In the Spirit of Christmas

The artist in front of his masterpiece!

I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving, in my house tradition has it that on that festivity we decorate our house for Christmas.  My brother (in heaven) and I started the tradition- for many years it was just the two-of-us putting up the lights, adorning the tree and the decorating the rest of the house.  The Christmas after he died I decided to continue the tradition, knowing he would have liked me to.  Like always, God provides, a couple years ago my nephew grew-up tall enough to start helping and now there's a new power decorating duo (smile).  

Stockings hung...

Nativity in every room...

The Decorating Duo

This year I purchased my first light-up-outdoor nativity which I am super excited about! After looking for it at my local stores for the past couple of years and never finding one- I gave up and bought it online.  It was promptly delivered to my house and I became so enthusiastic about it that this year I recruited all of my family to help decorate.  Before & after we ate a satisfying meal we worked off the calories transforming my home into a Christmas haven.

Snoopy homage...

Outdoor Nativity... And Tigger on demand by nephew...

Christomas wreath & outside lights 

Exhausted furry supervisor...

For a few years now we have celebrated Thanksgiving – just the immediate family.  It’s quiet and intimate.  Though, my extended family is very large and once long ago we all would get together for the holidays - as we grew up and our family multiplied and spread - it became too difficult to come together.  I like the intimacy of our small group it gives us the opportunity to do things that with a big crowd would be difficult to do, like our annual Thanksgiving toast.  We all get a glass with champagne and we go around the table giving a thank you cheer to God for the things that each of us are thankful for, then we hug and eat (yum).  It’s a simple and heartfelt day.    
   

Mommy & I

Penny & Dollar