Christmas decor....as promised!

So, I'm finally taking a moment (ha) to put some pictures together and share a little Christmas "chez nous" with you.

This is a few weeks ago, during our first snowfall - which is always the best.


Come on in!




Just some treasured (to me) ornaments I've collected through the years. The glass icicles below were from my twin sister Wendy. She was so thrilled to have found them at an estate sale in Westchester (when she lives in NYC) and knew I would love them. I treasure them today.

Of course, this is my real treasure!.......

....par deux!

I could tell you how long I have had these bulbs....

....but I'd have to kill you!
(kidding)

There's our main tree....in the library. (Really where we spend most of our time.)

In past years I've put an angel on the top of the tree. And every year I've thought it was just too big. So this year I just stuck some silver branches to make a spray. I like it better.

So far, nothings been broken. Touched plenty but not more. My beloved neice, her hubbie and 21 month old son are arriving for Christmas this week and will be staying with us. That record may change by holiday's end!

:)

(click on any image for more detail)

Dahlia's little tree.

I came down the stairs one morning to find Zizi sitting there (begging for me to run for my camera - which is precisely what I did). And she sat and posed for me for about 5 minutes. Literally posed.

Did I mention she's a cat?

I put 2 smaller trees in the 2 front windows this year. Other than those and the front door garland and 2 pots with lit arrangements - that was it for the outside. Most everything had to be done while the wee one naps.

And our village. It's from the Ashton Drake Gallery. I started collecting the pieces when we signed our first adoption papers for Dahlia. Each piece is really a work of art - the detail is fantastic. Really, I can't capture it all in a photo.

I could live in that village.

Train station. Don't you want to sit on those benches and take it all in?

The church with a little choir boy.

This was the first piece I bought. It's an Angel Flight School. Look what the sign says -

"Don't Forget: Flap Your Wings".

The Post Office.

Hope you enjoyed your little visit. Next time we'll break open the eggnog and truffles.....'k?

I'll be posting our Christmas card later this week.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Celebrating the season....

Do you love hearing a choir and orchestra singing out "Joy to the World"?

I do.....brings me back to singing in the choir as a kid. My favorite part was when all the choirs from all of the churches in our town would get together for a Christmas carol service in the evening. It would usually be snowing lightly and that many voices with the pipe organ swelling just lifted me up to another place.

The singing Christmas tree is probably very familiar to many. I took Dahlia (and our buddies Helen and Angel) to it this year. There is little I enjoy more than going to a ballet or show with Dahlia. I just love it!

And I loved seeing and hearing it through Dahlia's eyes. She sat on my lap for a better view so I could really sense how it was affecting her. Near the end, with 'O Holy Night' beginning - the doors opened and what had been a modern day play transformed back 2,000 years and thus began a procession of the Christmas angels, the three wise men, shepherds carrying a real lamb and sheep and leading a llama, Joseph, Mary and the baby.

It was just magical. And very moving!

Near the end of the song in the swell of a crescendo, Joseph lifted up the little bundle to show the baby Jesus. I leaned into Dahlia's ear and said "look Dahlia, it's the baby Jesus". And she whipped her head around, eyes widened and quickly exclaimed "for real?!"

That moment is frozen for me.

How beautiful!

So, what Christmas moment is special for you? I want to know.

Party On!

..... till you get a fever of 102.8.

Huh? Confused? Look at Milana's face. She wasn't hot yet but sure didn't look too happy. Dahlia must have been faking it 'cause it hit her about an hour after this picture. Both cherubs are in bed with Tempra in them.

I'll add a few more pictures of this Christmas party tomorrow (er.....today......it's late already).

Update:

Kids are better today but I kept Dahlia home from school (kicking and screaming lol) as she definately has a cold and we're encouraged not to spread our germs in school.

So....back to the party.

Despite the odd moment where words like "I don't want a sister" and "I want my Mommy back" spring forth from the mouth of the older sibling, more and more they are enjoying eachother.

Warms a Mama's heart.

Santa made an appearance again.

And again Milana...well.......freaked.

Anybody notice how the photographer missed us in the picture? Any guesses who took this picture? Come on....three guesses! Oh, you're good.....you only needed one!

Well.....I'm just sayin'.

:)

And to even the score, below is my test shot for our Christmas picture (with all subjects dutifully prepared) . Aren't they good?
(that's just a tease.......more to come.)

I ♥ Faces

Can you guess what the theme is this week at I heart faces?

Gee....you're good!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Wordless Wednesday

A peek at our Christmas village.

...and Dahlia's little tree.

More to come. It's finally coming together.

Now just to keep Milana's hand off of everything.

Ha ha......a girl can dream!

Party Party !!

The season began today with the annual Christmas party of the Adoptive Families of Quebec. I remember the first one we attended six years ago, before we had Dahlia. Going to one of these without children could be considered a form of torture but I was so anxious to see other kiddies who had similar experiences to the ones we were about to embark upon.

Fast forward to today when were there with our two kiddies - meeting Santa, of course. This was the best shot we got of Milana. After this one she began to realize that we were actually that close to that red man and weren't leaving immediately so she decided she was going to and squirmed and tried to crawl into my neck.

Milana's first Santa encounter - December 2009

But notice how nicely Dahlia is sitting on Santa's knee. The following picture is the first one we have of Dahlia at this same function, 5 years ago and she was having nothing to do with that red man either. Times do change.

Dahlia's first Santa encounter - December 2004

( Ahem....we do have other little outfits and you'll see some of them. This is just the first party.)


Look at these girlies. Here are some of our dear little friends who were from our first trip to China, along with their little sisters.

Edible.


Great friends!

They grow up so fast. An old cliche - but so true.
My house should be all decorated by now but I still have boxes in every room (you'd think we'd moved or something). I should have it all together this week and then we take our Christmas pictures. Dahlia's use to the routine - Milana.....brace yourself sweetie.

And then we've got more parties to go to. After that we'll start preparing our own Christmas celebration. This week we'll begin the real Christmas story from the bible too. With all the parties and gifts and Santa - it's so important to remember Who were are really celebrating.

Do I hear an amen?

Wordless Wednesday

We love our "Zizi" !!

Happy Wednesday.