Merry Christmas from the Lesters

Wishing you a lovely Christmas!

Thankful for Family

"Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!" ~ Albert Einstein

One of the greatest treasures of our recent Thanksgiving celebration was this photograph capturing our family. We were determined to capture some images before the afternoon sunlight faded to dusk, and I am so glad my brother, Nathan, made it happen. I smile every time I look at this beautiful group. My, how we have grown!

My dad and his wife, Vicki, are so proud of this lovely gathering of grandchildren. I can hardly blame them, though. These kids are pretty amazing.

What a blessing to spend the holiday with my paternal grandparents. It is such a gift to have them with us still.

My Aunt Gail, shown here with Uncle Bill and all the cousins, has overcome significant health problems since last year and is still a blessing to us all. We look back on our time together over the Thanksgiving holiday with grateful hearts.

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." ~ Joyce Brothers

Glimpses of Our Holiday Table

So once in every year we throng

Upon a day apart,

To praise the Lord with feast and song

In thankfulness of heart.

~ Arthur Guiterman

I hope you will indulge me in sharing Thanksgiving photos so close to Christmas. We were blessed to host my family for the holiday, and my brother, Nathan, captured some beautiful images of our time together. Unfortunately, by the end of our busy weekend, I was not feeling well. Two weeks (and a doctor's visit) later, I hope I am finally coming out of this illness. I am so ready to stop coughing! In any event, I cannot let the season pass without sharing these memories of our tablescape. My next post will share photos of the dear ones who joined our celebration!

Our dining table seats ten, and I could not wait to gather the adults in our dining room! My grandfather had a life-altering stroke in early spring, but he and my grandmother were able to join us, thanks to my dad transporting them to and from our house. That was definitely cause for celebration! 

Fresh Market offered a lovely array of tulips, a novel choice for our Thanksgiving arrangements. In my zeal to decorate, I arranged the stems too soon and wound up having to clip them short before the meal. Rummaging through cupboards, I found three identical jars perfect for filling with fresh cranberries and flowers.

This year I decided to use our Noritake Chandon wedding china, which looked lovely set against gold chargers.

We used my Mikasa Antique Lace crystal for the occasion and re-purposed four of the water goblets as vases for hydrangeas.

Votives floating atop handfuls of cranberries completed our setting.

White embroidered napkins added softness.

Although my original intention had been to make one floral centerpiece for the table, a series of low-lying arrangements looked lovely and allowed guests to converse easily.

Joining us at this year's festivities were my grandparents; my father and his wife, Vicki; my siblings, Jennifer and Nathan, and their families; and my Uncle Bill and Aunt Gail. We are so grateful that all could gather around our table.

My late mother, of course, was never far from our thoughts. She would have loved this gathering!

Still to come, a few more pictures from our celebration and the loved ones who make the time together worthwhile.

"Thanksgiving is nothing if not a glad and reverent lifting of the heart to God in honor and praise for His goodness." ~ Robert Casper Lintner

Photos by Nathan Prichard. Used with permission.