Soon~it will be Christmas day.

 Photo..courtesy of their mom..Lucas with Katie's dog.The big brother..the sweetie who likes to scare his nana and jump on her sofa and toss the cushions♥

Photo, courtesy of their mom

Oli..still has all his baby teeth..wish he could stay this way..forever.

He's the last Little.

Photo courtesy of Caroline

Do you remember eating snow?

I do:)!

Lucas loves his funny face here ..he told me to look at it..

the only little girl..on their street ..Katie....is right here..w/the boys♥

Smart..funny..not shy..lots of conversation..personality plus.

And how cute are they all?

She is the one that has said :"and when we are all older I will live in my house with my kids and the boys will live in their house with their kids".

I think they are adorable together..

Every year..I look through my old Canadian Living Holiday Baking magazines..some are 2006..they are the only Canadian Living magazines I have saved over the years and I have not found any the last 4 -5 years..

It's something I like to do..

one of my small traditions..

It's not Christmas without linzers..

I love the flaky cookies with the jam filled centers..cut outs and a dusting of icing sugar on top.

A classic.

You can go here for one of 3 of my favorite Linzer recipes..

That's the year I started blogging..makes me a bit nostalgic to see and remember how some of us got lost..

there were some good bonds..

hope everyone is well~

We made our tourtières..

A tradition..in a French Canadian home..

my mom made them..Jacques' mom made them.

To Jacques..that taste and smell  are  Christmas to him.

Scents have such powers over us..for memories.

I made a chocolate house instead of a gingerbread house this year..and named it: "Linger Lodge":)

It will be on the children's table I guess..Christmas eve..Adamo..Giuliana and Lucas..will be at the big people's table:)

Marshmallow roof on  the chocolate one:)..a little white tree inside..Ferrero Rocher shrubs..

I still have things to bake and I am looking forward to them..

Cards do add love to a tree..

A little while ago..I mentioned our family Christmas stockings..
I must admit..every year when I take them out..several things go through my mind..

#1.
 I was taught..step by step how to make these..the materials were sent to me to get started.
Photos of her doing the stitches were sent.
Prior to that I had asked someone I worked with if she could show me the stitch in person..even though I did crewel and needlepoint for years..years ago..the process escaped me for a stocking.
I was met with impatience.
Let me just say..you never forget a kind act..and lol you rarely forget an unkind one..case in point at my office.
Back to the beginning..so ,I have never forgotten the time,patience,and generosity of the person that got me started on these.
That's number 1:)

#2.
When I pull them out now(they are stored  in my mom's hope chest)..I can't really believe I stitched them all  as there are 11. 
I never thought I would get through one.I promise.

#3
I don't think I could do them today..not sure..but I don't think so.I was extremely motivated to not let the person down..and I wanted to create them so my family would have them long after I am gone.

#4
So many stitches!!!!

#5
I stitched a few of them in Florida on the beach..our friends would come and peek..and I did finish   a couple in their entirety ..right there.
 #6

They are so big!
18 inches plus to the base not counting the foot
I have bought wine to put in my son-in-laws stockings and the clerk has said to me..you cannot fit a wine bottle in a stocking....well I can..2 plus stuff ..I am sure.

#7.

The kind kind kind kind woman..here..that turned my tapestries into the beautifully lined and velvet stockings..w/ a fabric hook..and all the binding.
I had gone to Arnaldo the tailor..sweet as ever  he was but he said:" I am afraid I cannot turn your stitched stockings into stockings..but I know someone w/ fairy fingers  who makes all kinds of things for the church bazaar".
He gave me her number and I called her..
I had to take a chance..

A beautiful widow..in a cute cute house..greeted me with such kindness..I knew one of her daughters and son-in-law by chance.
She agreed..
To begin with..she did my mentor's stockings too..quite a few if I remember..and she did mine..all 11 of them.
Her workmanship enhanced the stockings 10 fold.
I am always always grateful to her♥
We exchange a Christmas card ever since..wishing each other well.
A wonderful woman who cherished her husband and talked about him with such love and pride.

On every one..I try and add something linked to the person in my family..On Mylène and Caroline's there are tiny initial charms that were theirs as little ones..some pearls from one of my mom's broken necklaces.A small police car for Alain..the Littles names on each one..Jacques as the  the patriarch..mine as a gardener etc etc..the latter 2 don't get filled..we are just that way..we don't need anything..

As I type..they are filled and on the sofa of my craft room..they will come out Christmas eve.
Re very first one I ever made..was for Frédérick..and how appropriate..the snowman father holding the baby snowman's hands.
Geesh I even get teary writing about them

My wish is that they do remember all the Christmases..past present and to come w/ even their families much later on.

Max..my little fashion icon:) one of the  MVPs for his football team that won the provincials..he was so excited..
he kept telling us..IF we win the regionals..we go on to Provincials..inside we were thinking..you are dreaming big, Max.Well he proved us wrong..dreams do come true♥

He is living up to his shoveling obligations...so cute.



Noah had to wear a Christmas sweater today..his mommy dolled up a black one..♥
My other fashion plate:)

Photo courtesy of Mylène~

His look:)  Mom said he was not too sure..hahaha I love it.

 Thank you for all the nice friendly comments this year..Jacques reads them all..and has said numerous times..:"they are all so nice on your blog..or..  tes commentaires sont tellement gentils..and it's so true.
Thanks for all the posts you post..about everything..inspiring..I learn so much.

I wish you peace and love
I read this..and I thought..yes that would be my wish for everyone..
I want to add health too.
♥