Christmas 2013 Is Left To Memory

Good afternoon and it is so good to see you coming Through My Back Door. Come on in and have a cup of coffee and your choice of pumpkin or cherry pie, or a slice of stack cake. I got one made and have to split it 3 ways.lol (I will make another soon) Now we are finishing up the Kona coffee. You could be having this.

Have you ever heard of this? I had not. It is well known in my family and friends, that I like strong coffee. I want to know I have drunk a cup when I drink it.lol Curt and Lindsey got me this and I will use it in the mornings. I think it is so funny and it says it is the Worlds Strongest Coffee!
Most of you know I had been busy since before Thanksgiving. After coming home from St Louis on the 4th of December I hit the road running and had a party or somewhere to go or company every night through Christmas Day. Now it is truly "Silent Night" here. I am just enjoying having all the decorations put away and my house back. (If you remember I put them up right after I lost Dasko and it was time they came down.)
This was the first Christmas in forever that everyone was home except Olivia. We missed her and hope next year she is here too. Seth came in from Chicago, Douglas, Anastasia and Gabe from Chattanooga, Beth and Ryan with Amelia from Il, Curt and Lindsey from Nashville, so you can see how hard it is for us all to get here. My house is small but all 22 of us got in here, and had a wonderful time. Douglas moved furniture and it is a mess, but was so nice to be able to sit around and talk and laugh. Seth and Dustin entertained us with music. Mollie loved it and danced her little heart out.

It was so much fun seeing these guys enjoying themselves and reminiscing.

I told you I had made a stack cake. Here is a picture.

I got so many wonderful gifts from my family. They are entirely too good to me, but this has to be a favorite.

It is full of thoughts and memories of every member of my family. I open 2 a day and I cannot even begin to express the emotions I felt when they gave this to me. I don't cry very easily,(unless I am talking about Dasko or Curtis) but I cried when they presented this to me. I have opened 4 so far and will share the one I opened today. It was from Andrew and said "I like to play cars with you." Is that not so sweet? (I have no pictures of him here,and don't know HOW that happened) I will enjoy this for a long time. I will share some of them with you from time to time.
I took my decorations down yesterday and got my house back.  I am playing with the mantle.(What is new you ask?)lol I love these big chargers Sandi found and brought to me.  I wanted to use 2 of them, but this is subject to change.

I want to share some kind words from a customer who shops at the Hen. Her name is Dania(I am not sure of the spelling, but hopefully she will forgive me) She is one of the sweetest people I have met working out there. During the  Christmas Open House, she asked me about Curtis and when I told her that he had died, she felt bad for asking. She shouldn't have as she had no way knowing. Later while she was still there, she over heard another customer talking about my loss of Dasko that week. She came and hugged me and said she just KNEW 2014 was going to be a year of new beginnings for me. She has no idea how much her statement touched me. So Dania thank you for your words of hope. SO many in blogland have gone through or are still going through some very difficult times this year, so I am giving you the words Dania gave me. It is going to be a year of new beginnings for a lot of us. I am so happy you came Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty
PS: A big thank you to all of you who sent me Christmas cards and pictures. I appreciated them so much. I am sorry to say I didn't send any this year. Nor last. I will do better next year
PSS: I am so grateful for all the friends I have made Through My Back Door and hope you continue to visit. Most of all I want you to feel good when you leave.
PSSS: Do you see my blog fairy has already changed my blog? She is such a blessing to me. You know if I could have one far out wish, it would be to meet her in person as she works so hard to make me look good. I say far out because she is in the UK and I don't fly!