Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year!!

Welcome new readers and old!

I'm happy you stopped by.

There are so many hundreds of thousands of blogs

out there 

and

the fact that you stopped here,

means an 

awful lot to me.

This year 

will be prove to be

amazing in so many ways.

I can just feel it.

I believe we will see things we've never seen before,

do things we never dreamed of doing

and 

be ever so surprised

at the conclusion

of

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.” - Joey Adams

Peace and Love to All

‎"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." - Norman Vincent Peale

 Oh, the magic of Santa Claus and the North Pole... in the eyes of a three year old.

We, Darling Granddaughter, Oldest Son and Dear Daughter-in-law, Dear Daughter-in-law's Family and Hubby and I

went to the North Pole.

We rode on an old train that was built in 1923.

No, it wasn't this train.

But, it was this train--below.

Dear Daugher-in-law, Darling Granddaughter and Oldest Son

Wooden Soldier stood guard near the entrance.

Mr. Conductor took our tickets.

After traveling through time, indulging in a Snickerdoodle and sipping hot cocoa

 we arrived at the North Pole.

I do believe the beautiful and quite raucous 

singing of 

Christmas Carols

led Santa to our train car.

The Jolly Man had a beautiful Golden Bell for each Youngster...

Pink Christmas Tree and Holiday Village

There are certain perks to being grandparents.  We can bestow upon our Sweet Granddaughter the wishes she wishes for.  And the current wish was for a Pink Christmas Tree.  Isn't this,            Cotton-Candy-Sweet?                                             I think so.                                                        She has it in her bedroom and the glow of pink lulls her to sleep.

Victorian Village

I have a collection of Christmas Villages and so I look forward to setting up my little winter scene.

I love life in miniature.  Don't you?

I'll have more to post tomorrow--we are going for a ride

on the 

Polar Express!

Have a lovely day.

Christmas Elves and Nutcracker Suite

Lucinda, the Christmas Elf has been watching over Mi Casa.

She is getting a bit frantic over the fact that I haven't

done any Holiday Baking, yet.

I've reminded her

that I have, for the past week, 

been hobbling around with a still injured heel.

Waiting for 

The Dishwasher to be installed.

Wrapping specially chosen gifts

for loved ones

and

taking a cello lesson.

I'm afraid she just may

decide to do the baking herself.

I noticed earlier, The little Deutsch dancers were 

merrily

doing a polka

 while 

the woodcutters cut wood.

Hehe, that reminds me of the tongue twister:

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Meanwhile, winter has come to Arizona.  

The higher elevations were covered in a 

 blanket of snow.

 We, in the lower desert

enjoyed lots of rain

and the rare chance to see the snow-covered

mountains without any 

interference from the schmutzy air, we typically have.

I'm afraid my puppies did not like the deep puddles  

they had to wade through to do their.. ahem.. biz.

Miss Ivy in the rain.

The Puddles

Miss Madeline

My agenda from here on out 

is to

get organized for the coming 

days of

birthdays and

Christmas

and a trip.

More on that later...

Auf Weidersehn

"It came upon a midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,

to touch their harps of gold:

'Peace on the earth, goodwill to men

From heavens all gracious King!'

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing."

~written by Edmund Hamilton Sears in 1849

Do you hear them singing?

I think I do... their voices are 

clear and ringing in

the cold winter night's air.

Did you know nearly every full moon brings 

crystal clear skies and

crisp, cold air?

I don't know if it's a scientific fact or not,

but merely an observation

by one who is

quite adversely affected 

by

lunar nights. 

I don't exactly go outside and howl, 

but

I am afraid I lie awake

for 

half the night

as the brilliantly lit 

moon

illuminates the night.

We are in for some

welcome weather

over the next couple days.

Abundant rain in the desert

and

oodles of snow

in the mountains.

I'll try to capture some

images 

to share.

Until next time....

P.S. Today would have been my grandma's 

108th birthday...

❤

It's Beginning to Look A Little Like.....

Christmas.

We even had cold enough temperatures

for snow flurries...if 

there was enough moisture in the

air.  

Alas, it is a dry cold.

❅

Darling Granddaughter decided the other night,

that candy canes ought not

to be 

hung on the Little Christmas Tree.

She took each Peppermint Candy

off

and held them all in a bouquet in

her 

bitty 

Almost Three Year Old Hand.

'Twas adorable.

The Little Tree, 

now right side up and sparkling with the playful ornaments from My Kids'

childhood collections.

Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Baba Chaghaloo, Saint Nicholas, St. Nick, Weihnactsmann,
Babbo Natale, Santa Claus

Santa is a bit like a sorcerer, don't you think?

I mean, he would have to be

of some magical essence

in 

order to

shower the children of the world

with 

toys of their wishes~all in one enchanted night.

But, I do have a question....

How is it, that with "the list"--you know the one--

Little Johnny Next Door, who was rather naughty

this year, received the new bike he wanted 

and

Little Katie, who was rather sweet this year, didn't receive

what

she asked for,

but found a box of marbles instead?

'tis somewhat like

certain

big banks...

Just something to ponder.....