Memories of Christmas past.

I've been thinking a lot about how joyous and wonderful last Christmas was.  It was heartwarming and full of love.  On Christmas morning, I had everyone I love the most, under one roof.  I truly loved it. 
I loved preparing our lil Christmas tree with handmade ornaments that my Mom & I came up with:

I remember the late nights staying up sewing ornaments together with my Mom.  Sometimes we'd sit in silence, concentrating on the task at hand, and other times we'd have on Hawaiian or Christmas music.  This Christmas, I miss that.  I miss late night sewing sessions with her.  

I miss sewing ornaments for a Christmas tree.  I don't know how to describe the beauty of homemade Christmas ornaments.  I see burlap Christmas ornaments and wish I could make them with her, but I think I'll just wait til next year when I have a sewing machine of my own.  
As I've been reflecting back to last Christmas, it made me miss having all my nephews & niece together.  I wondered how my oldest two nephews would spend their Christmas away from home, living on their own. 
It made me miss them more. 
Then I received the wonderful news that my oldest two nephews would be home for a visit.  That cheered my heart so much! I miss having them all under one roof.  I can't wait to see this again;

 These boys...I love them so much!! Them, along with their sister, are the joy strings of my heart.  
This is just what I need to make this Christmas so much better (than it already is, thanks to Santa Levi---more on that later)