The year will soon come to a close, and I'd be remiss if I didn't highlight some of our holiday family fun! Photos are limited as I was too busy having fun, but no worries, I have enough to reflect our adventures.
It wouldn't be the same without the annual sugar cookie extravaganza! As Iris was prepping the surface for rolling
her sister was busy helping her mom prepare the cheesy potatoes for Christmas Day dinner.
Rolling was soon underway
and little brother meticulously placed the cookie cutters on the dough.
Within no time the house was filled with heavenly smells, and everyone grabbed some icing and sprinkles to set about decorating.
except for Mabel who was enjoying the new dog bed that she received as a gift.
As you can see, the results were perfect!
and delicious as well!
How was that for fun?
Christmas Eve we welcomed Amy and Mabel
and enjoyed our traditional Slovak Christmas Eve dinner after attending evening Mass.
The food was scrumptious!
On Christmas Day, we headed back to Stacey's for a lovely celebration.
It appears that Santa brought make up.
Can you tell?
Grandma G (that's me!) gave them these outfits. Don't they look fabulous? Well, perhaps I'm a bit biased.
This gift from my son-in-law certainly confused me and resulted in quite a laugh.
As I was contemplating just how this would work, I was assured that it was just a box. The joke was certainly on me!
Dinner began this year with all of us popping Christmas Crackers that Marty and I had picked up when we enjoyed lunch at Best of Britain Tea shop a few weeks ago. There was the thrill of a loud bang
and paper crowns for us all to don.
It really was quite fun.
Parker impressed us all by reciting grace perfectly before dinner. I must admit, I felt my hear melt a bit as I watched him intently clasping his tiny hands while he prayed. A memory that I will surely treasure.
As always, dinner was scrumptious as Stacey is an excellent cook. No photos, though. we were too busy enjoying the meal!
I brought the Ho Ho cake for dessert.
And I must feature this snowflake brie that Stacey had made as an appetizer. How beautiful is this?
It apparently takes some time to construct, but the end result was fabulous. And delicious as well.
Before moving on, I'd like to share this unique painting that I thought was so clever.
The artist was more than willing to pose for me.
Perhaps he'll be famous one day!
We headed home the next day, with Mabel tagging along for the ride.
But she and Amy were with us only overnight before traveling back home.
Two days later, Marty and I headed their direction for a small Christmas celebration at Jim's house.
No lacking for entertainment there!
There might have been some sneaky doggy activity happening.
And this year's Yinzer Fishing gift featured the logo on a new set of hats. Someone was more than a little bit excited, I can assure you of that.
On Sunday, we visited with Mom
and managed to squeeze in some quality time with my high school friend, Tammy.
She and I always look forward to sharing these special moments when we can make them happen.
Marty and I treated ourselves to a stay at the Riverside B&B in Bridgewater, which is just a few miles from Mom's house. Marty loves gazing out at the river from the bedroom, while hearing the trains traveling in the distance. It really is in a peaceful location.
And, at this time of year, festive decor added to its charm.
In the morning, Russ, one of the owners, impressed us with his collection of vintage toasters.
As you can see, there was quite an array. But these don't include the two that were featured in a demonstration from Russ. They were the oldest toasters in the house, one dating back as early as 1909! We had seen a similar demonstration on one of our previous stays, but this one was even more entertaining!
Before heading home, we bid fond farewell to Russ and promised we'd make the Riverside our "home away from home" sometime in the near future.
Not a bad idea, if I say so myself!
Here's wishing all of my followers a Merry Christmas (there are twelve days to celebrate, so we are still in the midst) and a very Happy New Year!
See you in 2025, and as always, thank you for following along!
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