Starting to take the ‘holiday’ stuff down and return it all to the basement…but I only do a little bit at a time. I really do love all the decorations, and it’s hard to go ‘cold turkey’ back to what all of a sudden seems very empty!!
still up...not quite ready to take it down
a yummy 'signature' drink
d making those cocktails
LOVE photo cards
the boys actually made these in the 5th grade!
the couples:)
love them lots!
Thanks for letting me share….
Happy Parenting!
D and C
What brings you joy, makes you happy, gives you peace? Here are some photos, quotes, and thoughts that make me joyful.
Joyful Thursdays #50
Here are three things that make me happy and bring me joy:
1) A delightful New Year’s Eve:
leaving the winter footwear at the door!
the first to 'crash' 
2) being ‘Up North’
a beautiful 'winter' tree
3) watching people enjoy the photos books they received for Christmas….fun to make, fun to give!!
wink, wink..you can also see that pretty ring!
and the TLG each got their own book, so up north everyone shared a peek with the others…
Always lots of fun, sharing memories!
Are you joining in with doing random acts of kindness? It’s a great way to encourage your kids to get outside of themselves and their own issues…and instead to focus on the needs of others. Just a thought…..
Happy Parenting,
D and C
What brings you joy, makes you happy, gives you peace? Here are some photos, quotes, and thoughts that make me joyful.
Joyful Thursdays #49
Here are three things that make me happy and bring me joy:
1) Scott and Lauren’s engagement continues to make me very happy…
aren't they cute?
2) I found my own ‘elf’ on the floor downstairs one morning…. someone took it off the tree…can you guess who that might be??
3) new stockings this year….love them!!
Their pups have stockings now, too!
This is a lovely week isn’t it….between Christmas and a brand new year! Count your blessings, and share them with your kids!
Happy Parenting!
D and C
Scott and Lauren are engaged!!! ….as of Christmas Eve morning, during a walk with the puppy in the park!
We are all so excited!!
the happy couple
My lovely, romantic son actually found the ring she had posted on pinterest….sneaky, huh?
gorgeous
We all celebrated at our traditional Christmas Eve dinner out…with Lauren’s family and ours, too
An exciting start to our Christmas!!!!
A very Merry Christmas to all of you
Happy Parenting,
D and C
Another beautiful TLG Christmas…delicious meal, great presents, but most of all…wonderful friends!!!
Every year, as many of us as possible get together and have FUN!!! 9 of the 12 possible adults, 8 of the possible 15 “kids”…..
a signature cocktail...
a yummy pork roast
many tasty side dishes...
great folks...
more lovelies...
I love these people sooo much…those who attended and those who couldn’t… Our Torch Lake Group:))
One of our continuing traditions since the kids were babies! More traditions coming soon!
Happy Parenting!
D and C
Just a couple of book ideas to share…
For parents, grandparents, teachers, childcare providers, and babysitters:
How to Break 10 Common Childhood Myths
sorry...can't help sharing:))
And…for all of you fans of Fifty Shades of Grey:
This is a seriously funny parody…with ‘Miss Hen’ and ‘Mr. Blades”….actual recipes, with naughty dialogue between the two main ‘characters’. Throw it in the stockings of your friends…great surprise!!
Have fun!
Happy Parenting!
D and C
C and I were checking out the ornaments on last year’s tree, and I was telling him the stories of each one…where and who it came from, how long we had had it, whatever I could remember. C said I should take a photo of each ornament and tell the story on the back so the stories wouldn’t be forgotten in the future. That sounded like a great idea until I began taking the ornaments off the tree and decided I would NEVER get finished…way too many of them:)
So here is my compromise: photos of groups of ornaments that have similar stories…here are way too many of them for you to see, but definitely not all of them!
F2's childhood ornaments
my childhood 'Horns'
some of C's
more of C's
some of S's
more of S's
lovely TLG ornaments
birds for luck and more of D's childhood
bells
love elves and angels
more angels
collected during our travels
more travel
metal...plus college
love the teacher ornaments
gifts from family and friends
Okay…I know…that’s enough, right?? I have at least twenty more photos, but you get the idea, I’m sure! I love that C thought of this plan. Looking at the photos will make it easier to tell the stories of individual ornaments and reliving the memories that make them special!
Find happiness in the season and share it with your children:)
Happy Parenting!
D and C
What brings you joy, makes you happy, gives you peace? Here are some photos, quotes, and thoughts that make me joyful.
Joyful Thursdays #46
Here are three things that make me happy and bring me joy:
1) Christmas cards- bought, addressed, and sent: Check!
2) I actually got to talk to a group of students, and adults, about their ‘Kindness and Compassion Club’ – usually called the KC Club. I shared some Goodness Gorilla stories with them about sharing kindnesses with others. They are so excited to be organizing ways of helping….a possible Penny Challenge in the works:)
3) Saw the James Bond movie, Skyfall…it was impressive! If you like action and surprises, give it a shot! Lots of fun!
Happy Parenting!
D and C
So…do you believe in Santa?
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| Come on, Santa, smile!! |
That is always the question, isn’t it? Is there really a Santa Claus? How do you answer your children’s questions – blow it off, ignore it, answer from the head or from the heart?
We wanted our boys to enjoy those light-hearted, magical beliefs as long as possible. I still believe in Santa…the spirit of a giving soul expecting nothing in return! Shouldn’t we all be more like that “Jolly Old Elf”???
If your conversations with your children can begin to focus more on the gifts Santa gives to everyone else, how kind and industrious he is – it may help your children to develop some of those helpful characteristics in their own lives. Santa letters, Santa cookies to give to others, special Santa wrapping paper and bows, trips to see Santa, watching TV specials — how can that be wrong?
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| peeking!!! |
Make sure your child knows what you believe. You do believe in that loving spirit, don’t you? If you’re confident in what you want for your children in the way of believing or not, then no remarks by kids at school or by crabby relatives can shake them from those beliefs.
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| a present from Santa |
The light and sparkle in your kids’ eyes should not be extinguished just because others may think your children are too old to believe in Santa. Hold on to what you want for your own kids. Chad and Scott never thought that we had lied to them when they were young but that believing in the spirit of Christmas continues into adulthood.
D and C
Friday night in Rochester with friends…first dinner, then the gorgeous holiday lights came on! Wow! Rochester really knows how to throw a party…it is beautiful:))) We walked up and down the city streets and through the Kris Kringle market. What a lovely start to the season!
all the stores on Main Street participate
making sure I show a Scott streetlight...with smiling buddies!
we ate here and watched as the great lights were turned on
up close
to show the dichotomy...semi in the front, horse and carriage in the back:)
at the Kris Kringle Market
beautiful!
in a store window:)))
beautiful evening
Many families enjoyed walking around the streets checking out the lights. Main Street has just recently been reopened after a long reconstruction. What a great way to get everyone back in the swing of things! Enjoy the holidays:)
Happy Parenting!
D and C
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