Christmas Time Has Come and Gone

My Beautiful Daughters....Alyssa and Kara. They are still best buddies at 20 and 25 years old. When they were little, Kara mothered Alyssa to death. It does my heart good to see that they love each other and love being sissy, sissy, sissy, sissy, sisters

Christmas In Spooner, Wisconsin

Another Christmas has come and gone. Brent and I had a different kind of Christmas this year. My daughter and son-in-law hosted Christmas this year. They did a fantastic job!!!!! Usually we have Christmas at our house, but seeing we don't have a house anymore.....Kara and Trav were so gracious to have the whole family over Christmas Eve.

We started our evening by going to church, it was beautiful to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then it was off to Kara and Trav's for a fun filled night with my brother, Derrick, and his family, my sister, Sheilda, and her family, my son Kasey, my daughter, Alyssa, Brent and I and our special host and hostess Kara and Travis. Kara made Shrimp Lungine and Lasagna. We all contributed to the meal by bring a dish...we had plenty of GREAT food and treats. We played games which has become one of our favorite things to do during our Christmas Eve gathering. We used to go sliding when we were little. My dad would make a huge campfire and we would spend the afternoon sliding and enjoying the winter wonderland. But, we are not so willing to go out in the cold weather and sliding is not one of our favorite thing to do anymore....I know we are getting old . So it's now playing games, which can also be dangerous because they are gift stealing games. My sister is the planner and she does a GREAT job. She is very competitive and LOVES games. We had a BLAST laughing and just being together as a family. Thank you Jesus for my family, every memory I have with them is precious!!!!!!!

Kara and Trav's Christmas tree along with their cat big Ern

Alyssa has been looking forward to her 2nd trip to Spain all summer. One day, I came home from work unexpectetly early and she was at the computer with her friend Samantha. They both looked like they had been caught with their fingers in the cookie jar. I said "what are you two doing, you both have guilty looks on your face". They froze and then told me that they were booking tickets to Spain during their 3 week Christmas vacation in December. Alyssa went to Spain as an exchange student (she is going to college to be a Spanish teacher, she is a junior now) last year and LOVED it. I am glad that she loved it but, I was worried pretty much to whole time she was gone. So she knows how her traveling out of the country brings stress to me. So when I caught her booking tickets, she knew my blood pressure would go up :[ So anyway, I have turned her traveling over to God and pray for her every day. I am glad she is having fun and maybe someday I will travel to Spain with her. She keeps me young and there is always an adventure when she is around.

Lord Jesus, please keep my daughter, Alyssa, save as she travels and watch over her as she learns and grows into the beautiful woman you created her to be. Guide her footsteps and please let her feel your presence as she enjoys the sites and sounds of this beautiful world you have created. Bring her home safe to me!!!!!! In Jesus name I pray....Amen

Alyssa all packed and ready for her trip to Spain

She will be hauling around this back pack for 3 weeks, enjoy that..LOL

Here are a few pictures of our Christmas. I am ashamed to say that I dropped the ball this year and did not take many Christmas pictures. I was helping Kara and things were so busy that I just spaced it out. I am hoping that my step-mom will share some of hers with me. Is she does, I will post them.

Alyssa and grandson Carson....not a happy boy here

Kara, Alyssa and Carson

Brent's daughter Mandy and her husband Leighton had us over for breakfast Christmas moring. We had a wonderful time and Mandy and Leighton are great cooks. They have a beautiful son Garrett. He started walking a few weeks ago and he is on the move. He is a happy busy boy and has such a cute personality. He is always smiling and loves everyone.

Leighton, Mandy and Garrett...what a beautiful little family

The 3 cooks in the kitchen posing for a pic

Brent and Mandy cooking away

Garrett waiting for his breakfast. It was so cute, everytime I pointed my camera at him he would just stop and smile. I think he has had his picture taken a few times :)

Grandpa and Garrett

We had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed every minute of it, hope you all did too.

Love and miss you all...God Bless.....Rhonda