Christmas, 2017

So Christmas is in 3 days...it's been fun getting ready for it.  The tree below is the result of Aria helping decorate it.  We went to the tree lot last week, and I was so impressed about the lot itself.  All of the trees were perfectly shaped, and each tree sat in it's own bucket of water.  That's the difference between here (Ukiah, CA) and the bay area.  I've never seen a tree lot go to that much trouble for trees.  It's Elliott's Trees at the Ukiah fairgrounds, and their prices are even more reasonable.  I was totally impressed.  So it wasn't hard for Aria to pick out the perfect tree.  Charles cut out a square piece of plywood to attached the holder to, and painted it red and green.  Then we set about decorating it.  Aria spent the night, and we decorated until we got tired, then finished it up the next morning.  Put some lights in the window, and away we go.

This week I've been making cookies, buying groceries for Christmas Day dinner, and finishing up all the last minute things for Christmas.  I have everything bought except the White Elephant gift for Christmas Eve at Rick/Jackie's.  I'm going to go buy it tomorrow and have a great idea for it.  The gift exchange is always fun.

So here's the finished tree...

And here are my three sweet girls, Nettie, Aria and Zoe when they went to Fort Bragg one Saturday to the beach.  These are the girls I live for, love and cherish.  They are all three my heart, and I love them dearly.  Nettie asked if they could do Santa presents at my house, so Santa will be bringing presents here for all to open.  They will just do stockings at their house.  So presents, something special I will make for breakfast, then dinner probably around 4.  CKW has his AA meeting most of the day and offered to take a baked ham, so I'll bake it and cut it for him.  It should be a fun day with the kids.  Oh, and the Warriors take on the Cavs at Oracle at 3 p.m. so that will be fun to watch the Warriors beat the tar out of the Cavs!!!  Ha.

It has been a good year, moving to Ukiah at the end of January (doesn't seem like almost a year has gone by).  Zoe being born was the best part of 2017.  She is 6 months old, starting to stand when you hold her hands, starting to sit up a bit, she rolls over somewhat, and everything she grabs goes directly into her mouth.  When she wakes up she has the most adorable smiles, her two little dimples show, and she is so happy.  I get to see these girls probably about every other day for some reason or other, Aria spending the night usually Sundays after they all  come over for dinner, taking her to school the next morning.  We are less than a mile from each other, and we have a great relationship.  They are a lovely family, and I'm so glad that I moved up here to be by them all.

The year has gone by, whoosh, so darned fast, I can't believe it.  It's almost 2018, another year.  I signed up for two on-line, year-long classes 1) LifeBook 2018 with Tamara Laporte, and 2) Wanderlust2018, with Kasia and Jamie.  I plan to be much more active in my art in 2018.  I did pretty well in 2017, attending 4 art shows (Martinez Swan Day, and Art In The Park, in Benicia for the Peddler's Faire, and in Ukiah for Pumpkin Fest).  Each one was productive and mostly profitable.  Met some nice people, and some friends came to each of my events (I have awesome friends).

So here's to 2017 being a great new experience for me, and here's to a very wonderful 2018, full of family, art and life.

Christmas Is Coming

So it's been a couple months since I've posted, so here I go.  The fires are over, they were totally devastating.  Between here in Ukiah, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Rosa, there was such devastation, but thankfully I didn't know anyone personally who lost their home.  All my family in Napa are all safe, friends in Sonoma are all safe, though some evacuated for a few days.  I've taken drives up to Willits and seen the results on the side of the freeway, on Hwy 128 when I went to Napa for Thanksgiving, many lost structures back in there close to Calistoga, and on a recent trip to Santa Rosa.  It is right there, on the side of the freeway, so sad for all these people and business that lost their homes.  We've all made donations to various organizations, and will continue to do so for a bit.

Christmas is getting close.  I had told my sis-in-law recently that we probably would not be down to Martinez for Christmas Eve this year, as it is just too much to go and come back the same evening, but Nettie decided she wants to take the girls and go with me to Rick's for Christmas Eve (Scott will be on call and cannot leave), then drive back that evening so we can all be home for Christmas morning with the kids.  So I have most of my shopping done already (whoa), only need to get a couple more gifts for kids and the white elephant exchange. Other than that, am trying to decide on a Christmas card design to make and send out to friends and family...it seems to be a difficult task this year.  I'm not "feeling it" when it comes to creativeness.  I need to make a decision this week and get started, as I need to make about 25 (or so) cards.  Then I need to start some decorating.

I will, of course, buy a real tree again this year.  I just cannot abide by fake trees yet, though at some point in the future I'm sure I will defer to a fake tree.  There is nothing like the smell of pine in December.  Nettie has decided that they will come over Christmas morning and open all the "Santa" presents.  They will open their stockings at their house, then Santa presents here (I am thrilled by this revelation).  I had told Nettie we could go over there, but she wants it here.  So I will make a nice "smell-good" breakfast to go along with present openings.  Then of course I will make dinner that day also, so it will be a nice family day.  Can't wait.

I joined a monthly charm swap on FB, and the picture below shows the "key swap" I participated in, and the keys I got as a result.  Everyone did a beautiful job, and I'm going to put them on the tree.  They all turned out beautifully.  That is the only swap I belong to, but they have something going every month.  Then I have decided to get back into my "wet" art, my journaling, painting, etc.  I am joining Wanderlust 2018 (again) this year...I joined 2017 but only did a few of the classes, what with moving, unpacking, etc.  I've copied them all to flash drive, so can still take all the classes, but have decided that come January I'm doing something "wet" almost every day during the week.  I really have missed it, and keeping my "wet" desk clear of "stuff" seems to be the problem.  So I'm clearing off the desk, keeping it that way so I can be creative like I want to be.  There, enough said.