Christmas 2012

Returned from Christmas Eve children's service where Gabe sang and Lydia danced a Christmas ballet.

Top hat, glow stick stars and a carnation for the ballerina came home with them.  They are looking quite festive in the evening glow.

Dr Dad

Stitches coming out.

My Marshal - portrait by Gabe

Clothes from my closet and my hair down, my same look of over 20 years ago.

Gingerbread made of dates, almond flour and spice, apricot bars, and coconut peppermint meltaways along with raw eggnog.

Treats and a family game.

A story before bedtime.  They asked me to tell them The Christmas Story as detailed as I could recount as they lay in the darkness, tucked in for the night - the wonder and nitty-gritty reality of Christ's birth.

New PJs

Christmas morning, Tirza curled up against my leg.

Children's Almanac from the stocking.  Up just before dawn.

Marshal found a Santa in his stocking.  Kid creativity.

Lydia is thrilled.

Lydia has loved the Raggedy Ann story books from my childhood shelf.  She has wanted a Raggedy of her own for years.

Gabe's mohawk.  Merino wool and I'm glad he can enjoy it without it being a semi-permanent -do.

Another favorite hat.

Sheba got her rawhide and wore herself out trying to gnaw it down to nothing in one morning.

Cool gift

Handmade friendship bracelets from Gabe and Lydia wrapped with love in my stocking.

Tender roast beef and fresh horseradish sauce on Christmas Day.

Lydia making use of her new drawing pencils from Grammy.

A couple days in TL

Mom's Christmas trees within and without.  Dad put white lights on the trees outside, so oh so pretty in the darkness too.

The mice are stirring!  Thankfully, these aren't real ones scampering about.  The real kind not so welcome.

Mom's decor - always fabulous.

Admiring the formal room tree.

I brought Marshal's truck down to get snowed in.  It was definitely better for getting in and out of town.

Gabe and Sheba finding snow drifts and tunnels in the back yard.

Christmas touches of whimsy in Mom's home - chipmunk in the trundle above the mudroom sink.

Having fun with Dutch Blitz cards.

Serious competition.

Cousins at Grammy's Birthday dinner.

Dad and Mom on her special day.  Happy Birthday Grammy!

"Youngest" grand-daughter Jemma, (for a few last hours)!

Grammy and eldest grand-son.

Grammy with her grands.

Heads together over a spectacular Safari book presented to Grammy.

Reading Santa letters from the local paper.

Jesse reading Mom's family 2012 recap.  Always fun to read!  Mom has a way with words.

Gabe was ready with cap gun for the birthday song.  I was shocked.  He had planned ahead and procured it at just the right moment.  I shook my head, but glad Grammy got a kick out of it.

Mice out of the bag and at play.  Shane, a sweet big brother, playing with baby sis.  Jemma has rosy cheeks from travel over the snow fields and caroling the night before.

Grandkids and Grammy playing Settlers of Canton until bed time.  Cousins all had a sleepover.

With the kids all in bed and sleeping soundly for the night,  Dad, Mom, and I settled into the couch for those last quiet hours.  The phone rang before midnight with news that made Mom shriek and exclaim with surprise and joy.  Adamma Beatrice, a newborn grand-daughter, was the greatest gift on this special day!

Nutcracker Weekend

This was Lydia's first Nutcracker with the Ballet Slipper.  Miss Diane selects her students for the parts each year, and Lydia was thrilled to be a boy in the First Act and a mouse in the beginning of Clara's dream.  Dad bought his ballerina a Christmas poinsettia and enjoyed watching the final performance.

Special friends in the audience brings added delight to a dancer's heart.  Grammy, Aunt Meg, and cousins Havah and Naphtali came opening night too!

Thanks to Sue, a family portrait.

Nice to have a photo with my hubby,  We don't look too bad after a rather stressful day.

A traumatic slip of the knife, Dad cut Gabe's finger and then put it back together again.  Slaughtering our unruly two year old ram for meat, five stitches at the hospital was not in the plan!