Let it Snow

There is a song saying: "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow," I suppose cuz there's really nothing you can do to stop it. It sure did snow at our place. It's been snowing every couple days but not a lot at a time. Christmas Eve day we had to shovel about 6-8 inches. James and his friend Mark went around and shovelled a couple neighbors driveways too. Christmas day we had to shovel several inches to get out and over to grandma's, then the day after Christmas we got up early and went out to shovel 8-12 inches. That night we shovelled another two inches so adding that all up, we got a good 20-24 inches of new snow thanks to a storm from Washington state and California colliding over the Salt Lake valley.

Hurray for Christmas!

I love Christmas. One of the things I love most is making treats for a few of my neighbors. If I did them all, I'd still be baking! I wish I could, it just isn't possible.

This year we had our family Christmas party on Christmas Eve. There wasn't supposed to be any thing else going on that day but we all ended up pretty busy so that we had a late start. It was so worth waiting for! First we had a fabulous dinner with ham, super yummy potatoes, delicious yam casserole, delectable Dixie salad, scrumptious green beans with bacon, fresh out of the oven rolls and a luscious dessert. We were all so full we just took home plates of dessert.

Then, the moments we were all waiting for... the opening of presents. There were so many things for the Gingell Girls it was just about ridiculous but they revelled in it. Plus, as reported on Hillary's blog, it gave her sleep-in time Christmas morning. The girls were so amazingly happy and good even after having already been to visit their great-grandparents and then to the Gingell family party. We gave them all the darling sweaters that Sami is modeling next to one of her new ponies. Addie got a couple of babies, both purple and cuddly. After receiving twin internet pixies, Tasha and Emma gave each other a hug. It was a perfect photo op moment (good job Sonia!). I loved giving gifts that were just the right thing like Roxanne's Food Processor, the next two books in a series Leland loves, Marc's book on Motion, Hillary's rolling back pack, Sonia's scrapping stuff, Shawn's cast iron grill with BBQ tools and 'chapter books' for the girls.

I've been more excited about Christmas this year than I have been for a long time because I felt like I had fabulous gifts to give instead of just any old thing. Christmas Day was more fabulous gifts. The kids had gone in on a slide/negative scanner for their dad so I got the accessory pack of slide trays for him. He's been scanning non stop today. I also got both him and James new DVD players and we bought James the Photoshop Elements 7 program... he's been having a ball with it. James got me a gift pack of lotion, body spray and gel in Japanese Cherry Blossom scent. I haven't seen that before, it smells pretty good and the scent lasts a really long time. I like the feel of the lotion too. My dear hubby got me slippers like his so now we are twinners, a couple movies and a box full of Lindt chocolate. How do you get better than that?! Of course there were pants, shirts, gloves and hats in pretty packaging and the much needed candies and chocolates in the stockings. One of James' favorite stocking items was a lighter shaped like a double-barrel shotgun. It blows its little flame out both barrels.

Naturally it snowed and snowed and snowed Christmas Day. It was beginning to look like we wouldn't be able to get over to see Richard's parents. Mid-day the roads were driveable and it cleared up while we were visiting with them. We'd gotten Carol a book on tape that she just loved and Lonnie a nice warm twill shirt. I also made them a set of silky maroon pillow cases. I hope they are as nice as they seemed cuz I was sure tempted to keep them! Richard's parents gave us a little money and one of the quilts Lonnie's mother made. With the addition of this Sunbonnet Sam to the Sunbonnet Sue we have from this same grandmother, we have a complete set. They are so cute and I'm glad grandma Laura loved making these because I love the little bonnet kids but haven't gotten into applique myself. Russ & Sandy, Jeannie & Justin with Payton and Jamie with Natalie came while we were visiting and it was good to see them. We didn't stay long so we got home before the next round of snow and started our fabulous dinner. It may become a new tradition. James and I had been out shopping for the Christmas Eve dinner which was ham. We'd just had turkey, twice, so we both wanted something different, but what? James suggested Gyoza and Sukiyaki. Now, as much work as it is, I make really good Gyoza and Sukiyaki and it had been quite some time since I'd made Sukiyaki so I was game to do it and we bought all the necessary ingredients. I have to admit that I was a little sorry come Christmas afternoon cuz I was pretty tuckered out but it was so worth it! Roxanne and Leland joined us and even though the rice cooker hadn't been plugged in, we had plenty of food and were absolutely stuffed! It was all very delicious. I think the extra weight from such full bellies may have helped Roxanne and Leland get home safely in the snow... hee hee.

Thanksgiving Birthdays

These last few months have been hectic. So what else is new, right? After all, it is the holidays. Along with our holidays, we have two birthdays in our family. We started out Thankgiving day with the usual festivities. Sonia sets a beautiful table with the set of china grandma gave her. While cleaning up, Leland kept the kids entertained by letting them pull him down the stairs. I think he is practicing for if Roxanne ever throws him down the 'stair' at their place! Hee hee

Next we moved on to Roxanne's birthday. With her birthday being the 25th of November, it has been celebrated on Thanksgiving day most of her life. Of course we make the standard jokes about the whole country celebrating her birthday. I usually have the kids choose what we are having for their birthday dinner. Since Roxanne always gets turkey, the thing she chooses is 'obscene amounts of stuffing!' Her siblings gave her a fabulous get-away weekend at Bear Lake which you can read about on their blogs. They had a great time and were all kinds of silly. I made her a jeans rag quilt and wrapped it around a picnic kit with everything you'd need for a picnic, such as the salt and pepper that Sami was just sure was a set of binoculars! Once she tried it, her sisters had to try looking through the salt and pepper too. It was pretty funny.

A scant 2-1/2 weeks later is Hillary's birthday. It's such a busy time of the year that I've thought about celebrating her birthday on Thanksgiving too but I never seem to think of it in time to warn the rest of the family or do anything about it myself. Maybe next year.

Of course the 'Gingell Girls' can be found wherever there are presents. They don't even seem to care who the present is for but just love to see what's inside. It's a magical time for them so whoever is having the birthday has at least one set of huge eyes twinkling close by. I found it very interesting that after making quilts for Sonia, James and Roxanne's birthdays, that Hillary was still surprised and exclaimed: "Oh, I get to keep it? It's not just wrapping?

It's Christmas

Maher, 4, Sings at National Christmas Tree Lighting LoudounExtra.com The Washington Post

How Time Flies

One year ago today James was sworn into the Army. Thanksgiving time will forever be a time of being thankful for the service of so many in our military forces. James is following in the path of many family members who have also served in the military for various amounts of time. We are, and will be as proud of him as we are of those who have gone before and hope he always remembers the counsel from his grandma:

"be as good as your grandpa and come home every time!"