A Big Day for Kerrigan!

Kerrigan went to a gymnastics meet today with her Daddy.

When he brought her to my door tonight,

he said he was bringing "the champ"!

I didn't get any details

but he said that she won 1st place in every event she entered.

Congratulations, Kerrigan!

She takes lessons at Jody's Gymnastics Center

& goes there 3 days a week for 3 hour lessons.

Way to go, girl!

Nativity

In recent years I've kept my special Nativity tucked away,

not wanting it to be broken by little ones wanting to touch

out of childhood curiosity.

Hopefully they have learned the "don't touch" phrase.

This afternoon I brought down the box filled with my special pieces. I had forgotten how much I loved it. Several years ago I bought it a piece at a time through Ashton Drake Doll Company. The dolls are porcelain--and breakable!

Inside the box was my stash of angle hair, which I just found out is no longer made, and strand of white lights.

I love the faces of these pieces.

When looking at them, I can just imagine a Children's Christmas program at church, with the tiny tots dressed up in their homemade costumes.

For now, they are safely displayed in our living room.

This sweet little fellow carries his flute.

The Three Wise Men have their gold, frankincense, & myrrh.

The little shepherd carries his baby lamb, along with his shepherd's hook.

The Angel...I love her golden curls!

Mary, the Mother of the Holy Child

and Joseph

I can't wait for our grandchildren to see the Nativity.

They know the Christmas Story

& I want them to remember the real Reason for the Season,

Baby Jesus!

Christmas Decorating 2009

It takes me forever to decorate.

I began on the tree yesterday, spent part of this morning working on it,

& finally finished it up tonight.

Or at least stopped for the day.

It is an on going project as I might find something to add to it later on, tweaking the decorating as I go.

We've come a long way from my childhood

when we would drive down a country road,

chop down a misshaped cedar,

added the huge colored lights, along with a few bubble ones

& stood back & literally threw the silvery "icicles" at the tree...

& we thought it was beautiful!

I love snowmen & have several on the tree


When our grandchildren came along

I began adding Hallmark ornaments,

ones that reminded me of each child.

I have Bob the Builder, Veggie Tales, several Fairies, & the Wizard of Oz,

just to name a few.

I've received several snowman ornaments,

dated with the year & each grandchild's name

added as they came along.

I love these ,girls...hint, hint...

By shopping the sales, I added decorative ornaments this year.

I really thought about changing colors

but my eye always goes to the red & green

A few old ornaments have survived the years.

I think I have 4 or 5 of the Disney ornaments left.

And I accented with green & white sparkly poinsettias

A few "Jim Shore" pieces

You can't see them but there are some religious ornaments on there!

I found some green ones etched in gold with scenes of the Nativity.

Tree Topper

is just green ribbon accented in gold,

picks of red berries

& sparkly curly stems.

One project completed...

more to come