Christmas Highlight 2

Today has been a really nice day. First of all, I slept until 8:00 a.m. which I never do. When I came down to the kitchen the kitchen window was framed in frost, and through it I could see the back deck railing with the greenery and lights and red bows gently covered with yesterday's snow. I stood there and thought how beautiful it was.

At 9:00 a.m. our friend and plumber, Don, came to fix a problem with our water softener. When he was finished I said, "Shall I write you a check now, Don?" To which he said, "Noooo, I was going to be out this way anyway." Don is a good man!

The rest of the day has gone just like that. I made some of what we now call, "Judy's Hearty Soup," which was delicious. I can hear the hum of the washer and dryer as I am getting some laundry done and the dishwasher is full to the brim and my cooking dishes are getting clean.

In between all these wonderful sights and sounds I watched a really nice movie on the Hallmark channel. I don't know if I could count on two hands the number of Hallmark and Lifetime movies I have watched this month. They have been wonderful and filled with love and beauty and romance and Christmas spirit...people caring about people and a spirit of giving.

I think I might be a romantic.

But, to your surprise and mine, I didn't intend to write all these things in this post. The real reason for the post has to do with a beautiful message on a Christmas card we received today from my sister Linda and her husband David.

I put this picture of Linda and David in my post because I wanted you to see them. Every year, for years, they have come to our home to share a part of Christmas day with us and our family, Linda's and my dad, and Linda and David's daughter and her son. I didn't have a picture of Linda and David from Christmas day but this one will do. It is a picture taken on the day of Jackson Toby's baptism in July.

Linda and David's Christmas card was beautiful. But, the most beautiful part of the card was what was personally written.

Tom and Judy,

Thanks for the beautiful time on Christmas Day. We love to see your precious family, and to watch them "in action." There is something very special happening when you are together. Every year we look forward to the hamburger and kidney bean dish.

In His love,

Dave & Linda

I thought that was so nice and how fortunate I am to be in a family that loves and cares and gives with abandon. Thank you Linda and David!

I seem to be working my way backwards through the month and the highlights. Funny, sometimes I read magazines from back to front too. I think I like remembering events and when I write about them I get to revisit them. I am in a happy place today. I can tell because I want to keep writing : )

More later.............it is a nice day!

Starting The Christmas Highlights

December was a full month. I am going to start posting some photos and videos (in no particular order) that will mark the highlights of the month and our Christmas season. This little video features our grandson Derek, who is 3 years old, and felt the need to sing a song on Christmas Day. Here are the lyrics as best I understand them. Makes me laugh it is so sweet!

On top of pasketti
All covered with cheese
I lost my poor meatball
When somebody sneezed
It rolled off the table
And onto the floor
And then my poor meatball
Went right out the door



With Derek are our grandson Christopher (16) and our grandaughter Amelia (11). I think this boy has a future in music!

Merry Christmas

The stockings are hung on the chimney with care

It is 7:30 a.m. and there are two very excited little boys on the phone. Davey and Derek called me to share their fun Christmas morning with me.

I am a lucky gramma!

Somehow leaving them to go clean bathrooms just doesn't seem like something I want to do.

The family will be arriving around 2:00 this afternoon for our gift opening and more family will be coming around 4:00 for our big family dinner.

One of the most fun things this Christmas is I have bought my dad a Christmas stocking. It will be his very first ever Christmas stocking in all his 96 years. I said to him, "I will hang your stocking on the mantle with everyone elses. Yours will be the 18th stocking this year." He said to me, "I want it hung in the middle so I can be surrounded by the whole family."

That is exactly where his stocking is hanging! Right in the middle of the family!

Merry Christmas everyone! Adam, Sara Beth, Joseph, Kallsen and Parker....we miss you so much and wish you were here!

Love from us to you!

Main Street Walhalla SC

Last Thursday, December 11, Tom and I flew to Walhalla, SC to visit our son, Adam and his family. In these videos Sara Beth, Kallsen , Parker, Tom and I are on our way to see Adam perform in The Nutcracker.

Pictures will be following in future posts.

Until then, enjoy the videos showing the main street of a small town in America, Walhalla, SC.

Jackson And Joe Talk On The Phone

Sarah called tonight and said while she was feeding Jackson his cereal Jackson asked if he could talk to Joe. (Sarah has very very good ears) So, I got things set up...meaning I put the phone on speaker, had Joe on skype and hooked up the microphone and speakers so Jackson and Joe could talk.

Now, mind you, Jackson is 5 months old so this is the beginning of the kinds of phone conversations Joe and I have had with Sarah's little boys, Davey and Derek, for a long time. It is now Jackson's turn.

Below are two pictures of Jackson as he was talking to Joe while he was eating his cereal. A video of our conversation follows the pictures. For those of you who don't know, Joe lives in Ireland, and he is Jackson's Godfather.

Jackson listening to Joe

Jackson reaching for the phone

And, now the video...

And, later tonight then, I decorated the mantle in my basement. Merry Christmas everyone! I have never had a mantle to decorate in the basement before. We have lived in this house over 29 years. It is nice to get to do it this year.