Scenes from Christmas

On Christmas Eve afternoon the kids opened their gifts from us.
(click photos for larger view)






After playing with the new toys for a while Jerry put a movie in the DVD player and pretty soon everyone was dozing (except for Noah and me!)





Our dear old friends, John & June and Jim & Carole arrived to share Christmas Eve dinner with us. Before we could eat everyone had to open their Christmas Crackers and put on their crowns.

For those that don't know what a Christmas Cracker is here's a photo



Each cracker contained a paper crown, a small toy and some riddles. Noah had a good time reading the riddles and ALL the boys seemed to enjoy the toys.







It was great spending the day with good friends and family.

Christmas

Our first married Christmas was spent in Scotland as Jerry was stationed there with the US Navy. We'd only been there for a month when Christmas arrived. We didn't have 2 pennies to rub together and I think our elaborate Christmas tree reflects that! It was an odd holiday. Jerry had duty Christmas Eve -he went into the ship on Christmas Eve morning and worked until about 10am Christmas morning then was able to come home. My big present that year was a 'stereo' It was actually a transistor radio, but was exactly what I wanted.



The next Christmas was Craig's first. It was the same little tree but I think we took a little more care decorating. Some time during that year we got an actual stereo so I didn't need my transistor any more! The house we rented was fully furnished and I often wonder if that heavy leather furniture is still around. Check out Jerry's very plaid pants in the 2nd photo! Very 1970's! I remember staying up until the wee hours on Christmas Eve because my mother was going to have the family call me during their big Christmas Eve dinner. What with the 5 hour time difference it was going to be 2 or 3 in the morning when they called. That was back when overseas calls were a big deal and had to go through a special operator. Only problem is they forgot to call! I don't remember now if they called the next day or not.



Now, 37 Christmases later our tree is a bit bigger and there are definitely more gifts. Our house here doesn't lend itself to a tree location as well as some places we've lived. The first year here we had to go get a new slimmer tree. (wish I could get a new slimmer self that easily!)






I hope you have pleasant memories of Christmases past too. Merry Christmas!

Weeding out stuff

I was sick most of last week. Nothing too serious but enough to lay me low for several days. When I was feeling better I spent several days weeding through my fabric stash. I just had TOO much stuff and needed to get rid of some of it. I ended up with 12 bankers boxes of fabric that needed a good home.




I then invited the TTT gang to come to my house so they could go through the fabric to see if there was anything there they might be able to use.

Here are Betsy, Cindy, Janice & Sheila. Not sure what has captured their attention.


There were boxes all over the living room as everyone sorted through the stuff



Besides what people took for their own stashes we filled one box and a garbage bag with fabric that will make kids quilts -which we'll do throughout the next year for our guild's charity projects.



At the end of the day I was still left with 6 boxes of fabric which I'll donate to a local facility.

It was a fun morning of going through fabric and then we all went to the local Applebee's for lunch followed up with some shopping (but not for fabric!)

Disclaimers

I ordered a gift from Brookstone the other day. Today I received an email notifying me that the item has shipped. This is the way the email started:


PLEASE NOTE: The following email may contain information about gifts ordered from Brookstone. If this is a shared email account, and you have not recently placed an order at Brookstone -- please do not read further. It would be a shame to spoil a surprise!

Now, I don't know about you but I would not be able to stop reading and would HAVE to find out what it was!