For the first 50 years of my life, my perfectionist self mistakenly believed it was all about knowing more, getting it right, planning, attempting to prevent bad things from happening, and keeping all of my chicks in a row. It took me this long to discover that the JOURNEY is all that matters. This quote from Gilda Radner sums it all up:

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next.
"


Thursday, December 25, 2014

December 25th - Just an Ordinary Day

December 25, 2014

It's a gloomy, rainy day today.
We're not opening presents like most families are doing today.
There is nothing to unwrap.
The kids didn't even wake up early like they usually do.
There is nothing under our tree today -
no reason to get out of bed.


On Sunday, December 21, however, we awoke to a beautiful layer of snow on the ground.  


We had a scrumptious breakfast of eggs, 
bacon, sausage, 
sticky buns, fruit salad,
coffee and hot chocolate.


Then we unwrapped our gifts. 
Stockings first.


We celebrated Christmas early this year
 because our family couldn't be
together on the 25th.  
Kerry had to work 
both Christmas Eve and Christmas day, 
and she lives in Nashville.
And it just wouldn't be Christmas without her.


Kerry opened the felted replicas 
of Ravioli and Fletcher, her two pets.


Adam was happy to get some good pens for correcting papers.


Reading glasses with built-in lights were the ideal gift for Vance!


I knitted a headband for Annie.


We moved to the dining room near the tree 
for the rest of the gifts.










Since we don't have a lot of family around, 
our holidays are usually 
just our immediate family.


When all of the gifts were opened,  
we worked on a puzzle together.





At the end, there were two puzzle pieces missing.
I had one.  Kerry had the other.
We think alike.
We both wanted to put the final piece in.


So we decided to put them in at the same time.





Dinner was prime rib, twice baked potatoes, 
carrots, brussel sprouts and rolls.




For dessert, Adam tried his new French Press coffee maker.





Annie brought home a carrot cake 
from Cheezy Eddie's in Rochester
for dessert.



The day was complete with a fun game of rummy.



Adam needed a little help from Momo.



It was a beautiful Christmas day!


Last night, on the real Christmas Eve, we went to church,
watched Good Will Hunting,
and went to Vernon Diner at midnight for some junk food.

Today we will just relax.

Merry Christmas!


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas Cookies and Happy Hearts, This is How the Holiday Starts


Decorating Christmas cookies is always fun.
And interesting.
It can also be a lot of pressure.

Gone are the days when the kids slapped on some frosting and a few sprinkles.


They take it seriously.


No two cookies can look alike.
Beauty is nice, but creativity is greatly appreciated.


Vance was really thinking outside the box that evening.
A Japanese Christmas bell, a well-endowed angel,
Siamese twins snowmen, 
and lastly,
 Annie's Asian friend Khanh, who plays the saxophone.


Adam got fancy with some swirled designs, 
but his favorite was his Harry Potter scene
with Dumbledore and Harry casting a spell on the dementor.


Annie was the most detailed and creative with unique
but time-consuming designs.  
She is most proud of Patrick Star from SpongeBob
and was slightly peeved at Kerry when she ate him today!



Kerry and her friend, Grace, did a little baking of their own.



A giant Christmas cupcake!




So .......


 The presents are wrapped under the tree.


 The stockings are hung.


We're just waiting.






 Waiting for the big day.