Friday, December 16, 2011

WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE???

I went from warm beautiful tropical no cares no worries from last post....Remind me why we had to leave Cancun.....Ok since being back home, it has been one thing after another..That is how it gets from Thanksgiving till the New Year...Some of our highlights Thanksgiving was very low key this year...I usually have the family all over but for one reason or another that kind of stopped...But this year, it was my Mom and Mother in law along with Autumn, Mike and I...that is it..Dad had to work...and So did Michael...First time in 18 years Michael wasn't at the dinner table for a holiday.. I was in tears when he left for work...it had me really wishing time would just slow down..and thinking back through the years. Well clean up after dinner was very easy..lol.. We did have a lot of deserts for people to stop by..Once again for one reason or another many couldn't make it or chose not to come..But good friends of Mike and I stopped by and Dad got home and ate..then we sat around and talked...it was a good time...but different.
This post is me catching up on the last month and half...The picture above is a centerpiece my Dad had got me and it is still alive...except some carnations.. I really love the container and live greens. It is special times like this gift that gives me that warm happy feeling and memories that are cherished.
Speaking of memories...This photo is me after receiving this beautiful Christmas basket full of wonderful items...The colors and items picked out were so perfect and all will be used and cherished for years...and when I take them out each year it will bring great memories of our yearly Christmas dinner out with our wonderful Italian friends..I so look forward to this every year...not my gift....our time spent together at dinner...that lasts ummm at least 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
This year my parents got Mike and I along with my brother and sister in law tickets to this Live Theater in Lancaster PA. We all went together for a nice long weekend the 6 of us. It was night time when I took this picture..it is so beautiful. We left Friday afternoon and got to our hotel..met later in the evening for dinner together..Saturday after breakfast we met up and went shopping at the Outlet's, and the sun was out..little cool but with sun and shopping we didn't notice...went to Apple Bee's for a drink and snack then to our hotel to get ready for the evening.
This picture was taken during the day when my parents went earlier in the summer...they enjoyed it so much they got tickets for us to go in December together. We saw Miracle of Christmas..it was nice and they used live animals...The way they portrayed Mary and Joseph in this play was done in such a way you can relate and truly feel the emotion Mary had of being the Mother of Jesus..Very well done.
This year I used our red and green decorations in the family room and on our tree. The last 4 years I have been doing the tree in glass, crystal, white, golds and much more elegant...This year I was in a more whimsical mood.
This year for Chistmas Eve things were changed around do to both of the kids work schedule..another first but we worked it all out. My mother in law had us over early before Autumn went to work on Christmas Eve...So we celebrated with her around two...autumn had to be at work at 5 and worked till 9....Once again I watched my other child head to work on Christmas Eve. I didn't let on like it was a big deal..she was such a trooper..So very proud of her and her excitement to work...anyway later in the evening we went to my brother's in laws, I had a good time. Always very festive and I got to spend time with my niece and nephew that we don't ever get to see till day after Christmas. It is so good having little ones around this time of year.. Love seeing all their excitement.. My nephew is at that perfect age of 3. Christmas morning we always do a big breakfast of Egg Casserole and Overnight Baked French Toast...so good. We did this a little earlier because Michael had to go to work 12 until 8.. then we usually go to see my Aunt and my Grandpa but this year I decided to fix a Christmas dinner for us, my parents and my mother in law...It was really nice..We ordered honey baked ham and a turkey..cheesy hashbrown potatoes and brocoli...we missed the sweet potato casserole for dinner...I will just say that my 77 year old mother in law's memory isn't what it used to be and she confused it and made it Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day...but we laughed about it and of course all had to make jokes about it at dinner..like wow sweet potato casserole would have really tasted good..or Could someone pass the sweet potato casserole please...all in good fun of course.. Christmas night Mike and I went to friends of ours for a little bit then home and enjoyed the rest of the evening by the fire, with the tree and mantel lights on.
Day after Christmas is a day I really look forward to...That is the day we all get together at my brothers and we exchange gifts...it is laid back and relaxed and much enjoyed.. This year I was the one that got harassed and teased...I will just say it has to do with me taking pictures of myself and my smile....Yep I was teased all night...Let's just say I have a lot of pictures to make up for all the years I never would get my picture taken because of my weight...At least they noticed I am smiling!!!!
I love this wall hanging i got at a craft show this year..I did craft shows with my girlfriend that makes jewelry that is one of a kind... I would keep her company and help get set up and taken down..When I first got there I saw these wall hangings at this one booth..she had beautiful things and wanted 35.00 for this..So I waited and would go back now and then and see if this was still there and it was..So towards closing time everything was about sold out and this was still there and marked down to 15.00...Wooo Whooo I said I will take it!!!! So in a nut shell that is what I have been up to since coming home from Cancun...Paridise....and of course all the other holiday things you do like sending Christmas cards, decorating, Shopping, wrapping...you know how it goes..
Oh ya and dinners out with friends...hold on to that thought..I will tell you about one of those dinners out on next post...hopefully tomorrow..