Weeeeeee, Presents

What is it Pappy?

Look Gramerly, I love it. Pappy did a good job.

As I commented yesterday, the Bugg and Bean were here elving. Bean was busy twisting up a beautiful holly wreath with berries.

Bugg, complete with tiara and fancy jewels from Ol' Betsey, worked on a Christmas tree with red ornaments.

Ahhh, this fancy frame and artistic rendering of the first Christmas by Mr. Bean almost got "accidently" left at Gramerly's-forever. Baby Jesus, the big star and a wee lambie. Oh, squeeze my heart.

My friends and family will waste no time in telling you, usually in somewhat of a disgusted tone, that I am hard to buy for. I don't mean to be hard to buy for, it's just, well, I don't know. I wear pins, that's about it. Never will a fine jewel be on my Christmas list. Now, I'd like a cow, really. But then that would necessitate someone to take care of it, a shed to put her in, a fence. I love books, and Handy Man is ever thankful for the library as he claims there is no way he could ever keep me in books as fast as I read. I don't wear much make-up. I had a massage once and hated it. I don't watch TV. Cleaning chicken and bunny coops, along with all the glue, glitter, and paint, don't mix well with manicures. So again, I don't mean to be difficult.

Well, my girls nailed it this year. Below is a pin I received from Rae-rae and Gwen. I love it. It is as me as there ever will be in the form of jewelry.

And then Ceece found a way to give me something I so needed- knowledge of Kaye's value to me and the yearning that my Christmas would include her somehow. This little remembrance has brought me some much needed comfort.

In Kaye's eulogy, I mentioned that she was the person who took me to my first theatre experience to see The Jungle Book. It remains my favorite Disney flick.

Ceece also gave me the hard back copy of The Jungle Book with this picture inside, taken on Christmas Eve.

So, tomorrow is the day to fill with busyness. It would have been a day to spend with Kaye getting ready for her traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Pete and Ol' Mother Hubbard have rented a cabin to put a little distance and scenery change on Christmases Past. I hope it helps.

Hope your elving is nearly complete.

Not a Creature was Stirring

Friday evening, all day Saturday and most of Sunday was a blizzard of wrapping and cooking and decorating in preparation for my children and grandchildren's Christmas. If you recall, I moved our Christmas to the Sunday before the actual day when my youngest started her family. I'm still not really used to it. It seems weird.

I really start preparing for Christmas a least a year ahead of time. I'm ever torn by warring sentiments. How to keep a spiritual aspect to the day, how to create something magical for the gramerlings, how to please my next to impossible to please sons, how to give good gifts, not just something for the sake of having a present to unwrap, etc., etc.

Handy Man fried a turkey, which was delicious. To accompany the turkey, was the soups I mentioned yesterday, candied carrots, cheesy potatoes, green beans, homemade pumpernickel bread, pecan pie, cheesecake and piles of fudge. Gwen brought a delicious spinach salad, and Rae-rae brought vegies and dip, Ceece contributed brownies. I also made spinach/artichoke dip, brie w/apples,pears and some shrimp.

We opened gifts at 4, ate at 5, and then had dessert and opened stockings.

It is here I wished to entertain with pictures of the calm before the storm. Alas, the pictures I downloaded two days ago to IPhoto are still no where to be found when I browse to download them here. So, instead I'll show pictures of a couple of gifts we gave.

I received the sweetest gifts from my girls this year, but that will have to wait.

Do you know what these are? If you guessed salt cellars, you are correct. Ol' Mother Hubbard says I'm a salt snob and I fear it is true. I saw a picture of these on a spice website, but they were sold out. I asked Handy Man if he thought he could make them. Well, make them he did. I think they are so beautiful. Salt of the earth kind of gift-ha, so funny.

Several people on our list received his lovely handiwork, in addition to some snobby salt.

Rae-rae wished for wood blocks for baby Giddy-up. Again I dug around for an appropriate place to put the blocks, shared it with the Mister, and here it is. So lovely. Giddy-up loved it too and I'll show you when I can find my pictures. ArrrrGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH.

On an endnote, when I'm sad, Handy Man knows to get out the Lord of the Rings movies. Don't ask, I don't know why, it's just all I can think of to do. We just finished them night before last(extended versions, of course), and yesterday the trailer comes out for the Hobbit movie. I am so excited.

Christmas Kitchen Treachery

Notice anything interesting here? First, the stove is off, secondly, it is on my side porch, further adding to "Welome to the Squatly's" persona of my side porch.
My stove blew-up, with my meatloaf supper inside it's bowels. "Well duh," you might way, just get it out. Oh no, it couldn't completely explode, just explode enough to scare me half to death whilst I was stirring the sauce. Just enough to do that and cause it's little stovie brain to be temporarily recircuited, believing me to have wished it to clean itself and thereby locking the oven door!

"Give me my meatloaf!" Rude.

Well, Handy Man eventually wrangled it free. Thankfully, it was already nearly done.

Why, why do my appliances insist on going out at the holidays? Why can't the oven blow-up in the dead of August when I don't want to cook anyway. Why can't the frig bid us a farewell in February, when all food can be safely stored on the back porch? Oh no. It has to be Thanksgiving or Easter, and now Christmas.

My Christmas dinner with my kids is tomorrow. Though my sad sack self wasn't too zealous at doing anything big, I was hoping for something a bit more than carry out pizza.

Such times cause people to make hasty decisions, like sending their husbands to check out stoves. He didn't just check them out, he brought one home. It only has one big burner. Umm, what is up with that? What is the purpose of all those little burners? I use one for tea or to melt butter, that's it. I'm a big burner kinda of cook. Oh, and no clock, forget a timer. Honey, we're only one step above his coal cookstove.

Yes, I suppose I'm being ungrateful, but I spend a lot of time with my stove. Oh well.

It works thankfully. I still had a batch of fudge and caramel to make last night. I wondered to Phil if I hold some sort of record for repeated years of mailing candy to a friend.

Marie was my maid -of-honor. She always came over for Christmas dinner and I always made her fudge and caramels. She has long since moved to far off New Jersey, but I send them each year just the same. Likewise, every year I get a note that quotes her oldest, "It's not Christmas until the caramels get here." So, the Christmas candy will soon be on it's way. Same recipes I've used for over thirty years. Only now I add the tiniest bit of flaked sea salt in the caramel pan. It gives such a big burst of caramel flavor.

We get our beef from a local farmer. I ask for the soup bones and cook them up for the chickie girls and pooch, as well as for soup. I have wanted to make French Onion Soup for a very long time. Well, today was the day. Wow, it takes hours to carmelize all those onions.

I'm still reducing the beef broth and then it will be all done and ready to top with a toasted baguette and cheese for our Christmas dinner tomorrow. I'll also be making cream of mushroom. Good thing I made the onion today, since, you know, only one big burner.

A Change in the Air

Today was our sibling dinner for Christmas. This has for years been hosted by my sister SuZQ. I've posted some piks from those fancy dinners in time's past. Her house breathes Christmas cheer and the meal is always four star. Well this year, when talk of Christmas rolled round, I confessed to her that I just didn't think I could manage it this year. One sibling wouldn't be coming to any more Christmas dinners because she can't, and one won't, well because he chooses not to do so.

It seemed a little lopsided on the heartbreak side. She wasn't willing to abandon it entirely.

She found a B&B in a town nearby and we met today for brunch. I didn't really know how it would go.

After a fabulous show by my school kids last Wednesday, I fell ill with something foul. Debilitating headache for twelve hours, followed by twelve hours of raging fever and rolling stomach and believing my bone were being pulled out. Then, just weak and goopy.

So, today I was just so very grateful to feel better, and I headed to the brunch in an okay frame of mind.

The house was lovely and the brunch was very tasty. Well, it did not compare to SuZQ's fare by any means, but was very fine.

We again lit a candle in memory of Kaye and shared funny stories and sweet ones. Usually we have a few gifts. Handy Man was busy all fall on special gifts, but I can't show you a picture, because a couple of folk have yet to receive theirs. A little bit of Christmassy goodness wrapped in pretty bags, boxes and bows was passed about.

No one was expecting gifts from Pete. We know that Pete has had all he could manage the last three years without adding doodad buying to the list. We were just glad he had the wherewithal to show, forget gifts.

When it was all said and done, he pulled out this little Walmart bag and said he had a gift for us. He reminded us that Kaye always loved coats and enjoyed having a nice pin for her coat. He then laid out all of her coat pins and invited us to choose one we'd enjoy wearing on our coat, or for my brother, to hang on his Christmas tree. Oh, so sweet. The picture above is the one I picked.

This grief thing, so strange. Such sadness over who is missing, such an increased awareness and appreciation of who is there.

Thanks SuZQ for the gift of sweet fellowship, laughs, memories and tears. Thanks too, to each of you who brought your smiles, hugs and mostly for your presence.

Hmm, Guess it's Coming

Well, it's abundantly clear, that just like every year, Christmas is going to follow Thanksgiving.

Every season Kohl's has books they sell with a stuffed animal. I really, really try not to buy the gramerlings stuffed animals. The book though, is so very beautiful. And wouldn't you know the page where the child is swinging is superimposed onto a scene where dolphins are off in the distance. Of course, with the great love of the ol' blue dolphin swing I wasn't able to resist. I wrote each child a letter in the back of their book. So on this first Sunday of Advent, I made the usual, turkey salad, and loaded potato soup and had everyone over and gave them each their winter scarf, dolphin and book. Christmas has begun at Gramerly's.

Scarves for my wee boys.

I told my big kids that I make a concerted effort to not think about what happens to gifts when they leave my hand. Maybe they are regifted, stuck in the Goodwill box, whatever. This time I asked that they save those sweet books with my letter for always please.

We had a little photo session in hopes of getting them all at least looking in the same direction for a Christmas card. What was I thinking?

Our little Gideon was a happy boy all the day long and even let Pappy and I hold him a little bit.

Hopefully, we'll see a lot of him through the holidays and he'll get more and more comfy in our arms.

Pete and Mom both seemed to have a hard day today, though I'm not sure any day is good at the moment.Bless their hearts. Please keep them in your prayers.

For Unto Us a Child is Born

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

I call Him Jesus, and seek to honor Him in my heart as if everyday was His birthday!

Each year, as I shop, it bothers me more and more how few things reflect the source of my Christmas celebration. I made my own cards this year. I didn't know how much longer the kids would be willing players in my Christmas card scheme. To range in age from seven weeks to 6 years, they were very cooperative.

By beautiful blue eyed newest boy.


His equally beautiful blue-eyed sister.
Who can resist chubby cherub hands from my precious red head.

Bean loves me, but he loves this lamb more. He wanted a picture of lambie in the manger.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas!

Kaye- As I noted yesterday, Thursday evening was day four of Kaye being terribly sick after dialysis. We changed her Christmas dinner to noon, yesterday. We had no sooner got there with all the food and all the gifts and her four grandkids, when the kidney doc came in and said since they couldn't figure out the problem, they would just start eliminating possibilities. So, though they could grow nothing out of port (bacteria), they were still going to replace it and it had to be done right now! We asked could we have an hour since we were all there to do her Christmas. "No, it has to be done now." Well, I guess Ol' Mother Hubbard and I get an "A" for effort. The procedure went fine and I pray that this will relieve her post dialysis agony.

I had big plans to visit someone very special to me as a surprise for Christmas Day, but have fretted about the weather putting a stop to my plans all week. Well, it doesn't look to bad, so I'm off. Let's hope and pray this goes better than my attempts at having Christmas with Kaye.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Christ's Peace and Love to all this Christmas!

Tying Up Loose Ends

Literally, I have been finishing off some scarves I knitted for Christmas. I love fiber arts, the feel of wool, but I don't have a long attention span I fear. So, as soon as one comes off the needles, I can't wait to start on some different fiber. Which leaves all these loose ends dangling, so I've been tucking them in, before sending them out.
I wish you could feel them. They are so very soft. Well, most of them anyway.

Here a couple more shots of the bookcases Handy Man made the children, without my reflection thankfully.

I think they are so beautiful.

I went to see Kaye yesterday afternoon-one word-pitiful. The infectious disease guy says the UTI bacteria has ceased growing and the type of pneumonia in both lungs is very responsive to the antibiotic he has her on. No one seems to know what causes here to react so badly to the dialysis. Her temp shoots up and she experiences dramatic shivering, more like convulsing. She is very weak, so Pete has to physically move her when she needs to restroom, etc. She is clearly in abject misery and this goes on for two hours or better after dialysis. They've made her have dialysis everyday, as her toxins are too high.

So, as opposed to a Christmas Eve evening, as is their custom, we're going for a Christmas Eve lunch, in case they order another dialysis. I have the potato salad and eggnog salad ready.

This evening, I'll head to Mom's.

What last minute ends are you tying up?

Ol' Mother Hubbard's Cupboard

Baby Boy needed two hats and and two mitts to begin

the cooking.

Ah, life is interesting, isn't it? My sister Kaye was such a fan of toddlers. I'm not sure I ever knew anyone who loved you so passionately, just because you were three. I couldn't wait for her to have grandkids. I didn't know what kind of grandmother I would be, as I spent most of my toddler's days ticking off all the things I didn't feel I did right, but I knew what kind of grandmother she would be.

Unfortunately, her health took a serious nose dive before she was able to experience much about being a grandma. Sadder still, their other grandma's health went the same down hill direction, leaving them with grandparents with the same old want to, but without the means to do. I suppose it goes without saying that it routinely breaks my heart for everyone.

Ol' Mother Hubbard and I have always been very close. Naturally, I also want to have a relationship with her children. It's awkward though. Kaye is still quite aware of much, especially what she isn't able to do. So, I try to plan things separately, to do a grandma type thing, and keep it on the down low. My sister SuZQ does the same.

Then I try to help Kaye recreate Christmas Past. Last year, and the plan this year, was for Ol' Mother Hubbard and I to prepare their Christmas Eve dinner with her, while the babies nap, fixing all the things she used to fix. This causes no end of confusion for Bean and Bugg, who think that Ol' Mother Hubbard's kidlets belong here, just like them for every celebration, or, at the least, they belong there. They are always surprised to not find them here for my Christmas party. None of my explanations seem to make it understandable. They are here for everything else, why not Christmas? Yes, I am sort of their Gramerly too, but not exactly.

Well, I'm afraid she won't be in on the fixin's this year. We'll be taking it to the hospital.

She has a different UTI infection than ever before, a lung infection and a possible port infection.

She still is spiking a temperature high enough to render her out of her head and unable to function.

Okay, enough sad stuff.

Tuesday SuZQ, with her grandson, Big Al, and I headed to the Cupboard to celebrate Christmas. Ol' Henry started this tradition with his love of black bean omelets, so I bring my chickie girl eggs and let them make their own omelet. We eat supper together and lots of fudge and caramels and play away the evening-good times!

Ready Santa, uh, Kymbi.
How cute can you be?

First you shake the eggs.

Next you pour them in.
Wait for them to cook-yummy!

Flirt furiously with photographer cousin Big Al.

Merry Christmas from the not quite Baker's Dozen!

After the Christmas Party

It seems another tradition is staying on at Gramerly's after the family Christmas party. Bean and Bugg ask to spend the night almost every Wednesday night that they visit. Everytime I have to say, "No sweetie, remember Gramerly has to go to work tomorrow?" It is nice to say, "Yes!"

On Monday we grabbed Miss Raina and headed to Choo-choo Pizza to meet Ms. Glitzy her little ones for a summer playdate reunion. After lunch we went to the Science Center to see my mostest favorite claymation flick, "Twas the Light Before Christmas." Bean and Bugg have seen this for the third year in a row, but are still as thrilled. We explored all things science for the rest of the afternoon, then headed home to pick-up Pappy.

Next, we drove to Santa Claus and visited the light show at Rudolph Lake. I have those glasses that make headlights look like giant snowflakes, stars, angels, etc. The children enjoyed viewing life through those lenses on the ride over. Rudolph Lake, as you might guess, has a light show that depicts the story of Rudolph. It was adorable.

We sang Christmas carols all the way to Miss Raina's door.

Yesterday morning we broke out the new games and enjoyed playing for awhile and then moved onto to more science.

Though we've had quite enough snow and ice to suit me this December, we haven't had colored snow. Um, well, not these colors anyway.

Put a tiny scoop of magic powder in the cup, add water, and watch.
It is growing.
Though she belongs to 1st Lt., Miss Bugg inherited her Uncle Drummer Boy's disease of being allergic to looking directly into the camera. She will give you one swift direct glance, but before the focus is set, she's either batted her eyes for cut her eyes away. By the time of this fifth re-take, she was in stitches.
Now let's try blue.

Yep, blue works as well.

Now to grow some fish eggs. Just drop the teeny tiny eggs in water.

Check in an hour.

Check the next day. They feel so neat.

Alas, time to pack those poopies up for home.

On the way, I had to stop for gas. Upon informing the gramerlings of my plans, Bugg gasped, "Gas!" as if she had never heard the word, then exclaimed, "I thought Pappy was the gas-getter."

Off to the community college to drop off portfolios and grades, and get ready for my Christmas evening with Ol' Mother Hubbard's cupboard of wee folk.

Kaye- Yesterday they did a culture to determine what type of infection she has and put in a picc line. She always has to have those very potent antibiotics. She is at herself again. We don't yet know how Christmas will be.

Christmas Waiting

So yesterday was our long awaited family party. It seems a long time in coming this year, as we had a big surprise for our grown-up kids.

First things first. I hung a blanket between the kitchen and living room, so the gifts were out of sight. We munched on appetizers and had our last Advent. Each child's family in turn lit the candle. The Advent focus was on thankfulness, so we each shared things for which we were thankful.

1st Lt. 's Family

Bean is old enough to do the honor.

Drummer Boy's family

Rae-Rae and Michael showing signs of their upcoming family.

Better blow out the candles before moving onto gifts.

Handy Man has made a cradle each time one of his own starts a family, along a few other odds and ends. A few years ago his niece, Old Mother Hubbard, commissioned a set of barrister bookcases. Since then, I've thought it would be nice for each of our kids to have something that would be in use all the time,from their daddy, as opposed to a cradle, that often ends up stored. So, he started on the bookcases months and months ago and trying to keep it secret has been difficult. Throughout the year, I picked up books,as I found them, that I thought would be of high interest. We are all big readers around here, and lots of our conversations are around a book someone is reading. A bookcase seemed a most appropriate gift.

I am sorry to not yet have a whole picture. When I was downloading the piks today, I noticed that the full length ones include a reflection of me, uh, in my nightgown. I won't be posting those.

These are the type of bookcases where the glass panel on the front swings up and slides back into the case.

Not only were they made by their Daddy, the wood came from a tree that fell in area after a tornado. That old cherry tree has been turned into some beautiful wood furniture. There's enough left for one more cradle.

Lots of merry making and good times.