I'm Back

We are back home again and our hearts are full of good memories of hugs, laughter, quiet conversations and rip roaring belly laughs.   The visit with our daughters and grandsons in Michigan seemed to go by at lightening speed.

I took a craft project to the boys to work on with me.  I told them the good thing about art is there is  there is no "wrong" way to do it.  It's all good.  These are cheap wooden frames from Micheal's that they decorated to put in pictures of their latest trip to Cancun and their sports photos from the things they do.  I just enjoyed watching them create their own style.

Terry and Brett in their Michigan attire.  # 16 is the quarterback Denard Robinson's number. I don't know which guy was the happiest that Daughter #1 got that jersey for Brett.   (And, let me say, Michigan won their bowl game.  It was not a pretty win but it was a win.)

My other daughters got Tanner the Michael Jackson Wii game that teaches Michael's dance moves and really rocks yours body.  Tanner could really get into it but the adults doing it was priceless.

All I can say now is "Thank God for Kids".  For being able to spend time with my own adult daughters and for the being able to share Christmas with my boys.  (I have always called them "My" boys.  My daughter was so kind  to give birth to them for me!  And, Tanner on my Birthday too.. Nice of her, right?)  This was Brett's first year in knowing Mom and Dad are Santa.  Tanner is wondering but still wants to believe.  They are 9 and 10 right now.  This was a very special Christmas.

So I came back refreshed and with some new ideas to blog about.  Boy, do I have some catching up to do on what all of you have been doing while I was gone.  So now I'll go visit "all y"all" as we say down here.

Gotta Go Get Christmas Hugs

I'll be gone for a while.  I have to to north to collect my Christmas hugs.  I have not seen my family since last Christmas . It tears at my heartstrings so you can imagine how overjoyed I am to be with them all for a few days. 

I am gladly trading  my  50 - 60 degree temps for teens and single digits.   I will have lots of love to keep me warm.   (After I wrote that I saw on  one daughter's Facebook page that it is 50 there too.  Yay!  I don't want to drive in a blizzard!) 

                                          Merry Christmas and have a very Happy New Year

Time For Some Stress Relief

Many of you have seen or heard this song because I see that it is a year old.  I just received it in an e mail yesterday and thought is was worth passing on in my blog world.  Christmas is a time that leaves me feeling so frazzled.  We will be leaving for Michigan about a week before Christmas so I have to have everything done by then.  I feel the pressure.

( I still had to be careful and not show half the wall with "surprises " lined up against it.)

 I was grateful for the reminder that just because my living room looks like Santa's workshop exploded in there with gifts and wrapping paper and boxes and tissue all about,  that is not what the season is all about. 

This is:  The story I got with the email is that a child saw the very long line of people waiting to see Santa so he then asked, "Where's the Line for Jesus?"  

The most important thing this holiday is to remember the reason for the season.  And to hug my girls and boys.

This is my all time favorite Christmas carol.   After years in retail where I got so tired of hearing them from November 1st on, sadly, I still cannot enjoy it like I once did.  But this still touches me.

I enjoy the Celtic Women.  I hope you like this little break too. 

All I Want For Christmas.....

I have to say, before I moved south, this was one of my favorite "new" Christmas songs.  When I was looking at freezing rain, sleet and snow, this sounded very good indeed.

I haven't been to the Caribbean Islands in two years and I am missing the pretty turquoise water. Living on the coast here, is not the same.   I would love to, one day, meet my daughter's and families for a Caribbean Christmas. 

So sit back and enjoy this Christmas song that shows a different view of how to celebrate.