Christmas Time

Peaceful night light

Angels we have heard on high

This arrangement is in honor of my Mother.. she and Jesus share the same birthday Dec 25. Her Italian Father named her Mary Christine and called her Christina

I started this arrangement when Taylor was so small that she had to stand on a small stool to see. She had to touch everything and talk to all the things in the arrangement.

Wise men at the birth of Jesus

Santa is checking his list and Taylor Danielle used to always look to see that her name was on the list!

round & round we go

Table setting

Alpine trees that I call my 3 sons trees

Red bow tree with my hand painted wood ornaments

Arrangement in my indoor patio/hot tub/spa room

table in patio/hot tub/spa room

Christmas tree in patio/spa room

Rudolph is ready to go

Come on Santa, don't just sit there.. let's go

flower arrangement

flower arrangement in sun room

table for Santa & his helper to have cookies and milk

One of my favorites that I keep on the table all year

fireplace with Al's stocking.. gotta to find mine to put up

This Christmas tree is 37 years old, can you believe. I have changed the decorations at times & I guess it will outlive me.

coffee table in the living room

Well, as Elvis would say "It's Christmas time pretty baby.. you be a good little girl cause Santa Claus is back in town". No one can sing it the way he does.

As you can tell from the pictures.. Christmas is my favorite time of the year and as was my Mother's. She always encouraged me to decorate and she was like a child loving it all. Even though it takes me longer as I get older to decorate my house for Christmas, I keep on each year for my Mother's sake and the grandchildren and friends who enjoy seeing it all. After days of putting it all together like painting scene after scene.. I sit down, listen to my collection of Christmas music, have my cry; look to the heavens and say "Merry Christmas Mother.. I hope you like it. And I just know she does :)

Traditions are important in families and we all have different ones. I now have the family gathering on Christmas eve to eat, be merry and open gifts. On Christmas day I go with the flow and let the day unfold as it may. As our children grow and have their own families.. they begin new traditions and still find some time for the old traditions they grew up with. Sometimes we want to hold too tight to the old ways instead of being excited about something new.

This will be my Christmas prayer at our gathering and I hope all who read this will be blessed as well.

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds and the wisdom of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, for Jesus sake.

We thank God for His Mercy and Grace and ask for complete healing for Mikaslyn Larsen and Kendall King. Amen

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!! :) :)