Sunday, December 30, 2012

MORE... MeRRiMeNt & MiNGLeS!

"Christmas is more than a time of music, merriment and mirth; It is a season of meditation, mangers and miracles. Christmas is more than a  time of carols, cards and candy; 
it is a season of dedication and decision."
-William Arthur Ward

"All the art of living lies in fine mingling 
of letting go and holding on."

-Henry Ellis

"The more the merrier!"

My dining room table today with still MORE gifts and food on it!
(My poinsetta plant did have MORE petals on it a week ago or so!!!)

Our dear friends BOB & JACQUIE
coming to share in the MERRIMENT and MINGLES
at our annual boxing day open house.
Tomorrow we will attend their traditional
New Year's Eve party.

My cousin Bev with my brother Brian... at our MERRY event Dec. 26th.
I have many MORE memories over the years of fun spent with these two.
My cousin BEV will host her annual  New Year's Day party on January 1st...
and there will be MORE MERRIMENT and MINGLES! 

My cousin Gwen and my brother... also getting caught up in the moment
of MERRIMENT at our boxing day open house!


Our friend, VERN...
joined us for some MERRY MINGLING
on both Christmas day and Boxing day! 

Former dance student, KIM and her mom , GAIL
joined us to share some MERRY MOMENTS on boxing day, too!

My sister-in-law, BEV with my father-in-law, GREG
arriving at our boxing day event for MORE MERRIMENT!
I also enjoyed a starbucks with Bev yesterday...
the more of those, the merrier!

A moment of merriment and mingles on boxing day in our family room.

A bit out of focus... but MERRIMENT none the less...
here is my brother BOB and my grandson BEAU,
in the background... my boss and good friend,
Brenda and her husband Vern on the couch mingling.


Another moment of merriment captured was my sister-in-law,
ARLEEN here with my grand daughter, MARIAH
working on a little book of stickers and crafts she gave to her for Christmas.
 

Vern, his dad, Don and my boss and good friend, Brenda
arriving at our boxing day event to share in more mingles!

Christmas day turkey supper... here are the two BRIANS!
... my brother and my hubby.
Notice the merry hats... the ones from the
traditional Christmas crackers.


My sweet friend, Ella at her place after the gym the other day.
Her tree is so MERRY and ELEGANT.
I enjoy the time I spend MINGLING with her always. 


The little TAP DANCE ornament was a gift
 I received from my good friend, ELLA!
I found MORE room among the MERRY ornaments on my tree to show it off...
the MORE the MERRiER!


Vern and Brenda at the annual BSOBAD annual staff party
at their very MERRY and FESTIVE home... where every thing
"BSO"MERRY & BRIGHT! 

My hairdresser, MARLA's adorable and
oh so MERRY little tree in her home.

One can never have too many HUGS & KISSES...
as the saying goes...

"THE MORE THE MERRIER!"


Well Christmas has come and gone for yet another year and as we look toward
MORE fun to come in the brand new year,
this is a chance for me to reflect on all the MERRIMENT and MINGLES I have shared over the past few weeks!


Our festive season was as MERRY as ever and we were blessed to share it once again with so many of the special and dear ones in our life.


Tis the season of MORE for sure...
MORE people, fun, food,expectations,celebrations,gifts, decor,music,hectic paces,
parties,love...and now for more PEACE!



We hosted our annual boxing day open house on the 26th. I got to thinking how we were married in November of 1976 and that very first married Christmas we decided to have friends and family over on boxing day and have only missed one year since then... and other wise we have shared MORE MERRIMENT and MINGLES here each year.
It has become an event of not only tradition for us, but of love, joy and friendly visits shared. We do enjoy it year after year.



We still have MORE parties to attend, too, before the season is done.
I did attend the annual staff parties for both Brian's staff and the staff at the dance studio where I work... and in addition to that we will also go to a NEW YEAR'S EVE party at our friend's Bob and Jacquie's on the 31st , and
a NEW YEAR'S DAY open house at my cousin Bev and her husband, Bob's place, too.
So MORE MERRIMENT
and MINGLING to come!!!



As I am writing this I am realizing how many duplicate names we have in
our friends and family...
& how it goes with the theme...
"THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!"


LOTS of names beginning with "B" as well!!!
 There are the 2 BRIANS...
(my hubby and my brother)
There are 3 BOBS...
(My brother, my cousin's hubby,
and our good friend!)
There are 2 BEVS...
(My sister-in-law and my cousin!)
There are 2 BRENDAS...
( my sister-in-law and my friend/boss!)
Also in the B names...
Mother -n-law, Blanche and grandson, BEAU!
Also duplicates...
2 VERNS... (both friends!)


So some times the MERRIMENT
really does seem like more!!!



I know my grandkids have been enjoying their Christmas gifts these past few days and also coming down from all the MERRIMENT and MINGLING they did while in Edmonton last week for Christmas...
so we have not seen them as much...
but I hope to see them
MORE in the next little bit.



As we head toward a new year...
I want to take time to wish all my blog readers a year of MORE MERRIMENT, MINLGES
and all things you love in your life,
and to say a big THANK YOU for popping by to read MORE blog posts!!!


For those birthdays I have missed along the way... BELATED greetings to you.
Tomorrow my sweet Auntie Phyllis from Victoria will celebrate another birthday.
My nephew LUKE will be 20 years old tomorrow as well.
I wish them
MANY MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS.



On that note... here is MORE rhyme...
hehehe
"The MORE the MERRIER!"


"Tis still the season for
MERRiMENT and MiNGLES...
For lots of sugared goodies
and also many jingles!
Doing things for others,
traditions and trends...
Time spent with family
and also with friends.
Everything at Christmas time...
seems like MORE & MORE!
From all the special gifts and food
to all of the decor.
Lots of festive parties
and MORE than enough food,
MORE emotions flowing high,
MORE sways of mood!
MORE thoughts of loved ones
from the skies above,
MORE of just so many things
all about sweet LOVE!
One says "The MORE the Merrier"...
& sometimes it's true...
But after all the MERRIMENT,
relaxing is good too!
So as we head toward the start
of a brand new year,
Remember how important it is
to keep your LOVED ONES near. 

Thursday, December 27, 2012

WARM HEARTS at CHRISTMAS TIME!

As promised... this is my version of our  CHRISTMAS WISHES 2012... and although 
it is very cold outside... I hope the events in 
and around your Christmas have left you with a WARM HEART... I know Christmas warmed 
me up from the inside out!

     "Keep your Christmas heart open 
       all year round." -Jessica Archmint

A little crafted card for my blog readers...
(I didn't get many made this year... still a big
KRIS-MESS in my basement and on my crafting table!!!)

My sweet hubby and me on Christmas Eve sharing time
with his family at his parents' very warm and love filled home.

Blanche and Greg... the most loving and sweetest in-laws
I could ever hope for!
This was Christmas Eve.

My adorable 4 year old "pug-boston cross" doggie...
SHUFFLE on Christmas Eve...
she was truly a BELIEVER!

My son, Colin and his girlfriend, Caro...
This is an emailed photo of them in Nova Scotia from a summer holiday they took.
They live in Montreal and do not do a big celebration at Christmas time!

This is my daughter, Jana and my son in law, Nels.
This was after their trip home from celebrating this Christmas
 in Edmonton with Nels's family.
This was taken on boxing day when they dropped off
their kids for us to babysit.


This was taken after our early Christmas Celebration with the kiddies
December 21st.
Mariah is now 6 and Beau is 2 ...
such a fun age for CHRISTMAS!!!

Mariah asked for "BANGS" for Christmas!
This was a texted photo of a before and after taken and sent by her mommy
 after Mariah's Auntie Ingrid cut bangs and full filled her wish!

Here is an adorable pic of my oldest brother Bob
with my grandson, Beau yesterday,
with the guitar they gave him for Christmas.
You can just see the admiration in Beau's eyes as he looks up to
his great UNCLE BOB!

At our annual Boxing Day open house...
a photo of me and my two fantastic brothers...
Brian & Bob.

My sister-in-law, Arleen and my Brother Bob
as they arrived at our boxing day due yesterday.

My Sister-in-law, Bev with her husband, Ralph and their boys
Sam and Luke with Luke's girlfriend, Kirsten.
This was taken on Christmas Eve at the Raskob family gathering.


My sister-in-law Brenda and her husband Mark with their kids,
Rowen and Maxwell ... yesterday as they arrived at our Boxing day event.

My cousins, Bev and Gwen arriving to our house yesterday
 to share some holiday cheer with us!

A photo from the fall of 2012
Us enjoying a meal out with Jana, Nels and our sweet grandkids!

Now that is a TREE-normous TREE!!!
Here I am at the annual BSOBAD Staff Christmas Party
with Brenda owner of the Dance studio where I work,
...and good friend of mine, too.

At the annual 2012 Wheaton Dealership staff Christmas Party...
this is Brian's boss... ROSS and his lovely wife, TRONA. 

A photo from summer of 2012...
on our deck with my nephew, Alec and my niece, Emily...
 and their mom, Gail... with Brian and me.

A photo also taken last summer of my father -in-law, Greg...
and his two sons, BRUCE and BRIAN!

Representing ... my mom and dad in HEAVEN...
I feel their warm hearts and spirits lots all year round.


"Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts."
-Janice Maediere


This is my CHRISTMAS WISHES
blog post...and as you sit down to read it,
I want to not only extend my wishes, but want to say thank you for stopping by to see and read it.
I also want to express my gratitude for all the Christmas cards, photos, wishes and gifts I received from friends and family at this time of year... I am forever GRATEFUL!

I chose to include family and work boss photos only in this blog... however that being said,
I have taken so many photos of gatherings involving friends lately... which will have to go into a different blog at a later time!

I wrote a Christmas wishes blog on December 22nd of 2011, which summed up the family members very well... and we are  all pretty much the same this year... but one year older... (and ofcourse wiser!!!)

Many milestones and highlights took place this year... which I hope to include in my reflections of 2012 blog post at the end of the year.

We have just shared a marvelous few days with family and friends...and an abundance of WARM HEARTS gathering.
So many good visits, with both family and friends along with so many gifts both given and received along with WAY TOO MUCH FOOD!

I love all things about Christmas...
(except when it is time to put
away all the decor again!!!!!)
So therefore I will choose to leave
mine up a bit longer!

We did an early Christmas Celebration and gift opening with Jana, Nels and their sweet kids, Mariah and Beau on December 21st.
The kids were happy with what they got and very appreciative, too. Beau seemed to want to protect all his things by hovering over it if any one came near it... saying "MY SHTUFF!"
Mariah got many wishes full filled this year...
She asked for the Gingerbread Hello Kitty from build a bear and got that
...along with many other requests.
She also received the book
"TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS" which I recorded my voice reading the story...
and she kept saying "BEAU...
GRAMMIE D is TALKING IN THIS BOOK!...
SHE IS RIGHT INSIDE THE BOOK!"
Mariah also asked for bangs for Christmas...
and her Auntie Ingrid was able to cut them for her when they spent Christmas in Edmonton.

Jana and Nels traveled to Edmonton to share Christmas time this year with his family. They had so much fun and lots of family time as they spent the four days all under one roof at Nels's parent's place in Edmonton,
with ALL his siblings.

We did our traditional Christmas Eve get together at my in-law's. We shared yummy appies and visits and
watched them open their family gifts.
I enjoy time spent with them
when ever we get together.

Brian and I had a quieter Christmas this year...
We had a small gift opening with just the two of us...and  our doggie, Shuffle... who was into every minute of Christmas this year... She was under the tree and had two gifts open before we even got into the room and under the tree!
Brian made a delicious turkey supper and my brother Brian joined us for that
on Christmas night, too.

Boxing day we spent with friends and family popping by for our traditional open house.
We always look forward to the visits spent in our cozy warm house... sharing lots food, fun with family and friends along with warms hearts!

We had Mariah and Beau for the evening too, as their parents rolled in from Edmonton and went out to celebrate with
their friends last night.

We have had a great season once again...
and enjoyed seeing lots of our in town relatives.
My son is not a big fan of Christmas and all the things that go with the season, so we choose to see him in the summer time.
This past summer we did enjoy meeting his girlfriend Caro...and spending some time with them in Montreal. We did have a great call from Colin on the weekend...and I felt good hearing the happy tone in his voice!
Once a mom always a mom...
so his happiness means a lot to me!

Mom and Dad are with me in spirit always...
and I especially think of them at Christmas time with all the extra angel ornaments around!
They are the ones who instilled my love of this season in me... they loved Christmas, too!

As I mentioned... we pretty much are all doing the same type things one year later...
and for those who follow my blog... you will know what we do... and if you don't you can always go back and read any of my previous blog posts from the two previous years.
(they can be re opened on the right hand
side of the page in the archives.)

I continue to feel blessed in my life in so many ways. Christmas is a busy and hectic time of so many things, but I'm glad I am able to spend a lot of that time with my family and friends.

I was so pleased to see so many of my relatives here yesterday along with lots of good friends, too, and thanks for coming by to help us keep our Hearts Warm through the whole year!

We look forward to more gatherings to come in the near future...
but for now from our home to yours...
WARM WISHES... WARM HEARTS!
As I look at the calendar...
it's December twenty seven,
I feel lots of warmth
from my dear ones in heaven.
Another Christmas has come and gone...
But the festive details
live on and on!
Especially around my decorated home,
As I write today's edition of the blog poem.
I spent this season with some of the best,
Sweet family and friends
and I truly feel blessed.
Many a gift was wrapped and unwrapped,
And many a photo was captured and snapped!
Many fun gatherings to ring in the times,
All gathered up to print in my rhymes.
As I recall another wonderful year,
 I hold on real tight to all things so dear.
This poem is filled with love and hugs, too,
And lots of warm wishes
coming right to YOU!







Friday, December 21, 2012

It's a WRAP!

"The best of all gifts around the Christmas tree: 
the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."
-Burton Willis

"Christmas is not as much about opening our presents
 as opening our hearts."
-Janice Maediere

"Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance
-each beautiful and unique and too soon gone."
-Deborah Whipp

The gifts under our tree... in the WRAPPED stage!

Shuffle on the edge of the couch looking in at all the gifts...
after I blocked them off with our kitchen chairs.
She thinks anything with tissue paper is hers!


A photo of Brian and me last night about to be
"GRAMMIE and POPPA CHRISTMAS"
with our grandkids
for a little early celebration! 

Our festive looking kitchen table with snacks for the evening!

Mariah happily posed in the Santa hat in front of all the
WRAPPED gifts under the tree last night
...before we started to UNWRAP them all!

Beau's first gift was WRAPPED in a little mailbox...
and filled with lots of little surprises!

Mariah went way to the back of the tree
 to find the biggest one she could find with a tag that had her name on it!
This was the gift she wanted more than anything...
the "GINGERBREAD HELLO KITTY"
made specially for her at Build a Bear,
from Grammie and Poppa! 

Beau loved each and every gift and either tried it on
or played with it as he opened them!
Here he is holding a MAD-MAN... while in a new hockey t-shirt,
wrestlers and a turtle along with other gifts lay in front on the table!

A special gift to be unwrapped by Mariah and her mommy
... a cake pop maker... something they can have fun making together.

A gift for Beau and his daddy to enjoy together...
a helicopter that can fly with remote inside or outside.
They were both excited about this one!

Mariah all wrapped up in a cozy new bright pink sweater
picked out especially for her from poppa Brian...
here she is with her mommy!

Beau in his new Spider Man shirt...
here putting stickers on poppa's eyes
and having a big giggle!

Here is Mariah with me after I unwrapped this great book from their family
called "DANCERS AMONG US"
featuring the awesome dance photos of Jordan Matter.

Jana and Nels after the gifts were all unwrapped,
with appreciative smiles!

Another photo from the end of the evening... the kids loved all their gifts
and we are all WRAPPED up in FAMILY LOVE!

The gifts I unwrapped last night...
all fabulous and so me...
Brian and I will unwrap more on the 25th!

I am reminded of ANGELS near and far each year at Christmas,
I got out these little ones after hearing of last week's tragic event in Connecticut.
I bought these little angel bears for my mom in the year 2000...
the year my dad passed away,
they each have a little snowflake on their sweaters....
(and snowflakes are reminders of kisses from heaven.)

I love to do up little gift baskets at this time of year...
here are some I did last week
all bunched together here in a tray.
Whether I am wrapping with gift paper, bags or doing up baskets...
I do LOVE to WRAP!
and this years gifts are all wrapped now and some unwrapped already, too...
"It's a WRAP!"



Well this has been another busy week of WRAPPING things up for CHRISTMAS!

We did an early celebration with our sweet grandkiddies and their parents here last night ... as this year they are off to celebrate the 25th of December with their other grandparents and family there. They alternate years with the grandparents... but we always get in a little celebration with them whether it's our turn
to do it on the 25th or not.

I have not only WRAPPED up all the gifts from us to others... but from my daughter to her family, my good friend Brenda's gifts to her family and a few for my in-laws to give as well... so needless to say... my time has been tied up in wrapping... but now I can say...
it is A WRAP for another season.

Brian and I will share a small opening together on the 25th here...and then will do our traditional boxing day open house where friends and relatives gather here for holiday cheer! We look forward to that day...
and it is open to friends and family near and far. If you are reading this... and would like to join the fun...just come!

I would have to say wrapping gifts is truly one of my most fun parts of Christmas...
the love I wrap them with hopefully lets people know how special they are to me.

My joy multiplies when the receiver of the gift likes not only the present...
but the PRESENTATION of the gift
from the outside, too!
To me... it's all about the thought...
and the WRAP
as well as the GIFT !!!

With all of the extra time I have spent in my WRAPPING QUARTERS in my basement this past week, I have not made it to the gym nearly as often as I should...so my body is feeling a little bit of extra WRAP around it lately, too!
That extra WRAP I will need to burn off in exercise ... hopefully in time!

That being said... I also made my 7th batch of nuts and bolts of the season yesterday...
I don't think I have ever made that
many batches in a season!
But I have WRAPPED lots of those up to give as goodies to family and friends near and far!

It is hard to believe one week has past since the horrific shooting tragedy in the states.
So many TV shows have featured lovely tributes to those killed in the shooting...
I am still keeping those angels in my heart as well as my thoughts and prayers...
and am thinking of their poor family and friends who will not feel as much like celebrating this year at Christmas time...
I hope they have some time to be
WRAPPED in LOVE with family near by
 their trees this year.

I am also thinking of the ANGELS in my life
 as CHRISTMAS DAY approaches.
I feel the spirit of many of those dear to me
 at this time of year especially.

Once again thanks to all who have popped by to read my blog this year. I appreciate your interest in my little corner of the world.
I say thanks to those near and far who have shared cards, letters and photos, via mail and email and send all my loving wishes
back to you in return.
My next blog will be my
FAMILY CHRISTMAS CARD
from my home to yours.
I did not get cards in the mail, but I hope I have reached many of you throughout the year
here on my little blog site.

On that note...
 the 3rd of my poems as seen in the
Special Christmas edition of the
LANIGAN ADVISOR NEWSPAPER,
published by my buddy, LINDA!
She wrapped one up and sent it to me in the mail last week, too... and I loved reading through it... she really puts a lot of her time effort and love into each and every paper she puts together each week.

"Gifts" WRAPPED with "Present"-ation!

I love a parcel... a present ... or a gift...
Whether giving or receiving
they offer a lift.
It's truly so fun to wrap
them all pretty,
With a sparkly dangler...
or one that is witty!
With a tag to match the paper in theme,
I do love a ribbon, too...
I'm quite extreme!
Nothing is sweeter
than sharing a surprise,
It truly adds twinkle
to anyone's eyes!
It's not about the price
or how much is spent,
It's more about the thought,
in what has been sent.
I like the present-ation...
I'm not going to lie...
But gifts wrapped with love
are the best kind of buy!