Looking Back at 2014

 January

We enjoyed a 2 week trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Nice break from our cold, cold winter.

February

It was cold, day after day. A long winter.

March

This is part of the quilts I sewed during this long winter. Sewed 15 quilts in total for The Agape Project in 2014.

April
Enjoyed some time at the local greenhouse dreaming about spring & planting.

May
Celebrated my Mom's 98th birthday together with my sisters.

June
Celebrated my (February) birthday with a fun party.

July
Spend a night at this relaxing place with my travel buddy, Lois.

August
Really difficult month as we marked the 1 year anniversary of Barry & Zach's going to Heaven.

September
The sunroom was done & we enjoyed it for a number of weeks before the cold weather came.

October
We experienced a longer fall in Manitoba without frost & so the trees put on an impressive show with  colourful leaves. 

November
We enjoyed a few days in Fargo, ND & visited some of our favourite restaurants.

December
A spot of joy at Christmas - The Hallelujah Chorus sung in our church at the Christmas Day service.

2014 - another year done, a difficult year, only got through the year with the Lord's help.
He is Faithful.

Christmas Quilts

 Nick was very excited to get his quilt for Christmas. He told me later - "I didn't see that one coming!"

 Nick wanted a quilt with airplanes on it & I searched for the right fabric for several months until I found it.

Sigrid wanted a bed warmer so I made one for her. Here she is with it & Brandon.

I used various fabrics in earth tones.

 Katie also got a quilt made with polka dots in a chevron pattern.

 Katie with cousin, Abby & her Uncle Allen.

 Posing with their quilts.

This quilt went to Chris & Charlotte. It's a king sized quilt & the pattern is called "Box Step." 

Now everyone in my family has been "covered" with a quilt. The grandkids will receive another one when they are grown up. I have several already done & put away for them.

Family Christmas

 Nick reading the Christmas Story from his own Bible.

 For Christmas dinner, the grandkids requested a fondue & that's what we had.

 Sometimes, it easier to see what's going on by standing up & on the chair, if you're not tall enough!

 So good!

 We cooked pork, beef, chicken, weiners & shrimp in oil. Chocolate fondue for dessert.

 The Unrau Men 

The Unrau Women

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Eve 2014. Our second Christmas without Barry & Zach. It is so hard. Miss them so much. 

In the past Christmas Eve's, Barry, Sigrid Zach & Abby would have arrived during the afternoon & we would have supper together. A lot of chatter around the table. So much to talk about. Sometimes we would all go to church Christmas Eve. Sometimes, just Zach & Abby would come with us. Then we would have snacks later. 

Sometimes, Allen, Lena, Jared & Brandon would have arrived. Sometimes, Chris, Charlotte, Adam, Katie, Carly & Nick would stop in after church & there would be lots of food to enjoy. 

Things have changed. This year, our kids will all be home Christmas Day. Some will come for lunch, the rest will arrived early in the afternoon. First we'll open gifts, then we'll have coffee & some snacks. Some may go skating, some of us will visit & then start the supper prep. 

This year we are having a fondue & the grandkids are really looking forward to it. We will have a good time. We will miss Barry & Zach so very much. There will be times when it will just be too quiet. 

 

This is their second Christmas in Heaven. I'm sure their Christmas is alot more fun & meaningful than ours. Someday we'll join them & then we'll have the best Christmas ever. I wonder what Christmas in Heaven is like?

 

Around the World - Part 2

I was quite intrigued by this train covered in moss & vines & grasses.

 Paperwhites give great contrast to vivid greens.

 Bright red pointsettas in many arrangements throughout the conservatory.

 

 Another view of the model train that kept going around the track.

 There was just so much to see & enjoy.

There were also several decorated trees in the entrance. 

Beautiful, relaxing visit to the conservatory at the Assiniboine Park.

Around the World in 80 Days

Spent some time at the conservatory at the Assiniboine Park enjoying the exhibit - Around the World in 80 Days - telling the story with various plants, trees & flowers.

 This is the Azalea tree.

 Orchid tree.

 Pots of different colours of poinsettas were everywhere.

 This elephant is made of plants, bark & trees.

 Beautiful contrasting colours.

 A train track with a working train surrounded in colour.

The Annual Writing

Done. Finished tonight. The annual task/chore of sending Christmas greetings to friends & family, mostly far. Have been doing this for many years. Guess my mom trained me well. She sent cards until she went into the care home. Most of the time I write a summary of our year, sometimes long, sometimes short. I read on the web how some people hate these photo-copied letters of people's bragging about where they've travelled, what they've bought & how great their kids are doing. Well, I'd rather have a generic letter than none at all!
Oh, I did write a little about our trip to Red Deer. Oh, and I mentioned Mexico too! So if you get a card from me & don't want to hear about our travels, you can just throw it out. But then you won't see the really nice picture of the two of us! 
I do keep in touch with alot of friends on Facebook so some of you will read about me all year & see my pictures there. Guess I also just like to send a real card via Canada post. Also to keep in touch with my elderly aunts & uncles in Ontario.
Takes some planning for the perfect annual picture. Got a really nice one of the two of us beside the hubs fancy Mustang.
Huge job. Done. Didn't even count them so I can't brag about a number!!