A Man of Many Talents

I collect nativity scenes.  When we are traveling and I find one I love it is so exciting.  I was thrilled then we came across a shop at a market in Budapest that had a wonderful scene.  The shop keeper wrapped every piece in bubble wrap and then carefully placed them in small boxes.  I didn't give it a thought until I opened the box earlier in December.  The first pieces were as adorable as I had remembered them being.  Then I found a sheep with a broken tail.  No problem, that looked easy to fix.  Next was a wiseman with a broken arm, again fixable.  When I unwrapped Mary, I wanted to cry.  She was so broken and there were so many pieces, it looked impossible.  And you can't have a nativity scene without Mary and Jesus!

Enter George with his magnifying glasses and glue! 

A few hours of careful work and voila......My Hungarian nativity is wonderful again!  I love it!  Ceramic repair is one of George's many talents.

Here is my scene from Croatia.

We were just getting on the bus after our walking tour of Vukovar, Croatia when another nativity scene collector told me that a shop about a block away had some really fun scenes.  I knew that we were just about to leave and I am such a rule follower that I couldn't bring myself to defy the guides and run down to the shop.  I pouted all day thinking of 'the one I didn't get'!

That evening though I had a great idea!  Another Fun For Less group was coming UP the Danube the next week and they would make the same stop in Vukovar AND I had friends in that group that were also collectors SO I sent a quick email with photos of the store and the nativity (thanks to the woman who had gotten one there) and a plea to PLEASE purchase one for me.  I promised to send a check for the postage and the nativity.  And they got me one!  This one is special because of the friendships that made it a part of my collection....and I do think it is pretty cute!

Cookies and Jumping!

I love that Matt has such good friends!  Zack and Jesse and their two adorable kids came over in February for dinner and to decorate Valentine cookies.  It was so fun that we decided to do it again in December!  I don't know why I forgot to take a photo of all of us together.  Oh well. 

Isabella and Addie with assistance from Dads, Moms and one Uncle created some masterpieces. 

I agree that you can never have too much icing or too many sprinkles!

Monica has become a pro at cookie decorating!  I remember sending all the ingredients and decorating supplies to John and Monica on their first Christmas as a married couple when they were still living in Argentina.  That was Monica's first time to decorate Christmas cookies.  Now she makes them look so beautiful!

The cookies were fun but the highlight of the evening for the two 4 year old girls was JUMPING!  We started this tradition with Isabella on Thanksgiving in 2018 and we 'jump' every Sunday evening when it is too cold or dark to go for a walk. Addie remembered it from her last visit to our house in February! With a thick mat at the bottom of the stairs, it is a wild place to jump. Recently we added Matt's colored cones to the landing strip.  Now the goal is to jump to certain colors.  

It gets pretty wild and crazy!

 So much fun and definitely uses up a lot of energy!

 I think we should do this again in February!  And I may remember to get a photos of all of us together!  Or at least all the guests! 

Living Nativity

The 7th Day Adventist Church in our town does a wonderful living nativity each year.  As you enter the gates of Bethlehem you pay your 'taxes' to the Roman soldiers. You stroll through a the village and can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of homemade bread.

Roman Soldier

They even have a potter! 

The last time we took Isabella to a petting zoo with farm animals she said that it was 'so scary'.  We were happy that she would pet the sheep this time. Although I'm not sure she looked particularly comfortable, she did at least touch him!

Just like the shepherds of old, you follow the star to find the real 'gift' of

Christmas. 

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus! And as Isabella always says, "just like OUR Mary".  She has only met her Aunt Mary once but she loves her! 

Afterwards you go into the church building where they have crafts and a puppet show for the children  and a delicious variety of soups.  This is where the 8 congregations from Eagle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped.  Youth manned the puppet booth and craft room and we provided many crockpots of vegetarian soups.

A lovely start to our Christmas season.

A Stocking for Jackson

George's mother knitted Mary a baby blanket even though her hands were misshapen with arthritis.  She gave it to me and said that 'there was love in every stitch'.  I don't really knit but I am following my mother's tradition of making stockings for each member of the family.

This year was Jackson's turn!   Mary reports that he is into balls, doggies and cars so this one seemed appropriate. 

After 10 Star Wars movies, watched in order of the story, not the release date (I am definitely ready for "Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker), the entire new season of The Crown, 3 episodes of NCIS Los Angeles, a few reunions with Friends, and some channel flipping between Fox News, CNN and MSNBC - it's finished and in the mail! And yes, there is love in every stitch!  

I hope next year it is hanging on our mantle along with Mary's and Mark's and Christopher's! 

Santa and the Grandkids

 When our kids were little, we took them to the mall every year and had a photo made with Santa which was added to a little Santa photo album.  It is so fun now to add grandchildren Santa pictures!

Jackson and the little guy  

I love Jackson's expression.  He looks like he is thinking, "Why are you handing me to the weird guy? HELP!!!!!"

Because the little one is not legally theirs yet, I can't show his face on social media.  Trust me though, if he is officially adopted, I will change this photo!  You can also trust me that he is very cute! And that Mary is VERY busy with two little ones who are a year and a week apart in age!

 Isabella 
 She likes him better this year. I think Mrs. Claus helped calm her fears! 

I am thankful for....

For the last 30 years one of our family traditions has been to ask each person at our Thanksgiving table to think of things for which they are thankful and then to write their list on a paper turkey feather.   We skipped a few years when we were traveling but still have an impressive number.  Some are written in Spanish, some in a small child's printing. From family and friends, short or long, all are  precious.

We have some fun ones from our little kids.  Like the year that little Johnny was thankful that '3+3=6'.  Or Scott's gratitude that Daddy was fat!  Matt was pretty consistent with being thankful for snow and snowboards and skateboards.  Mary was very eloquent in her gratitude for her family and their unconditional love.  Scott always expressed his love for horses and soccer.  John knew that he loved Monica 7 years before they were married.  

Among the most treasured are 3 from our parents.
 Grandpa Lewis, "I am thankful for the quiet calm of old age that gives me the chance to reflect on the undulations of life without the threat of recurring seasickness" 2001

 From my mother, "I am thankful for my wonderful family, my daughter, son-in-law and four 'great' grandchildren, for our happy times together, and our love for each other and our love for our God." 1993 

From George's Mom, "I am thankful for the gift of life, my testimony of Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, for loving parents, for my righteous husband, Walt, and four children and our daughters-in-law, lovely grandchildren, a good home, my kind neighbors and friends."

I love that this year we added Isabella who was thankful for her Mommy and Daddy, Grandma and Grandma, Uncles Matt and Scott, Mary and Baby Jackson, and for Isabella!

Now that I too am in the 'quiet calm of old age', I realize more than ever the things for which I am most grateful.  And I know that they are not 'things' but people!

Thanksgiving

I love everything about Thanksgiving! 

Setting the table with the the china my Daddy brought back from England in 1953 (the year I was born)and the handpainted dishes that my Great-great Aunt Blanche painted in 1921 for her brother, my great-grandfather S E Webster . 

Pies - this year cherry and  pumpkin

Homemade rolls that I didn't make myself - thanks John.  I think your rolls are a new Thanksgiving tradition!

And of course, sitting down at the table with some of the people I love the most. 

We missed Scott who had dinner with friends in Portland and Mark & Mary and their little guys who were celebrating with Mark's family. 

If I were to ask Bella her favorite things from dinner, I know what she'd say - Sparkling Cider and Whipped Cream!

 Seriously, don't you wish you could eat your pumpkin pie like this!

It was a very good day!