year in a row joining in the Christmas Tour of Homes hosted by Boomama!

It seems to me that either last year or the year before, I was busy inviting you all in by way of taking pictures while a windstorm raged outside.

This year, again, a storm hit our area...but this time along with the wind, a ton of snow and frigid weather have joined forces.
A snowstorm was predicted and by Saturday we knew there would be a good chance that the last day of the big performance might be canceled. Still we were hoping...but sure enough, this morning it came. And yes, the last of the performances were indeed canceled!

And here in our area, we're use to a little dusting or some wet snow that melts the next day...but this time the tempatures are dipping into the teens with a wind chill making it hover near 0! Yikes....

So, um...do come in out of that blizzard!

Yes, if you look behind you, that is indeed my husband and girls...taking a very brief zip down the road with the sled...but they will come in after just a moment, since it's way too cold out there!

As you come in, you'll notice our very tiny little entryway spruced up for Christmas and having a fresh coat of paint on the wall...


And just next to it is our end table. Towards the back is my crystal Nativity candle set that I've had from before I was married.

Before we see the rest of the Christmas decor, would you like some egg nog? I know...you either love it or detest it, so if you'd prefer, I have lots of flavored teas...Our family just drinks 'nog' from the moment it hits the shelf in October until that last one is sold in January...

Anyway...
Across the room is our fireplace mantle. We're not crazy about the brick, but at Christmastime we don't even notice that we don't like it!

Here it is with the garland lights on...so cozy...


Next to our mantle is my "It's a Wonderful Life Village". My mom and I began collecting these pieces before I was married...and now my own family loves it, too!

In fact, one year my husband bought me the "It's a Wonderful Life" train. It doesn't currently work but we like to set it up by the village, of course...

And then there's our Old World Santa...

We had gone to an office party three years ago and everyone bought a white elephant gift...where people can "steal" someone's gift if they don't want to pick a new one out of the box. The people at my table were laughing as I kept nudging Santa farther and farther under my chair...oh, how I wanted to take this guy home and not end up with some obnoxious gag gift!

And last but not least, is our one and only tree...the tree I spotted right away this time and guarded as fiercely as the old world Santa...
I've never had a "themed" tree because ever since I was a child- and now as a parent- my Christmas tree has always had childhood ornaments both bought and homemade, as well as ornaments people have given me over the years.


I have a couple ornaments from our first married Christmas (one when my husband was on deployment and one when he was home the following year)... and of course my girls' first Christmases...and even three very simple cardboard bells made by cousins and mom on my own first Christmas...I'll show these on one of my next posts!

But just like with some of you, so many ornaments represent something significant in our life...bring back special memories...remind us of our own childhood Christmases.

I have yet to put our the special Navitiy set, but hope to do that tomorrow...every year it goes atop our piano in our little family room\office. Perhaps I'll show it to you later...but I know you have to run now before this storm gets any worse! It's really blowing out there...
Bundle up, now! And thank you for stopping by again at my little Christmas Tour!

Our Christmas week

I didn't mean to take a whole week long blogging break...but if you're like me, things can get a little busy at this time! I hope each of you had a very blessed Christmas!
We truly did.

But let me go back to Sunday afternoon, when the four of us attended the Oregon Ballet for The Nutcracker!
My husband and I went to the very same Nutcracker production fourteen years ago (wow...was it really that long?) when we were first dating.
What a joy to be able to take our daughters this year for the first time and see their faces light up as sugar plum fairies danced to the familiar music they already knew and loved.

Before it began, they walked to the front with their daddy to gaze down at the orchestra pit. (Little did my eight year old know that she would actually receive a gently used violin for Christmas!)

The four of us absolutely loved our night on the town.
When I laid my head on the pillow that night, I could almost still hear the music as I drifted off to sleep...just two nights before Christmas...

Christmas Eve we attended an early candlelight service at our church, and then home for carols at the piano and our Advent devotions.
We watched just a bit of the Christmas movies on TV and dined on our traditional Christmas Eve lasagna. (And no, we're not Italian...)
After the kids were in bed, their daddy and I also fell asleep... but woke just in time to sneak around with packages and things just before midnight.

And bright and early, Christmas morning, it was stocking time.
Digging in, exclaiming in excitement though you're still half asleep, and- spreading- the- little- tiny- toys -all -over- the -floor- time.
Because that's what you just do.

In our family, we do the stockings first thing...then eat breakfast and Mommy and Daddy each take a turn in the shower... oh, and Mommy has coffee. Strong coffee.

The girls survive this delay because they have all those stocking trinkets to keep them busy. And after our quick showers and breakfast, it's present time at last!

We've always enjoyed seeing the excitement on their faces at Christmas, but this year the new thing was to scream with excitement.
I think our oldest started this first, but soon they both would literally scream when they'd open an exciting present. It was pretty funny... I was soon tossing them a gift and quickly throwing my hands over my ears...;)

Can I just insert here that I was completely surprised to see that Santa knew to bring them High School Musical toothbrushes. Toothbrushes that literally sing when you brush. I didn't even know they made these.
As long as you keep those toothbrushes moving, Troy and Gabriella will sing to keep that plaque away.
I don't know whether to be a little frightened... or to ask for one for my birthday!

In all seriousness, it was a wonderful Christmas morning. And my 80 year old mom was actually still able to drive the hour to our house, arriving before noon to exchange more gifts with us.
She's been here for three nights and leaves today, and it's been a true blessing to have her here!
And to make things even more special, it honestly started snowing! Huge, beautiful flakes started falling right on Christmas Day!
Christmas snow around here is very rare, so it was very exciting to say the least!
(The picture didn't turn out well, but hopefully you can see a bit of the snow falling...)

Christmas afternoon, it was on to my husband's brother and his family's home to open more gifts with those eleven siblings and offspring!
So much fun... but it's no wonder everyone's still recovering a bit from all the festivities!
And now that I'm coming off this little unplanned break, I'll be visiting all of you to find out about your Christmas celebrations.

And resting...

And eating the chocolate I got for Christmas...

And thinking about exercising.

Blessings!