Joy

Last night Bud was channel surfing and came across an older woman singing at the piano. I stopped to listen. It seemed like I should have known who she was, but I couldn't put a name to the face or the songs. I finally said to Bud, "I feel like I want her name to be Janis." A song or two later I said, "If I had to say right now, I'd say Janis Ian." Turned out that the next song was 'Seventeen,' her most popular song, from 1975, which means most of you out there won't know who she is anyway. The last song of the evening was one called 'Joy.' I hadn't heard it before and loved the lyrics. I wanted to remember them, so here they are.

I wish you roses in the spring
Fledglings on the wing
Fireflies that sing your name
I wish you flowers in the grass
Memories that last
Shelter from the passing rain

I wish you joy
I wish you joy
I wish you joy

I hope the wind is at your back
keeping you on track
That you never lack for love
I hope you walk beside your heart
even in the dark
guided by the stars above

I wish you love
I wish you love
I wish you love

So wherever you may roam
out there on your own
home is just a heart away

I wish you
I wish you
I wish you
What brings you joy? How can you have more joy in your life in 2010? Can you look for joy each day? I'm sure if you do, it will be easier to find. What brings me joy, among others...
these kids.
My New Year's resolution is to find joy in each day this year.

Three Years Late

When my first grandchild was born I was rather into quilting, so I made her a quilt.
Grandchild #2 came along and I made her a quilt.
Grandchild #3 came along and my son said "How about you make one that's actually useful, like a twin sized quilt?"

That threw me into a tailspin because I already had the fabric and pattern chosen. I couldn't adjust the pattern to a twin size so instead I worked on a quilt for grandchild #4! Poor Sara (grandchild #3) never got her quilt until this weekend! Mostly the same fabric but a totally different pattern.
She loved it!

She even loves the back of it because she thinks she can use it for a hopscotch!

Sorry Nana was three years late with your "Birth" day quilt, Sara! At least it's a twin-sized quilt! (Happy New Year everyone!)

Our Snow Hill

The other night, Nick packed snow up into the stairs in the backyard, making a hill for the kids to slide down, therefore, no more need to find hills elsewhere. Here goes Agnes!

Look at that air she's catching!


And- ready to go again!

Christmas Day

Agnes told me a big story this morning about how Santa came inside last night.
"He used a special Santa key (it hangs with our other keys all year long) and he picked it up from the porch and used it to come down the chimney. When he got inside he ate his cookies but left one bite on the plate that said "Cookies for Santa." He saw me sleeping on the floor and he left two huge big presents and hurried right back up the chimney."
She found this little gum machine in her stocking (did she remember it was the same one she saw in the grocery sack the other day? If she did, she didn't mention it).
She eventually got to open her gift from Santa (not till 10:30!). It was "just what she wanted."
Eliot liked it too, but for different reasons.
Here's the ornament I brought home from Halifax for Agnes.
Laura's gifts to her kids were mostly homemade. She's so clever. Look at this little car holder, complete with 'street.'

She made him a crown too.
Here he's found a truck with a horse trailer and horses. He loves the horses.
Laura made Agnes a butterfly mobile.
Nick got a snuggie. He actually liked it (or said so anyway).
And here's proof that Santa came. See? He ate the cookies!
I added the vinyl lettering to this last night after finding this plate on sale at Smith's for only $.39! It was the first time for me using the vinyl (Jenny, I've finally figured it out!), and it was really fun! I'm worried that I'll become a vinyl junkie. It could happen!

Waiting for Santa

It's tradition in our house to open new pajamas on Christmas Eve. I think a lot of people do this.


Mommy said Agnes could sleep by the Christmas tree tonight. She was so excited. She and Grandpa talked and told stories to each other for at least 30 minutes while Mommy and Grandma finished up a few things.
And then the magic happened...
Good night my precious angel. Merry Christmas everyone!

A Party and Things We've Made

We haven't slowed down much around here. Bud's family came over for their annual Christmas dinner last night. I think we had about 28 people here.

Here are the youngest ones...
And most of the others...

Laura made these Oreo Truffles for dessert.

We've been having Agnes open a daily advent with an activity inside. This was made with an artist's canvas and metal tins from the wedding section of the craft store. We used the Cricut to help decorate it.
Last night I asked Laura to whip up some parting gifts for Bud's adult children. I didn't get a photo of all of them, just these last two. Aren't they so cute?

They can either hang or stand. I thought I'd make (or have Laura make for me :) ) a trio of these to hang in my kitchen with year-round sayings.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Let It Snow... Please.

After visiting Santa (which was at Cabela's) Nick bought a little sled and we found a little hill (it didn't look so little when you were coming down it though). Agnes was first to try it out.

We weren't really dressed for the occasion. Eliot had to wear Agnes' sweater that just happened to be in the car.

Laura stole Eliot's blanket.

It didn't stop these guys from having fun though. Look how cold Eliot's face looks!

Stop!

Look Ma, no hands!

They were happy kids!

Even Laura tried it out.

Okay, I tried it too, and for some reason I went totally off the little trodden path and crashed. Hence, you get no pictures of that!
Besides, why look at that when you can look at this? Next time, we'll dress a little warmer, and hopefully we'll have fresh snow instead of crunchy, icy snow.