A Year Of Blessings.....

Our year was incredibly blessed.

This little girl transformed our lives and filled our hearts beyond capacity.

Then we were surprised and overjoyed at the news that another baby will be added to our family very soon.

With Jim's retirement came the opportunity to travel....and being joined by our kids and Clare made it all the sweeter!!!

A fall trip to Oregon was a dream come true.

We always know that the greatest blessing is health, and family to share our blessings with.

We are grateful to God for bestowing the greatest of these gifts on all of us.

Our holidays continue...and we celebrate a wonderful year past and look forward to a wonderful year to come.

I send you all prayers and best wishes for the year ahead.

Merry Christmas.....

May your Christmas Day be Blessed in every way!!!!! XXX

The best gift of all....

My sweet husband is very wise....though I don't often give him enough credit. He knew years ago that the best Christmas gift would never fit under the tree.

Instead he provides for us a place for our family to retreat to for a weekend......the gift of togetherness and time to enjoy one another with little disruption from daily life.

The homes that we rent are always dreamy...and this one was NO exception. From the welcoming Dutch door, please enjoy a peek into our Christmas weekend.

From the youngest to the oldest we enjoyed the chance to experience.....

....total relaxation!!!!

....a time to cuddle with ALL members of the family.

Some were brave enough to go out into the Santa Barbara weather.....

....but mostly there was a lot of THIS going on!!!!

We all share in meal preparations.....

This was the appetizer before a delicious Prime Rib Dinner.

Oma seems to like breakfast the best.....

....and it was provided by the cutest of chefs!!!!

Sadly, all to soon it was time to say goodbye.... but we are coming back again next year.

The best presents do not fit UNDER a tree, but they do fit AROUND it!!!!

Another magical vacation.....another Christmas to hold close to my heart.

Christmas Countdown.....

Each year we travel to the Central Coast so that my Mother can visit my brother and his family for a few days at Christmas time.

We get to stay at the Apple Farm....and even though we visit often, there is never a better time than at the Christmas season.

The Inn is decorated to perfection....and they always treat us like family.

This year they surprised Jim an I by upgrading us to the "Honeymoon Suite"....which caused quite a giggle!!!!

The room is not only large and comfy, but it also has a cupola in the ceiling so you can see the stars from your bed. Very romantic!!!!

The nights were cold and crisp....perfect for putting us into the Christmas mood.

There is even a trolly to take you to town for some fun shopping......

...but you don't have to leave the Inn to find some wonderful holiday inspiration. Don't you just love this Christmas bouquet????

There are rooms FULL of gifts to buy and vignettes to inspire.

Inspired I was by this simple quilt with frayed exposed edges between each row. I have mentally put it on my list to use up some of my scraps!!!!

The few days at the Apple Farm certainly put me into a "Holly Jolly" Christmas mood. But that was only the START of our vacation....more to share tomorrow!!!!

St Nicholas.....

Our yearly St. Nicholas gathering is a chance to honor our Dutch heritage, and pay tribute to my Mom who works so tirelessly to keep our family close to one another.

This year we got to see our celebration thru a new set of eyes.

We love the tradition that my Mom began when we were children, and which a new generation will now grow to appreciate.

The cousin's visit from near and far.....

.....which pleases my mom very much. In fact I think our being there is her very favorite present.

Clare sat on her Daddy's lap and learned the art of present opening.....

Our little girl got quite into the spirit of the day!!!!

Many of our gifts are made by hand and given from the heart. Jim took a wonderful panorama photograph of Jonathan and Jill's favorite city and gifted the kids with it. They LOVED their gift!!!!

Clare soon figured out how she could open her own gifts....

.....and delighted in all of her new toys.

We continue to know that the greatest gift is love,

and there is plenty of that in this family.

So from our family to yours.....

we wish you a blessed holiday filled with family and lots of love!!!!

Time to be Merry and Bright....

Tis the season.....

For Santa to keep watch by the door.....

Making sure everyone is NICE and not NAUGHTY!!!!!

We keep in our hearts the "Reason for the Season".....

....and enjoy this time to create both Christmas whimsy,

...and to showcase favorite Holiday quilts!!!!

Our Santa plate is rarely empty of cookies.....

....and our Snowman family overlooks our dining area from the top of the buffet!

Santa visits at our table.....

....and our hearth is full of Santa's collected over the years.

On display too are lots of my Christmas Cross Stitch.....

....but my favorite decoration this year is a card I received last year from my dear friend and student Julie. She knew we were anxiously awaiting Clare's birth and wrote a sweet note in this card.

What she couldn't have known ( and to everyone's astonishment), the bitty girl in the sled looks EXACTLY like our CLARE....even to the round red cheeks.

I guess it is just one more magical Christmas moment...and I wish you all many of the same!!!!