Holiday Travels

Christmas is my favorite time of year. There is such joy in the air.  The music is happy.  There are jingle bells ringing.  The neighborhoods are lit up.  There's a crispness in the air.

But the reason I like Christmas most is that I get to go home and spend two weeks with my family.  I spend a few days at my sister Gayla's house and then the rest of the time at Mom and Dad's After the first few days' frenzy of doing all my shopping, it's a chance to relax and visit with everyone. 

This year is going to be especially fun because some of the women on Ravelry that are also doing the Advent Calendar Shawl and I are going to get together!  It's amazing how one project could brig people hundreds of miles apart together.

My first day here Mom had plans for us to attend a Christmas event put on by her Sunday School teacher.  It was held at his 27 acre compound.  We had a beautiful day weather wise and had a fun time at the event.  Here are some pictures I took that day.  It's a pretty amazing place...

(l to r) Me, Mom, Gayla in front of the tree in the library

One of the sitting rooms in the library

 There were lawn ornaments:

 And live animals:

 Babies too (awwww):

There was a really pretty lake with black swans:

 We walked over a bridge that Santa was watching:

To see the peacocks:

Then we went to the train station to hitch a ride:

Gayla and Mom on the train

Our Conductor

 We had a really good time and can't wait to go back next year!

My sister and I have been on the road for two days wrapping up my Christmas shopping which is done and wrapped!  The crowds weren't too bad,  You would never know there is an economic crisis from what I've seen here.


We visited Yarntopia Monday morning and I picked up a few yummies (pics to be posted later).  Cute little yarn store.  Saleslady (owner?) was very nice. When she heard me mention that I had purchased some Prancer yarn on one of my crawls she provided me with a printout of a one skein cabled scarf.  Now I know what to do with that yarn!

I'm looking forward to visiting Twisted Yarns this year.  I always find some yarn yumminess there :)

Back to Mom and Dad's tomorrow afternoon.  Try to help mom get ready for Christmas Day.  I'll report in as I can with more news from Texas!

Merry Christmas to everyone!