Goodbye to 2011

To feel like I'm ready to move on to the new year, I am compelled to write one last post remembering the last two weeks of December 2011. It was a very full holiday season for Mike and me. We followed many of our old traditions and added a few new twists to the celebrating. It was really quite wonderful, but as I sit here at the computer, I'm looking forward to the wrap-up today and the new post and art that will come with tomorrow.

Here's a photo essay of December.

 

Getting the Christmas tree (niece Cathy and friend Norm)--Yep, it's a good one.

 

My sister, Janice, helped decorate our tree before she took off for Senegal.

 

The day after their winter break started, I took Angelica and Marin to the Nutcracker.

 

Marin and Angelica had a week in Blue River before Christmas. (Marin with Little Bit)

 

Angelica is climbing up to the loft, where the girls tossed hay down to the horse and checked the barn kitty's food.

 

Marin in the loft.

 

As always, we spent time in the studio. Here's Angelica hard at work.

 

I was amazed by her drawing.

 

Our oldest granddaughter, Kelly, joined us to work in the studio

 

and bake cookies.

Two days before Christmas, the rest of the gang from Vancouver showed up.

 

Noah and Angelica got on Little Bit.

 

Hannah's not too sure about the horse.

 

Looking at fish in the pond in the safety of Dad's arms is more her style.

 

We were joined for the holidays by two young women from Europe, Stephanie and Karolina. They experienced their first "American Christmas" with us in Blue River.

We always have a big Christmas Eve dinner with friends and family. A new addition to the festivities was the entertainment the grandchildren put together.

 

Angelica was the MC as well as performer.

 

Marin played "O Christmas Tree."

 

Noah was supposed to sing, but ended up just "bustin' some moves."

And the evening moved on with lots of food and visiting and laughter.

 

 

 

And at the end of the evening all that was left to do was get to bed before Santa arrived.

A week later, Mike and I celebrated the new year coming in with family in Sun River. Whew!!

Happy New Year to all you readers. May 2012 be good to us all!