Awash with Memories!

As of 6:20pm the tree had its last ornament hung on it. Hallelujah!!!!! Graham was over this afternoon and he said, "You have a lot of interesting ornaments." And, he spoke the truth...we have a lot of ornaments AND they are interesting and most have a story behind them. I told a few of them to Graham and Abigail this afternoon. As I hang the ornaments on the tree I have special thoughts about whoever gave them to me. So some of you have definitely been in my thoughts and prayers over the last several days. It has been a bit of an emotional time for me this year as Mother has given us so many ornaments over the years. Mother made quite a few that are on the tree. So, along with the joy of seeing each of the ornaments as I took them out of their boxes and hung them on the tree, there has also been a bit of sadness this time around. But definitely there is joy for me now that the tree is done. Now Woody can do one of his Christmas decorating jobs...putting the puzzle of boxes back in the Christmas closet. It will be good to be able to walk down our hall without obstructions once again!

Woody walked his four-mile route today. It was sunny, but brisk out today. His big job of the day was making two huge batches of Chex Mix. Yummmmmmmmmmm! It must be Christmas! It is rather adictive...once you take the first bite, it is hard to not go back for more bites! Late this afternoon he and Abigail made a few visits inviting some folk to the Night in Bethlehem/Living Nativity at First Baptist Church in Tullahoma on December 21, 22, 23. Abigail juggled scarves for them. The Dazzling Dorrell's will be performing all three nights once again. Must be Christmas, when I start talking about the Living Nativity!!! We ordered the last of our Christmas presents (I think/hope) today and another one came in the mail. That completed the "pickle present" for this year...must be Christmas when I start talking about the "pickle present!"

I will explain our pickle present tradition, though I am sure that I have done this in a blog in past Decembers (so, for those who remember, please forgive my repetition). I hide a pickle ornament on the tree. When we have our family Christmas celebration all the grandchildren try to find the pickle. The first one who finds it gets to open the "pickle present." The pickle present is for all the grandchildren and whatever happens to be in the box or bag that year stays at Grammy and Goosey's house for all of them to enjoy. They have great fun looking for the pickle. I'm sure that the little ones will start having "pickle practice." That is practice spotting the pickle prior to our Christma celebration! The pickle gets moved quite a few times prior to Christmas. Each year a different adult hides the pickle so it isn't always in the same spot. We adults always think that we have hidden it really well, but it doesn't usually take very long for one of the children to spot it. It is quite the coveted thing among the grands to be "the one" who finds it!