I spent the morning finishing my Christmas shopping - it seems I do less each year. I spoke with my mother this morning and asked her what she would like for Christmas. "To be with my family," was her answer, and I echo that for myself. Christmas of 2020 was so hard because of not being together at all.
The little girls did so well while their parents were moving. They spent the night here, and I gave them their Nana-made nightgowns. They remind me of the characters in Little Women as they trail around the house. Utterly adorable.
The older grandchildren are getting to be such a great help with the younger two. Adria had the idea to make tissue paper parachutes with Duplo figures. Everyone chose an animal and she crafted parachutes with crochet thread, tape, and tissue paper. (One grandchild was missing due to illness). Then, up to the top of the stairs and the count - one, two, three - and everyone let their parachutes drift to the floor below. Up and down they went, good exercise for all.
The first greeting card arrived, one with a dark blue background filled with stars. I am reminded that I must get mine posted soon. There are far fewer cards than in past days, but I still enjoy sending them - little notes that mean "your friendship is important to me."
I'm pulling the recipes for the baking I plan to do - recipes on cards that are stained and a wee bit worse for wear. Shall I make fewer cookies this year? They all manage to get eaten no matter how many I make, and it's good to share them with neighbours.
After our busy weekend helping with a house move and entertaining the grandchildren here, our own house was in dire need of a thorough cleaning. That happened yesterday, and since everything was off the shelves for dusting, I decorated for Christmas. The tree will go up later as it's a real tree and I would like it to have needles on Christmas Day.
Your grey day shines with love and happiness.
ReplyDeleteThe children are adorable! I love your posts which feature them. Pretty creative play!
ReplyDeleteAwww . . . it sounds like such a fun and creative day at your house, and I am sure that the parents were appreciative of the opportunity to accomplish their needed tasks undistracted. Love the parachute idea, especially the fact that it was child-led!
ReplyDeleteYour mantel looks beautiful with the trees and twinkling lights. Christmas in a cold climate is wonderful. I love the Nana-made nightgowns, and must make something for my little girl grandie. I too am doing much less Christmas shopping, and in fact have done very little indeed. It must be to do with pandemic fatigue and the general economy. We give our children a lot of time and love, and perhaps that is most important. The parachute game is great. Our little ones did something similar with balloons recently, such fun. Enjoy the season.
ReplyDeleteYour mother is right about being with the family. Even though advertisers are endeavouring to push a glittery period showing food aplenty and gifts galore, I think that many of us are considering having a more pared down Christmas season with our loved ones. I think about the Ukranian people with no power trying to survive the severe winter, all of the people who are suffering from sky high inflation and the worldwide hardship situations for many.
ReplyDeleteYour mantel looks so warm and inviting! The little ones are adorable. I need to get my cards out in the mail too.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your dark drizzly day as we have been having them for days with no end in sight. So nice to have the twinkly lights to bring cozy to the house. Your mantle is looking especially lovely. No doubt it was a big help to the parents to know the grands were being taken such good care of during the moves. That is always such a stressful time. I like the parachute idea and can just imagine how cute it was to watch them in action.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so cosy in your corner and I’m glad the move went well. Not very Christmassy here yet. We’ve both gone down with covid so confined to the house other than walks. Fortunately we’re not too bad. B x
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet picture of the hugging sisters. Their nighties are wonderful, unlike any others I saw while out shopping for nighties yesterday. I never considered sewing a nighty myself.
ReplyDeleteImaginative grandchildren! What fun!
We have had a lot of rain and mild temps. It's raining again today. I am pleased that it is not the white stuff. Budgets are already strained so it is good not to have plowing costs tossed in with heating, electricity, and food costs. Thanks be to God.
The paper trees on your mantelpiece are lovely.
Love the pic of your sweet grands in their new nightgowns! Enjoy these days. I'm not sewing nightgowns for my granddaughters anymore. Looks like you made the most of their weekend visit.
ReplyDeleteI can identify with less baking, fewer Christmas cards being sent, and shorter shopping lists. 'To be with my family' is always the best gift.
I saw the photo first and immediately thought, Those must be homemade nightgowns! They are darling. I wish I could be more of a Sewing Grandmother myself, because it is sweetly satisfying. It looks like your Christmas season is progressing just beautifully. <3
ReplyDeleteLovely time with the grands and I'm sure much appreciated by their parents. They are all so sweet -- Adria sounds as if she could already be thinking about following her grandmother into the teaching profession; she seemed to know exactly what the littler ones needed!
ReplyDeleteThe kiddos are super adorable!
ReplyDeleteAnd your mantel is so beautiful, Lorrie.
Hugs and blessing!
The photos of the little ones sure brings smiles to our faces. I know they bring joy to you too! Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteAww, that is a sweet photograph of the hugging sisters.
ReplyDeleteI can remember making the tissue paper parachutes with Duplo figures when our children were young and repeating the fun with the grandchildren :)
All the best Jan
The trees on the mantel are so pretty the way the light reflects through them, and the evergreen behind them. I'm writing my cards today. I enjoy writing them and love receiving them.
ReplyDelete