November and December

Catch up time.
We voted!!  It wasn’t Keilee’s first time voting but it was her first time voting for President.

Hiking.

Thanksgiving looked a bit different this year. Keilee and I cooked our own Thanksgiving dinner (with WAY too much food) because we did not get together at my dads.
We did stop by for an outside visit this morning. Daddy told us stories about how he was a champion checker player back in the day. We have also become experts at the “wear your mask until you’re ready to take the picture and take it off and don’t breathe and smile” pose.
As we were leaving I told Daddy again that I was so sorry we weren’t able to have our traditional Thanksgiving and he said “That’s ok. I’d much rather be here next year.
Same Daddy same.
Me and my Daddy
Kei and Bull
This tree brings me such peace.
It is filled with ornaments. Some were my Mothers, some that I hand painted at age 7 or 8, some Keilee made or painted, some are expensive and some are from Dollar Tree.
But so many of them have a story.
I can see my Momma’s hands placing them on her tree. I can see Keilee’s little hands gluing and painting. I can see Keilee’s hands helping me decorate.
I think out of almost everything we have our Christmas tree ornaments tell a story. A story of a life. Or of many lives. Beautiful times of togetherness.
It just makes me happy to look at it.
And happy is a good thing.
Me: (for the last few years) UGH. Nomad always messes up my bed and gets dog hair everywhere.
Now Nomad is older. He doesn’t get on the bed anymore. He acts scared when I try to get him up. He moves more slowly when waking up.
Today I walked in to this. You would not believe how happy I was to see his shedding, bed rumpling self on my bed.
What an eye opening moment. We so miss the moments that once made us crazy. So enjoy them. Hair and all. (Or glitter. Or toys everywhere. Or crayons and markers).
Reading “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”
12/24/2009

12/24/2020

The Grinch is one of her favorite characters ever!!  I love her female Grinch.

We had a great Christmas.  It looked different but we enjoyed the slower pace.

New Year’s Day/Eve

New Year’s event at church

Beautiful Labyrinth at church

Some of my favorite pictures month by month


There is so much I could say about 2020.  In January of 2020 we had no clue how our lives would change.  There are parts of it that have been very hard. Keilee misses in person events and parties.  We miss our weekly church events.  I miss hugging people.  But there have also been such beauty in the slowing down.  A love for hiking and discovering new places, a switch to virtual events that has  literally opened the world up for Keilee, long days spent at home reading and watching great shows and movies and just” being”.

I’m not sure how 2021 will look but I hope and pray it has beauty.  Life almost always does if you search for it.

Karen

2 thoughts on “November and December”

  1. Beautiful pictures and fun adventures, as always!
    I especially love all the nature pictures and Kei’s Scarecrow shirt!!!! Praying that things start to shape up in 2021! I’m so thankful you are a part of my life!

  2. Yes, beauty is everywhere…if we only look. You guys look like you are doing well. I feel hope recently that the end may be drawing nearer on this pandemic. I will be happy to see it go, but we have also learned so much about ourselves. It has been a season filled with growth, learning and lots of good mixed in with the hard.
    Blessings, Dawn

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