The Superior Express -

I’m always sad when the time comes for the Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations to come down. It’s a job I put off as long as possible but my husband begins to drop hints that lead me to believe he’s ready for the decorations to be stored away. Putting away the decorations is never as much fun as taking the decorations out of the containers and putting them into place. It usually takes me two days to take it all down and get the pieces stored away.

I know we are in the second week of January but some things just can’t be done away with just yet. As I look out onto my patio, I note the little nose and finger prints placed on the glass doors by two of our youngest granddaughters. They remind me how gleefully the girls looked out to see the kittens approach the house for their morning feeding. Those precious prints on the windows will remain there until I’m ready to clean them off.

What fun it is to have children and grandchildren come for holiday visits. Now they are all back in their homes and the vacation days are history.

Downstairs, their play area still has dolls wrapped in blankets and sleeping in the strollers, just where they were placed by a granddaughter. The miniature farm toys are stationed just so on the play table where another granddaughter decided they need to be arranged. Those toys will remain where they are for a few more days.

The cut-out cookies two of the granddaughters made and decorated were sent home with them as they were so proud of their creations.

While cleaning the refrigerator a container of cookie dough was found. I decide to finish the dough by making more cut-out cookies but it was not as fun doing it alone as it was doing it with the girls.

Photos were taken while the families were here and they help me recall the great times we shared a few days ago. I love the big smiles I see in the photos.

The wrapping paper and boxes are all in the trash bin, and the good dishes are all clean and put back in the china cabinet. The house seems so quite now.