A Beautiful Christmas Day

We had a really nice Christmas Day. It started snowing during the mid - late morning and it didn't stop until nightfall.

While beautiful, it meant my sister, Linda and her husband, David, couldn't be here. They live about an hour north of us, and partway into the drive they called and said the roads were so bad they regretfully decided they needed to turn around and go home. That was really too bad. We have celebrated Christmas together for many years and it just isn't right when they aren't here. But, there was simply no need to take unnecessary chances on the roads they were experiencing. So, along with Adam and his family not being here, our Christmas crowd was down to twelve.

The twelve of us did our best to double our pleasure and double our fun. Below are some pictures from Christmas Day.

Tom overseeing the opening of the stockings

Christopher and Josh enjoying the apple juice Santa put in Josh's stocking

Derek (2) and Josh (17) playing cars

Christopher, Kara and Amelia having fun

Kara's husband Sam thinking about how much he likes me : )
That is how I made him smile for the picture

Josh enjoying the conversation around the table

Linda's daughter, Briana, and Christopher having a really good laugh

Kara and Tom enjoying the conversation around the table

Derek totally mesmerized playing with magnets on the fridge

Derek and Punkin in front of the fire

Punkin and Derek playing with the spirograph

Family getting ready to leave

Punkin looking out the door as he gets ready to go home

Punkin and Derek heading home

Judy (Gramma) saying bye to Christopher after tucking dad in the van. I love seeing the snow still coming down and the exhaust from the van

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas Everyone

I hope for all of us a beautiful and joy filled Christmas day. May love, joy, hope and peace fill our hearts and homes.

Christmas Eve Day

When my mom was alive, she used to love to come to my house for Christmas. In the later years she was in a wheelchair, but that never slowed her down too much. She would wheel herself through the rooms and look at all the different things I had sitting out. She would look and look at each one and say how nice everything looked.

The little snowman ornament is one I remember being on our tree when I was a child and the ornament of the Chaska Gazebo is one my mom got for me. The dove ornament is one of five my folks gave to us many many years ago.

The picture of the three deer in our back yard was taken the day before yesterday. It makes me think only one thing......While Sheperds Watched Their Flock By Night All Seated On The Ground......

Each picture has a story. Life is a story.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sometimes The Beauty Is Overwhelmingly Beautiful

(The music is Kenny G's The Moment)

I knew we were going to get snow last night and yesterday had been such a balmy day. I think the temperature reached 39 degrees Farenheit, and for December in Minnesota, that is almost tropical.

I awoke to a beautiful winter wonderland. The snow was crisp and crystally and clung to the trees like frosting. Sometimes, I just can't stop looking at how beautiful it is here. I know I never stop appreciating the beauty I get to see every day.



When Tom came home from running some Christmas errands later this afternoon, he stopped by the lake. The sunset was exquisitely beautiful as you can see in the pictures below. I asked him if these were the real colors and he said they were. The snow and ice on the lake look blue and the colors in the sky are stunningly beautiful.

He brought home an even more wonderful surprise which makes me smile and almost cry it is so nice! He put his camera on the dash of his car and made this video of coming up to our home.

Welcome to my world and welcome to my home! Merry Christmas everyone!

A Message For Uncle Adam, Auntie Sara Beth, Cousin Joseph, Cousin Kallsen and Cousin Parker

Merry Christmas guys!!

I Like To Think.......

I like to think I have a special relationship with all the grandchildren. When Tom, Joe and I were in South Carolina in October this year, Joe, Joseph and I went to Wal-mart to do a little shopping. I can't remember the exact circumstances of this picture. I was either going to thank Joseph for being such a good boy or was letting him know what would happen if he didn't stay close by us so we would know where he was.

I think leaving red love marks on children is a great way to invite cooperation. As you can see in the picture, Joseph is saying, "No, granma...........anything but that!"

We had so much fun that day! Joseph left the store a happy boy with two t-shirts with funny sayings on them, a dress shirt with a tie and a new wallet. Joe left the store a poorer man with a new digital camera and a new shirt for his brother-in-law, Neil, back in Ireland, and I left the store a richer girl for having had such a nice time.

Yep, I like to think I have a special relationship with all the grandchildren. And, someday, they might just let me leave red love marks on their faces. I love you Joseph!

No, granma.........anything but that!

Highlight Of 2007

One of the highlights of 2007 was the trip I took with my grandson, Christopher, to Italy and Greece. We went with a group from the charter school he was attending last year.

Below are some pictures from our trip. I love you, Christopher!

Josh

Our grandson, Josh, is 17 years old and will graduate from high school in 2008. He wasn't interested in going the traditional route having his senior picture taken. He agreed to let me take his picture and do it my way. (Thank you Josh) This way his mom and dad will have some pictures of this very special young man at this transitional point in his life.

So, on a rather cold and windy day in September or October, Josh came to the house and let me take his picture. I think we got some pretty nice ones. Here is a sampling of what we got that day.

You know what? Sometimes, it is just really nice to be a grandma. This was one of those days! It isn't every grandma that gets to do this. Nope! I love you Josh!