Wednesday, December 24, 2014

'twas the month before Christmas...

'Twas the month before Christmas...a month that seem to slip by far too quickly!  
With December...
winter arrived in this part of the country.  
It never stayed for long...
but we sure enjoyed the cold, sunny days at the beginning of the month. 


Maybe it was the red barn with snow-capped peaks for a backdrop that inspired me...



...to add a splash to colour to our bedroom for the Christmas season. 


Paper whites bloomed indoors throughout the month.
A gift from a friend...
much enjoyed! 




Early in the month we took a trip across the mountain pass and on to Kelowna...
to visit family...
celebrate a milestone birthday...
and enjoy our first Christmas dinner of the year.


We stopped by our BIL's apple orchard...
and decided the few remaining apples of the season looked quite festive hanging on the boughs.


And that is what an apple orchard looks like in December!

Mid-month we headed south to the Seattle area one Sunday...


...for the Mennonite Girls Can Cook Christmas party 2014 at the home of our friend Ellen.
There were seven of us from the Fraser Valley...
along with our spouses.
Though we chat often in our 'google group'...
we rarely all meet face to face.
And what a special time it was!


Rather than drive home that night...
we decided to spend the night in nearby Edmonds.
Our hotel was right on the water...
where the fishermen fished...
the ferries came and went...
and Santa-look-alikes strolled the beach.
A good place to stay!

December has been busy with school concerts...
community concerts...
and other Christmas activities.


We have always taken our pre-school grands on a daytime outing to Dicken's Christmas Village. 
Lucy is our only pre-schooler now...
so she got to go on her own this year.
She quite liked it!


Last night we took the oldest grands for a drive to see the Christmas lights in our neighbourhood...
something we do most every year.

We saw a lot of Santas...and elves...and reindeer...
but it was so good to see that most of the larger displays pointed to the meaning of the season.  

A Savior...who is Christ the Lord.
And they fell down...
and worshiped Him.

Tonight it is Christmas...almost.  
Christmas Eve!  
Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a joyous Christmas.

And just for fun...
let me add a snapshot taken 30 years ago today in our living room.



Christmas Eve...1984 
Oh dear!


13 comments:

  1. You've had another wonderful month - my how they slip by so quickly! I love the 1984 picture of you and your family. Your little Lucy is growing so quickly - that's a sweet picture of her. May you have a blessed and happy Christmas with your family in 2014! See you next year .......

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  2. Merry Christmas Judy! I enjoyed the photo from the past- 30 years has brought a lot of changes and added blessings. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I loved seeing your Christmas picture from the past Judy. all the best to you and the entire family for Christmas and the New Year!

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  4. Wonderful to see your photo from years ago and to see how God has enriched your life with grown children, their spouses and grandchildren. Merry Christmas, Judy!

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  5. It seems that you and your husband never stop. What a busy couple you are but also what a blessing to be able to do so. Wonderful photos, especially the last one from 1984. I wish you and yours a very happy and blessed Christmas, Judy.

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  6. Oh boy...I love that flashback to 1984! Those lights that say and they bowed down are wonderful! December was full to the brim and it did go by so fast. A very Merry Christmas to you and all of your dear family!

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  7. Merry Christmas! Love that family photo...

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  8. Those were the days...were they not. Thanks for sharing your month in review. Hoping that this has been a blessed Christmas for all of you!!!

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  9. Love the flashback of the month as well as the three decades! I could add a similar one.

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  10. I always love your posts!!! Thank you for doing them!! Every photo is so beautiful and meaningful!
    I ALWAYS love the 'Flashback' pictures!!! I do one on Facebook every Thursday - just for fun! It is nice to rmember how we were and how far we have come and the joys and even sorrows of the past.
    Happy New Year to you, my dear!!!!!

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    1. Stepping into your Christmas celebrations for a few moments, was so much fun! That first picture was breathtaking! I liked the red apple on the tree, and the way you added red to your beautifully decorated bedroom. I think an overnight cruise at Christmas was a great
      way to add memories to your holiday. But, like others, my favorite of all, was the 1984 family picture! I have some like it, and it added a smile to my early morning. We've all come far, haven't we? We continue on our journey as we face the year before us. Wishing you moments of joy in the year ahead my friend!
      Thanks for sharing !

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  11. It sounds like December was a busy but happy and festive month for you. Judy! Time passes so quickly doesn't it? I'm sure when you looked at your photo from 1984 it seemed like yesterday, and now you have grandchildren the age your children were then! Every day is to be cherished. Wishing you a very happy and healthy 2015!

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson