Happy Holidays!!

Hello my crafty friends!!  I would like to take an opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  My household has had a lot of ups and downs this year, but we have made it through and we are looking forward to 2014 being a great year!  My husband lost his job this year and started with a new company that moved him out of state.  He did the best he could, but we just could not maintain two households, so he has moved back home today!  So, let the job hunt begin again!  We've been through tough times before and we can do anything together!  But any prayers would be appreciated!  We also celebrated the marriage of our oldest son Kevin to the love of his life, Katrina!  The ceremony was breath taking and we danced the night away at the reception!  Katrina has graduated college this year, Kevin has graduated college and will start his teaching career in January (the apple didn't fall far from the tree with this kid!)  2014 will once again bring changes for our family!  Kevin and Katrina and their daughter Khloe (often my scrapbooking muse) are looking for their own home and will be moving out after spending 3 years with us.  My youngest son Don will be graduating college in May and will go where the wind blows him!!  Jim and I wish them all the best as they leave our nest and create their own nests!!  (and grandma will get her craft room back ;) )

This is my grandaughter Khloe Marie.  She is the light of my world!  It's hard to believe she will be 3 in the spring!  We had so much fun with her this Christmas!!  Our home was visited by a silly little elf that Khloe named Magic!  Magic played all kinds of silly tricks and hid all over the house!  And Khloe finally understood "Santa" and was so very very excited to leave reindeer food in the front yard and homemade cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve!!  It's been a long time since we've had "Santa" age children in our home!  Next year, they will be celebrating Christmas in their very own home!

Christmas is a tough time of year for me.  It was always my Dad's favorite holiday.  He's been gone 13 years now.  I have always done well in dealing with his passing, but Christmas is always hard for me.  I would have been happy to not even put up a tree, until Khloe was born!  It is still tough for me, but little Miss Khloe is the reason for my season!  Her smile and her joy are helping me to get my Christmas back on!  Thank you Khloe for always putting a smile on Grandma's heart!





So, from my family to yours, Merry Christmas!  I hope you all enjoy what ever holiday your families celebrate!  I wish you all peace and happiness in this coming year.  Thank you for all your love and support you have shown me since starting this blog!  I look forward to a great 2014 with all of you!!  God Bless!!

Leslie

Merry Christmas from the McGrath family