Home away from Home

This year, our room has something we haven't had in the past years we have been here on Christmas...

A fold out couch, Enough surfaces for every one to sleep on! In the past, Darian has always volunteered to make a bed on the floor. But this year, he gets to sleep on a bed or the couch. Two people to a bed, One on the couch. FUN!Another thing not available to them at home, The swimming pool. It is open until 11 PM, so they got a good swim in last night after we came back from Auntie Spectaculars house.

I hope you and your family are having a great Chtristmas.
Karyn

One last reminder.

We are traveling this year. It is the "inlaw" Christmas. So, my brother and sisters are spending the Christmas apart. And my parents have saved their Christmas budget for a trip to tropical climes!!!

We are opening our gifts at home tomorrow, then Wednesday morning, packing it in the car and driving for 4 hours. Once we reach our destination, we are checking into a Hotel. We have found it easier to stay in a hotel than other choices. The stockings will travel with us for some of that "Christmas Magic" on Christmas morning. 5 people, two beds, one room! We will need the magic!

Our  pets have a "fill in" house mother.

We are stopping by to see the girls on the way south.

My sis in law has had some health issues (scares) this year.

We will enjoy our time with her. The boys especially. She is affectionately named

"Auntie Spectacular"!

So, as we count down the days,

I would like to leave you with one last reminder...

I finally tried YARN

I still can't read a pattern, this is off the top of my head.

OH, I just made a funny!

Well, yarn is actually easy to work with, And for a few rows, the pattern worked out, but the sixth time I tore it apart, I just gave up on it and did my own thing...

I will keep on trying...

Or make more things up for variety...

Next try, as Scarf.

Thank you, and a Sale!

Thank you for you comments, both on my blog, and my mothers.

I got an e-mail from another blogger who has space in a little store in Stanwood, The store is Poppyseeds.

The Blogger is Kennedy from Retreat by Kennedy.

She is having a sale. 50% off her items in the store.

I was excited about that and said I was on my way,

Then all the rest of the stuff happened!

And I didn't have the time or the energy to do it.

And she visited my blog.

And she e-mailed me loving comments about the situation.

And she recognized a little something I had purchased from her space at Poppyseeds.

This guy!  She calle him "vintage dancing Santa" so from here on out, that is his name!

I have a confession to make,

Vintage Dancing Santa was taken off the tree and put away last weekend.

My baby girl LOVED him, and kept playing with him, and he is a little fragile so, I hid him while she wasn't looking! she actually redecorated my tree three or four times too!

SO- If you are local, and if you still have something amazing to find for that special friend who likes quaint little shop boutique type of gifts (ME) go visit Kennedy, then print off the coupon, and head to Stanwood. (Just before you turn off the highway to my sisters house) and pick up that one of a kind I thought about you when I was there gift!!!

Maybe you will see me there too!

A second much sadder post today.

My little Utopia was seriously shaken up this week.

In my tiny little cow town, a well known family is greiving tonight.

Some seriously deranged men attacked and killed their son/brother/uncle.

HERE!!! IN MY TOWN!!!

He was on life support for most of the week while the family came to terms with their loss.

Yes, the seriously deranged men were caught.

And now will be tried with murder...

But the story doesn't end here...

Through this tragedy many lives will be changed forever.

The family donated all his organs so others can live.

A specific organ was offered to my cousin since they share the same rare blood type,

But the hospital said they already had a recipient that had to receive it.

So, tonight I ask that you pray for two specific things.

The first is the family who just lost a beloved member.
That they will find peace at this holiday season.
That they will remember with joy the son/brother/uncle they just lost.
That they may some day find forgiveness for the seriously deranged men who ended this life.
(I had a difficult time even typing that sentence)
And that Those who did receive the organs will survive the operations and go on to live full and happy lives.

Second for my cousin.
Who will die without a transplant.
Who has 4 children.
Who Loves the Lord with all her heart.
Who knows her future...
That she be given a chance to see her children grow.
That she be there for graduations, weddings and baby showers.
(because every mommy wants these things)

And That in all this pain and suffering God be glorified!


And some inspiration the LORD has provided...
James 1: 1-3 Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shephered of the sheep equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Isaiah42:3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.

Romans 15:13 May the god of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Thank you for your prayers. Karyn

Paper snowflakes

I got alot of comments asking if I made these snowflakes.

The answer is no, my 14 year old son makes me some of these every year.

He learned from a teacher in 5th or 6th grade.

BUT

He was kind enough to find a YouTube video for us,

I have seen them around the blogs this year, some have picture tutorials, some link back to where they saw it, If I find one again, I will link to them, Karyn


Picture instructions at http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/star_of_david_wreath_1109.aspx

A lengthy pictorial on Christmas...

Most everything was made, purchased at a second hand store, gifted, or repurposed.

It has been alot of fun changing things up this year, and I have to find all my greenery still. SOMEONE says he can't find it...

I hope I didn't bore you with all my fussing over the right accessories. I am a bit OCD that way.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas lights are up!

I let the boys have fun putting up the Christmas lights this year.

They may have gone a little overboard!

What do you think?

O.k. I am just kidding, We went to Warm Beach (Stanwood WA) to the Lights of Christmas display grounds.

TWICE!!!

In 20* weather!

TWICE!!!

The first night, Thursday was for this...

Arlington High School Jazzmine performs there every year. This year, Darian and the Sextet performed their award winning rendition of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. Darian is the boy in the center. Second shortest...

The second trip was with the girls. I had picked them up Friday night (120 miles round trip) and all day Saturday we worked on Christmas crafts, but they wanted to know if it was time to go to the lights...

Once we got there, I took 3 pictures and the camera battery died.

So, I dug Darian's camera out of my purse and took another picture, It's battery died!!!

I did not get a picture of the youngest on the pony ride...

I did not get a picture of the two youngest on Santa's lap,

I did not get a picture of the four of them riding the train,

I did not get a picture of the talking spruce telling them jokes...

By the way, Do you know why Santa planted three gardens?

So he could HO HO HO!!!

It was so cold, we hurried through the light exhibits.

Even though it was a quick trip through the lights, the girls enjoyed it and talked about it all day Sunday.

I also took them to church.

The middle one kindof freaked out last time they were here,

She did NOT want to go to church.

So, We didn't...

This time we made it there, They played in sunday school and watched a video on the birth of Jesus.

She did fine...

And IT SNOWED!!!

But nobody put the cameras on the charger, so no pictures of them playing in the snow.

We drove them home early this afternoon,

They want to come back next week!!!

(I said maybe next month!)

I still need to find more Christmas presents for them.

Maybe I will pick up a few for my own children as well.

The little girls,

Nae and Brystan

It is really getting close, I guess I should at least try to shop for them!

Oh, and I have a video of the boys doing their number... Could someone please leave me a comment telling me how to add my videos? PLEASE???


Thank you Gina and Sue, I am going to have to do it another way, I am taking the videos off of facebook, and they have an imbed code. so I am doing it with that. I have an updated blogger post setting which helps with doing pictures where you want them, but I don't see how to add videos with it. so...
Imbeding now...