Post Christmas Post

i loved loved loved my christmas dress.

i bought it about 13 years ago for an agency xmas party.

(i worked in advertising for 5 years, lots to learn about me, huh?)

i'm so glad i dug it out. i hadn't worn it since.

it's a 1968 beauty, and i had a ball wearing it.

christmas this year wasn't as pretty as my dress though, i have to report.
my daughter was really sick for about 4 days (throwing up for 2) and did not see the light of day until monday.
(i take that back, she did open gifts)
it was hard having christmas without her. it just wasn't the same. i tried to 
stay really positive though, and focus on the other good that was happening:
an amazing church service and music, (going alone was not easy), a surprise engagement in the family,
good chicken wings at my mom's made by my sister-in law:

Y U M.
we played the dice game, you know, like we do at Bridal Showers. . .yes my Mom and her sisters were genius when they came up with that idea. 
you can't go wrong in the presence of family.

my sister to the left, and my sister-in-law on the right

me and one of my nieces, sophia

my other darling niece, emily. . . AND

the santa i grew up with has now resided in my mom's bathroom
and he's a bit freaky!

madelynn and my husband came out christmas eve for an hour to open gifts; she had the seat in the
car pushed all the way back and the back all the way down. (poor thing)
here she is with my mom, her grammy.

Awww, what a trooper.

 i loved the little bird in a nest my mom gave to me!

 the etsy shop owner gave my mom the extra material when my mom also bought 
me these to die for waffle kitchen towels with vintage fabric!

 and darling little crocheted hot pads, but I hung them up on my wall for decor. oooh SO cute!

 and the coziest chenille blanket from my sister-in-law, i have not parted from it since i got it!

c h r i s t m a s m o r n

 my husband liked the scarf i picked out for him, yay! he's a picky one.

i received many wonderful gifts. i needed fiesta ware, so my husband and his parents 

fulfilled that need! welcome marigold! i love you!

 madelynn gave me these gorgeous vintage tins (plates); i think i'll use them in my 
bedroom for jewelry.

and my husband found me this rembrandt, and i am in love!

after we opened gifts, madelynn went back to bed and didn't re-surface until 7:15p that night!
so christmas day involved a lot of lounging. i made chicken wild rice soup, one of our favorites.
 it was around 42 degrees here in Minnesota, typically it is below zero. 
so that was a big treat.
we went for a walk, and the sun was shining!

christmas night we played carcassonne which the 3 of us love
and then we watched THE NATIVITY STORY, which we love.
it was a beautiful christmas in many ways, maybe not the ways i would have chosen,
but i chose to find the beauty in it, there is no way christmas can't be beautiful,
when it involves a manger baby.

nells getting quite comfortable in my new blanket

i did spend about 30-40 minutes alone in my room reflecting the birth story, 
it was good quiet time, and important for me to do.
i'm thankful for everything, even if things aren't the way i'd choose.
the birth story reminds us that regardless of our less than ideal situations,
that there is a lot to  work with and we can be grateful.

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