Saying goodbye to the old and Hello to the New Year

Happy New Year from our family to yours!!!!!!!

Glory, glory, glory, the very first great grandchild is here.

Mr and Mrs. Jeremy Delk

and son

Graham Harrison Delk

Born Dec. 27 9:15 AM weighing 8 pounds.

He is just perfect.

Graham and his handsome dad got that curly 

black hair.

Can't wait to kiss those sweet cheeks.

The 4th generation of this family, established in 1960, begins. 

 

Also linking up with Grand Social
Here

FSO-theme- Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions in our family.

I know it said Our Town Traditions but I would rather tell about our family traditions.

Christmas Eve Mass at Holy Trinity 2013.

Cocktail party at  SIL and daughter's home after
Mass with friends and both sides of their family.
Been doing this for many years.

Just as soon as the first bow is off a package one of the grands puts it on QMM's head.
They have been doing that for years.
Sometimes I end up with 4 or 5 bows on my head.

After everyone has their fill of Country ham, hash brown casserole, Papaw's green beans, 
sweet potato casserole, sauted mushrooms by 
John, cranberry salad, rolls, homemade candy by Wendy everyone settles down for a game called "The Game."

All who are going to play bring a gift.
Each player is given a number. We had 11 players. #1 picks a gift from the pile, #2 may either take #1'S gift or pick one from the pile.#3 does the same and on and on.

Son John, got a lovely gray scarf.

He tried many ways to make it work for him
but

he didn't get to wear it long since sister Julia
took his gift when it was her turn.
She just laughed and laughed and we all laughed
til we cried.

We knew John  wanted that lovely scarf for his lovely wife Wendy.

John Ended up taking someone else's gift which 
suited him just fine.
A wireless grill thermometer.

John is quite the comedian.
We laughed til we are all crying, with tears running down our cheeks.

Grand Nikki was very happy with her
Duck Dynasty Lunch Cooler with a flash light in it but it was very popular and someone had eyes on it and she knew she would not have it long.

Who?

Her mother, Jennifer struck.
So Nikki got to choose again.

Nikki then took someone's solar candles.

Now since Nikki was #1 she did not get to choose from an opened gift, so after everyone else had selected, #1 gets to choose any of the already opened gifts.
No she did not take the lunch box back.

Since she will soon have a new apartment she took her sister Cindy's bath spray bottle and shower mat.

In the area of decorating with traditional things I always feature my mother's pewter tea pot with greenery and berries.

My mom won this when she was 15 years old in 1928. That was 85 years ago.
I have had it for almost 30 years.
It is priceless to me.

What a fun and blessed time our family has had this Christmas season.

Go here to share more family traditions.

Share the JOY with Meri

As I mentioned in an earlier post I donated money in each family member's name to a new home in India built and run by The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Ky. of which I am an associate. The new home is Asha Kiran "House of Hope" in Dharuhera,India.

It is for the daughters of women caught in the terrible lifestyle of street workers.

Any boy born to the workers is taken and give to a wealthy family, as boys are more valuable in that culture and are permitted an education.

The girls are kept and introduced into the work at 12 years old.

The SCNs in India are working very hard to break that cycle.

Seeing our family involved in such work brings much JOY to HH and I and the enthusiastic way they all accepted the idea of a gift to help others added to the JOY.

Megan and Ben after reading their letters I had written for them and the story of the girl we are sponsoring.

Grands and our daughter discussing the 
gift to Asha Kiran and how they feel to be part of this great ministry. 
Grand Cindy showing her pride and gratefulness for healthy, almost due son, Graham. 

Thomas and Ellen, grands, stating how proud they are to be part of this also.
Thomas says
"I like this, Mamaw. It's a good thing."

All of the grandchildren were very grateful for this different gift and all agreed to contribute next Christmas to pitch in to make another donation to support our girl.

Go here to learn more about
The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Select Ministries under the header and chose 
India and donate, if you should choose, at the bottom of the right column.

Go here to share more JOY stories.

Merry Christmas from my beloved family to yours.

Merry Christmas from our family to all my blogger friends.

Daughter Rachel and family

Daughter Julia and family.

Daughter Beth and Derek.

Fashionista daughter Jennifer

Daughters and grands with HH.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends.

 

ATCs for theme -Stamping.

I have not done much stamping in my art but when the ATC swap theme came up 'stamping' I gave it a try.

This was done around the stamp wish, a Cinderella carriage and a button with a crown on it.

This one a May All Your Wishes Come True, a magic wand and few lines of music and some cream colored lace and blue stones.

This stamp was of a castle, a princess and a filigree stamp up in the left corner.

I wrote Dream, dream, dream on it.

This was trimmed in an eyelash crochet thread.

These were sent to a blogger friend in

Australia.


Linking up with Grand Social 
here
to see what other grannies do after all the grands are grown up or while they are growing up.

 

Lighting the 4th candle of the Advent wreath.

Early Sunday morning Dec. 22, 2013 my husband and I lit the 4th candle of the Advent wreath.
The waiting is almost over.

 

Gospel Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.

"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.

This is the word of the Lord.

Praise be to God.

 

FSO-Colors of Christmas in my town.

Dec 20: Colors of the Season What does December and/or December Holidays look like where you live? 

I have quite a collection of Santas of all mediums. This one of resin is one of my favorites.

Looks like THE colors are red and green.


Go here to see other colors of Christmas

Vee's Card Party for December and Share the JOY Thursday

It's the third Wednesday of the month and time for

Vee's Note Card Party.

It is a busy time of year and a joyous time that I enjoy.
I do not do Christmas shopping in stores, preferring to order online or make my gifts.
It has not always been that way.
These days I get to enjoy all the family get- togethers we have without being exhausted.

Join Vee HERE for more beautiful cards. 

Also joining Meri for all the JOY 
Here