Quiet Christmas...20º

Fresh snow, sunshine, good food and memories...Christmas has been celebrated in many ways at our house, starting with Santa, chimney, toys, cookies and milk,...The yearly hunt for just the right Christmas Tree, hours spent making ornaments, cookies and candy...Grandparents visiting to share in the excitement...Gifts of new sleds and saucers, snow suits, parkas and boots, hand knit mittens and caps...Searching for enough snow so everyone could have the thrill of the hill...Laughter, board games, card games and the favorite Christmas specials on TV...Then the teen years, when new clothes were modeled, records and books, ski's and boots were high on the list...The empty nest brought all kinds of changes as we celebrated Christmas two days before the actual date or even a week later...Now margarita glasses were under the tree, gifts were opened and we toasted the New Year...One year when neither child came on Christmas day, Herb and I took in a movie, "Crocodile Dundee" and dinner in LaGrande...Christmas at the Oregon Coast, a rented house overlooking the ocean, 3 dogs, son, daughter, son-in-law, two sets of parents all joined in the fun...Jumping ahead, Cienna arrived and Christmas took on a new/old look as we did Santa, chimney, cookies and milk!..Sixteen years we had a new focus and the fun began all over again...As she reached the teen years we celebrated "Thanksmas" with less travel and more about quality time with our family whenever we can get together, whether it be July or December..This year it is really "empty nest" as Cienna flew away to Thailand where she is having one adventure after another...We at home are having a quiet, peaceful holiday and toasting the New Year...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Thanksmas 2013