Views of December home 2011.

Sharing with you since you can't come home for Christmas.
You see, this blog is really just this mom, me keeping in touch with family.
That's how it started and it still is just a little, small-time mom/grammy blog.
The fact that others have found it, visit and comment
delights me
and I thank you but now youunderstand when it gets personal and perhaps boring to non-family.

Yes, here it is.
After I've drooled over the online photos of ones like this my dear friend Kathy S. (kms) custom made me one.
How do you say thank you for such a large and meaningful gift. Maybe with large and meaningful pans of freshly baked cinnamon rolls!
I love it Kathy, love you and smiling so big.

It's 2X3 feet so no little statement here.

Glimpses around the home-front. Now why didn't I turn the lights on???

Darling Mom who passed in 1972 brought this ornament back from Hawaii a looooong time ago and it's still one of my favorites to hang on the tree.

This Santa is painted on the inside of an oyster shell...so cool.

I stitched this reindeer from a kit in the 1970's.

Thanks Christie for my cute owl this year. She sends me such thoughtful ornaments.

A new-for-me nativity depiction. It is dear to me.

The usual, large nativity figures but in a new location. Kind of like theater-in-the-round. I'm sorry I cut off the head of the camel. I am wild about that camel.

The embroidered poinsettia Tyler brought home from his missionary service in Portugal. Miss you so much Tyler!

I stitched up this little one our first Christmas in 1969 with just the scraps of material I had on hand since there were no funds for purchased decorations. Orange holly berries since I didn't have red on hand. Maybe those are the most memorable.

This cutie was at my place detting on Thanksgiving in Utah last month and those are my precious Utah grands. Thanks Annette for this treasure.

Yup, tears welled up when I hung the Kirby ornament-this is the first Christmas in 10 years without my
bestest, 4 legged love.
And I should mention that this ornament was another Kathy gift. Wow.

I purchase this Amish lady ornament in PA last month, Christie and I have matchies. To the right of her you may notice the rosie cheeked angel Mom brought back from a trip to Europe.

She also brought back this red bird. Anything from Mom is so, so dear to me (especially since she passed when she was only 44 yrs.)

Painted wooden bowl and Christmas stamps.

A Jody handmade Christmas bear that I love.

Remembering J Jesus first, O others second, Y yourself last.

My dear Trevlyn's beautiful and treasured stitchery-
"Let us keep Christmas the old fashioned way with love in our hearts on this glorious day".

I just can't get this huge, pretty tree to look like the BH&G pictures.
Trust me, it's FUN.

Oh yes, I stayed with Andy and Annette's boys while they vacationed in Argentina years ago and they brought me back this nativity that I adore. I love it so much I keep it out all year round.

Notice if you look closely that on the right are two crown ornaments. I brought them back to AZ from Tai Pan for/with Skippie's direction and do you think they hang on her tree??? Can you say we are both scheduled too much. She's flying to OR today and I'm praying for her (their) safety. There's another angle on the Argentine nativity.

And here is the rainy back yard. Cindy keeps asking for pictures of my flowers and I tell her when it dries up and is sunny. Well, here is the damp version.

Okay, just now I turned and looked out the window and the sun is shining. Reports are to be back in the mid to upper 60's for the next week so I'll not complain one bit. Well, only complaint is not having more of you home this Christmas but I understand.

Next year????