Gwen Lovin' Life: Our Christmas Day in CA

Here is our lovely Kelsey in front of my tree. I didn't get a good shot of my tree this year, so I chose to use this photo to show just a bit of it. There are some fun ornaments showing, even though the more elegant ones are at the top of the tree. However - Kelsey makes a nice "decoration" to show off the tree.

My theme for Christmas gifts this year had a lot to do with food storage. Maybe not the most FUN gift to get, but if food ever becomes scarce in the next 20 years (the shelf life of this container), it will definitely become FUN! Here are Teri and Greg with life-sustaining prospects for future use.

A few years ago I began personal photo/memory albums for each of the grandchildren. Each Christmas I make new pages to be added to their albums, which are titled, "Our family's Memories of __(grandchild's name)" with photos and comments from the past Christmas to the present. They all seem to like these, and as I work on them each year, I can see that a small family has some benefits. Seven grandchildren is not beyond my energy level. I wouldn't recommend this for someone with 15 or 20+ grandkids, even though I wouldn't mind having that many myself. But I am SO grateful for our seven grandchildren plus one (Megan's new husband, David). Here are Blake and Haley looking at their new pages. Kelsey is looking at her pages, at the top of this blog.

Jared wanted a red robe with a hood. Grandma finally found one for him. Red is Jared's favorite color. (His shirt says he is busy -- with video games being at the top of his list. Never was a shirt more true -- he loves the games, and is very good at them. He gets to play as a reward for doing his homework.)

David and Megan -- with the cups I had made for them. David's has them dancing at their wedding. Megan's has me, standing behind them. I figured that Meg would appreciate one with the picture of me more than David would . . . don't know why I would think such a thing, but I was doing my best to be thoughtful. (David and I get along just fine, you should know, and he is a very welcome new member of our clan.)

Miss Haley received a cooking outfit from Uncle Greg and Aunt Teri and family. She looks cute in her chef's hat. (Yes, that is my painting of Volendam, Holland in the background.)

Kelly holds Jared, with Blake, Haley, and David looking on.

I gave each family a photograph of ME! I think they were happy to get it, but never would they deny that. Here is Teresa showing off theirs, with Blake looking on. Blake wore that Santa hat with the black trim, all day; in fact, I believe he wore it all through the holidays.