Unusual Gifts...

        This is a gift my daughter Kathy had made for me..It's a picture book of her son's wedding. My daughters and I , all went to this wedding in Utah, in September 2014. I loved this book idea. Wish I had one of all the weddings in the family.

    Here's a couple pages in the book. The wedding was held outdoors in a park, in the mountains. Oops, sorry Liz, cut you out of this shot of the pages.

    This is the back of the book. My handsome grandson and his beautiful bride. Ashley actually designed and made her wedding dress. Left these mountains, the very next day, and honeymooned in Maui.

   Fast forward to September of this year 2015. They had a second honeymoon in Italy. This cup has a picture that Korey took of Florence from the highest point of the city, Piazzal Michelango.

   As you turn the cup the sky changes , in this panoramic view. Before the children left Italy, the pope had flown back from America and they got to see him.

   Korey loves photography, and took this shot of the Colorado River as it is seen in Horseshoe Bend, near Page Arizona. He gifted me with this picture that is 8"x12".   I love it.

 Well speaking of pictures. ...My daughter Angie got me with this coloring book . It's called "Color Your Own Van Gogh." Something fun to do .

     Plus some very nice coloring pencils. I'll post on this when I color one of these pictures.

    These seem like the old time paint by number crafts. Which I used to love, as a young married with no money.

 This is my tall granddaughter Sierra. She's home for a short Christmas visit from Florida. I love seeing this sweet girl. Now many years ago, she and I would color all the time. She was the coloring queen.  If she had more time we would color one of these Van Gogh master pieces. :):)
   Today is not to be rainy around these parts. So glad of that.  Many chances of flooding have been posted on the news. Wishing all with nasty bad weather to be safe.  Be careful when out and about. XO

Gifts....

                     This is my new Christmas ornament....good old Charlie Brown. :):)

              Lots of restaurant certificates.  Oh boy, Ted and I will enjoy using these.

          My girls know I love to write cards and letters...so cards and stamps are very nice to get.

                  Oh yes, they also know that we love our coffee here. So a new cup, and lots of coffees . I was gifted some  international coffees too. You know I love those.

                   Grandmothers get candles, lotions and soaps too. :):) I am so thankful that my children know I like to buy my own perfumes.

 

           New scarves and gloves too. Plus more things I didn't get pictures to show.

          More note cards. Love them, can't wait to write thank you notes to all my children.

      Nail files and ink pens...oh the pens came with puzzle books. LOL

        Crazy snack foods for Ted. He likes all kind of flavored peanuts . A Package of Hickory Farms, sausages and cheeses.  Home made banana bread and chex mixes.

      More food certs. ....we enjoyed all the things the children gave us. I can't even remember right now all we received....Ted put his things away as soon as he got home on Christmas day. What a good fellow. not  me, I like to look at everything for a day , at least. :):)
   Hoping all of you are safe. Let's pray for everyone who went thru bad weather and hard times this holiday. Please be safe. XO

Babies...

   Teddy Bear holding great grandson Max. His first time holding the new baby.

  I got to hold Max a while. I like how he's looking at me. :):) He had his clothes changed 3 times while I was there.

   Here's baby Layla with her mommy Emily.  Layla was teething and not in good spirits. Getting pictures was an impossible task for me on Christmas day.   All the girls trying  to get everything ready and when the last daughter and her family come...it's time to eat, so gifts can be given and everyone headed  off for another gathering. Not like the old sweet days when we would linger all day and into the evening at mommy's house.  Miss those times.
   I enjoyed seeing all my family and having short visits with this one and that one. But I feel kind of sad that the time went so quickly.
   Ted's working today at his part time job.  Rain in the forecast. I am suppose to go to Angie's for lunch today. So I better get busy here.
   Hope all of you had time with your loved ones and a fun day. Blessings. XO

Wishing......

     Wishing all my blog sisters and brothers a very Merry Christmas. Remembering the true reason for Christmas. The gift of love from God.  I pray you have your faith. I hope all of you are with family...for the love and support we need in life.
   Make this holiday for you by being kind and patient. Smile and pass the love of Christmas to all. XO

Santa's Helper....

   Teddy Bear, one of Santa's older elves, has been working in the shop. making this cabinet.

  The shop's a total mess. Here's the base, with the doors lying on top.

  The top doors will have chicken wire and the bottom doors are paneled.  This is for Liz's home and will not be a Christmas gift. As this is the first year in many that we did not make gifts for everyone. Ted's had a busy year, with his part time job.  He'll be a month cleaning the shop. :):)

   So I just walk around trying to get some pretty shots of the sun or moon.

  Yesterday ended very golden in the west.  I liked the outline of the neighbor's barn against the yellows in the horizon.

  In the east, it's the moon, that will be full on Christmas night. It's called the "long night moon" I am hoping for clear skies on Christmas...but the weather reports seem to change.
  Hope everyone has a great day today.  Let's remember our friends who are in need of good wishes and prayers. Thank you. XO

My Shopping Is Finished....

    Whew  !! Finally my shopping is finished and here's  what I bought. A Playskool "lullaby glowworm" for baby Max.  For Layla, my first Disney Princess...Baby Cinderella.

 This little glowworm is for ages , birth +....Max will be 3 weeks old on Christmas day.

 This is Layla's little princess. Doesn't have anything that looks like it could detach other than her crown and it could be placed on the tree for her . Layla is 10 months and this doll is for age 2...Hmm? Yes, this is my shopping in a nutshell  , seems odd to see toys again.

  Here's  an old picture of our granddaughter  Emma.  I can not believe she is eleven years old now. Emma is an  aunt  to Max and his cousin Layla.

 Here's another photo of Emma  and the big guy. I think this is the same fellow (Santa) from when she was a baby.  Emma seems to like him. :):)
  Yesterday was a quick run thru the store, I took a few minutes in the toy dept. Found what I wanted, so we were not caught up in crowds.  Then Ted and I went to lunch at Red Lobster. That was a pleasant time.  We will go to town for about an hour today. No rush, no panic, hooray. LOL
 Gray damp day here,  52 degrees at 7:00 this morning.  Unreal.  Wishing you a great day. XO

Ready For Christmas.....

     This is our weather today...rainy.  You know you don't have to shovel rain, so I am ok with it. Today we are to have rain. tomorrow  maybe some sun.  Ted and I have  one trip to make today, and we will be done for Christmas.

  This is looking down our road to the east. See that sky? Clear as can be , this was evening time.

  Of course my photos are out of order. LOL. This was in the afternoon on Saturday when I sat on the porch. ...in December in Indiana. I keep telling Ted about the time he golfed  twice in January, one year.

 I have been lighting our tree everyday and just enjoying it. I find it so hard to believe that I only have four more days to be good. :) So I can go back to my old self and pick on Teddy. LOL. I love that man.
  I am feeling much better as far as my arthritis goes. I thank all of you for your nice understanding comments.
  I hope all of you are ready for Christmas. I think at times we think we are ready...then we are  running around like a mad person at the last minute.  I have been there many times.  So I am wishing all of you smooth days ahead. Just try to relax. XO

Cloudy, Then A Sunset....

    This past Wednesday was cloudy and chilly.....you know more like December. LOL.  But around  4:30 pm, the clouds split and the sun shines.

   We have been trying to keep the bird feeders full. Some very hungry little creatures around here.

  There is the last glow of the sun setting in the horizon.  I do not get many sun rises around here for the woods on both sides of our road in the east.

 As the sun set, the clouds dispersed and those left behind turned pink. As you can tell , no much going on around here. Ho hum.  You know that's partly because I not longer shop for Christmas gifts.
  I usually give each family money. I will buy the two great grandbabies a gift. You know that's easy peasy.  I will pick up those two gifts when we go to pick up our Christmas ham.  My daughters are all meeting up today to do some shopping together....but mostly to just have some holiday time together. I was invited to lunch with them, but declined.
   My ankles are so painful from my arthritis this week.  Possibly from standing for an hour in line at the funeral home. We said our good byes to a friend of many years. So I have had painful ankles since then. Takes me a while to spring back.
   Wishing all a great weekend. XO

School Party.....

   It's eight in the morning and I am driving down the road to get to school.  It was promising to see the sun trying to shine.

  But once I go to the school...no sunshine at all.  It was so very gray and cold.

   This picture is out of order..this is the game the teacher plays with the children after their holiday breakfast.  She wrapped 26 books up for 25 kids. By their number (which they have all year) they choose a package, unwrap it. Then the next number can take that book already unwrapped or choose a different package..It's all books on the scholastic list... lots of what  is called stealing in this game.  It ends up okay ..each child is encouraged to read their book and possibly return it to school to trade with a classmate.

  This is their breakfast. It's casseroles (egg, sausage) donuts, juice, milk, most anything served at breakfast.  Some kids eat plenty while others will pick over things. eating fruit is often encouraged.

  The little class tree and some gifts for the staff. Some are for the teacher. Candles are often a gift that the teacher has to take home...as they are not allowed to burn in school. The whole class will line up and recite the poem, Twas The Night Before Christmas.  All the parents will clap and the children love it.

  Some apples for the teacher. LOL.   I get introduced as Nana. I love hearing  the class call me Nana, all at once. :):)  When there's a few moments before the class is moved on to their computer classes...they can do a bit of talent show. It is amazing how much children absolutely love to sing.  When one young boy was singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...after the boy sang,with your nose so bright, the class chimed in, "like alight bulb." Oh I just loved that. Everyone was having fun and truly enjoying their talent show.:)

More Homemade Ornaments.....

   My daughter Kathy is the seamstress of the family. She's been making things since she was just a little girl.  One year she bought some material that had  these Strawberry Shortcakes on them.

  She sewed  them together , stuffed  them with cotton, tied on a yarn hanger.

    This is a pretty one with whip stitching. Navy and gold colors.

    I have to admit that Emma and I made these. She glued three popcycle sticks together, added googly eyes and a red puff ball for the nose, to make Rudolph.

  Granddaughter Sierra , made this reindeer. Three clothes pins, glue two back to back, flip one and glue it to the body. Add the googly eyes and a red nose...oh and a bit of cotton for the tail.

   I bought this material when the girls were small. I sewed it up and they stuffed all the angel girls with cotton.  We each have our own angel.

   One year we bought a Christmas ornament kit, made of wood. The girls painted each one and added the ties. One of the girls glued cotton to the sled runner.

   Liz made this cinnamon bear , punched a hole and tied on a red ribbon hanger.

    Here's one made of dough and painted. As I recall it was also a tag tied to a gift.

   I am sure Kathy made this one. Like I said she loves sewing.

   This is one of the ornaments Emma and I made. Rolled up sheet music and tied with lace.

  This little elf is so special. My oldest daughter received it when she was in kindergarten.  I remember how excited she was when she brought it home.  Hope I haven't bored you with the showing of some of our favorite ornaments. 
  Wishing all a great day.  Let us offer good wishes or prayers for our fellow bloggers who are in need of our love today. Thank you everyone. XO