Christmas Morning, Two Day's Late

Ian helping with making the oyster dressing

Presents from Michelle/Craig

Presents from Ryan/Heather ( with more hidden for
surprises)

Presents from us

Lily Ryann seeing what Daddy's present was 

Vivi gets a little help from Mama

Not what the box says....Craig

Genavive's turn

Next it's Heather's turn 

With so many people in our family now, it makes opening presents so much fun.  The Peterson rule is, one person opens a present  and every one watches.  This way we know what everyone receives and we can " oohhhh and ahhhhh over it all.  Before the present opening begins, we have to get the Christmas turkey/oyster dressing in the oven.  We eat our Christmas dinner at noon.  This way, we just have to dig out the left overs come evening time and we don't have to worry about cooking again.  As Michelle said when it was all over with...".we hadn't had such a nice Christmas in a long, long time."  I'm so glad that the kids have decided to make coming to Alabama ( even if it's a couple days late) a  new tradition.

Family Photo Shoot

Our baby Santa

Lily Ryann and Aunt Shell

Ian and Lily Ryann

Ian , the chicken man

Ryan's family

Craig/Michelle

Oona and the kids

Brother/Sister

Oona/Papa with Ryan's family

After all of the fun of opening Christmas presents and getting Christmas dinner in the oven, we had a family  "photo shoot".  Pictures that we will cherish for years to come.  Our little Vivi Santa was down for a nap but we did get plenty of Christmas pictures of her also.  I think the kids will all remember this Christmas and say....." do you remember when we did all the silly pictures at Oona/Grandma's/Papa's/Grand daddy's that Christmas!!!!"  After all, it's all about making memories.

$1 Christmas Bolt

Kitchen windows 

About two weeks before Christmas, I was still decorating.  Let me tell you about the story of the $1 bolt of tacky Christmas fabric.  About three years ago, Lady Melanie brought me a whole bolt, with the plastic still on it, of what looked like tacky Christmas fabric.  She had found it at a garage sale.  We laughed and laughed on what we could use this tacky fabric for.  I never came up with any ideas so the bolt got put on the shelf when I moved over to the studio.  At times, I kinda forgot about it.  THEN!  one day a couple weeks before Christmas, I was in the bathroom ( where I get most of my brain storm ideas....not really) and it came to me what I could use the fabric for.  I went to the studio and unwrapped the bolt and as I unwound it, it became prettier and prettier to me.  My idea lit up in my head and I started sewing.  After measuring and counting tabs that I would need to make, I made the first panel of new " Christmas curtains for the kitchen"!  They turned out beautifully so I got busy making the other panel.  I loved them!!!  Now that my brain was working on what to do with the " tacky Christmas fabric", I made four matching place mats and four matching napkins  for the kitchen table.  Next, since I had given the grand kids all Christmas pillow cases, last year, I made four pillowcases out of the Christmas bolt for the adult kids.  Yes, I still have about 1/3 of the bolt left but just give me another year and I'll come up with something to do with it.  Maybe ten matching stockings? ..........

Traditional Pizzelles

It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't make " pizzelles".  I have been making them for years.  Chuck's Dad also used to make them to share with the family. Michelle now has his pizzelle maker.  This year, I ended up making three batches.  I know....took forever!!!  but so worth it.  Every year my book club has a cookie swap and the first batch, I took there.  Then, I doubled the recipe and made another batch.  All in all, I think it came to around 90 pizzelles.  This last batch will be shared with some friends and the kids when they come up for our " after Christmas, family Christmas"   Just looking at the pictures makes me want to go to the kitchen and get one......seeeee ya later.

Courtland's Christmas Open House

Free Carriage Rides

House used for a hospital in the Civil War

This house was "open" the last time we came

Here comes the carriage to pick us up for the next house

Beautiful decorations around town

A young couple's beautiful house

1800's Church

Upstairs of the Church

Hoping that someday this house will be on the tour.

Three years ago,  Chuck and I went to Courtland's ( a little town close by) Christmas Open House.  It was so much fun that we decided to do it again this year.  The town has a pretty little park in the middle of their square and they had Christmas music playing ...loudly, I have to say but when you are walking around town it is nice that you can hear it.  This year, there were two horse drawn carriages to carry people around town if they didn't want to walk from house to house.  We ended up riding three times....only because it was so much fun.  Each house that is open is decorated for Christmas inside and out.  Plus, they each have refreshments set out for everyone to help themselves.  We toured five houses and the Presbyterian Church that was built in the 1800's.  One of the houses belonged to a young couple who had only been married for two years and who had a new born baby boy.  Their house was adorable!  They had spent the last two years working on this old house, turning it into a show case.  On their TV, they had "before" pictures of each room.  It's amazing what you can do with something so run down and turn it into a place where anyone would want to live.  The first house we went into was used for a hospital in the Civil War.  There are all kinds of stories to go with this house.  One, was the wooden floor in the dining room was replaced because it was used as the operating room and they couldn't get all the blood up, so they just replaced the boards to the floor.  Even though Chuck and I had been on this tour before, it was a very fun Christmas afternoon and will put it on our list " to do" at Christmas time.  Little towns are the BEST!!!!

A Little Bit of Christmas

Our tiny little Alabama Christmas tree

My 1980's tree I made but updated

Family Christmas presents

My $ Store Christmas dishes but now cost $15 a plate

Table set for our Christmas dinner

Dining room decorated

I made this Christmas tree quilt in the 1990's.  

Christmas just keeps growing here at Brambly Pines.  I was going to keep it simple but it seems like I just keep finding more and more Christmas to decorate with.  Wait until you see what I came up with this week.  ( it will be in another post)  I think my favorite room to decorate is the dining room.  I love the fact that I bought my Christmas dishes at the $ Store about 8 years ago.  I bought 8 of them....so that would be only $8.  Well, since then, I have seen them in magazines for $15 a plate.  This is the true price for them because a friend of mine has them and that is what she paid.  I know!!!  best bargain that I ever found, huh?  Not only did I get them for cheap, but they are really pretty with cardinals on them so that is the theme of my decorating in the dining room.  We have so many cardinals here in the woods of Brambly Pines that it just seems appropriate to decorate that way.
   About 25 or so years ago, I made one of those ceramic Christmas trees like everyone else in the world had.  I also gave one to my dear Christina that year for Christmas.  Yes, we both still have them and get them out every year.  A couple years ago, I did replace all the multi colored lights to all white lights.  I left the little red cardinal lights on there.  It's now an updated vintage tree that I cherish.  Christina cherishes hers also.  She puts it out at the first of Advent every year and says a little part of me is there with her.
    We still have a couple more presents to buy and wrap  and a couple carts full of food to buy before the kids get here but all in all, I'm pretty much ready for Christmas.  Merry Christmas to everyone!!!!

On the First Day of Christmas...

Presents from Michelle

Presents from Melanie

Six years ago when we moved up here and were freezing to death in the TT with no electricity, heat or running water, it was right at Christmas time.  It was just Chuck and I and the two cats.  You think I would have been depressed not having our kids around us for Christmas or no real Christmas dinner.  Well, I missed it all but I was in all my glory just living in Alabama after all the years of my dreams.  Twelve days before Christmas here came a present in the mail from Michelle.  Another one the next day and the next...for 12 days.  That is when it all started...."The 12 Days of Christmas"  The next year, Michelle and I decided we would do it for each other since it had been so much fun for me the year before.  It sounds like a lot to buy but you have all year to pick up little things for each other.  They don't have to be BIG presents...they can come from the $ Store or even a thrift store.  Just something little that you know each other would like.  Of course  Christmas Day is the 12th day so that is when we give each other our " real Christmas present".  We exchange all of our wrapped presents with each other on Thanksgiving.  That way we have them to start opening on December 14th.  It is just too much fun to have a present to open every day for 12 Days.  Not only that, but we either talk or text each other about the presents we have received that day. It's nice getting 12 " thank yous" also.   After six years of doing this, I think it has become a tradition between Michelle and I.

Since this has become so much fun, Lady Melanie asked if I wanted to do 12 Days with her also.  Of course I did!  Who wouldn't want to have TWO presents to open every morning!!! The tradition that Michelle started six years ago is spreading.  Not only is Melanie doing it with me, but she is doing it with her oldest grand daughter.  Christina did it for her great grand daughter this year also.  So if you want a lot of Christmas fun......find someone to do "12 Days of Christmas" with you.  I wish I could do it with everyone that I love.  ( I know, I'd have to win the lotto....but it sure would be fun)  .....on the first day of Christmas....my true love gave to me....an ornament for our tree!