Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas to all of you. As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, we spend time with our families enjoying the love and warmth of each other.

I know some of you are buried under lots of snow and ice. But here in Arizona we have been having our share of rain for the past week. We have even had a couple of nights where we have had to cover our tender plants from the freeze we have had. I know most of you think this is kind of funny but if your summer temperatures were around 110 plus for a straight 4 months you would know how cold 32 degrees is to us desert rats. We wear coats at 60 degrees here and rarely go outside once it gets below 50. Our blood has thinned out so we can handle those 110 plus days.

Onto Christmas this year. We spent a lovely day with my son, daugher in law, grand daughter, and mother. We went to my son's house and had a wonderful day of gifts, food and fun. We talked to 2 of our other childern and 4 of our other grandchildren. It was a wonderful day even though it rained most of it.

As you can see from our pictures our Grand daughter got her jeep for Christmas from "Santa Claus". She drove a "truck" this summer at her "crazy Uncle Jay's" house and loved it so much, Santa decided she needed something like it so she could remember those good times. She is pretty good in reverse but needs to learn how to steer. She thinks going forwards in one direction is great but trees, walls, and toys do not move out of her way!

Also in the pictures is one of our son, wife and daughter. As you can see we don't get really dressed up for the holiday. We feel comfortable is best since we know we will be napping throughout the day.

The picture of the lovely lady with the birthday cake is my mother. Christmas Day is her birthday and she turned 81 this year! She feels so special to share her birthday with Jesus, as well she should. It has been a bit of a rough year for her with surgeries, deaths of siblings, hospitalizations for health issues and generalized aging "things". But thru it all she keeps her spirits up and stays as active as she can. Mom and I have done a lot of shopping this year together. We have also taken up beading as a new crafting project. Of course we both still knit and I still crochet. Now that Mom has had the total shoulder replacement it is so much easier for her to do her crafting that she so loves. It is such a joy to have her close to us. She is getting the joy of watching one of her MANY great grandchildren grow up and her great grandchild adores her. (after all GiGi always has cookies and M&M's at her house!)

On the crafting front.....................I made several hats, scarve and slippers for my family for christmas. The hats were loomed, the scarves were knit and the slippers were crocheted. I also made lots of necklaces, bracelets and earrings for gifts all from my new found love of beading. I am in the process of knitting a prayer shawl right now. Knitting is a slower process for me but I still love the look of it for some things.

As soon as the Christmas season is over I will be able to get back into my craftroom again and start planning more projects. Right now all the books from the two 7 foot tall book cases are in there so we could put up our 50 plus nativity sets. I don't mind at all. After all it is only once a year that we get to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is a small sacrifice to make compared to the BIG one He made for us on Good Friday!!!!!!!!

May God bless all of you this season and may He continue to bless and keep you close to Him in the year to come.