It was a very different Christmas again for me this year. I am so glad I could make it mostly Homemade again. I can finally show what I've been working on since End of October.
Cro- Hooked Hats like my Grandma and Mother used to make. Little did I know that some of them would get hats for Christmas from their parents or friends of their Parents. I kept them a secret so I'm pleased that out of 19 hats- only 1 needs to have a replacement made to fit and "not cut off Circulation", as the Grandchild put it. I made them all without measuring their heads. Each one basically took a couple of evenings. I bought all the Boys a Striped Shirt like a few are wearing and the Girls all got a Baby Blue polo.
Pictured here the ones I delivered in Wyoming, two of which were then taken to Colorado over Thanksgiving, plus one. I worked on them on the Road-trip to Wyoming and while I watched all the Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas Movies I could find on TV. One night was spent making all the Pom Poms, sewing them together and gathering the top. I found a use for my Cell Phone when it wasn't working...
Looking at last years' Cousin Picture I'd say they've all grown a bit. Not to mention there is one more cutie in the picture since last year.
Thankfully, I wasn't SICK this year like I have been the past 2 years leading up to Christmas!
One thing we did different this year to 'Keep Christ in Christmas' was to READ stories from the Book I made a LONG time ago.
We missed a couple nights, but read double to catch-up. The Relief Society Lesson I heard early this month in Kennewick helped a LOT too. The Teacher shared some of her favorite Christmas Books. I saw this boxed set that included one that she read to us. "the Crippled Lamb" - I'd not heard of it before. It was nice that the Lamb Ornament came with the set. Singing- "Mary had a Little Lamb", in my head... I forgot to have Grandpa read it to the Grandchildren, opps!
I gave my "Santa" a new Santa for his 'Collection' - this year's is playing the piano.
It's the one on the top in the center.
I took this picture of Grandpa's Collection of SANTAS and the Candy dish I remember having out at Christmastime growing up. Mom bought Ribbon candy and 'hardtack' every year to put in it. The top part had broken so I haven't used it. I found the piece while Thrifting and was happy to put some Colby safe candy in it to share. The grandchildren had fun turning all of the Santas on at once. It made quite a racket! Grandpa said he should send one home with each of the grandchildren. I heard a few VETOS to that, besides mine. I've been collecting them since my days as a Demonstrator/Supervisor for Christmas Around the World. The Santa in the chair and the Santa Duck are from CATW.
Gifts from two of our children's families-
We already received a Christmas Clock, A mini version of the ones we gave, from Brant and Tina and a Tape from Richard Paul Evans. There was an Applebees card in the Mail this week and I was told there is a package that should have come a while ago. I'm not worried, It's not about what you get, but what you GIVE! I gave the Parents a Towel with their name stitched on it like the Grandchildren have been getting all year.
These are the last ones I finished on Christmas EVE.
Each family also got a Christmas Clock, a Christmas Book, the 3 local ones also got jar of Strawberry JAM, and some Potpourri/Simmering mix that I made with Lemons, limes, oranges, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Sorry, I didn't send them to the out of State families. I got this great idea too late in the season to mail and jars are scary to mail so next time they visit they can have a jar, they LOVE Dad's Jam.
My Husband shocked me by NOT waiting & shopping on Christmas EVE for me.
In those boxes that came one at a time this past week there were 5 SHIRTS, 1 Sweater. The SWEETS shirt came with the one I got for HIM. I have a new shirt to wear almost every day of the week. Of course he knows one way to my heart is with CHOCOLATE so there was some CANDY in one of the Boxes, and in my Christmas Stocking too. Not that I really needed it.
Here is the Pretty Stocking and the contents I got in the Secret Stocking SWAP with my WASIQ Group.
A Table runner, Notecards, a little GUND Bear, zippered purse, Small Rotary cutter, Lavender, and the funniest Book about Quilting called: "That Dorky Homemade Look". There were some Root Beer candies in the toe.
It was a quiet morning with just US. I can't remember a year when we have been all alone since we were newlyweds. We took our time opening gifts one by one after eating our Candy Cane Bread.
With just us, we took turns with the camera. Before the Tri-cities families came we Skyped with our families in Colorado & Wyoming. It took a while to get a good enough connection. Our WI-FI in the house has not been working too well so I've had to just use the downstairs computer. I re-connected it long enough to try and Skype. The downstairs computer for some reason doesn't have sound. We had a Special surprise visitor that came to see us too! Paul's Brother brought his Mother the long way around to see us. (No pics, I was holding a sweet grandbaby). Last year on Christmas we all went to visit her in the Hospital. It's been a year to remember for sure. I am so blessed to have so many children and grandchildren who live close enough to come spend part of the day with us. THANKS for everything!
Most of all I'm Thankful there was a Special Babe born in Bethlehem Long ago that gives us the reason to Celebrate!
