...December is absolutely my favorite time of the year...
...The colorful Christmas lights, Christmas smells and scents of pine, and the ringing of bells
makes it a JOYful, magical time!...
...2020 will be a year never to be forgotten...
...the Covid 19 virus brought about many changes...
...mask wearing; hand washing, along with sanitizer; and social distancing...
...limited travel...school's distance learning/virtual learning and more...
~~~
....waiting and excited to meet Rosey, the reindeer...and looking forward to Christmas...
~
~~
~~~
Camera roll...
...momma reading The Elf on the Shelf story...
,,,they named their elf...Ruby...
...Ruby brought them Christmas mask...
~~~
...Ali peeked in on preK's zoom just as M was on....
...a look of concentration...
~~~
....ready for dance night...
~~~
...our bunny is home w/ her momma and Holly came back...
...the bunny was so excited to see Holly...
~~
...a Nonni pick up day and she is anxiously playing while waiting on her momma to get home...
~~~
...Holly fixed the bunny's breakfast...
~
...using her British accent to tell her momma "she loved her"...
~~~
...the Junies had an "Oops" so now Ruby has extra help...
~
...working with an ass't on their Distance Learning @ school w/ other staff kiddos...
~~
...momma's helper in the kitchen...
...fixing salad for their plates...
~~~
...distance learning pajama day...
...movie w/ popcorn in the library...
~~~
...eating @ Napa Flatts before going to Philbrook...
...the bunny and I had gone shopping @ Stash while the others ordered food...
~~~
...A Saturday night @ Philbrook Lights w/ Uncle Roger and Aunt Debbie...
...the littles are always happy to see their great uncle & aunt and enjoy Philbrook with them ...
...social distancing w/ Santa in the background was a little different than last year but sums
up their experiences of 2020...a year that will not be forgotten...
...fire pit making s'mores....
...enjoying s'mores and hot chocolate...
...picture just before their coats came off to roll down the hill...
...had a lot of fun doing something so simple...
~
...their pre Christmas surprise gift...gingerbread houses for all 3 littles...
~~~
...the 3 littles w/ their mommas...
...always appreciate B going to help...
~~~
...giving Sucker attention...
~~~
...Ruidoso, NM...
...seeing our favorite mountain village pics...
...oh, how we miss it...
~~~
...their dad came to help put it together...
...Ali said they got a big laugh b/c one of the twins said to him...
..."YOU are bossier than our grandma"...that's Nonni! 🤣🤣
...working on coloring their giant cardboard Gingerbread House...
~~
...doing what he loves...
...putting Christmas lights up outside...
~~~
..."6 days of Christmas" books to open before Christmas...
...this is a tradition that Nonni started for the littles last Christmas...
~~~~
...making their Gingerbread Houses that Uncle Roger and Aunt Debbie
gave them for a pre Christmas gift...
~
~~~
...a drive by the Kringle's Christmas House...
...located in Jenks...
...won $50,000. on the Christmas Light Fight Show...
...the owner is originally from Sapulpa...
~~~
...another book...
~~~
...Holly surprised her w/ a note celebrating her 1/2 b-day...
~~~
Coronavirus 19 update:
...This morning's covid report...12/11/2020...
...This has been the worst week of covid deaths since the beginning...
The US has had 3100+ deaths in one day...yesterday...
...And, they say it's only going to get worse...
...
...The hodge podge of restrictions in different states and cities causes the bigger issue...
...It is sad that people are dying from illnesses and diseases not related to covid because
there are no hospital beds available...
...I am disappointed that our governor of OK has not made a mask mandate...😠
~~~
Camera roll...
...Oh, the places Holly finds to surprise one...
~
...Leaving school for her eye appointment...
...picked out new glasses...
....our bunny is excited to get them ordered to wear to school...
~~
...Utica Square pics...
~
...our little bunny showing her momma how to draw an elf...
~~~
...donut breakfast w/ a sausage roll in their momma's office...
~~
Twins' PreK Class Christmas party...
~~~
Camera roll...
...12/12/2020...
...Overnight the FDA approved the first vaccine in the US...
...It will be a huge task, but may be the light at the end of the tunnel...
...It will be given in phases...
...Dr Fauci said that the US could be back to normal by summer or fall if everyone gets vaccinated...
I believe, I am in for this vaccination...
~~~
...giving Char some attention before she leaves for her dad's...
~~~
...Snow brings about happiness with the kids...it's just so magical...
...a peek out our dining room window...
...The first significant snow in 7 years...
...the day finished w/ 5+ inches...
...There's some thing peaceful and magical about snow....
...I never outgrow the excitement of looking out and seeing falling snow!...
~~
....Snow Day 2020 was a blast!...⛄
...Thankful Izzy came to the recue with the Snowman Dress up kit...
...the bunny was with her dad, so she brought hers to the twins...
...Now, Nonni has ordered the bunny a new one...
~~
...Our princess bunny enjoying the snow at her dad's...
...she loves their dog, Lucia, which was her mom's dog, too...
...She worries that Lucia is getting old...
~~~
...Our temporary neighbors....
...this lil' guy's first snow...
Today, Dec. 14th...
....The Electoral College is finally meeting today to cast their ballots...
...President-elect, Joe Biden, is projected to win 306 electoral votes...fair & square sealing
President Trump's loss after the Supreme Court rejected his last-ditch effort to overturn the results...
...It's done...it's finished...The Electoral College clinched President-elect, Joe Biden's victory...
...This winds down the most contentious election in US history...
.~~~
Camera roll...
...a beautiful masterpiece from our Father above...
...Oh, what a beautiful sunrise...
(photo credit: D. Hallman)
~~~
...It's a day to be excited about for sure...
...I am thankful for those that have stood up to be first in line...
~~~
...It's a Nonni Day...
...As soon as she gets home from being at her dad's , she gets busy playing with her stuff...
~
....eating snow ice cream from the week-end snow...
...yes, we scraped off the top layer...
...it was yummy, but we decided fresh snow makes the best...
~
...another book she unwrapped...
...we will wait, and she will read it w/ her momma...
~~~
...our bunny on the right w/ her class doing a pretzel...
~~
...finished distance learning in class, so working in their momma's office...
~~~
~~~
slumber night @ Nonni & Poppi's...
...our Junies excited to be here and super excited to see their stockings hanging...
...relaxing and coloring on the morning porch...
...notice their coloring...they color better than most in first grade...
~
...lil' A helping in the kitchen, while M is taking a nap...
~~
~~
...sometimes with three, one always feels left out...
...for the most part, they truly love each other...Cousins....
~~~
Big 12 Championship...
🏈...BOOMER SOONER...🏈
...OU's 6th straight Big 12 Championship...
OU 27 - Iowa 21
Camera roll...
...movie night @ their neighbor friends...
...this one likes being with the dogs...
~~~
Friends brunch and Christmas craft morning...
~~~
...Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...
...How lovely are thy branches...
...missing his son, Michael, and his family...one of the girls hasn't felt well...
...b/c of the CDC recommended group numbers and the temp was not too cold, we ate outdoors...
~
...6 out of 8 grands...
~
...Michael and his fam a few days later...
~
...Awww, he loves me...💋
~~~
...My youngest niece, Abby, and her best friend, Craig...
...Congratulations!💓💓...
~~~
Winter solstice...
...Today is Winter Solstice...the shortest day of the year., which means, from now on everyday will get a little longer....looking forward for more daylight hours...
~~~
Camera roll...
...our Junies on a Turkey Mountain hike w/ their dad...
...they seemed to enjoy...
M's comment: We didn't whine or cry. We were tough....
~~~
....great night for being pulled around the neighborhood admiring the twinkling sparkle
of
Christmas lights
and drinking hot chocolate...
~~~
...this bunny has been begging for months to have her ears pierced...
...as afraid as she is of her flu shots and immuniztion shots, her mom and dad thought "no way"...
...I will say this year's flu shot went much better b/c she knew she needed to show bravery if she wanted her ears pierced...
...She nailed it...anxiety, yes! But, no tears...
~~~
~~
...making reindeer food for Christmas Eve...
~~
~~
...finishing the Polar Express...
~~~
~~~
...opening gifts w/ B and momma...
...making Christmas sugar cookies...
~~~
~~~
~~~
Christmas Eve Day...
...Christmas Eve has always been spent at our home with my siblings and family.
Covid changed Christmas 2020. We didn't let it interfere with enjoying our girls and littles, along with Uncle Roger and Aunt Debbie. We enjoyed opening gifts and filling out jolly bellies w/
hor'dovers, tortellini soup, and rum cake, along with Honey Bubbles Sparkling Moscato Wine and
Chocolate Bombs for the littles...
...Rejoice in the Spirit of Christmas which is peace...
...The Miracle of Christmas which is Hope...
...and the Heart of Christmas which is Love...
~~
~~
...loved my charcuterie board...
~~
...something is funny...but, I'm not sayin'...
~
~~~
...💖💖...
...our last Christmas pic together w/ our parents...
...never to be forgotten...dad, mom, and our brother, Kevin...
~~~
Christmas Eve...
....spreading reindeer food for Rudolph and his crew...
...reading The NIght Before Christmas...
~...BELIEVING in the magic of Christmas...
...Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see....
~~~
...Thank you Father for this Holy Night and all it represents...
...Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise
men...
...Father, help us close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world...
...Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts...
...Thank you for the many reasons we have been given a Merry Christmas!...Amen...
~~~
Christmas morning @ Ali's...
Christmas morning ....@ Linz'...
Christmas breakfast w/ Linz & the bunny...
...ready for her dad's Christmas...
~~~
Christmas lunch @ Ali's...
...their scooters from Nonni & Poppi...
~~~the Junies' Christmas w/ their dad....
~
...w/ the Owens' girl cousins...
~
~~~
Cameral roll....
Junies' home and snuggled with their All American dolls in matching pj's...
~~~
~
Roosevelt's on Cherry Street...
~
.
...We enjoyed this cozy, festive day @ Roosevelt's...
❄❄🎄🎄💕💕💕🎉🎉❄❄
~~~
...the bunny says: hey, he has floppy years and a tail...
🏈...BOOMER SOONER...🏈
🏈~~~🏈
December 31...
...these Junies woke up happy....BOOMER!...
~~~
...Even this guy, an OSU poke's fan, is not too proud to wear RED....
...He loves his Inn of the Mountain God hat that Ali ordered him for Christmas...Plus,
his Ruidoso sweat shirt....
...This guy! This guy is constantly working...Taking calls at lunch, at night.........!💓
~~~
...Eating lunch @ Ted's before the NY eve crowd starts stirring...
...Spending the NYE w/ their dad...
~~~
...the bunny going to her "Aerial" class...
...She is with her dad for NYE...
~~~
...Grandchidren are a blessing...
...A gift from above...
...Precious little angels...
...To cherish and to love...
💓💓💓
...It is an honor to be their "Nonni"...
...and I love them so...
~~~
...Thank you Father for guiding us through every season of this year....this very challenging year..2020! So many have lost so much: the most disheartening is the 320,000+ lives lost and counting...So much of a shock to our system, at every level. Father, we pray for healing.
Help us to put aside anxiety about the future and the past, so that we might live in peace...May every day glow with joy and love for my family and friends.... XOXO!
...I am looking forward for things to return to normal, but I think we will be forever changed...
...Hopefully the heartache of the pandemic will fade with time...
...I am thankful to our brilliant scientists for whose tireless work make us the beneficiaries...
...I, for one, will be ready to get the vaccine....
from Our Five Acre Woods