December 2022 Magic....

 

...Welcome December...Let the MAGIC begin...

...December is definitely my favorite time of year...

..."Peace on Earth will come to stay when we live Christmas everyday."...

...The colorful Christmas lights or even white lights, Christmas smells and scents

of pine, and the ringing of bells makes it a JOYful, magical time!!...

...When we feel joy, we feel great about ourselves...We feel confident, powerful, 

capable, loveable and fulfilled.  These are good reasons to experience more joy in our life...

...Help others...Spread JOY!...

~~~

Philbrook Museum of Art...

...Christmas wouldn't be the same without dazzling Christmas lights...

...A Saturday night @ the Philbrook Lights has become a tradition that the littles 

Great Uncle Roger & Aunt Debbie started 4 years ago...

...The littles w/ their momma's enjoy this outing every year. 

...(I missed the fun this year b/c of being sick.)... 

...making a craft...

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Camera roll...

...love the jeweled trees she and her momma made...

...notice the finger point...🎄

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...cousin time...

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...when your tummy hurts, a nap in mommy's office is the thing to do...

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...excited to decorate their bedroom tree...

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...being creative w/ fruit after watching a cooking show...

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...lil' Junie A is not feeling too well...

...a trip to the pediatric urgent care diagnosed Flu A...then, Strep...

...her sissy is trying to be helpful..she's taking notes of her symptoms and

trying to get her temp down...( Lil' M may be somewhat annoying to her sis, but sweet...lol)

~

...beginning to feel a little better...

...nothing makes being sick better than a Starbucks drink from their neighbor, Megan...

~~~

...when your school counselor visits your classroom and one gets to pet

the school's comfort dog...

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...Nonni pick up day for dance class...

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...Our bunny and her Mini All Star Pom Squad won STATE ...

...We are so proud of our little star and her team!!!...

~~ 

...w/ Ms. Sherri, owner of Elite...

...w/ their coach...

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...Number 1...1st in State...

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...Aqua Dental Christmas party...

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...getting comfy to enjoy a Christmas movie...

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...Margo's Board and Brush Birthday Party...

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...First day back at school after a week at home...

...Was asleep before they left the school parking...

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...another school day...

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...The holiday traditions you start will become the lasting memories your family

will have in the future...It will leave memories the littles will look forward to all year...

...The one tradition I started with my girls when they were born was collecting

the dated Hallmark ornaments...As they have gotten older, I have changed to the 

"Old World" dated ornament....I have continued the Hallmark dated ornament tradition

w/ my littles...

...Four years ago, I began the 12 days before Christmas with Christmas books...

...I wrapped 12 books and placed them under their trees to open 1 each day leading up to 

Christmas to read before bedtime..

.Lol...This year I found it harder to find books they don't 

already have..

.So, I did 6 days before Christmas...🎄

~

...the Junies' 1st book this year was not a Christmas book...they

had been doing research, so I found a book about 

their research topic...

~~

...At their homes, their momma's have traditions with their Advent calendars,

Elf on the Shelf, and building gingerbread houses, dated ornaments and winter snow globes...

~

...their houses are an early Christmas gift from their Uncle Rog & Aunt Deb...

~~

...the bunny is soooo excited to see Holly and she has twins...

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...the Junies' Ruby and her twins...

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...Utica Square brunch @ Bar Serra...

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1st grade Rise & Shine / Bounce U trip for Facts Master completion...

~

...Bounce U...

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Camera Roll...

...Since pom is over, our bunny was able to come to Poppi & Nonni's for 

an overnight...

...we made glitter ornaments that we've been making every year since she was younger... 

...she spent some time making rubber band bracelets...

...eating her sausage and cheesy scrambled eggs w/ strawberries for breakfast...

...even though it's early, we can't leave Bristow until she's had Subway ice cream...

~~~

...brunch @ Waterfront w/ their momma...

...Then, they met up w/ their dad at the Sapulpa Christmas Chute so the littles

could Christmas shop for each other @ Amber Marie & Co...

...enjoying ice cream @ the Crossroads Cookery...

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...giving thumbs up to their momma's new tortellini soup recipe...

~~~

...Sugar Llama's w/ her momma...

...Yummy...

~

~~~

Christmas w/ Paul's kids...

...on the morning porch, teaching the grands to play "Shut the Box"...

...a game our friend, PD,  from the Little Orange Barn custom built for us...

...Paul w/ his older brother, Joe...

...Michael and family above...

...Megan and family below...

...Mattie's family has one w/ the flu, so they are missing...

lol...our try at a selfie since we missed getting our pic taken...

...our plan was to spend some time by our outdoor fireplace but we had wind and it was cold...

~~~

Camera roll...

...Freedom's Christmas sing-a-long...

...how cute is this...friends dressed alike...

~

...the Junies' 1st grade class Christmas party...

...w/ Mrs. Moore...

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...friend's playdate...

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,,,the bunny's 3rd grade class Christmas party...

...building an elf tower...

...w/ Ms. Rubach...

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...God's masterpiece caught on camera by Andy Horton...

...Oh, what a beautiful sunset!...

~

...Looking forward to more daylight hours...

~

...her smile...she's happy to be home w/ momma...

...Char Char is moving in for some of her soup...lol!

...her momma bought a cookie kit from a neighbor girl...

...it will be a project for them to do for Christmas...

~~

...the neighbor girls went to Bar Serra for dinner...

~~~

...December 22nd...the MONSTER winter storm...the BOMB CYCLONE..

..."Once in a Generation" storm BLAST the US...

...starting w/ temps dropping...Tulsa @ 4:30am..37 degrees; @ 7:15 am...14 degrees 

and the temp continued to drop...

...ice, high wind w/ gust...blowing snow, low visibility...

...First time ever a "snow squall warning" was issued in Tulsa/NE Ok...

...It is COLD!😰🥶...

...I am certain Char Char got the weather report...

~~~

...the girls live approximately a mile apart...

...Linz made it w/ the bunny to YaYa's and the Junies' home...

...helping their momma make pretzel/m&m bites...

~~

...they enjoyed the afternoon together...just chillin'...

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...more of their 6 days til Christmas books...

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...back home for the night w/ her sweet kitty...

~~~

...Just look @ this sweet girl...💗

...my great niece  (KB's daughter) who lives in London...

~~~

...Another COLD day...the temperature moved up a few degrees...luckily the

roads were clear and we were grateful to have a sunny day...

..Ali getting cozy to watch the TODAY show spotlighting the 

Route 66 Sapulpa Christmas Chute...

 ...It's Julie Chin w/ Channel 2 Tulsa orchestrating between Sapulpa & NYC TODAY...

~~~

...back together again...💓

~~~

Christmas Eve day...

...Since my dad passed in 2008, Christmas Eve has always been spent at our home

with my siblings and families...Covid changed Christmas in 2020, and it still hasn't been 

the same.  Now, everyone is fighting covid, flu and RSV.  So, this year we are 

without my sister and her family....

...We didn't let it interfere with enjoying our girls and littles, along w/ my older brother,

Ronnie and Patti and their daughter, Audrey Paige w/ Jason and my lil' great nephew, 

Asher Doyle, and my younger brother's daughter, Katie w/ Kyle and their 2 little boys, Henry

and Charlie.  Plus, the girls' Uncle Roger and Aunt Debbie joined us.  

...We enjoyed opening gifts and watching the littles play a candy cane game, snacking 

on appetizers, drinking eggnog and eating PH pizza.  (imagine that...lol)🍕

~~

...(living room Christmas tree)...

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

...I can never NOT post this pic...

...Our last picture together...Christmas 2007...

...Never to be forgotten...Dad, Mom and brother, Kevin...💓💓💓

~

...Father, in the moments, when memories return in the midst of "no longer" and

sadness returns, help us to find comfort knowing our parents and brother and the

girl's dad are experiencing heavenly JOY and peace w/ no pain.

Father, help us to live daily with a JOYful heart and the HOPE of eternal life

with our loved ones...AMEN!

~~~

...the bunny opening her last book...6 days before Christmas...

...YaYa comes by to pick up the bunny & her momma...

...the Junies got their gift from the bunny...(glow in the dark sleeping bags and

squish mello houseshoes)...

~~

...and they're all FIVE off to Poppi & Nonni's...a lot of excitement in the car...lol!

~

...Poppi playing "Shut the Box" w/ the littles and their momma's...

~

...playing the game, TENZI...

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...door greeters for our 1st group of family...

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...Aunt Debbie and Uncle Roger...

~

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...Oh, how I love these littles...💓💓💓

~~~

...missed getting a pic of the dining room w/ the adults...

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...2 of my 7 great nephews...

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...w/ Katie  (Kevin's daughter) and Kyle's boys...

...Henry & Charlie...

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...the girl cousins...missing Lauren & Abby...

...Ron & Patti...

...Jason & Audrey Paige...

...w/ Asher, Paul's lil' buddy...

~~~

...missing our sister and her family this year...

...so it's just the two of us....

...the two of us...1956...

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...the girls playing pass the candy cane...

...They actually maneuvered it back n forth quite well...

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...clubroom tree...

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...opening family gifts...

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...Brea reading "The Night Before Christmas"...

...and to all a goodnight...Merry Christmas!...

~~~

Christmas night...

...Thank you dear 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 blessings which Christ brings, and 

teach us to be merry with clear, loving hearts...

...Thank you for the many reasons we have been given a Merry Christmas...Amen!

~~~

Christmas morning and day...

...Believing in the Magic of Christmas...

...Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can not see...

...Christmas morning @ Lin-z'...

~~~

...Poppi and I dropped by to see what Santa had brought our bunny...

...She surprised me with a gift that she and her momma made w/

some of my jewelry, her mom's and a few pieces of momo's...

...It will always be a special part of Christmas...

...So speical made w/ love...

~~

...She loves her 2 animals...

...practicing on her pogo stick that Uncle Rog and Aunt Deb gave her...

...waiting for her dad to pick her up to spend Christmas day and night w/ him...

~~~

...Christmas morning @ Ali's...

~

~

...the Junies w/ their dog, Perry, who is getting old...

...playing w/ their LOL cabin...

...Poppi and Nonni came to see what Santa left for the Junies...

...leaving w/ their dad to go to Grampies & Nana's for the day...

~~~

...waiting for Lin-z to have Christmas lunch prepared by Ali...

...cherry dump cake for dessert while playing a card game...

...great way to spend Christmas afternoon...

...we had several good belly laughs...

...good for the mind and soul...

~~~

...Paul and I ended Christmas evening watching football with a 

blazing fire...

~~~

Camera roll...

...Lil' A is sick again...another trip to Dr. Bhrani's...

...Strep for her 2nd time...😢

~~~

...feeling better and more than 24 hours fever free...

...these girls needed out of the house...

...lunch at Napa Flatts...Then, the movies to see "Puss n' Boots"...

~~~

New Year's Day & Eve...

...Morning coffee and LOLtarts @ the Little Orange Barn...

~~~

...lil' M lost a tooth...her 4th!...

~~

.

...enjoying the weather and getting ready to celebrate NY's eve...

...preparing for the NYE night...

...Ali making the girls a "balloon drop"...

...afternoon snack time...

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...the Junies and the bunny w/ 2 of the neighbor girls eating pizza for dinner...

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...Countdown...one hour of center games before the balloon drop...

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...back to Mel's to celebrate Stella's b-day w/ cake...

...(her sister's are the girls staying w/ Ali tonight)...

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...The COUNTDOWN...

...Joe, Megan and Reid joined in on the fun...

...Joe dropped the balloons...

~

~

...memories forever...

~

...HAPPY 2023 NEW YEAR...📣📣📣

...the bunny is being YaYa's helper...

...settling down...lil' A is the first one asleep...she is saying her ear hurts...

...Uh oh!  Ali has bed visitors...lol!

~

...the end to 2022 ... and the beginning of a new day, new month and new year breakfast...

...with lil' A not feeling her best...

...Urgent Care trip...Now, an ear infection...She can't get a break...🙏🙏

~~~

...Thank you Father for guiding us through every season of this year...

...Help us put aside the anxiety about the future and the past, so

that we might live in peace...

...May every day glow with Joy, Peace, and Love for my family & friends...Amen!

     XOXO!    from Our 5 Acre Woods...

Throwback pics...

...My girls...taking it back to 1988...

...Lin-z age 7 and Ali age 9 years...

...their stockings made by their momo...

~~

...

...Grandchildren are a Blessing...

...A gift from above...

...Precious little angels...

...To cherish and to love...

💓💓💓

...and, I love them so...

~~~~~~~~~