Christmas with Ruby is Where it all Started.......

Ruby Lu

My Holiday started this year with a trip to my sister Deanna's home about an hour and a half away on Dec. 23rd.  I was transporting my Mom who would be spending Christmas with Deanna.....well, really with Ruby Lu, the blessed Great Granddaughter. Sadly, Ruby is the real reason my Mom and I visit Deanna and Ruby's' Mom (my niece) Amanda Ann.  Seeing Deanna and Amanda is a bonus!

So, upon Ruby's arrival to my sister's home, her Mom, my Mom and myself had a little tea party with some specialty cookies I had ordered from a little place along highway one (remember that?) while on vacation. Just a special time for me as I could just look at sweet little Ruby 24~7... We had a quick little dinner Deanna prepared and then.....I wanted Ruby to open the gifts I brought for her. My family has always opened gifts on Christmas Eve, what's one day I ask?  ( I was spending the night but leaving in the morning)

Santa was bringing Ruby a pink kitchen set so I decided it would be fun to buy her play food and staples for her kitchen. I was so excited watching her open them that I failed to catch it on camera, but trust me, she LOVED it.  At one point she sat legs spread pulling all the food toward her and while looking down at the food said, " I can't believe it".  I said, "Ruby do you like it", to which she look up at me and said "yesssss" and it was very convincing! My heart overflows with Ruby.

My Sister Deanna and Ruby

The next morning my sister twisted my arm asked me to stay and watch Ruby open all her other gifts :-)  A quick phone call home and it was on. It was so much fun watching her so full of excitement, the best part of most Christmas', watching the little ones. She really loved this little plastic harmonica my Mom gave her and proceeded to play as if she'd been playing for years....well, she did!





Glad I stayed yet so sad to leave.  I am still not used to all of my family not being together at Christmas, so much has changed since my Dad died...so much.  I headed home listening to Christmas carols and thinking about the dinner and the evening planned with my husband, son's and daughter in law that evening.

 Wanted to share some of my favorite things I have out for the Christmas Season.......

Son Mike made this manger scene in 2nd grade

My Sweet Uncle Ray made these

Rocking horse collection and friends!

Shelf of old Christmas photos

A place to hang Santa's hat

Snow globes

Jingle Bears I've had since my sons were little.

Reindeer my Dad made :-)

Wreath with Santa

Son Mike proudly displays his Ralphie shirt

 CHRISTMAS EVE

 Every year family tradition we watch A Christmas Story, we love Ralphie.

Brian, Mike and Katie

The Kids opening a very special gift from their Auntie Deanna.......





                                  




                                  CHRISTMAS DAY

Wall hanging son Brian bought me :-)

Christmas morning, Bob makes me breakfast :-)

Breakfast

Tradition was always my Dad for years,  and eventually my Dad and son's made Poppa's french toast for the entire family, as we used to all spend the night at my parents house....yet another change.

Bob Horton watching Horton Hears a Who...

That afternoon we headed to Mike and Kaite's home for some great company and always a great meal.  Katie's parents and siblings, my other son Brian, and Brian and Mike's Dad and step mom Cindie all opened gifts together. Mike and Katie bought us tickets to see Bonnie Raitt in January...the funniest part was this??  I am having back surgery in February and I was shocked when scheduling the surgery when I was told January was booked up??  Turns out they had bought the tickets already so they called the Doctor's office to have them tell me they were booked in January, hence the February date :-)  All enjoyed a nearly perfect day.....but,

                                        IT WAS ABOUT TO GET PERFECT

My daughter in law held up this photo and asked us all who we thought this photo looked like....her or Mike  ?

Baby Due August 1st, 2011  !!!!!!!

 Yes, at last my son has produced a child....angels were singing, I'm sure I heard them.  Tears of joy from the women in the room to say the least.  I was over the moon with happiness....had to start making phone calls immediately, now that was fun!  

So, 2011 is looking to be a very good year.......be prepared to look at a ton of baby photos.  Mike knows how much I love my great niece Ruby and how long I have waited for this news....his words to me after hearing the news...."bye bye Ruby".... 

:-)  Ruby will always be tops with me...well, maybe a hair less than this long awaited baby!   Ruby if your reading this (smile),  Ebby debi will always be crazy about you!

I can't wait for the other grand-kids to meet the newest addition, looks like we will need a new family photo sooner than I thought.

I may or may not have bought some things for the baby today........

This is what Echos from my full heart today......

It Was Suppose to be One Drawer ........

Photo taken by my hubby at Seeley Lake Montana.

Saturday morning after my coffee, I found my way into what used to be my office which has become...well, Santa's storage room and gift wrapping center. I sat down at my desk and opened a drawer to get a  fresh check register and there it was, the black hole!  It didn't start out this way, I wouldn't set up a drawer to look like this... I have this thing for organization....or so I thought. How does this happen before my eyes, I was thinking as I began to take everything out.  I intended to weed out the junk and put what remained back in a picture perfect fashion.

The first file was recipes I have yet to scan onto the computer, the second was decorating ideas, the third flowers/gardening tips.  I found that over time I was just stuffing this, that and the other thing in one of these files knowing I would one day have a day like this Saturday resulted in. Yep, it was the day I would dive into this black hole, that at one time was a drawer, and straighten out the mess.

Among other items, I found approximately seven different sizes, colors, and types of writing tablets.  These need to get used prior to ever buying another, I proudly announced to myself.  I decided to move these tablets into the antique desk in my den where I now keep my Granddaughter's coloring books and crayons.  They always want paper for something so it made sense to keep it all together for them. Of course I had to open the big long drawer to put the paper in the desk.....which led to.... cleaning out another desk!  I proudly tell you, I ended up with, between the two desks, shredding a ton of papers and filling up a tall kitchen trash bag full of "why am I keeping that?" kinda stuff.

This caused me to think back on having to go through and pack up my parents house along with my older sister......both saying to each other at various times, "why would this have been kept?", why so many ____?"  So it began, I purposed to go through the house a drawer at a time if need be and start getting rid of "stuff".  I do not want my children to have to make the choice of, toss, sell, keep and if so, where do we keep it? ... I decided to put all my paperwork in well labeled files, which led to taking a magazine to the living room where the magazine rack is.....which to my surprise (?) I realized I had way to many magazines collecting dust, and ended up going through approximately twenty magazines in order to have "less".... less is indeed more, I'm realizing as I age.

In going through the magazines, I tore out pages of gardening ideas, recipes, decorating, books, movies and craft ideas? Did the word craft just exit my mouth?  I am not, nor have I ever been what I would call crafty......and then it occurred to me, how would I know this?  When I had a daycare out of my home I did crafts with the kids, but really, how difficult is macaroni art? My son's and I made ghosts out of kleenex for Halloween that we then  hung from the ceiling with white thread and thumb tacks, did that count?  Not to boast but I can make several things out of the card board that is left behind when the toilet paper is gone! Then it hit me, wait a minute, in the last year I have put together some rather impressive flower arrangements for my dinning room table....maybe I could be a crafty person and not know it?

  I'm not one to draw attention to myself with an accomplishment or in doing something for another.  I am more comfortable accomplishing and serving quietly, if it gets noticed it wasn't my intention. That said, I do intend to find out if I can indeed be "crafty", and I intend to be optimistic about this venture!  I promise not to expose you to every craft I attempt :-)......that can be as painful as having to politely watch someone else's entire family vacation slide show (done it).... I will likely craft, quietly.... giving you maybe an occasional glimpse of an attempt :-) 

My friend Judy from PA.,  occasionally shares some of her decorating ideas on her blog that I adore!  I love that she shares her creations with us, for what I believe, her sole purpose in doing so is that we too will realize, the smallest things can make a home comfy, a place were we want to spend our time, all the while bringing us some joy in our day to day life...all as a result of her creations. I have learned many things from her, but mostly about how a wise woman lives her life! Many thanks my friend.........

So, my desk(s) are cleaned out, the magazines have been thinned out, who knows what's next as far as my creating less continues.  I have been slowly gathering some items for the redecorating of my guest room, which I am so excited about starting....I even have a couple of Easter craft ideas in mind, me!  I'm looking forward to diving in, unafraid.  One has to get in the water if one wants to swim, right? 

Don't get me wrong......I'm not yet planning to have a craft room, but I am going to give crafting a go. In the meantime I am going to make more space and provide a comfortable place for my guests to lay their heads. Hopefully my guests will be able to imagine they are somewhere other than in my spare bedroom, that's the end result I'm looking for.  :-)

This weekend I've realized many things, but what stands out is, I hope to never again say I can't when I haven't yet really tried! Yet another lesson learned late in life, but learned none the less!  ~ This is what echos from my heart today......

December 6th ~

Today is the day of my Father's birth. 

Poppa with all of his Grandchildren

  The only thing my father ever asked of me was to quit smoking.  I figured if I quit on his birthday it would be my gift to him.....and we can't take back a gift we have given. Smart huh? Today is three years and yes I will be counting :-)

I miss him as much today as any day. I am forever grateful God chose him to parent me.Teaching morals, values, and the importance of honesty and work ethic that are forever with me. He loved me unconditionally. I try and live everyday exhibiting behavior and demonstrating love that would make him proud and give him reason to smile.

Looking forward to the day I can run to him and once again  receive some Poppa hugs, there is nothing  like one of his hugs.........this is what echos from my heart today.....and everyday.

Happy Birthday Poppa!