Almost Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Angelica and Seth as Mary and Joseph, created several years ago.

The kids' Christmas concerts are over.  Our singing performances are over.  The gifts are wrapped.  I think we are ready for the Big Day.  Except that Layne caught some kind of a bug and has shared it with all of us.  So we four are sitting around in a daze.  I'm so glad we are ready for Christmas because all I want to do is sit and stare.  Actually that isn't much fun either but it beats moving.  I think we are all on the mend.  It has been a long time since I've been sick with anything.  I'm feeling a little bummed about this.

We had our first snow of the season last night.  It is beautiful outside, with white everywhere, being reflected by a bright sun.  More snow is due tomorrow.  Maybe we will have a winter after all.  I'm kind of excited about having a white Christmas.  Or I would be if I didn't feel crummy.  I like the idea of it.

The kids have finally admitted that they are excited about Christmas.  Angelica has picked out the gift she wants to open on Christmas Eve.  I miss our California family at this time of year, but I think we will have some fun with Seth and Angelica.  So, to all of you we wish a very, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is Coming

We entered December with high expectations.  At least I did.  There is so much I'd like to do to celebrate the season.  Then there are the usual pressures:  gifts for everyone, cards to friends, something special for neighbors and those in the Church we look out for.  For some reason all of these activities have worn me down a little bit.  I suppose I still worry that we will not provide the right experiences for Seth and Angelica.  I am relaxing a little bit, but worries still crowd my thoughts at times.  The kids are involved in their school choirs and so we will attend two school Christmas concerts.  It'll be fun and inspiring I imagine.  Angelica is supposed to wear a "Christmasy" top.  She chose a Santa style, and here she is with Seth modeling it.  She looks pretty cute in it.

There is plenty of horse play that goes on here.  Allegra is deep in the middle of it.

Allegra has been with us since September and has been such a help with the kids. They love her and will so miss her when she goes home for Christmas this coming weekend.  I feel blessed with this family of mine.  All of them are good people doing things that are productive and positive.  For the most part.  Allegra, our lovely redhead, will soon be gone.  She will be so missed!

My singing group, the Treble Clef Singers, are in the midst of our Christmas concert, repeated several times a day for two weeks.  Wow.  It is exhausting.  But it has been good for me; I've overcome much of my fear of singing in front of people.  Of course the folks in convalescent homes are appreciative no matter how we sing.  But I think we sound pretty good!  Our group still loves Layne.  He sings a solo in every one of our concert series.  He's good too!  Here's our group at one of our performances.

Time moves quickly on.  Our grandchildren are growing up and starting families of their own.  Sometimes I can't believe that I could be a seventy-something...already.  Our grandson Scott proposed to his girlfriend over Thanksgiving and they plan to marry this coming spring.  Along with grandson James and granddaughter Rayne.  Wow.  Imagine the possibilities for great-grandchildren they will bring.  How could this have happened so soon?  Here's Scott and his Jessica.  Jessica.  She will be our third Jessica in the immediate family.  Branching out, she becomes the fifth!