Christmas, 2011

As I did not get these photos loaded in a timely manner, I take you, belatedly, through a few little parts of my Christmas home.  The Adorables helped to decorate the tree, Jordan was so kind as to move furniture in the sun room to make room for the Hogwarts Express (which Ethan and Granddad put together so charmingly), and Charles carried boxes up and down the steps for what must have seemed like miles to him.

It is so nice to find ornaments again, reminders of Christmases past, and though there are some things still missing, they MUST be here somewhere.  There is something very soothing about finding misplaced objects after years of searching, so I shall look forward to next year's Christmas for the treasures that may be uncovered.  There are some badly labeled boxes in the garage and storage room!

Here we see Charles reading "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" to the children (of all sizes) Christmas Eve at Jordan and Julie's house:

He really enjoyed the role of the Grinch just a wee bit too much, as Julie must have realized:

Back home, the tables had been set for three days, and I changed the centerpieces, chose other glasses, moved napkins and discarded first and second choices . . .

On the mantel we collected the snowmen.  I had no idea I collected them, but as the boxes were opened, an entire community of little snowpeople emerged!

Around and about, some favorite decorations.  These three angels date from about 1970, about the time Jordan popped into the world.  They are a gift from his Grandmother, Celina, after I had admired hers.  She toned hers down with a good wipe of dark stain, but ever the bright-color aficionada, I left mine to flaunt their (now) retro style down the years.  They have every nuance of the 60s-70s, except to have "Flower Power" and "Love" written on them somewhere!  I have never ceased to love these paper maiché dears:

And I will never give away my old glass ornaments, no matter how shabby they become:

The lovely beaded curtain was made by Marge Courville, and these two little guys seem as taken by it as I am!

And so Christmas came, the family assembled, we ate and exchanged gifts, and now the New Year has been rung in.  Life as it should be lived!