More Decorating

So my mom-in-love decided to get a tree after all. It's just a small tree, set on a table, with a flat back (that's why it cost less than what it's tag said--it was a "wall" tree). We went through all the ornaments and it was so fun to see so many old ornaments, handmade and bought so long ago. Some were just too heavy for the tree. I tried to get a picture of the ornaments...I think you can see some of them - and then a picture when it's lit up.

This is the hutch with a few of her handmade ornaments. I think you'll recognize the green paper plate holder and the blue bear at the top left from a past blog.

Here is the picture of the whole snow village. The skaters are at the bottom right. These are really interesting. The skiers and sleds and things like that are metal. The buildings are all corrugated cardboard and handpainted. They were with Edna's sister in the house they grew up in in Goleta. Oh, yeah, and the snowmen and trees are candles. Just put them there for effect. And she put the sheet over some other soft stuff to give it a "snowy" look. Pretty cool.



This is Elizabeth's favorite light up tree. It plugs into the wall and you have to put all those little bulbs into the holes in the tree. A few have been lost over the years. There is a switch to turn it on. Kind of a fun one.

And these are her "host" of angels. She kept opening boxes and finding angels and just put them all in one place on the piano.

So we enjoyed the fun part of Christmas as far as just getting something done together to make it look pretty.

Tomorrow I will work a half day and then pick up my visiting daughter from her friend's house and head on down to Long Beach. Dan will be going back with another co-worker, who had the same days off, so we wouldn't have two cars down there. It will be nice, even though he has to work for the week, to be with my husband during the Christmas week. My daughter is very wise. I figured I would be spending Christmas without him, but since he was working, and she and her husband and his family were leaving Christmas Day for Thailand, we could have the apartment to ourselves for the week and be together for this holiday. He does have New Year's Week off, so he will be here when our other daughter is visiting from Oregon. It will be fun to see her.

I don't know how much blogging I'll be doing, but in case I get busy or just want to take time off, I pray you all have a Merry Christmas celebrating Jesus' birth. I know some families who are having a rough time right now and I pray that this time will be still be special for them. I pray God would just uphold each one of you in His hands and give you peace and joy. I pray you KNOW His presence in your lives and that this Christmas will be one to remember fondly. God bless you and keep you. I love you all and will continue to pray for you during this time.

Hugs to you all.