visiting Aunt Velda

My Aunt Velda is my mother's sister.  Even though the sisters live in the same town, they hadn't had a chance to visit in person in a while, so my mother and I went to pay Velda a visit.

We took her a gift bag with candy, nuts and a pretty red rose, and also fixed up a little candy jar gift for the lady who helps care for her.

Here are the sisters, Donna and Velda.  What nice smiles!  

We stayed just long enough to ask how every one was doing...and took a trip or two down memory lane.  Then we said Merry Christmas and headed home - much to the relief of Velda's little dog, who had to be closed in another room while we were there. (much barking from behind the door!)

After we got back home from Velda's, my Mom and I said we should have included one of these little popsicle stick reindeer ornaments in the gift bag (we made them last year).

We'll have to try to remember next Christmas!

This is back at my Mom and Dad's house.  They have their tree up and lots of other decorations too. 

Their fireplace decorated for Christmas... 

Unfortunately, the decorating gene was not passed to me. My decorations look like random stuff that someone forgot to put away, ha ha. Maybe I will show them here in the next few days.

Their big Christmas Cactus is blooming right on schedule...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...except for the weather.  It's been warm enough in the afternoons to go without a jacket.  I hope we don't pay for it later this winter with really horrible weather!