Life Happenings

So much has happened since I last wrote on my blog. I have gained many great grandchildren and now have 21. There have been so many celebrations, pool parties, picnics, birthday parties. Have spent much more time with my brother, whose health isn't the best but he gets around fairly well with a walker. It's been a good weather year with no tornado warnings which is rare. A good friend has been mowing my lawn and now it is full of leaves that need to be raked. Thanksgiving is getting close and won't be long till Christmas too.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone. December was such a busy month, I didn't even get on my blogs. We had 3 Christmas celebrations, plus 2 church programs for grandchildren. It was a great deal of fun. The weather here was terrible. We had everything from fog to blizzards, but it all worked out. It is always so much fun to see the little ones in their Christmas programs at the churches. There is always one or two that act out and make everyone laugh. It was so much fun. Also all month it seemed like we were always pigging out on food. :0)

Ready for Bed

All the little great grandchildren got new pajamas for Christmas.  The Moms wanted to get a good picture of them all dressed up and ready for bed.  I think they got a cute picture of them.  Some day they will look at these pictures and laugh.  They grow up so fast.  The are growing in numbers too and quite fast.  This is only a small part of them . I have 17 altogether and several of the grandchildren have yet to get married, so there will be many more in the future.  Meanwhile we are having fun with these little ones.

Christmas

It seems like Christmas rolls around faster and faster.  Next week, a week from today, is Christmas again already.  Winter snows and cold have really set in and it is a couple days yet until the official first day of Winter.  We are definitely going to have a white Christmas.  There are always so much baking and cooking going on.  Everyone looks forward to the good food.

Grandchildren Birthdays

One of my twin daughter has 8 grandchildren.  It is really something that all their birthdays fall in November
 and December.  It is like many times Christmas, over and over and it isn't even Christmas time yet. I don't know how they figure out what to get them when they also have to shop for Christmas.  Four of our kids were in November and December too so I know what they are going thru.  We used to get them mainly clothes for birthdays and maybe a game so there was something left to buy for Christmas.

Christmas Family Pictures

The cameras all come out at Christmas time. This year was no exception. This is one of the many pictures that were taken at Christmas. It turned out very good.

It is fun to look back on former years and see how everyone has changed. Next year the little ones will have grown so much.

Sad Holidays

I lost my husband on September 8. He missed his birthday on September 30. Then he missed our 61st anniversary which would have been October 8. Now he will not be here for Thanksgiving. But I think the hardest will be Christmas without him. I am dreading Christmas this year. I know we celebrate Jesus Birthday and Jesus is the Reason for the Season, but that does not help the big hole my husband left in my home and heart. It is hard to explain to anyone just how empty the house is or how lonely it is. I am so glad he is in Heaven as he is going to have the best Christmas ever and he is already having a wonderful time with his Savior, Jesus Christ and Father God and our two children who went on before him. He has so many brothers and sisters there too in Heaven. Some were born before him and died and he never got to meet them in his lifetime. But now I know he is with them all.

Christmas Time

Christmas is over but I am going to leave my decorations out in the living room. I told my husband I may put them away in March :0). There isn't that much in the living room and it is all out of the way. Our little dog doesn't bother anything. She would rather just be left alone to sleep in any of "her" chairs. She owns the house, you know. :0)

Sterling Silver Jewelry

I think that next to gold that sterling silver jewelry is the most beautiful jewelry of all. I have several pieces of sterling silver and I just love it. Matched up with earrings, it is outstanding and goes so well with my hair. My husband is allergic to gold so his jewelry needs to be sterling silver too. His watches are sterling silver, as well as his new wedding ring. Otherwise, he breaks out in a rash. I would love more sterling silver jewelry for Christmas. I have silver bell earrings that I wear a great deal during the Christmas season and get many compliments on them.

Family Pictures

Our daughter has been digging in the old family pictures. This was taken in the 60's. Kids are all so young and innocent then. Not a care in the world. And they loved Christmas. This one was spent in California. They had the time of their lives going to the beach. It was so much fun living there.

Christmas Cards

Have been getting quite a few Christmas cards. It is so nice when they enclose a picture of their family. I worked with a young girl back in the 70's and she sent a card today. Also sent a picture of their entire family and boy, has it grown. I am sending some back to her of our family as it is really growing too. It is something to see how we have all aged since back then when we worked together.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday, our little great granddaughter turned 2 years old. I remember when our oldest turned 2. Her dad got her the first tricycle and teddy bear she ever had. We have pictures of her on the tricycle and she was excited. It is fun to see how excited they get. When they reach 2, they can really appreciate opening gifts more and Christmas will really be fun for her.

Grandchildren and Christmas

What is better than a grandchild at Christmas time unless it is 2 grandchildren at Christmas time. This happy grandfather is the proud grandfather of two little ones who arrived just 13 days apart last year. Now they are one year old and able to open presents and have a great time for Christmas. You can tell they are very happy to be with their grandparents again this Christmas. Little Emry had to travel clear from Texas and Kaelyn came from Minnesota but they all got together and we got to see them too. Such fun.