Tag: family

  • party girl

    Evidence….she's One Hundred years old!  It was a terrific party – attended by aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, cousins, kids, grandchildren, great grandchildren.  May we all be so lucky to live such a life!

    MWGrandma100c

  • party girl

    Evidence….she's One Hundred years old!  It was a terrific party – attended by aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, cousins, kids, grandchildren, great grandchildren.  May we all be so lucky to live such a life!

    MWGrandma100c

  • 1/1 = 100

    On January 1st my Grandma Kelly will be 100!  One hundred!  I'm heading home today so I can be at the party.  Hope you had a blessed Christmas.  We got snow on the eve, it was beautiful.  More snow today!

     

    Mwgrandma100

     

    MWgrandma100b

  • 1/1 = 100

    On January 1st my Grandma Kelly will be 100!  One hundred!  I'm heading home today so I can be at the party.  Hope you had a blessed Christmas.  We got snow on the eve, it was beautiful.  More snow today!

     

    Mwgrandma100

     

    MWgrandma100b

  • happy merry greetings

    MWXMAS2012

     

    However you celebrate the season, I wish you the very best now and for the New Year.  Always feeling reflective at this time of year, I know I am such a lucky girl.  Thank you for your continued friendship.

     

    If you can find a spare five minutes in the hustle and bustle, I think you will enjoy this: 

     

    MWHOLYNIGHT

  • happy merry greetings

    MWXMAS2012

     

    However you celebrate the season, I wish you the very best now and for the New Year.  Always feeling reflective at this time of year, I know I am such a lucky girl.  Thank you for your continued friendship.

     

    If you can find a spare five minutes in the hustle and bustle, I think you will enjoy this: 

     

    MWHOLYNIGHT

  • to the magic makers

    MWxmaswrap12

    I'm still wrapping.  Are you?  I thought I was on a good pace….numerous trips to the post office shipping gift packages and orders, nearly everything on the to-do lists is done but I'm still writing out cards, and still wrapping and baking….and tomorrow is Christmas Eve!  No matter how much I try to be organized I am always down to the last minute with holiday preparation.  I could ask for help, but that would take away the surprise and sneaky selections I've made as gifts.  No, I am happy to be the chief elf.  I am lucky to have that role.  As I write out each gift tag I think about this great position I'm in to continue making Christmas a magical time – even though our kids are no longer little.  It's the lights, the sparkle, the surprises, the LOVE….and tomorrow night at church we will pause, pray, and lift our voices in song.  I'm rushing to beat the clock, but I'm grinning through it.  As you enter into final-preparation-mode, like the rest of us, think about how lucky you are to be the magic-maker for your family. 

     

    I've mentioned this before – one of our family traditions is to collect souvenir spoons on our travels.  Brought out each December, it is fun to remember places we've been together as we hang each spoon on the tree.  This year we get to add a few new ones.  I think this makes at least 6 from England, and now we have two from Italy.  One purchased, one stolen (gasp!).  If you sift through the box you'll see a newish one from New Orleans, an old one from Traverse City, several from Boston and Minnesota, and a special one from New York when the twin towers were still part of the skyline. 

     

    MWxmasnewspoons12

    I would ask you to share with me some of your unusual holiday traditions….but you should be wrapping!  We will talk about it another time…..for now, I'm raising a glass to toast you, the magic-makers. 

  • to the magic makers

    MWxmaswrap12

    I'm still wrapping.  Are you?  I thought I was on a good pace….numerous trips to the post office shipping gift packages and orders, nearly everything on the to-do lists is done but I'm still writing out cards, and still wrapping and baking….and tomorrow is Christmas Eve!  No matter how much I try to be organized I am always down to the last minute with holiday preparation.  I could ask for help, but that would take away the surprise and sneaky selections I've made as gifts.  No, I am happy to be the chief elf.  I am lucky to have that role.  As I write out each gift tag I think about this great position I'm in to continue making Christmas a magical time – even though our kids are no longer little.  It's the lights, the sparkle, the surprises, the LOVE….and tomorrow night at church we will pause, pray, and lift our voices in song.  I'm rushing to beat the clock, but I'm grinning through it.  As you enter into final-preparation-mode, like the rest of us, think about how lucky you are to be the magic-maker for your family. 

     

    I've mentioned this before – one of our family traditions is to collect souvenir spoons on our travels.  Brought out each December, it is fun to remember places we've been together as we hang each spoon on the tree.  This year we get to add a few new ones.  I think this makes at least 6 from England, and now we have two from Italy.  One purchased, one stolen (gasp!).  If you sift through the box you'll see a newish one from New Orleans, an old one from Traverse City, several from Boston and Minnesota, and a special one from New York when the twin towers were still part of the skyline. 

     

    MWxmasnewspoons12

    I would ask you to share with me some of your unusual holiday traditions….but you should be wrapping!  We will talk about it another time…..for now, I'm raising a glass to toast you, the magic-makers. 

  • turkeys, nutcrackers, and rock stars

    MWThanksgiving2012

    First, let me wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  There is so much to be thankful for, especially this year as we reflect on all that has happened in our neck of the woods.  I am grateful for the walls and roof of our home, with full power restored to cook a turkey and all the trimmings.  I am grateful for my family – my parents are arriving soon to celebrate around the table with us.  I am grateful for an entire trunk full of memories visiting family and friends in England, and seeing the glorious sites of Venice. I'm a lucky girl.

     

    MWNutcrackerArticle

    With all that went on recently I wasn't able to share this news.  My latest Somerset Studio column came out November 1st, Make It Your Own: Nutcrackers.  I love nutcrackers!!!  It finally occured to me to put my own spin on them.   If you think you want to try it I recommend shopping Hobby Lobby – they have a wonderful unfinished large nutcracker this season.  My store is sold out and they aren't re-ordering :(  You could also buy a cheapy one from the dollar store and sand off all the cheesey sequins and add your own handsome bits to it.  Here are three of mine…the Royal Guard was described, but the photo was inadvertently left out of the article, so I will share here.

     

    MWNutcrackerSteampunkSentry

    MWNutcrackerWinterPrince

    MWNutcrackerRoyalGuard

    And if you don't want to go full-out with embellishment, you can always just spray paint a solid color.  They look cool too.

    MWNutcrackerPlain

    Again, Happy Thanksgiving!  And since tomorrow is 11/22, I have to wish my favorite rock star Hyvää Syntymäpäivää.

     

    MWVV112212

  • turkeys, nutcrackers, and rock stars

    MWThanksgiving2012

    First, let me wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  There is so much to be thankful for, especially this year as we reflect on all that has happened in our neck of the woods.  I am grateful for the walls and roof of our home, with full power restored to cook a turkey and all the trimmings.  I am grateful for my family – my parents are arriving soon to celebrate around the table with us.  I am grateful for an entire trunk full of memories visiting family and friends in England, and seeing the glorious sites of Venice. I'm a lucky girl.

     

    MWNutcrackerArticle

    With all that went on recently I wasn't able to share this news.  My latest Somerset Studio column came out November 1st, Make It Your Own: Nutcrackers.  I love nutcrackers!!!  It finally occured to me to put my own spin on them.   If you think you want to try it I recommend shopping Hobby Lobby – they have a wonderful unfinished large nutcracker this season.  My store is sold out and they aren't re-ordering :(  You could also buy a cheapy one from the dollar store and sand off all the cheesey sequins and add your own handsome bits to it.  Here are three of mine…the Royal Guard was described, but the photo was inadvertently left out of the article, so I will share here.

     

    MWNutcrackerSteampunkSentry

    MWNutcrackerWinterPrince

    MWNutcrackerRoyalGuard

    And if you don't want to go full-out with embellishment, you can always just spray paint a solid color.  They look cool too.

    MWNutcrackerPlain

    Again, Happy Thanksgiving!  And since tomorrow is 11/22, I have to wish my favorite rock star Hyvää Syntymäpäivää.

     

    MWVV112212