christmas wishes...

Wow, I can't believe that the holidays are actually over.... Zach, asked if we could have Christmas EVERY day. I assured him that it wouldn't be so special if it happened EVERY day, and that it is Jesus' birthday only once a year. He thought about that and then said, "Then can it be my birthday every day?" (this made me laugh) Well, slowly, and hesitantly the decorations have been put away, and now the walls and shelves are dusted, and pieces are placed back into their "assigned" place, if you look around you almost wonder if Christmas really happened....but it did, and as usual, we were blessed beyond measure, and the Christmas magic filled the air. I wish I could bottle the feeling, the smells, of Christmas.. but until I figure out how to do that, here are a few of my favorite Magical Christmas moments....

The Christmas Story, puppet show.... Emily was the "baby Jesus."

Following the puppet show, we enjoyed the "live" production of the Christmas story.Complete with "baby" Jesus, played by my niece Bella.

And of course Christmas Eve wounldn't be complete without the "matching" Christmas PJ's!! Oh, I love Christmas!

Blowing into 2008

I am just wondering what the rest of you were doing Saturday morning at 3:30am. Maybe, you were like me, feeling like the first little pig, as the big bad wolf was huffing and puffing, trying to blow my house down.... I almost thought that he might be successful. There was enough blowing outside that I "sprang from my bed, to see what was the matter." I went to the window to a scene from the wizard of Oz, also expecting to see things flying by, as Dorothy did - and I DID see things flying by our front window. What? Well besides the trash cans rolling down the street, pieces of our roof (the shingles) were flying one by two, by three, by.......many many many!! I went back to bed to tell Derek. The huffing and puffing had also awaken him, and he asked what I saw, and I told him, our roof is falling apart, it is flying away.

Now it is about 4:30, and he is now up, and we have no clue what to do, and so after a few calls, we decide there is only one thing to do, try to go back to bed. I plugged my ears and eventually drifted off, Derek continued to listen to the howling wind. When morning came Derek went out to assess the damage, which was more that we'd hoped, as our front tree and yard (as well as other neighbors trees and yards, were now decorated with the shingles off our roof.

Thank goodness for kind neighbors, who came to our aid, to offer ideas, solutions, and comfort. So as I said we are "blowing" into 2008!! Just when you think you can ease into a new year, the fun has just begun!! We are off and flying.... I am excited for the adventures that I know this year has in store for us! Life is so exciting, and fun, even when the wolf is huffing and puffing, he didn't blow our house down, so all is well. Happy 2008!

This is one of the piles of shingles, we have several of these. This is the top of our house, and I couldn't do it justice. This is a neighbors tree (down the street) where I spotted another one of our shingles. (You have to look closely - I was a little to far away to do it justice).

P.S. If you find shingles in your tree, just let us know. Derek is pretty good at getting them out!

Check out my Slide Show!

My favorite Christmas decoration

Every Christmas, my mom would hang up "the big Advent" calendar. Growing up, we all thought that it was cool.. We loved turning over the felt, hand-made ornaments, which would then reveal a Christmas symbol, and tucked neatly inside was a typed description of the significance and purpose for this Christmas token. Year after year, we would turn and read, usually fighting over whose turn it was, not noticing how the elaborate details of each of the tiny "ornaments."

The calendar was given to Mom by Grandma Vreeken who made it herself. Supposedly she had seen something like it in the window of a Store Window (possibly ZCMI), and it was way to pricey to purchase, and my "Martha Stewart" grandma thought, why I could make that, and she did! She made 25 little delicate and intricate ornaments, and hung them on a tree. She made it for her Grandchildren to enjoy. Enjoy we did, year after year, and it still hangs in my mom's front room each Christmas. Well, a couple of years ago, my sisters and I decided "WE" wanted a calendar for our own families, (to enjoy)! So our quest began. What we thought would take a day, turned into hundreds, (I'm not kidding, ask my cute sister in law - who after a while thought we were nuts, and we had to convince her that everyone needed one in their house), yes hundreds of hours to make. As we "copied" each ornament, cutting each little detail out of felt, we learned really how much our Grandma loved us, and loved our mom. (We all joked that we couldn't imagine making something like this for our daughter-in-law, ha ha). We already knew that Grandma never did something at the accepted level, she always went above and beyond, exceeding all expectations.

Well, When we finally finished the calendar, I came to some conclusions; first, that I wasn't going to make another one of these (atleast not until my daughters "need" one in their homes). Second, that my grandma was simply incredible, amazing, and so extremely talented!!! Third, that I couldn't wait to hang it up, and start turning over each ornament, and reading the stories, which remind me of her! She loved Christmas, she loved family, she loved tradition. So, this is my favorite Christmas decoration. My children probably think as I do, yes it's cool, but someday they will understand and learn as I did, that this calendar is far more than a decoration. It is love, it is family, it is tradition. It is Christmas!!

PS. If you want me to make you one, just let me know... ha ha just kidding....

Thanksgiving in Colorado

For Thanksgiving we went and visited my brother (JD) and my sister (Jacque) and their families in Cortez Colorado. We had such a great time being together, and so much fun "playing" on their property. Here are some pictures of my brothers home, and surrounding property. It is so "dreamy" and so much fun.... I can only dream of having land, a pond, a HUGE playhouse, and even a henny (a cross between a horse and donkey). Needless to say, the kids also now think that it would be GREAT to have all these fun things too!! Luckily, we have a really great place to go and visit.... can't wait to go in the summer where they swing out and into the pond!!

grandpa and Zach and Em The view from the house of the pond & playhouse

Whitney swinging and Breilly swinging. They jump off the platform up in the treehouse!!

Rosebud the "henny" and his stable. Derek and the kids in the canoe. And on the 4 wheelers. My brother has about 15 acres, so much fun!! It was a great get-a-way for all of us, it's amazing that how driving 6 hours can put you in another "world." So greatful for a "break" from the crazy Johnson home, although it is always nice to be back, in your own bed!