Blau Christmas gifts

What a Christmas we all had!!!

Grandma, Mama, both of my sisters, their families and us met at Leif and Lori's house for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The company was wonderful!!! The food was outstanding!!!

Lori and Lona Sue spent HOURS UPON HOURS on their construction of handmade gifts for everyone. They were beautiful!!! Lori used her newly discovered love for crochet, knitting and loom work to proudce gifts for everyone. Lona Sue made beautiful items that she came up with with such things as ceramic tiles, etc. Everyone was thrilled! As for Mama, she bought H--U--G--E Christmas sacks that she filled all yearlong with gifts for each of us. What an array of things that she gave including everything from candy to books and toys for the little kids to cash for everyone! It took hours for everyone to open all of their gifts just as it had last year.

Earlier this month, an ENORMOUS box landed on our front porch via Fed Ex. It was from Chris and Peter. Inside it were gifts for the Christmas Children and our family. Bless Chris' heart, everything was beautifully wrapped and ready to go under the Christmas tree. Peter had been concerned that because of something that I had written on my blog, I would not enjoy one of their gifts. I have not figured out yet what I wrote because I LOVED everything!!! For my birthday you'll remember that they gave me a purple Coach bag and it's matching coin purse and key chain. I was rather embarrassed to pull out my billfold because it was nothing like the bag. That is no longer a problem as they sent me the matching billfold now! YAY!!! I also received a Coach neckscarf. Something that really tickled me was when I opened up an Estee Lauder box and discovered my all-time favorite fragrance, BEAUTIFUL! The very last box was VERY large and contained a very large glamour gold glamour bag and make-up case that carried my brand new Estee Lauder cosmetics all contained in shiny gold containers! To say that they were beautiful would not be doing them justice... They are simply exquisite!!!

I am all set now!!! I was instructed from Mama to take the cash that she gave me and go out and purchase clothes and shoes. Between them and the cosmetics and perfume, I will look much better than I have in a long time. As I mentioned before, I have really taken a skid in my appearance. I just have to start working on that and dress like someone who will make my family proud to be seen with.

Chris and Peter gave Danley a couple of Home Depot gift cards. He could not have been happier with anything else!!! He has had his eye on a couple of tools that he will now purchase PLUS we just discovered another project that we need to get done SOON. These giftcards will be a tremendous help!!!

Leighlyn received a new IPOD with all of the trimmings. She has hardly put it down since Christmas Eve!!! Abigayle received something that she has wanted for two years--an American Doll and clothes!!! She was just tickled pink when she removed the Christmas wrapping!!! They also received more clothes for themselves. I wasn't even allowed to wash them before they wore them!!! (I have this phobia against wearing new clothes that have not been laundered before we wear them. You never know who tried them on before we bought them... LOL!!!)

I don't know how Lori did it but she managed to knit the most beautiful neckscarfs for all of us except for Hunter that I have ever seen!!! She chose colors of yarn that looked great with each of our coats. I cannot believe the beauty of the new yarns out there! For Hunter, she knitted a lap robe that he just adored! There is just something about those gifts that come from your hands. As your hands are working, your heart and mind are thinking of the person whom you are making your creation for... Lori is readying herself to teach the girls and I how to crochet and use the tadpole loom! We can hardly wait!!! Maybe next Christmas, we'll be able to make treasures also!!!

Lona Sue made really neat trivots for everyone. There are no two alike. She personalized each and every one of them just for us! We all thought that she should start making them for a sideline business. They would definitely sell! Lori's knitted and crochet items are also things that so many of us would love to purchase!!! So many young people are not learning how to carry on these arts. If more of us don't learn how to do these things now, crocheting and knitting will be lost to our world just as tatting has all but disappeared.

Anyway, it was a fantastic Christmas with so much joy...

Thank You, Lord, for Your Son, Jesus, and for our family...

VLE-B