Wednesday, December 26, 2012

So Fleeting


When we're children it seems that Christmas will never get here. We grow up and wait for it more patiently. At some point we realize that waiting is part of the gift of Christmas. R.H. and I waited a bit more impatiently this December because for the first time a new granddaughter would be coming here to celebrate Christmas with us. The day finally came and she arrived at Mimi and Pawpaw's house for the very first time.


There was a night of getting to know sweet Nora after not having seen her in several months, and of visiting with our son Defee and his wife Wallace after Nora went to sleep. The next morning we all spent the day getting ready for the rest of the family to come for dinner--and of trying to hold and play with little Nora every chance we got. And of taking pictures, lots and lots of pictures!



Wallace made the punch, Oprah's Vanilla Citrus Punch.


And R.H. took more pictures.


With Wallace's help, R.H. and I made Carne Mechada, four eyes of round stuffed with a mixture of chopped olives, onions, capers and bacon. Defee made pictures of this whole process and I will try to post those pictures and the recipe in a couple of days as it has always been a hit with our family. Meanwhile, R.H. took more pictures.


How could he resist that face? I'm sure you can guess that he took lots more, but we won't post all of them here. And soon other family members came, all except for grandson Luke who couldn't make it, and for Christy and Bryan who couldn't make the trip from Florida this time.

Grandson Alex arrived.


Grandson Drake came, and got stuck taking a picture with me.


Drake's brother Caleb came.


Their parents Gurn and Teen came and R.H. was so busy catching a quick photo of my camera-shy daughter-in-law, which is very cute, that Gurn is only in a tiny part of it.


 Zack and Laura came, but poor Bentley had to stay at home this time, what with a new baby in the house. (Bentley is our beautiful English Bulldog granddoggie.)


Sorry, Bentley, but even our Brown-Eyed Boy had to curl up in a nest outside the glass doors, and be content to look into the kitchen. Wallace said that his eyes look as if a person was in there, and she is right...there is. A person with a very old sweet soul.


The table got set and the food all prepared somewhere along the way. Would you like to see a picture of my pretty Christmas table?


See, I have been studying all my blogger friends like Laurie who do beautiful table settings. Now I must admit that I have only managed to accumulate 4 of these beautiful chargers to go under my Spode Christmas tree and the gorgeous, if I do say so myself, cranberry red and white Spode plates that I put on top of them. So for the real dinner we used only the Spode Christmas Tree plates. Maybe next year?

After desserts of my Viennese Sandwich cookies, custard chess tarts, and Costco's Red Velvet Cake, the evening wound down and eventually everyone went home except for Nora, her daddy Defee, her mommy Wallace, R.H. and I. We went to bed.

And do you know what came next? The next day they went home so that Nora could have her first Christmas in her own home.


Such good times but so fleeting. And I feel so bleak and bereft.


15 comments:

  1. Love this post mom! Pictures are great and little Nora is so beautiful!! Wish I could've spent more time with her! It was a great Xmas! Always love being at your and dads house for the holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Zack. Dad and I were so glad you and Laura could come over Christmas morning to be with us.
    Love you,
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have a beautiful family and lovely photos! I am always a little saddened after Christmas when it is back to the old routine. I so enjoy time with family!
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

    ReplyDelete
  4. It was a very nice and delicious evening which as usual I went home stuffed. It's always great to spend time with all my family (missed you sis xo).

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh Gurn, I missed her too, always more of a party with Christy there--and Bryan! Have you told Teen I put a pic of her? Hope she won't be mad at me....let's not tell her! She's so pretty that she shouldn't mind!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh,It is hard when the house is empty once again, isn't it? You have such a beautiful family, Dewena. You are blessed -even though it passes quickly. That baby is just beautiful! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  7. The last of our kids and grandkids went home this morning-the Christmas fun went far too quickly and the house was a little too quiet today.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow! Spectacular photos of a beautiful family! You are so blessed. Happy New Year to you and yours! Sweet little grand wee one!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Visiting with you via Nana Diana and Lorilee. Nice to meet you and your beautiful family. What a sweet new granddaughter. Wishing you all many blessings in the new year. Mildred, Georgia

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a beautiful Christmas, I'm so glad for you! And the baby is a doll!

    The family looks so very happy and content.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So many sweet faces! Looks like you all had a wonderful time!! Loved the baby picture he is sweet make me want to squeeze him...

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a precious little granddaughter you have! Looks like you had a lovely time with your children and grandchildren. I have no grandchildren yet, my kids aren't even married, but I am in no hurry. Don't want to rush them. However, when it happens I will hold 'em and hug 'em and kiss their little squishy faces, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh Dewena, what a beautiful family. That little Nora is just a doll, and her parents are so good looking. All of your children and grandchildren are beautiful. Your table is beautiful, and if the "Laurie" you are talking about is me, I am very flattered, but it doesn't look to me like you need any help from my table setting pictures. Looks like a wonderful Christmas celebration. I always feel a let-down after Christmas. laurie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it was you, Laurie! You are my Advanced Tablescaping Teacher! I skipped Tablescaping 101 and jumped straight to you! But I need many, many more lessons, so keep them coming in 2012, pretty please. Thank you for sweet comments on kids and grandkids. They aren't just beautiful on the outside, but on the inside too.

      I wonder how long the Christmas let-down feeling lasts? I always forget, from year to year.

      Delete
  14. Oh oh OH that baby is so precious...!!! I'd feel bereft too. LOL I have to tell you that the most expensive piece of furniture in my house is a ROCKING CHAIR. I went a little nuts when I found out that I was going to be a first time grandma. So the biggest expenditure in my life was the super Mission Style Rocking Chair from Amish Touch ( local store ) and I am sure that it was too costly but since I found out that I was going to be a grandma only a few short months before my income tax return....somebody got a nice profit from me :)

    ReplyDelete