How was your Christmas?

Wow, Christmas is over and this is the week that is so quiet and there is no rushing around, presents are unwrapped, but the tree is still lit and I am thankful for another wonderful Christmas. I spent Christmas Eve with my mom and spent Christmas day with my 2 daughters, SILs and my 8 grandchildren.  It was a wonderful day. We started out all going to a beautiful church service and it was truly a blessing to have all of us together in church.  Then back to my daughter's for dinner and opening presents. Both of my daughters worked hard but my older daughter, Jen, spent all of Christmas Eve day cooking wonderful desserts and ham and all the trimmings for us.  She worked so hard to make it a special Christmas.  I hated to leave to come home but was glad to get back home.  When the kids were little, they all used to come to my house and it was always a total disaster when they left.  I reminded them of how they used to leave even the children with me for a week or so after Christmas.  Alas they are all too big now to stay with Grandma as they are in school and Tyler, who is now 20, is working and getting ready to go back to school.  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too.  What did you do?  Do you have big plans for New Years?  Have you made some resolutions? I have. I resolve to lose weight, which I know I can do because I already lost some before Christmas. I am going to keep a journal. I have never done that but want to start that this year.  I vow to myself to paint paintings.  That is my passion and since I started my business, Graceful Rose, I hardly have any time to paint paintings as I am always painting things.  I love painting things but they get sold and are gone but a painting you can make prints from and keep.  I have an oil painting that I have been working on for more than a  year.  I vow to finish that painting very soon!  I have many paintings in my soul that need to come out.  I have decided the 3rd Tuesday of every month, no matter what I will paint those paintings.  I would love to hear from you and see what you have planned for the new year.  Here are a few pictures from this Christmas.  I wish you all a very happy and healthy  New Year!

A few of my favorite ornaments

My big Christmas Tree

A little vignette on my bookcase. Love the blue color!

The only Christmas painting I have ever done, many, many years ago.

Living Room Mantle

Another little vignette. 



The entire fireplace



Me with my 5 granddaughters.  I thought only 3 were coming but I got a surprise and all 5 of them came. They came last weekend to help me make cookies. We had a blast!