Candles of Love.

Today, we gathered with other families

in our community who experienced loss.

All of us have lost a precious baby during

pregnancy or anytime after birth OR a

sweet child, at any age, for any reason.

Each year, we gather with love to remember.

We meet on the 2nd Sunday in December. I am

one of the facilitators of our groups and with others,

put together our service in our community. We

are fortunate to have a funeral home provide space.

There are candles and cookies, beautiful words and

sweet music. Hugs and tears. Children and laughter.

Memories and pictures. A safe place. A needed

program. Healing in a month that is full of life and

pressure to "forget" this difficult and unimaginable 

experience. We survive and continue to grow. But

we never, ever forget. Tonight in every time zone

around the World, for 24 hours, families are lighting

candles in memory of their babies and children. If

our sweet little ones could look down, from where

ever they are, they would see a ball of light, just for

them, full of love, just for them from all of us ....

My family is honoring our precious babies:

Bretton, Ciara, Birkley, Cabriola, Cambria,

Beau, Cree and Bentley. Our candles are lit, our

hearts are full, our tears are many. We remember.

~ Chy

Birthday Blooms.

My birthday was a whole week ago but look at how sweet these flowers have remained. They smell amazing and are still full and not fading or wilting. Our neighbors sent these to me, a complete but so welcome surprise. Such a kind and loving family and we are so lucky to have them just down the lane. We'll have them for dinner sometime over the Christmas Season and look forward to spoiling them again.

Do you have sweet neighbors down the lane?

What are your favorite flowers to receive?

~ Chy

Tree Shopping.

Last week, before all the snow, we had to shop for

a little Christmas tree for our community preschool.

Dgs and I had fun getting our pictures taken at the

Ikea tree lot. A sweet tradition that he loves each year.

Dh lugged the tree into the car and then back

out again once we got to preschool to set up.

In the stand, watered and ready for the

branches to fall in to place. I'll take a

few more pictures once it's back in its

place, fully opened up and all decorated.

~ Chy

Snow Day!

Unexpected snow meant an unexpected

"snow day" at home for most of the day.

Looks so pretty but kept me off the

highway and range roads in the am.

I was able to get in to town to present

on grief to 100 teachers in the afternoon.

And then came straight home again, to

our cozy little house in the frosty woods.

Always so pretty but I prefer it on

days I don't need to go anywhere.

Thankful for an great boss and a team

that pitches in to make sure work is done.

And thankful we are set up to work

from home when the weather turns.

Today it's supposed to snow again but

dh has to go to town so he can drop me

off at my office for a few hours to meet

with some clients. And then home again.

Have you had any "snow days" yet?

What do you like to do on those days?

~ Chy

Dinner Time.

A deer family came to enjoy some

plants by our veggie patch last night.

They must have known that snow was

on its way. We didn't even know it was.

They filled up and then settled back in

behind our wood pile behind the shed.

And this morning, we woke up to this

new landscape of pure white. Pretty

but it made driving off my plate for the

morning. Much better late in the day.

~ Chy

My Office Today.

It snowed last night. Big snow. And

the roads were not good today, so ....

.... my office was changed from the

Big City to our little snowy cottage.

It's warm and cozy, I've gotten more done this

morning than I get in a day and it's so peaceful.

Thankful for a kind and understanding boss and

team. And a sweet little place we call our home.

~ Chy

Kit Kat Kabin.

We thought we'd try and find a Gingerbread Kit to

construct this Christmas with the grand babies. 

Looked fairly straight forward. Not too many steps.

And lots and lots of yummy Kit Kats to eat later!

My favorite is the white Kit Kats. Hard to find.

Except at Christmas. Then we find them all over.

We used all the Kit Kats, the icing, the Smarties

and the sprinkles. We added in a tree and a light.

And rested it on one of my favorite

Skye McGhie china serving trays.

Added in some snow and a lace cloth.

Ta da! Our version of a Gingerbread

House for our 2019 Christmas. I'm

looking forward to eating it all later!

~ Chy

Hello December.

A month filled with good wishes, family

time, amazing food and blessings for all. 

~ Chy