Things That Made Me Smile Today

Christmas Eve.

Clayton made a "Happy Birthday Jesus!" cake. He went with Daddy's favorite: yellow cake with (real) chocolate frosting, and decorated the top:-)

I finished painting a Marvel Hill poster for AJ to hang in his office - really enjoyed that bit of self expression!

















I talked to my brother. Sigh...
Missing family today.

We made mini quiches and Cheesy Chicken and Artichoke bites for tomorrow.

Oh! And AJ made the Christmas Shrimp! Our favorite tradition which involves boiling the shrimp in a spicy brew and them cooling them to peel and eat with cocktail sauce. Mmmm...












(Charlie - I thought of you when I witnessed AJ's method for cooling them down. Are you jealous?) ;-D

Tonight we ate Tacos and home made salsa.

After dinner I made hot chocolate on the stove top, and the children declared themselves "full" after just a few sips! (I indulged in a few sips myself)

The Buglets opened Gramsie's box and discovered pajamas and new hand-made-with-love pillow cases for each of them!












It turns out that the box of See's dark chocolate candies for "Adam-Jon" was also for Analene (Trouble Maker! good thing I read the tag for myself!!) Thanks Mom and Dad!

















We all snuggled into a heap together and read a few chapters of "In Grandma's Attic" together before tucking in.

















I called Gramsie for an uninterrupted chit-chat. Sigh (again)... It was very nice.

Caught AJ taste-testing the Christmas Shrimp. Tsk-tsk!

Poured a little Martinelli's sparkling cider to sip.
Martenelli's is the only sparkling cider you'll see in our house. AJ's grandparents knew the Martinelli's and Gramsie (his mom) has a very neat oldMartinelli's apple peeler/corer which sits in her kitchen window sill and has Zachary's name on it:-)

Have now stuffed some stockings and am sitting in the fire-lit living room relishing Christmas music and candle light.

Thinking of God's perfect gift - His Son who brought salvation. The good news! Atonement for my sins and eternal life with the King of Kings!

Thinking of Mary and how difficult and uncertain this eve was for her and her betrothed many years ago.
How thankful I am.

I am truly truly reveling in the Lord's daily mercies!
I hope you are too:-)

Merry MERRY Christmas Friends!!!!!