Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Here I am!

This blogging stuff is harder than it looks. Especially around Christmas; I was so busy, too busy to stop, take a picture, and describe what I was doing or how I felt about it. Plus, I was working on presents, and I didn't want to post pictures before the giftees received them!
Star in Star for Molly

Star in Star for Emma

Dog for Mackenzie.
Made from a pair of Bill's Nordic ski socks.



Then, I had the BEST Christmas EVER!
There came a point when anything that wasn't finished didn't have to be finished. When the focus was on being ready for my kids to come home for Christmas, and that's all. The Tree got decorated, the lights hung on the house, cookie dough in the freezer. Ready.

What an honor that everyone came and stayed! There was lots of game-playing, and movie-watching, and hiking, and tide pooling, and visits to various parks, and cookie decorating, and lots of talking and laughing!





There was plenty of great food, but food wasn't the focus as much as being together, and working together. Though I didn't work at all! I cooked twice, and I cleaned once. The rest was all done by my great family! Homemade pizza, the most awesome macaroni and cheese, delicious tempeh and veggies, salads; healthy, wholesome goodness.

Honestly, the more I hear about other families, the more I like mine.

Joseph said, "I like this grown-up Christmas," and I know what he's talking about. The grown-up perspective that wasn't about presents or expectations, plus the magic of Poppy's Christmas experience made it all fun.


I wrapped several of my Christmas books, and every day Poppy unwrapped one or two, and we read them to her. After learning about the Nativity story, Poppy rearranged creches to honor the most important figure.
The adult kids enjoyed an evening out while Ralph and I took Poppy, with the required popcorn, hot chocolate, and Christmas cookies, to see lights on houses. And she loved Christmas presents, from the boring pajamas and slippers to the Light Brite and pink scooter!


On Christmas Day, the household doubled in size with the addition of many uncles and aunts and cousins. I loved every minute of it. Ralph never got to play croquet, thanks to the weather, but there was ping pong, Spades, Scrabble, and plenty of conversation to go with all the good food!

I still want to show you a couple other things I made for Christmas.

A dress for Bethany's favorite childhood doll, Becky. Remember the Strawberry Shortcake dress I made for Poppy? Bethany totally saw the resemblance, and loved it. Poppy isn't really old enough to love Becky yet, so Becky will continue to live here in uninterrupted sleep until Poppy is ready to treasure her.


You either think this is creepy, or cute. It's me, huggable, with a plateful of cookies and an armful of books. Got the idea from Angry Chicken. Bethany said Poppy had fallen asleep a few times holding a broken Christmas ornament photo of me. This will be cozier.
Have I gotten you caught up, now? I'm still trying to keep up, here!
Happy New Year! I hope I'll give you lots to see here this year!

8 comments:

Radiant Linda said...

Homemade with love,, so much talent.. a very Merry Christmas, so cute the dolls... so creative.... thanks for sharing... Linda in an island..

Married for Keeps said...

Love love love LOVE this! That's what I'm talkin about! Even love the way you told your story. The pics are great too! . .
AND the quilts *grin*

bethany said...

It was the best christmas EVER!! Just being with my whole family, relaxing and playing is all my soul needed. I love you Mom. I miss you already.

Grace said...

Wonderful!! I'm so lucky I got a little glimpse of your family Christmas when you all stopped by during your travel from airport to home. Thanks so much for coming here! I love all your photos and stories, and I know exactly the Christmas spirit you are talking about. I could feel it as I read your blog, and I felt it during my family Christmas celebrations, too. Love to all of you, and happy 2011.

Meghan Elaine said...

Awww I love this! I want to be at your house for part of this next year! So bummed we were sick. I agree with Joseph, 'I like grown-up Christmas.'

Thanks for celebrating my birthday with me~

Cristine said...

As I read your blog and it came to an end I was disappointed for your stories to come to an end!!! I can just imagine bedtime for Poppy and your imaginative stories being told!
You and Ralph truly have a family to be proud of! B/M/P/J/E/K it was wonderful seeing you all!!! R/L I look forward to our next visit!

lolo said...

Well that was just merry and bright! Lovely Christmas, lovely family. And the Groo girls LOVE their Star in Star quilts-----and so do I! Wish I could talk them into letting them stay here for uninterrupted sleep while they go back to college . . .

Happy, Happy New Year!

Grace said...

When we get to Florida we have to find time to show Mom how to become a follower of your blog. She would LOVE IT. Pamela, too. They don't know what they are missing. Everytime I check your blog and find a new post I feel like I'm getting a wrapped present delivered to my doorstep.