Hello There --and Happy New Year!!!! Hope all of you had a fabulous Christmas. I do have one more set of photos to share --that of Christmas Morning at our House... Hope you don't mind seeing one more set of Christmas pictures!!!!!
George and I did have a fabulous Christmas this year. We were on the road 3 different days---visiting family... On Dec. 20, we drove to Tullahoma and celebrated Christmas with Dad Adams... Then on Dec. 22, we drove to Dalton, GA and had a wonderful day with son Jeff and his bride, Dawn. AND--on Dec. 23, we drove to Nashville and visited with George's beautiful daughter, Kelly, and hubby Chuck (who were visiting friends in Nashville)...
Because we did the 'family thing' ahead of time, George and I celebrated Christmas at home with each other --and enjoyed a fabulous day together both on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. We enjoyed a couple of our traditions on Christmas Eve; one was sitting together and listening to the entire MESSIAH on CD, and the other was opening ONE gift each along with sharing some Eggnog before going to bed.
Then on Christmas morning, we slept in (which was nice), had breakfast and did our devotions BEFORE opening presents. (That's a switch from the olden days when we had children at home.) Then we cleaned up, got dressed and took our set of photos together using the tripod... We do this every Christmas --so that we'll have some new pictures for next year's Christmas Cards...
For those of you who know us, you will know that even though I make a 'big deal' out of Christmas (and most everything else in our lives---ha), we don't spend alot of money at Christmas. One of our traditions is buying each other special ornaments each year for our tree. We love doing that so that every Christmas, we can relive the previous years through our ornaments.
Hope you enjoy seeing some of this year's photos.. Be sure to click on them for enlargements... Above is a picture which George took on Christmas morning BEFORE we opened our presents.
Here are a couple of t-shirts we gave each other. We had never had a Great Smoky Mountain National Park t-shirt --even though we have been there a million times and love it there. George got us a Grand Canyon Sunset t-shirt ---made from a photo which he had taken when we were there in 2011.
These are some of the ornaments we gave each other this year. There's a music one --since we both love music. There's a bird one--since I love my backyard birds... The one in the bottom right corner is of Beehive Geyser (Yellowstone). George took that photo when we were there this past September.
Here are some more pictures taken that morning... See that cup? George took a picture from one of our Fall trips to the Foothills Parkway in the Smokies and had it put on two cups for us... AND--see the angel? That is a beautiful Willow Angel which hangs on the tree. I collect Willows --so was THRILLED to have this new one.
Here are more ornaments... The top one on the left is a picture George took from inside the Air Force Academy Chapel when we were there in September. Next to it is a Mt. Rushmore ornament... Below on the left is a little wooden angle for our tree... AND--the new Willow Angel is beside it...
I love my new Waterfall Calendar, and George (and I both) love our new Electric Blanket... Santa knew that we needed a new one since our old one quit working!!!
Here are just some of the 'many' pictures we took with our tripod on Christmas morning... You'll have to pick out your favorite... I'm saving my favorite one to show you at the end of this post....
Here's one more set of pictures from our gift exchange... There are three of George's pictures which he had blown up and framed... I especially love the one in the top left. I've never had a canvas picture before --and this was taken from one of our favorite places, Skyline Drive in Virginia... The middle one on top shows my new Photo Shop Elements 11 program. AND-the framed photo on the right was taken by George in the Smokies. The photo on the bottom right is of Pikes Peak --and shows those gorgeous Aspens in bloom.
AND----to prove that both George and I can be SILLY (not that I need to prove that--ha ha), here are a couple of crazy pictures taken while we were taking tripod pictures --looking for that perfect shot.
Finally, here is my favorite Christmas picture of us taken in 2012... This one will probably be on next year's Christmas Cards--unless we change our minds between now and then... ha ha
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and a fun New Year's celebration. Did you have your 'black-eyed-peas' yesterday---for good luck??? I always make Hoppin' John (which is a rice, black-eyed-peas, bacon, ham, sausage, onions casserole) ---so hopefully, we will have a fabulous 2013...
Love to ALL,
Good Morning and Happy New Year. Lovely Christmas photos. I always look forward to the ornaments you exchange and this year you have some sweet reminders of your vacation trips too.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Betsy and George! You've had snow! I adore the header photo. What a magical scene and right in your own back yard. Well, I've read, I've laughed, I've ogled all of your gorgeous Christmas photos, and your site is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for this exciting new year to get underway!
Hugs and may all good and blessed things come to you both.
Rose
I love ALL the photos, but I especially love your face opening the photo and the right photo of the two of you being silly!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the photo you sent me!
Betsy, what a wonderful Christmas post. Lots of pretty ornaments and nice gifts. Nest of all I love the photos of you and George! Happy New Year to you and your family! Have a happy day!
ReplyDeletei love your new header "home" shot ... so beautiful. that snowy views is just beautiful!! what a fun Christmas. love the ornaments. so great. precious memories. ( :
ReplyDeleteLooks like you all had a wonderful Christmas! I love how meaningful all your gifts were!
ReplyDeleteLook at all that snow. Great photos of your lovely Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI made a black eye pea soup yesterday, yummy.
Have a wonderful 2013 ~ FlowerLady
It looks and sounds like you and George had a wonderful Christmas Betsy! How nice that you were able to visit with so many members of your families. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteNo black-eyed-peas here. Is that a U.S. thing? LOL!
Wishing you and your sweetie Peace Health & Joy for 2013!
xo Catherine
Loved the pics and sharing your Christmas morning with you through them. Much as we all love our families, wasn't it nice to celebrate Christmas Day just as a couple. We certainly found that to be true. Glad you're back from your blog break. I missed it!
ReplyDeleteI just love your Christmas pictures. Anyone can tell the two of you are a perfect fit for each other. It shines on your faces.
ReplyDeleteBetsy, that looks like a great Christmas morning. You both look so happy and have so many things to share with each other. Best wishes for 2013!!!
ReplyDeleteYou and George had such a beautiful Christmas! The ornaments as always are perfectly picked for each other. I can imagine how much fun and all the memories you share as you decorate your tree each year. Have a very blessed 2013!!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! I love the "memorable" gifts you two gave each other. I'm a little envious of your snowy Christmas. What? Can't believe it said that!!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, my mother just dumped a can of black-eyed peas into a pot and heated them. Yuck! Since then, I've tried to come up with more interesting offerings. This year, we had nachos with black-eyed peas mixed in with the hamburger sauce. Not bad!
Best,
Bonnie
all your friends and family certainly know you and George well. From the look of your face, I know they have chosen thoughtful gifts for you and George :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year once again
everything looks beautiful and especially the view of your house from the back. that is a wonderful shot. i have looked at the canvas and wanted one, but never did it. they really are beautiful on canvas.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you and George had a lovely Christmas, Betsy. The photos on canvas are a great idea! Great picture of you and George at the end. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your Christmas with us! Glad you two are having the time of your life and blessing others with it. May the year ahead be filled with God's grace, love and mercy to guide you! Love that photo of your back yard - so peaceful and calm looking!
ReplyDeleteYou both seem to have had a wonderful time this Christms. I love the way that many of your presents are a reminder of the places you have visited together.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Betsy, and may you be fully blessed again this year! I've already been to George's. You two are really a wonderful pair, and these sets of collage show happiness and love, hoping you have more the coming years! ...of course hoping for more waterfalling, hahaha!
ReplyDeleteBuon Anno!!
ReplyDeleteVery congratulations for your blog!!!
Greetings from Italy
Roberta
La Sportina
You two are like big kids are Christmas time! All of the presents look great. But your smiles are the best present of all!
ReplyDeleteLovely Christmas post!
ReplyDeleteAlso love, love, love the NEW Blog Look here! And the lovely Header pic.
Love it all! It's so calm and relaxing...
"Auntie"
Oh Betsy, what joy the two of you have! Praise God that you live every day to the fullest. I am glad HE blessed you with such a wonderful marriage. Your pictures are fabulous and your gifts show a lot of thought behind them. Those are the best kind.
ReplyDeleteSuch joy and fun radiates from you through your photos. You two certainly have captured the 'spirit' of giving truly meaningful gifts---many of those will continue to make you smile throughout this year and the ones to come (like the coffee mugs).
ReplyDeleteLovely.
Terrific pictures of the two of you. It would be difficult for me to choose one as my favorite.
Happy 2013 dear Betsy!
♥b
sweet smiles all around. love the photo cups and the calendars. some of my favorite things, too. :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures, Betsy! The last one is my favorite!!!
ReplyDeleteWishing you and George many blessing in the new year!!! ♥
What a great Christmas you and George had. I love all the photos! A really neat tradition you have of giving each other a Christmas Ornament. I love collecting ornaments and have a couple of the Willow Angels. Love all the gifts, the ones you had made for frames and the cups and calenders, very, very special! Happy New year Betsy and George!!!
ReplyDeleteAwe Betsy - you and George have a great life together - in the house and on the road. You are blessed and you deserve it. sandie
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you and George really know how to celebrate Christmas. The photo gifts and ornaments are just perfect. I like your choice for "photo of the year." Your Christmas wreath earrings and the Christmas wreath on George's sweater really set it off. Happy New Year to you both!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a wonderful celebration.I forgot about the hopping John, I knew there was a traditional meal someone always fixed.Happy New Year
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, I enjoyed seeing your new ornaments and George's framed artwork best of all your wonderful Christmas picture! Happy New Year! :D
ReplyDeleteLooks and sounds like you had a great holiday! Onward to the new year now!
ReplyDeleteYour exchanging of ornaments is the best thing ever. BUT, I think next year, you might need a bigger or second tree. :) LOL
ReplyDeleteLove all your photos. I'm so glad you were able to travel and visit with family AND also be home on the most special day of the year!
XOXO
The world needs me people like you two. I am so blessed having met you through blog world. We had snow, but nothing like you got. Your home looks so pretty with all the snow.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites would be the ornaments, cups and pictures that you made with George's pictures! That is what I like to do when I have a good picture. A few years back I gave a gift of the kids picture on a deck of cards. My husband and I used to do something big around the house when we were building the house instead of buying presents for each other. One year was the fireplace. Another was the wood for the steps. Loved all your pictures!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Angela
You are so good a documenting your holiday. I am still trying to crawl out from under the pile of wrapping paper.
ReplyDeleteYou two know how to do the perfect gift exchange. I love how you gave each other mementos that had special meaning from the year before.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the two of you.
Such wonderful photos, Betsy! I enjoyed looking at them all! I love how you turned your photography into ornaments and coffee cups and art work! That made them all so special and I plan on doing the same next year. What company(s) did you use do do that? happy New Year to you and George!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful Christmas post to savor!! All the great photos, grouped together in such great 'frames' (are you Photoshopping?) I love to hear the stories of the ornaments, where or what they represent...they turn your tree into a Photo Album with lights!!
ReplyDeleteWe had plain ol' black-eyed peas on New Years...I overhead an older gentleman in McDonald's on New Year's Eve morning saying that he was going to have bacon instead of hog jowls this year and that should be OK because it's from the same animal!
YOU got snow!! In North Mississippi we got rain and a flurry. Yes, just one, I saw it fall out of the sky...and melt (!)
I'm Looking forward to your adventures in 2013, wherever Miss P might take you, or whatever birdies and other guests visit you at home. May you and George have a joyful, healthy, happy year.
love,
liz in mississippi
Thrilled you all had such a wonderful holiday - love all the bright and cheery pictures!
ReplyDeleteSounds and shows what a great time youve had my friends.
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, so much to see and enjoy here, and I love the way you have them all in sections and arranged. I LOVE the silly one on the right! You two are really beautiful kids!! Thanks for letting us spend Christmas with you!!!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, Betsy!
ReplyDeleteWe just stayed here and let everybody else come to us.:-)
xo Nellie
The last one is the perfect Christmas card.....of course they are all great
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lot of fun there.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas using your photos on the gifts! Isn't it amazing how we can do that stuff these days.
Have a great new year!!!
Sounds like you two had a great Christmas. Looks like you had a lot of fun with the pictures too. The one you picked for your favorite is the one I liked best also.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you and George in 2013.
I'm so glad you and George had such a good Christmas, Betsy...and glad that you shared it with us! I love all the photos of Christmas morning and the fun way you presented them, but I think I like the silly ones the best! :-) I like that you and George exchange ornaments and I also like the fact that so many of your gifts to each other are momentos of your grand adventures of the past year. What a great way to preserve the memories!
ReplyDeleteJoy and blessings to you and George in 2013!
Looks like a wonderful Christmas. You both look happy!! : )
ReplyDeleteNo black eyed peas here at our house. I've never had them!!
I wish you and George a very Happy and Healthy new year!!
First, I LOVE that your blog is snowing! How wonderful is that? Second, I LOVE your framed pictures! How are you doing that? I have a collection of Willows started, but it is in the early stages. They are so simple yet speak volumes aren't they?
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and George!
You and George looked like you were having great fun around the Christmas tree. I hope you had some mistletoe handy!
ReplyDeleteWe have cabbage for our new year meal. I guess it represents prosperity in the German tradition.
Happy 2013 to you and your honey!
Now that was a super fun post. I enjoyed seeing all your new gifts.I had picked the exact same picture as my favourite,as you did.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had fun! And I agree...the last picture is my favorite, too!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed seeing all your pretty photos! Love the ornaments and the calendar is a great idea, too. I'm jotting down that one for next year...don't know why I didn't think of it before! You two are so cute in all the pics, but the last one is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteWe had a great Christmas, too. And, the tree survived with 4 kitties running around! Ha!
Hope your New Year is a fabulous one!!
Well it sure looks like you all had a very Merry Christmas. Such fabulous pictures. Bob and I had a nice holiday too. We celebrated Christmas with my girls and their families with a dinner
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are lovely.
I hope 2913 brings all of us more peace and joy. MB a good visit Sunday before Christmas and had a nice leisurly morning and afternoon by ourselves and then dinner at one of Bob's daughters. Everything was just perfect.
I LOVE this post! It's full of love, fun, traditions and just so much beauty! Your house looks beautiful in the snow! You are George make the cutest couple ever! I think Craig and I are a lot like the two of you. We take pics in front of the tripod and I do silly stuff a lot! We just are best friends and love traditions and the simple beauty of life. I see that with you two. We need to be on each other's Christmas card list for this new year. :) Happy New Year! Hugs to you from me!
ReplyDeleteMarie :)
You two are honestly and inspiration of a great marriage. It is wonderful how you do everything together and delight in pleasing each other.. We can all learn off you. Much love for a wonderful Happy New Year to you both. xxx
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are fabulous Betsy. It looks like you had a busy but wonderful Christmas. I made some Hoppin' John not long ago but more the traditional way without the bacon and sausage.
ReplyDeleteI love the snow in your header, we have barely had any snow so far this win7y555555555 (I'm getting help with my typing from a kitten) winter.
This is a wonderful post and a proof that two people is enough to make lot of fun and simple things give great pleasure. Beautiful photos and yours expressions were all really sweet and astonishing.
ReplyDeleteHope you cherish this attitude throughout the lives and my best wishes for you both.
What a lovely record of your Christmas together! I love to see your smiles best of all, but also seeing the exchange of gifts is heart-warming with those that bring happy memories of the past year and those that can be enjoyed this new year and next Christmas season.
ReplyDeleteToday we've just waved off our family guests on their long journey back south and have wonderful memories of our time together with our son and family and other daughter and family. We are blessed indeed.
I like your new header and background
design!
Wonderful shots of the two of you! Looks like a fabulous way to spend Christmas.
ReplyDeleteIt is a hard choice to pick a favorite of the two of you, but think mine might be the one where George is standing behind you. It just looks so natural....and that one in the lower right of your collage.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Looks like Christmas was great!
ReplyDeleteYour header is wonderful! A picture post card setting. I also like your ladybug ornament!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
No, you don't need to prove that you can be silly. I'll vouch for that to anyone who wants to know. :) That is a very nice blog. I love some of your pictures...especially where you are acting (Not sure about the acting part:) ) silly.
ReplyDeleteYou sure had a great Christmas with lots of nice presents and ornaments. I like the angel. Making use of yours and george's photos is such a good idea. You both look fit and ready to take on 2013.
ReplyDelete