This photo, taken Christmas morning,
is the one and only photo I took
during our visit! If anybody took
pictures with my crew in them, please
send them my way!

Merry Christmas Again!

We celebrated our second Christmas with some of Mommy's family (only about half the clan was there; we'll see all but Aunt E during another visit mid-January). Even with such a small crowd, the traditions continued! In fact, we restarted a tradition that hadn't happened in years. Granddad led his kids and grandkids throughout the hospital where he works to pass out boxes of petite fours and wish all the departments a merry Christmas. Some of the staff even remembered the original rounds with Uncle N (now a college student) being pushed around in a stroller!

The girls even got help Grandma decorate the Christmas tree (a first, I think, usually it's up by the time we get there). They were very enthusiastic helpers who were equally careful with the more breakable items. Of course, decorating the tree had to be followed by a round of Christmas cookies!

In fact, the next day the girls helped make even more Christmas cookies. The aunts and uncles went out for a round of last minute shopping, and the girls stayed home to help Grandma put the chocolate layer on the double dip cookies. Yum! I'm pretty sure the girls with the assistance of Uncle N were also in charge of putting out the platters of cookies that appeared after every meal. (Ok, not after breakfast, but I'm pretty sure the girls went for the candy sitting out in pretty Christmas bowls after that meal instead.)

So, not really a Christmassy activity, but we took advantage of Grandma and Granddad's close proximity to a gun club to bring a few firearms with us and take most of the family shooting. Daddy reviewed safety rules and the how-tos of aiming at home, then everyone but Grandma and Lion went to try them out. (Grandma and Lion opted to go for a walk instead.) Monkey and Bug fired both the 22 pistol and 22 rifle a number of times before Monkey couldn't take the noise anymore. The girls and I and Aunt A headed home while the boys kept firing.

One evening we went to see the Christmas lights at the city park. At least a couple dozen local businesses and organizations sponsors displays throughout the park. We cranked up the Christmas music and got to vote on our favorite display at the end. Inside the rec center, we got to enjoy hot cocoa, see a holiday display set up by the local model train association, and color a few Christmas coloring sheets. Good times!

Christmas Eve involved a traditional family dinner, the opportunity to open one Christmas present, more Christmas cookies, viewing another VeggieTales Christmas special, and attending the midnight candle light service at the church I grew up in. Lion was excited about staying up late, but she definitely slept through a good portion of the service.

As a result of those late-night escapades, we actually had to wake up the girls at 8 a.m. the next morning, so we'd have time to dig into stockings and eat Jesus' birthday cake before going to Grandma and Granddad's church. The rest of the presents had to wait until after lunch got cleaned up. For three excited little girls that's an agonizing wait, but well worth it!

They're already excited about Christmas 2.5 in January with the cousins!