Christmas 2011

Santa has a date with our family on December 24 each year. He magically appears after my nephew heads back to a bedroom for a nap after dinner. We welcomed Chloe nine days earlier this month and she's already to tell the big guy in red what she's thinking~and he is listening intently...

And here's Mom, big sister, Olivia, Santa, and Chloe. Mom and Santa are closely related, as in brother and sister!
Here's Alex's son that was able to fly in the day before to be my grandson! Yea!! I've been missing Maxx since the wedding this summer and am so happy to see him again.
One of two pictures I was able to get of Olivia's sweet dress with the red roses in the front. All the other pictures I tried to take ended up with a gorgeous view of her back. She moves quickly.
Cousins-Sarah and Jennell, with one of our 26 stockings we filled. This elf is simplifying next year and plans on making a family recipe book for 2012. It may be more work, but something I've had in my mind for a while.

Maxx on Christmas morning.

Alex, his dad, my son(in-law).

My baby, Sarah.
Oh, and Buster. So not excited.
Not even when he got a new watering bowl,
to remind him he is really a country boy-
a big, black rubber bowl.

When my babies got to the house after getting stopping at DIA to get Maxx, he saw the gifts in the living room and wondered if any were for him. Names were not in plain sight, so he couldn't tell, but we knew which ones for him. I'm pretty sure he was pleased.
Now, I will relax and enjoy the twelve days of Christmas. Everyone is always in a rush to put things away, but when you work, the time is too short to enjoy it. So, in the way of the wise men that had to make that long journey many years ago, Christmas will not be "over" for me yet.

Blessings to you

During this week of preparation for the celebration of our Savior's birth, may you and your family experience the PEACE and LOVE of the Christ child.

Merry Christmas.

Frosty Trees

The weather on Wednesday was perfect for transforming some small old trees into frosty white ones.
After three cans of white spray paint and three 24" trees and one larger one at 48" tall my index finger was tired. They make me think of a cold foggy morning when my evergreens are covered in frost and looking like a fairy forest.
Next on the list is to move some furniture around in the living room and get the mantle and hearth cleaned and ready for an inside forest for Christmas. Maybe the elves will decide to help.