Hello! Merry Christmas! My oldest son, Seth, got married on December 17th! We hosted the reception at our house, which was quite the feat given what a mess we are. We had a lot of help from good friends to pull it off. Being entirely consumed by preparations for the wedding and Christmas, I’ve gotten behind on the blog. I’m going to try to get you all caught up over the next few weeks!
Beatrix turned fourteen in November and we celebrated at the opera! With the exception of getting a little lost in D.C. and panicking that we were going to be late, we had a great time (and we weren’t late!) Having watched it on television a couple of years ago, we knew that Il Trovatore is pretty intense and we loved it! You have probably heard the Anvil Chorus from this opera. It was exciting to see it performed live!
Next, Job turned nine! I surprised him with dinosaur head Converse and he was pretty excited. He also got his own Yoto player, so he can stop borrowing Mabel’s.
Where’s Ambrose? He plays peekaboo by covering his mouth and it’s pretty funny.
We had beautiful mild weather through November and still had blooms in the garden! The only thing blooming now is witch hazel.
That’s Lark’s hamster stuff in the background. Her hamster died in November and she cleaned and disinfected everything afterward, which was good because she got a new hammy for Christmas. After years of having pet gerbils, we are enjoying hamsters, though they don’t live as long.
This is Mabel carrying Ambrose around and telling me that “He loves it!”
Last November bouquet.
Pirates of Penzance with Silas, Job, and Mabel! We saw this one in Richmond (much easier than D.C.!) and had so much fun even though we had to park far away and run through the cold to get there on time.
Saint Nicholas Day, our first one with missing kids. Keats was at college and Gabe was gone for work early. Seth claimed that he’s too old but that didn’t stop his younger siblings from setting his boots out! I regretted not having the thought to send Keats a St. Nicholas package. I’ll remember next year!
Christmas knitting, though it wasn’t ready for Christmas. I just finished this hat minus the pompom last night. It will be an Epiphany gift for Beatrix!
I did the photography for Phoebe and Seth’s wedding and I will hopefully have it edited and ready in the next few weeks and will be sure to share some of the day with you. I don’t recommend photographing your own child’s wedding! I was incredibly stretched by all the roles I had to play that day, so I wasn’t able to document as much as I would have liked. Here’s a sneak peek until I have more to share…
Merry Christmas, Ginny, and congratulations on a beautiful new daughter!
Ginny, congratulations on being a brilliant Mother in law. So happy for the lovely couple.
Amazed at how much Mable has grown! She looks like she’s taken the roll of Mini Mom just as Lark and Beatrix did before her.
God bless your dear family and New Years blessings.
Ginny, what wonderful experiences you provide for your children. Growing up, Mother would get us tickets to the ballet companies that came to Houston, so I grew up loving and appreciating ballet. I never developed that for opera though, sadly. But I applaud you for the background you are creating for your family. I love reading your blog entries and look forward to the next one. Happy New Year!
Lovely times, Ginny! Congratulations to the happy couple 🙂
Congratulations! That was a lot and you made it!
Lyn, your words really sum things up! It was a lot and I made it!!!
Merry Christmas! May I ask if the bride’a dress is an antique, or handmade? It’s absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Marlene,
The dress was a last minute gift from one of the bride’s mother’s friends. It was made in the 1980s I think, but definitely had an antique look!
Congratulations and Merry Christmas! Monumental accomplishment in a short time. The couple look radiant and very happy. You must feel very proud. Blessings on the entire family.
Barbara
Oh, Ginny, how proud you must be of them all. And a new daughter (in law)!
Blessings to you all!
Peace be with you!
OIivia
Hi Ginny;
Beatrix is a lovely young lady now. Seth and Phoebe look like a Fairy Tale couple. So elegant and lovely. Phoebe looked beautiful in her pretty dress.
Happy Christmas Week.
Marion
Whew girl! Hosting a wedding reception and Christmas in the same month! You are amazing! Wishing Seth and Phoebe every happiness!
Happy New Year, health and happiness!
It was crazy, but we did it! Only because of the help of friends! I still can’t believe we pulled it off!
Hi Ginny, Glad you and Beatrix had a nice time at the opera. Seth and Phoebe are a handsome couple. Phoebe’s dress is lovely.
Marilyn
Oh, she looks so beautiful. AND so good to see an appropriately modest, elegant, simply beautiful dress!!! Pairs so nicely with the Christmas bouquet.
I didn’t see the dress until minutes before the wedding and was soooo thrilled with it! So beautiful and perfectly Phoebe!!! It suited it her so well.
I remember when Seth was so young and job was the baby!! Congratulations to all of you Merry Christmas
Hi Ginny’
Phoebe and Seth make a beautiful couple. The bride’s dress is very pretty. Ginny Beatrix is so lovely .
Merry ,Blessed Christmas
Joan
Phoebe looks, in that photo, exactly like some kind of beneficent fairy in a medieval fairy tale. I love everything about her appearance, but especially her dress, which is so beautiful and modest. I look forward to seeing more photos!
Your opera experience reminds me of ours. We took our daughter to the opera for her 16th birthday and we almost missed the train. We literally had to run a whole flight of stairs to the the train. JUST made it in time, panting.
Congratulations on the wedding!
Ahhhh! Nerve wracking!
Lovely update!
Many blessings to Seth and Phoebe! What a beautiful couple – they’re practically glowing!
Congratulations!! They are a beautiful couple!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family Ginny! As always, it is just so very nice to read your post of ‘happenings’ and see the lovely photos. Congratulations to Seth and his beautiful bride! From my home in Washington State to yours, Happy New Year and God Bless you and your family with much Love, health and happiness XO
Congratulations to Seth and Phoebe! And Merry Christmas to you and your family, Ginny!
Thank you for posting. It’s always a joy and comfort, somehow.
Reading this walking home alone from an awful family outing with our 5 kids from 10-2. So much effort put into making it a nice Christmas for them. Not only but also with nice gifts. So much ungratefulness. I don’t know how not to take it personally. Which doesn’t help.
On such days it’s really hard to imagine they’ll turn out good.
Wish you some rest after these 2 celebrations.
I love the wedding dress and the bride’s appearance overall. So much the opposite of how most young bride’s dress today. Very beautiful.
God bless their marriage!
Greetings from Germany.
Angela
We have all been there with our children, Angela. Sometimes letting them see and “feel” how disappointed you are with them [even shedding a few tears] is a better lesson than the natural anger you feel. It can be a “learning” moment. And they will grow out of this and turn out just fine. Most of them do, you know.
Thank you Rita, for your advise and encouragement!
Dear Angela,
I tend to take these things personally as well! But a wise, older and more experienced mother whom I follow is always reminding me not to take it personally! As mother’s we have to keep addressing the needs of the day, steering our children in the right direction, and remember that it’s ultimately up to God! I’m guessing that your kids will turn out fine! Flawed, imperfect humans, but that’s all of us, right? Prayers for you today! Love, Ginny
Congratulations to the happy couple. Wishing them all the best. Thanks for catching us up. I can’t believe how old all the kiddos are getting and now you’ve started adding in-loves.
Congratulations on your new daughter-in-law! Her dress was so modest and lovely, just perfect. Looking forward to seeing more of their special day.
Congratulations to you all as your family extends with the addition of Phoebe and Lark’s hamster.
Hope 2023 brings many blessings.
Can’t hardly wait to see all the pictures of the wedding! Seth is looking more like his father. Congratulations on gaining a new daughter!
Merry Christmas and congrats to Seth and his bride 🙂
Merry Christmas Ginny and family!
I just love seeing your photos and catching up.
Congratulations on the wedding!
A new season of parenting is beginning!
Look forward to seeing more photos.
Enjoy!
Oh, congratulations to your family, Ginny! Seth and Phoebe look radiant!