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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

The Bedlam, The Blizzard, The Blahs and The Babies



Christmas Morning at That Old House.

 What has Santa left under the tree?


Even Dion is curious.
Could there be something for him?

There are lovely packages with big red bows to be opened, and bright red stockings to be emptied.

Remember when Christmas was Bedlam? 
When footie-pajama clad little ones tumbled out of bed before dawn?
Maybe Christmas morning is still Bedlam at your home?  If so -- lucky you!
  
Christmas morning here is now much quieter.
The girls sleep in.  We open presents one by one, taking our time.
And Annie makes feather-light waffles for our late morning breakfast.

See? They float!
But somebody got a doll this Christmas!
Me!
I got an American Girl Felicity doll.
How did Santa know?

 *************************************************************
We spent a lovely Christmas Day with my sister and her family at their house.
My Dad was able to join us, and as we sat around the dinner table,
we got to talking about memorable Christmases past.

Peggy's most memorable was the year that she and I found real reindeer hoof prints and
sleigh runner marks dashing across the snow on the front lawn on Christmas morning.
It turned us back into believers.
Who can doubt in the face of such clear evidence?
And how wonderful were our two big brothers?

Mine was the year that -- against all odds -- I found a Cheer Bear Care Bear for Alida.
It was all she wanted, and the darned thing hadn't been manufactured for years.
I wrote about that miracle here.

But my favorite answer of the evening came from our 90-year old Dad.
His most memorable Christmas?  He had a quick, and short, reply.
"The year I got skis!"
 and all the excitement and joy and astonishment of that long-ago Christmas shone in his face,
and I could see the boy he was, and still is, deep inside.

That Santa.  He's quite a guy.

****************************************************************
Mother Nature had her own surprises for us on Christmas weekend.
We had a blizzard, and not the kind you get at Dairy Queen.

From Sunday through daybreak Monday, the winds howled and rattled
our windows and shutters, blew a few shingles off the roof,
whited out our view of the neighborhood, and left behind the oddest snowfall I've ever seen.


Peeking past the sunroom tree, down to the street.
We are on the slope of a hill, and the wind tore down that hill, taking much of our snow with it.
Let's just say our neighbors, below us and across the street, got more snow than we.  Because they got ours.
How many pictures do we have of our old stone steps covered in snow?  Way too many.
Peeking past the parlor tree, out to the side yard snow. I do love to look out of cozy windows in a snowstorm, because that means I am inside!
Gloves and hats, drying out after shoveling duties.
While the snow and wind did cause some pileups against the house,
our neighborhood was not as buried as some.  Much of New Jersey east of us got more
than 2-feet of the white stuff, and our old neighborhood, just 25 minutes away, picked up 30 inches.

At That Old House, the wind left patches where you can see the grass poking through,
and also drifts several feet deep. Wacky, I tell you!

Now, about The Blahs mentioned in the title?
On Sunday, while the snow fell and the winds howled,
I was busy with a fever and chills.  And the blahs.  Hey, it happens.

After a few days of the blahs, I'm all recovered and tomorrow -- early! -- my girls and I
are going to hit the road to visit these little fellows:

Baby Calvin

Baby Luke
My niece Maggie and her husband Garrett, who live in Michigan, are the proud parents of
twin boys, born October 4th.  I've only seen pictures so far, and I can't wait to snuggle!


Happy New Year!  -- Cass



Link Parties!
For the white-out blizzard, it's Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer.  Click here!
Also in honor of the snow -- White Wednesday at Faded CharmClick here!
And because RED is the perfect Christmas week color, Today Is Rednesday at It's A Very Cherry World.  Click here!




29 comments:

  1. Never enough pictures or steps with snow, so pretty. Ya'll did get blasted, we have just had rain for a day. Snuggle those babies tight and stay warm.

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  2. More wonderful memories were made at Your Old House and what a beautiful,warm, inviting house it is.

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  3. Sounds like the best way to spend the holidays. Family memories are gifts in themselves!

    We only got about 6 inches of snow - not too bad.

    Happy New Year!
    Leann

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  4. Ooooh...Cass! Your description of the blizzard makes me glad to be inside and warm! We had our first white Christmas ever...and it melted the next day! lol Looks like you had a fabulous Christmas! Happy New Year to you and your family!...hugs...Debbie

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  5. We only had flurries and that was enough for me.
    Have a safe trip and enjoy your time with the babies. :D
    Happy New Year!

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  6. I've heard so much from my niece about the blizzard that passed your way...it just looks beautiful to me...cold, but beautiful! In one picture the snow is glistening...very pretty! Have a safe trip to see your new great nephews...and a Very Happy New Year!

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  7. safe travels! i am in metro detroit and you are going to have very nice weather if you are in this area!

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  8. Such a wonderful Christmas with your family! Enjoyed seeing it all. By the way you have always asked to see more of my Native American Family Room It is on my blog in more detail than last Christmas. Happy New Year!

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  9. Christmas is pretty quiet around here too. The boys are older and it just isn't the same as when they were little and there was lots of activities and get togethers surrounding the holidays.

    Places that normally would have snow now, don't, and there you are getting bombarded with it. When you are safe and warm looking out on it all, you certainly have to count your blessings.

    Enjoy time with your niece and those sweet little munchkins. They are such cuties.

    Best wishes, Tammy

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  10. Enjoy your first visit with Calvin and Luke. Happy New Year! La

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  11. Beautiful shot of the Christmas tree with the snow in the background.

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  12. What a wonderful holiday you had! Enjoy those quiet Christmas years... grandchildren crank up the noise eventually. I have a Felicity packed away, one of my daughter's dolls, and in years to come she will come out to play with another generation of little girls. Have fun with those cute little boys!

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  13. Just 30 inches??? I've seen a lot of snow here in the midwest but..........I don't think i have seen THAT much before!

    Have a safe trip and a Happy New Year!

    Melinda

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  14. It sounds like you had a lovely holiday...despite the weird snow! I love your tree, by the way! So pretty!

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  15. Blizzards! Love blizzards...only at DQ though.;-)A FL gal can always appreciate photographs of the snow though. Magical
    ´*•.¸(´*•.¸♥¸.•*´)¸.•*´
    ♥•.*.*.*.Cherry*.*.*.•♥
    ♥•.*.*.*.Chick.*.*.*.•♥
    ¸.•*´(¸.•*´♥´*•.¸)´*•.¸

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  16. the pictures are gorgeous!!!
    I miss the snow so much, but my wishes for some might just come true today, keeping fingers crossed.
    Travel safely to see the babies.
    Amy

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  17. Looks like you had a great Christmas! I ended up with about a foot of snow (north of Philly). Have a safe and wonderful trip-Happy New Year:@)

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  18. Cass, You can never have enough pictures of those marvelous stone steps! Enjoyed your snow pics--you captured the cozy windows so well! I'm so glad you got a doll -- I have one too, but it's a baby doll. And yes I dressed her in her Christmas outfit for all the little girl nieces visiting this week. Happy New Year.

    dotsie

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  19. Have a safe trip, Cass. You're sure to have some lovely cuddles with those two sweeties. Your niece will probably be delighted to hand them over to give her arms a rest too!

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  20. What a great Christmas share here. Love it ..especially your Dad's favorite gift. You are right- we are the lucky ones with grandkids that tumble and bumble and keep our life full of fun and interesting...greasy fingerprints and all.

    I hope you have a safe trip to MI...and you will sooo enjoy those baby boys. There is nothing like a set of twins~ Hugs-Diana

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  21. Cass,
    Glad you are felling better! Here in southcentral PA we got not a flake of snow! Not a flake.
    Your pictures are beautiful, as always.

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  22. Glad you're feeling better and that Santa knew just what to bring you!

    Happy New Year!

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  23. beautiful. simply beautiful................

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  24. Looks like you had a wonderful day. Loved all your photos especially the real live dolls at the end. Happy New Year.

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  25. Doesn't everything look so pretty when it's covered in snow?! It sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas, and your AG doll reminds me of my daughter's excitement when she received her Samantha doll one year, and her Josefina doll a couple years later. And all of the fun of buying the cute clothes for each one. Now they're all packed away and ready for the day when she has a daughter of her own!
    Happy REDnesday and Happy New Year!
    Carol

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  26. Loved your photos and Calvin is adorable. Happy New Year to you and have a safe trip.

    Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

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  27. I will continue to visit the DQ for all my Blizzards but I love hearing about your♥

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  28. Cass,
    Loved this post. We do have a lot in common. I had an American girl doll (gave to my grand daughter). I hope you are going make clothes for her because they don't like to stay in the same outfit all the time! Somewhere I have all the patterns for the clothes!

    Your stone steps are beautiful. Those babies are precious. I am so glad your dad could be with you.

    Have a safe trip and Happy New Year!

    Carol

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  29. oh ive always wanted an american girl doll when i was younger but never did get one! Felicity was one of my favorites too! I am jealous!

    http://rainybutterfly.blogspot.com

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