Just Another Day in December

Here it is December 4 and I have  decided that I am going to work on Christmas presents today. Although I have many other things to do, I am going to take advantage of the fact that I am alone and do not have to go anywhere. It snowed yesterday and I feel like it is a snuggle in day.

I am going to put on Christmas music and work on making  hand made journals for everyone in my family. I think I have a bout 30 to make and it will keep me very busy all day and I know I wil not get them all done. I want to look up old pictures of  everyone and put them on the individual covers.  I  will also cut up old leather coats to use as binding for the covers to make them look a little more rich looking.  

As I look through the old pictures, it leaves me sad for sure because I realize that nothing in life stays the same. Mom used to say " we are here today and gone tomorrow" and how true it is as I look at this picture of her standing in front of  her Christmas tree. She so loved Christmas and enjoyed  wrapping and making each person's presents special. She took pride in her tree and had all the family over on Christmas Eve after we all went to church.  We would all have a big lunch of meat pie and white sugar cookies. Of course there was her fruit cake but I never could understand why the others all liked it with all those raisens and peel fruit. 

 After eating, we would open the gifts which took forever because each family brought over their gifts for everyone else. We were about 20 when we were all together.Then Mom brought out the Christmas stockings for her own  children. She had 8 of us and went through alot of trouble... along with Santa of course to fill them with little treats and treasures.

The years  have passed and both Mommy and Daddy are gone as well as my two brothers Hurd and Royden. I guess all this is to say that we have to make the most of today in all of our lives because life is so fragile and tomorrow is promised to no one. I will try and make this Christmas special for my daughter who will be home for such a short time from University. Since I still live on Mommy and Daddy's land right next to where our house was, I will continue the tradition and have all my family over on Christmas Eve after mass.. and yes I will have meat pies and white sugar cookies.. but sorry  no fruit cake!!!