Wonder

Song - Amazing Grace by the Czestochowa Pipes & Drums

It all began with the "Cookie Elves" arriving early one morning in December....

 

 The cookies have been baked and decorated...

 Mr. B may have gotten a little overly zealous in his plane & bomb decorations...

...and a few may have been eaten already.....

The tree was delivered and set up for me which was a true treat as I have been sick for the last few months and it just hung on forever....so this tree was a true Christmas miracle (thank you Henry and Andy).  It was hung with lights and then I noticed on Instagram that it's the new holiday look - a green fir with little white lights and NO decorations - and I was in total agreement (except for the silver star that will go on top) - not sure my family has bought into this new concept but I am in love!

The table is set......

...and the stockings are hung.....

Henry (9 months now) dropped in to help Grandma put the lights on the tree.....

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Goodnight!

Mom's Glue

Song - Your Mother and Mine from Peter Pan

Mom circa 1957

See that cake pan on top of the refrigerator? Mom always had a freshly baked cake in there!  And the drawer behind her had Red Vine licorice and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for the family and our friends. And she usually had a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove top. 

Mom could be found in the kitchen or in the garden....both favorites of hers.....they still are.

Mom is still cooking in the same kitchen (minus the plaid wallpaper) in 2016

My mom has some extra strength glue - one that can hold a whole family together.  This will be our year of "firsts"....first time in 66 years that dad wasn't with us to celebrate Mother's Day. But we held it together with mom's love.

As for my Mother's Day, it was an extra special day.  My middle son, Jon surprised me with a visit from LA - way too short Jon but a delight!  The three of us had breakfast with my mom, then while she was off playing golf with my brother & his family, I got to paint.  My three (4 with Mr. B) boys and my soon to be daughter (insert ear to ear grin here) celebrated with a lovely meal outside by the fireplace.

"Home is where your mom is."

It's the Little Things

Looking for the "little things" in my life, has helped me to slow down this season.

Like......


Finding a rose that is still blooming this late in the season.


Enjoying the smile from a stranger and returning it to another person.


Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face.


Finding a "lucky penny" and placing it in my shoe.

Turning on the lights for our Dickens Village and Christmas Tree.

Lighting the logs in the fireplace and curling up with the doggies.



Watching "The Bishop's Wife" for the ----well let's just say for many times.  Or "It's A Wonderful Life" for even more times!

Enjoying Holiday cards from friends and family.

Hanging a heart ornament that Mr. B and I bought in Taos almost 30 years ago.

And finding out that a friend of mine bakes 70-dozen cookies every year.....and I don't!!!

Wow!

Yep you read that right.

Seventy-dozen!

Let's do the math....mmmm...that would be 8 hundred and 40 cookies!


I'm wondering how many pounds of buttah......?


Yeah....it's the little things and a good chuckle!


"Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." --Henry Miller