It's 11:38 on Christmas Eve -- early for Scott and I, really. We've had much later Christmas Eve nights in years past.
I know I won't post this until days and days after Christmas Eve when I get a chance to look through the pictures I took and get everything all organized, but I just don't want to forget...
the dress on Abigail at 5:30 Mass
her singing there
sitting next to Anna in the pew as the music swelled up and I remember when she was just a baby and I cried tears as I held her because finally we were a family that first Christmas. I told her that story again as we sat and listened to music tonight
listening to Abigail singing on the alter
coming home and having simple snacks before bedtime
"Star light, Star Bright ~ First Star I see tonight ~ Wish I may, wish I might, ~ have this wish I wish tonight."
when the doorbell rang and how there was a letter from Santa
and how the girls sat so still as I read the letter aloud to them slowly.
how I had no idea the emotion that would take me over when I read the words, "and this will be my last letter to you. Perhaps one day I will write to your children" I sobbed.
Something in those lines -- it's more than I can explain on this blog, and in this space -- but it was a beautiful moment for me, like my whole childhood, and the childhood of my daughters hit me in one moment
setting up and getting everything just so
these moments, these that I cherish so, I could never ever forget them.
Yes, it was a most beautiful Christmas Eve...
"Backward, turn backward, O Time in your flights; Make me a child again just for tonight." ❤ Elizabeth Akers Allen
"Home is the kingdom in which we have the daily choice and power to make our tiny domain one of light or darkness," Sally Clarkson
I believe in serving life within my home. It is a daily choice and one that I don't take lightly. While I serve outside as a fourth grade teacher, it is my prime responsibility to minister to those I love, my girls, my husband in my home.
A cozy playroom that is neat and clean, and calling for imaginations, art projects, and reading. A cheerful and happy table for homework and studying late at night.
A children's library filled with picture books we can all look back at and love. A wall filled with chapter books that the girls treasure and ones waiting to read.
A well-stocked kitchen filled with homemade goodies and healthy, whole food to nourish our bodies and a welcome round table to nourish conversations.
A family room with a warm fireplace for cuddling children, watching a movie on family date night. Baskets of games under the coffee table waiting for laughter and fun.
A living room to sip tea, read the Bible, write out favorite verses, and prayers. A place where stories are told and ideas are discussed. Violas hanging on the wall and music stands filled with music to practice. A place where the love of music is instilled.
Bedrooms with comfy beds, layers of blankets, piles of books - books we love and books we're waiting to read. A private place for our own quiet times of prayers and thoughts.
This is what I dreamed in my heart for my home since I was a young bride in 1996. And little by little, I made it so.
I know down deep that it isn't a 'perfect' house that matters, it's a house filled with love for the ones God has entrusted me with. And although it's not always easy, it is my joy to give to my family in this way.
So this is our house this Christmas. How I love to decorate for the seasons and make it a home filled with festive cheer. There is nothing picture perfect about the way our home is decorated or even how it looks in these pictures, but I know it is filled with love and life. And I know it ministers faith to those I share it with.
We are so excited to be 'Home for the Holidays'!!!!
The fireplaces are going all day long and we have nowhere to be... finally! I am breathing deep and feeling so grateful for all that surrounds me right now.
On Saturday Anna played in another orchestra concert. I usually don't record these but something told me to turn on my phone and get this one. I'm so glad that I did. Because it was quite possibly the best song Anna has played in.
Turn up your sound and wait for it -- you'll be glad you did.
I had a clear picture of Anna right in front of me. And as I stared at her and let this song fill my heart, I was grateful.
This is a private {not school} orchestra and they are amazing. This peaceful song had me almost in tears as I listened.
Such a gift to be able to play her viola and be a part of a sound so rich. Sitting in these concerts are the 'fruits of my labor' so to speak. What started as a mama taking her just five year old to her first lesson {that we could not really afford} has turned into such a wonderful gift as I get to go to such beautiful concerts.
It's just an average Wednesday - mama, teacher, mama
Well, maybe not average because it's December, and right actually in the last few days of school. So there's total exhaustion thrown in too.
And it's a full week on the Calendar and this - a concert - right in the middle of the week. Anna's December orchestra concert.
When life can sure be 'busy' and it doesn't seem possible to fit 'one more thing'. And to be honest, it's almost the last thing I can possibly go to in the freezing cold. But then this sound...
And then this -- I get goosebumps {and yes, this is a public high school} and my daughter played in it!
There is truth for sure that music lifts your soul.
Music first -- well first Friday evening we had our weekly "family date" with snacks for dinner and a Christmas movie
And the girls were so happy it was Friday!
With homemade on the stove - hot chocolate
And Saturday morning after Anna's viola group class and Opus orchestra, around 3:30 we headed out.... for our twenty-fourth Christmas Getaway Weekend {minus the wonderful Christmas when Anna was a baby and minus the wonderful Christmas when Abigail was a baby}
Back to this year...
It was dark by the time we got there {and I do so love how it gets dark really early} so I didn't get a picture of us arriving. But we spent our Christmas Getaway weekend in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. Stockbridge was the home of Norman Rockwell. Have you heard of him? Or perhaps you've heard of the phrase a "Norman Rockwell Christmas"
Norman Rockwell was quoted as saying "Stockbridge is the most wonderful place to live. It is the best of New England." Rockwell was famous for painting small town life, as he saw it, from his studio that overlooked Main Street {where we stayed}
Well, we actually stayed at the Red Lion Inn built in 1773.
And it was magical.
When we walked into the lobby there was a quartet singing Christmas songs.
I captured just a bit for you...
We stood there in awe and I thought -- for as many years as we've done "Christmas Getaway" it's never been this magical. Abigail said to me "I think you just stepped into one of your Hallmark movies". I thought, oh better than that.
Finding our room in this 1773 hotel was next. It's like a step back in time. With one of the oldest working elevators in any hotel. It was amazing. This hotel is for romantics {like myself}, those who adore stories of the past, love cozy and charming, and can't get enough of antiques. So perfect for our family.
We dropped off our things in our room
and then headed back downstairs to explore. Oh how we loved the gift shop. I thought you'd like to see how very charming it was.
Just look at these displays!
Take a moment... look at that molding around the door. And look at how it's decorated so NOT pinterest-like and so NOT instagramish. Just love the details. Oh and wallpaper -- how I love wallpaper!
I wanted something every 2 inches. Scott, right there, is standing next to some tea towels that came home with me. Swoon.
And then we changed for dinner in their famous dining room {and lingered over what felt like a Christmas dinner for hours}
Wallpaper, gingerbread house, little girl of mine... heartthrobs!
Let's get one more look so you can see how her bow matched the piping on her candy cane dress.
It was perfectly darkly lit in the 1773 dining room mostly by candle light, a few lamps, and a chandelier.
Long white candles in brass candlestick holders -- watched it burn down as the time went on.
A little side note: We have always taught our daughters how to 'do dinner'. They, and we are not perfect. Believe me, they were once toddlers. But now that they are 16 and 12 we love that all we've taught them since they were babies we can see in full glory now. We always taught them that dinnertime was a conversation time. A talking time. A time when ideas were to listened to, God was honored, thoughts were shared, and teaching, love and laughter happened. And here we are, all of those years later, and they love to sit as a family for hours over a fancy dinner, in a 1773 dining room. Oh, and thank you to the chief for cooking for my girl who hardly ever gets the experience of eating out.
After dinner we cuddled in bed with a movie we brought and hot cocoa too!
I brought the mugs from home, the hot cocoa mix, and the candy canes. Those cute little marshmallows we found at the gift store. They were the perfect touch.
Oh her pinky finger.
After cozy beds and all sleeping in one room {Abigail's favorite part} I found her cross stitching. {one of her hobbies - she's working on a Christmas present for Anna in that picture.
A special breakfast in the dining room again.
This in Norman the cat who lives in the lobby (named for Norman Rockwell)
We took a few pictures outside while it was starting to snow.
And then we walked up Main Street to do some shopping.
This was our favorite.
Such a festive, Christmas hotel. It has to live up to it's reputation of course. It is pictured in the famous painting Norman Rockwell did of Stockbridge Main Street. Did you know that each first weekend of December they reenact the painting? They do, old card are brought in and everything so that it looks just as it did when he painted it. All these years later it still feels like you're walking through the perfect Christmas painting when you're walking down Main Street in Stockbridge.
See that snow fluttering? It was like I ordered it or something -- magic!
See that tree in the window up there on Main Street? That was the painting studio of Norman Rockwell. Dreamy!
So then we headed to the museum to learn more about this painter of small town life, activist, teacher.
And we got to see in person, his famous painting! Thrills for this girl who loves all things Christmas, small town, romantic, all rolled into one.
Before we knew it, it was time to head home with our treasures
... to make magic happen in our own little home.
I started in on homemade tomato bisque as soon as I walked in the door. Domestic Bliss....
And I took pictures of the little things we took home with us.
Like this tea towel (the best kind of fabric)
And this one too that looks adorable in my baking center.
Anna picked out this ornament for the kitchen "sweet things" tree.
And Abigail this little bird for the 'stuffies' tree in her own little bedroom.
Another year, wrapped up for our family with a big red bow... Christmas Getaway... until next year.
"I love the nostalgic myself. I hope we never loose some of the things of the past." Walt Disney
