Friday, December 21, 2007

Mission Accomplished

Several of you said you wanted to see the Christmas trees when they were done, so I will oblige.

BUT FIRST, Donica decided to give me her main Christmas present tonight at suppertime: we're flying to Michigan for my family's holiday reunion at the cottage the weekend of the 29th! I'm still in shock because Donica has been making a big deal about having this holiday totally free with nowhere to go. Just lots of sleep and R&R here at home before the New Year.

Wow! Color me surprised...and delighted. And maybe I'll see snow after all! We'll be gone December 27th - 31st.

Okay then. Having gotten that off my chest! :) Here's what's been accomplished since I last wrote about the holiday rush. Once the Christmas cards were put in the mail on Monday (yes!), I started in on the living room Disney tree.


I told you that this tree is for the woods to see...and any mail carrier who might come to the front door with a large package. WE see it, of course, when we go up and down the stairs to bed.


My favorite Disney ornaments year after year are Buzz Lightyear...


...and his buddy, Woody, who always get hung side by side. I LOVE those fellas. Their friendship endures through thick and thin, no matter what!


Before I could finish the slim tree in the family room, next on the agenda, I had a delightful visit at Nicholas' school for his class party yesterday, during which time the kids got to read stories they had written, in front of everyone. He is so serious about his stories and his teacher says he writes good ones. G'ma agrees and popped her buttons, of course.


Then back home to restring new sets of lights on the slim tree. Today I finished all the ornaments...the ones we have collected these past 10 years, everywhere we go.




Every single one means something and holds a memory dear.

I LOVE Christmas trees. Every year I say the same thing: "They're so quiet!" Midst all the hustle and bustle, I love to turn out all the other lights and sit still in their presence. They calm me down!


And, yes, the presents were then able to go under the trees. The living room tree is where Donica's and my gifts to each other go. The gifts to the kids go here under the slim tree.


Donica did her thing and stuffed the stockings, as you see. (Yes, Mark, there's the one for Dennis in the middle!)

The good news about the UNMOWED lawn is that it's been gently raining off-n-on for the last few days and will continue to do so, they say, until after we celebrate Christmas with the kids on Sunday! WE ARE NOT COMPLAINING! We need the rain much more than a mowed lawn. So thank God for that mission UNaccomplished.

That leaves Friday and Saturday to clean the house! HA! Wanna come help me?? :)

22 comments:

  1. Yippee!!! Hehehe! I'm glad you know now and I can talk about it. :D

    Thanks for showing us the AFTER as well as the BEFORE. Those two toy story ornament pics are FABULOUS, gorgeous DoF, wowee. How fun to have your new cam this season.

    Now we count the days till you come! I do hope the snow will stay, but it doesn't look good. :( We're getting rain today, and tomorrow it's getting to 46, and you know what that means. Boohoo.

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  2. Your trees are lovely, fancy having TWO of them to decorate. I only have enough patience for one.
    But I have posted pics of some of our tree decorations too, it seems it's a common theme these days! I'm sure you'll all have a wonderful time in Michigan whith the rest of the family. I wish you tons and tons of snow!

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  3. The trees look beautiful as always! Looking forward to our Sunday celebration . . . and I'm very excited that you will have an opportunity to head up to Michigan after all. What a great gift!

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  4. This is some surprise, well I think December is the month for surprises, have a great family reunion in Michigan!!!!
    I love love what you did with the Christmas tree, I watched all the movies of Buzz Lightyear and his buddy Woody with Jeroen, don't need to tell I love that they are save in your tree!!
    The stockings are stunning, that is so nice of your blog, I get a small peek of your tradition of celebrating Christmas and it is fun to have just a bunch of nice people around unrapping the presents ( you did a good job rapping them).
    Ginnie and Donica have all the fun you can get with your beloved family, Gelukkig Kerstfeest!!!!

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  5. Well you have both been so very busy and don't you think It's wonderful how we can all share in your festivites with you through technology of today.
    Your trees look fantastic with all there fun and warmth and Donica has hung and stuffed the stockings so well. Not much longer to wait and you will be having a lovely family reunion YIPEE for you.
    I love how concerntrated Nicholas was in the shot at his play, pure bliss.
    MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

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  6. A beautiful show of Christmas spirit, Ginnie. (If you have any to spare, could you send some my way, PLEASE?)

    Laughing at the image of you popping buttons. I so get it.

    Have a great Christmas, and I hope you get to see snow. (Personally, I've had enough for the year already, but that's just me.)

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  7. Ruth: You, too, are such a sneak!! To think you knew all along that we'd be seeing each other! It's even okay if it doesn't snow. :)

    Ex-S: We HAVE to have 2 trees because of all the ornaments! HA! And thanks for wishing us snow. Maybe we'll have it after all. I hope so.

    Amy: You, too, are such a sneak! You 3 girls sure know how to keep a surprise! I'm so excited about Sunday, almost here!

    Astrid: Don't you just love surprises! I feel like I've had so many of them lately. I'm a lucky woman! I'm glad I could give you a peek into how we do it here, and thank you very much for your Gelukkig Kerstfeest!

    Lurch: Don't you just love that we can celebrate each other all around the world! Thank you, Tracy!!

    Karen: I wasn't going to get into the Christmas spirit until Amy told me she wanted us to have Christmas at our house because Dennis was coming. Suddenly, I got the spirit! I'm glad. And if I can send some of it to you, I will, if you'll send me some of your snow! Deal? :)

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  8. Oh Ginnie! your trees are about the most beautiful i've seen so far. Magnificent! Simply love the captured twinkling lights on your living room tree. It's certain there will be a joyous celebration at your house this Christmas!

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  9. Oh my gosh those trees are fabulous, I can't imagine having two but always thought i would love to have more than one. .
    You know when you said you buy ornaments from places you have been i have never thought about doing that, what a neat idea. I usually end up buying magnets. this is a great idea.
    Love the stockings as well. Love the dream catcher too.
    I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.
    I certainly have enjoyed reading your blog, I never thought i would be so hooked on blogging but have found it to be a such a enjoyable time. Thanks for allowing me to share your part of your life, and visiting mine.
    God Bless

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  10. First of all: Have a wonderful Holiday trip - how sweet of Donica!

    Then thanks for sharing your Christmas tree and how nice it is decorated. Actually quite a bit like ours, but maybe a bit taller.
    I just loved to see the details of the things you put on it - the train was so cute!
    So when you say you learn from my posts, I do the same with yours - that's the great thing about having good blogger friends you know.

    So then I wish you A Wonderful Yuletide or God Jul as you know we say in Norway :-)

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  11. OH my goodness, Aunt Ruth was in cahoots!!! That's so cool for you (and all who get to see you)!

    Love the Disney Tree!!!

    Thanks for sharing the Christmas spirit!!!

    Lots of love to you, Aunt Donica, Mark, Amy, Dennis, Nicholas and anyone else you can think of!!!

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  12. have fun Ginnie.......wish you and yours a great Christmas and New Year :)

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  13. Oh I love all of the photos! And we have gotten blue skies, wonder if we traded???

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  14. Beautiful, Ginnie. OX and I wish you, Donica and your families a wonderful Christmas adn a great time in Michigan!

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  15. It's Christmas Day here in Canada, the sky is grey, and the sun is hiding behind the clouds. It's cold and there are remnants of last weeks snowstorm still on the ground, making it a rather muddy white Christmas. Maybe you have the same conditions in Michigan?? But it's a lovely day, and I wish you and your family all the best, and may 2008 be a good year for you.
    ex-shammy

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  16. Beautiful trees! And what a lovely surprise for you to be going to Michigan. I think Donica is really good at thinking up surprises, no? :-)

    Merry Christmas to you and your family, my dear friend.

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  17. Mad: You're such a sweetheart! Thank you. It was a wonderful celebration here...and now to Michigan we go tomorrow!

    L&N: We do the magnets, too, Lilli, but we love the ornaments when we find them. Thank you for sharing my life, even as I share yours!

    Renny: We are such good blogging partners!!! :)

    Swedehart: Can you believe it! And that starts tomorrow when we fly to Michigan. Thanks, Rachel, for sharing the joy.

    Moi: Thank you. And have a great move to CA.

    ET: Maybe we DID trade! Enjoy!

    CS: Thank you, my friend. Now we need to work on a rendezvous!!!

    Ex-S: THANK YOU!

    Christina: I like surprises, and this was a BIG one! Thanks, my friend!

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  18. Can't help it - but all you family gatherings up north in Michigan - - I feel at home. May be that's my youngest son went from Norway and married there----

    hugs
    Tor y Anna

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  19. YOU all do Christmas up really really well! I love your Disney tree (I am a Disney girl at heart!).Hope your Christmas was lovely and I wish you a very Happy New Year!

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  20. Hi Ginnie Hi Donica,

    I wish You a Happy and Creative 2008, Look at my Happy fireworks and wishes. See my blog:)

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  21. Ginnie - I am so FAR behind on your posts over the holidays. I will soon play catch up -BUT in the meantime - YOUR trees are BEAUTIFUL! So glad I got to see them AND I think I see some dancing reindeer paper that made it's way to my own home. Love you for sharing!

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  22. To think that Buzz Lightyear will be in OUR tree this year, I never got to think of it when I wrote the comment. stranger things happened in ONE year....
    Lieve schat, it will be a treat to have all these ornaments in our tree.
    please know that right after Sinterklaas, I like to put the tree up.....so it might be the 7th of December...HA.....

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