Blessed Christmas! Happy birthday, Jesus!

We woke up to a white Christmas Eve yesterday!

The sun came out after I got back from grocery shopping.

I chucked the ham into the slowcooker. And left some orange rolls like cinnamon buns I came across at the freezer section, out to proof first! (YAY for shortcuts! I am so organized NOT, Ho Ho Ho! True, too, we caught the sniffles and coughs).

The spiral ham became our dinner!

The baked orange rolls made for celebrating God's gift to us!

Christmas is special specially because it marks the day Jesus was born.

That was how I explained it to my youngest.

She also put green and red sprinkles on the "tree" of rolls. (No, I had to tell hubby when he asked, it did not come arranged like that ;p).

All to add simple, merry touches here and there!

BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Prayers for Connecticut families

Thinking of and praying for the families and community in Newtown, Connecticut, after the terrrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Dear Lord, be with them. Comfort them. Give them strength.

May the innocent lives lost rest in peace.

Holding my children tighter.

Came across these links from Momsrising.com, I hope they may be useful to you:
PBS: Strategies for talking and listening to children to news

Babble: 5 top resources for talking to your kids about school shootings

Campaign for common sense gun regulations

(My youngest's e-drawings).

Mt Spokane, catching up with a friend

It was a beautiful opening day at Mt Spokane, when our friend S came and spent the weekend with us!

Skiing was a new adventure for him; we were glad he gave it a try, YAY!

My sons hope I can one day learn to ski ski also; no, my feet making the 'A' a good part of the way coming down the bunny hill does not count! They tell me the views at the top of the other hills can't be beat, "Mom, you will spend hours there taking pictures!"! Oh I hope so, too, someday, yah!

For now, I think the view from where the beginner chair lift 5 takes me, is a GORGEOUS one!

Taking it in from the top of Mt Spokane's bunny hill, as the sun was setting...

*Breathe in* *Breathe out*
(Oh yes, I relied on my phone for this shot and the others)!

Then, as always when friends get together, we did more catching up over food! Outside for dinner, and also at home -- the breakfast S brought, and I made us slowcooked BBQ ribs for lunch. He had early Christmas gifts for the kids, we had something for him also, although we were all not expecting each other to do that.

Friendship -- the company of friends, old friends staying in touch like that -- is itself one of life's best gifts!