Merry Christmas to all...

Aunt Gail from Colorado hugs Christmas dancer Kristin

What is better than having a grandpa that is Santa's "helper"?

Christmas at Willow...

Wishing the real Brooke was here...

Flat Brooklyn inspects another gingerbread house.

Construction zone.

Gingerbread House Central 2008.

Coed Elf Izzy.

Cute Elf Kristin.

Mighty Elf Sean.

Maya and Flat Brooklyn work on a gingerbread house

That beautiful cardinal puzzle...a gift I'll never forget.

Recycled : Gifts

Tonight as I finished baking some cookies, I started thinking about starting our Christmas cards. In the notes and photos from Christmas cards past, I found the Christmas letter I enclosed in our cards in 2006. It was taken from this blog two years ago. I liked what I was reminded of and have decided to recycle those words. Here they are:

It can be overwhelming to take in all the craziness of "gift giving" at Christmas. This year we seem to have been able to take a step back and slow down the present machine. Trying to focus on memories has helped me channel my energies. Yesterday I took Denver, Maya and Isaiah with me to the Christmas Sonlight celebration. The pictures show they are fitting in with these new friends and I am loving it. At a three year old level, however, in the gift realm, all the African kids getting a beautiful new book (a great donation from one family) Isaiah lost it. Taroh, our faithful leader, saw his tears and found extra books for all three. A great gift.

In the afternoon, more memories, building gingerbread houses and playing in the snow with five of the grandkids. Not too sure if Christa and Katie will have such fond memories of begging their kids not to eat the candy and put it on the houses instead; but it was still fun in a hectic, frazzled way. An early morning visit from my nephew bearing bagels and cream cheese was a great gift...his visit, not as much the bagels.

And then last night, the kids in bed and me reading them a story from one of the new books, our doorbell rings. The stranger bearing a small red satin covered box, explains he is a former studio band member friend of Greg's from Willow. He was at Laurie's funeral and remembered my cardinal story. For whatever reason, that day he decided to make and present us with the most intricate wooden puzzle, of a cardinal, that he had made himself. What a gift! It reminded me of a beautiful wooden cardinal wreath my sister had sent and the story of the polio stricken man who makes his living now making this creations. Gifts of ourselves, making something out of a tough situation, "paying it forward" in unique ways. Taking a bunch of pieces that don't make sense, and turning it into a gift. Now that's cool.