Christmas morning started at 1:30 a.m. in our home. Oh, yes, our Jared still comes sneaking downstairs, hoping to catch Santa before he goes up the chimney. However, Santa was up the chimney, quick as a flash while Jared was dreaming of sugar plums dancing in his head. Joseph missed the action as he was working his all night job as security guard in Mesa. Even so, Joe pounded on parents door when he arrived home at 5:30 a.m. and announced Santa had come. Naturally Marty in his cap and Sylvia in her kerchief flew downstairs with great anticipation. What wonder, what fun to discover the treats Santa had left in our stockings - especially new toothbrushes for everyone. (Was that a hint?) We were all magically surprised that evening when Santa suddenly arrived in the midst of all our 30 family member dinner and fun! He had stuffed candy canes (what a relief after all the treats) decorated with imported German charms for everyone.
This exquisite wall hanging below is handcrafted from Lima, Peru. I purchased it in Santa Fe, New Mexico a year ago when we were there for an art workshop.
Joe was so surprised that Santa thought to give him a Garmin GPS map finder. This may remind him of his trip to Germany when it says "recalculating".
Jared couldn't decide which was more fun - his tool set or his knight set.
Naturally when you get up at 1:30 a.m. you must find time to sleep.
We shared the most special Christmas gift ever with each other as we passed around a piece of paper with our name on it and each secretly wrote a possitive statement or word about the person whose name was at the top of the paper. This gift is to be read at any time we personally feel the need to be encouraged. I have already read mine several times. Tears and laughter were abundant.
It was especially delightful to have Jared and Missy and the little girls join us. I noticed little Felicity wandering around looking at and touching the various Christmas decorations as well as giving us an original piano recital.
Grandparents Annual Christmas Fun Day
in Sunny Gilbert, Arizona on December 13 included 13 active, beautiful, creative, adorable, mostly well-behaved grandchildren between the ages of 2 and 16. The two babies, born in November did not particiapate - neither did our dear Nunley family who live in Gallup, New Mexico. Parents were not invited, nor were they allowed to stay after dropping off the children at our home. They were to go shopping or to a movie or anything they wanted from 11:00 to 3:00. (That still wasn't quite enough time to finish up our plan for the day. ) We provided a lunch of taquitos, quesedillas and cheese crisp which the children could eat whenever they wanted. They could play or watch movies or do the crafts we organized. All the children made candels, even little Elora, mostly without help - just supervision. Later Uncle Jared showed them how to make twirly candels. All the children certainly had a lot of fun making messes and playing with cousins, and keeping their grandparents very busy. I must say we were totally exhausted by evening. But, it was so worth it!!!!
The little girls loved playing on the teeter totter
Jesse's pop up card was so original that
I displayed it here--this is a scoutmaster
pop out that he prepared to give his scoutmaster.
This craft was the most complicated and dreamed
These ornaments are created with an open cookie cutter,
glued to a piece of felt. The children then chose lace, shells, ribbon,
felt animals, and my favorite - little charms imported from
Germany that I purchased on Ebay- the Doris Dotz miniatures.
Five year old Felicity was incredible as she had been on the
teeter-totter and came in late to make hers. I was so busy and
suddenly realized she was drawing her ornament on the felt,
cutting it out and decorating it all by herself. Wow!!!
These 3 ornaments are by Jill, Lucy and Sarah.
Lucy's little village scene in the top green heart is exquisite.
These are the pop open cards designed by Grandaddy.
The kids had so much fun doing them last year and
were even more original this year.
Movie time - The Muppet's Christmas Carol - got cut short as we
ran out of time. We had pop corn and ice cream sandwiches to
snack on. I'm sure I'll be finding pop-corn till Christmas, but then
I can remember the fun we had. Earlier some of the kids also watched
the Disney Christmas Gift cartoon videos that the kids love.
The 3 pictures following are Gramie's attempt to be
a photographer that she has dreamed of being
from the time she was about 9 year old. These are
not necessarilly the best of the 15 pictures I took, but
they are the funnest or funniest or most creative.
This year our family has decided to do an old-fashioned, handcrafted Christmas. At first it felt pretty challenging, but it also felt very necessary and actually most of our family will be creating their own personal ideas for gifting. We are also working on simplifying the season which is easier when there is not a concentration on shopping. We are all trying to give more with less. This is becoming a really fun family project. There will be more posts later on the subject.
Jared had his wisdom teeth extracted on Wednesday in preparation for his mission. When it was time to leave Jared just did not want to get out of his chair, but with help we managed to get him to wobble out to the car taking giant shaky steps, all the while grinning like a silly goose, eyes closed the entire time. They told me he was one of the funniest patients they had and that it's best if he doesn't get into drinking, which thankfully will not be a problem with this guy. Thankfully, when I arrived home with Jared, his friend Jenny was there to help me get him in the house and he barely made it to the couch as he kept trying to lay down on nothing. Of course he was completely babied and cared for using ice packs and sleeping all day long. Amazingly enough, today he is quite lucid and even did some Christmas decorating in his room. He wasn't very hungry yesterday, but today cannot get enough food to satisfy as it has to be soft. He's not much in the mood for ice cream, just wants steak and potatoes, but that will have to wait. I'm convinced Dr. Boyse is highly skilled as Jared's recovery is so quick.
Jared does look rather like a chipmunk
As part of Eric's birthday gift, I prepared dinner since Rebecca has given birth so recently to their little angel, Alice. I actually made a delicious cake using Marsie's "the best chocolate cake ever" recipe. It really was the best chocolate cake ever, and unlike all the cakes I made for so many years that flopped, this one actually stayed up like a cake is supposed to do. I created a whipped cream topping with a little powdered sugar, chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla added. The leaf is a real autumn leaf from Payson area. However, true to form, my chocolate chips were not neatly placed on top so the cake does not look professional. Oh, well, it was delicious if I do say so myself.
The potato salad is my own usual creation of potatoes, boiled eggs, green onions, celery, sweet pickle relish, and a dressing which included mayonaise, mustard, pickle juice, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and spicy dash. The meat is pulled pork which I simmered all day with seasoning, garden herbs, etc. The pork was served with Joe's barbeque sauce (from Joe's Barbeque and Grill) on wonderful wheat buns from Trader Joe's.
What a beautiful young family - a baby brings such joy!
Beautiful Mommy, Rebecca and daughter, Alice
Eric is a Daddy just in time for his birthday
