As I've mentioned before, we were busy with crafting before Christmas arrived... Here is a small wall quilt that was given to our friend-pastor-monk Dale.


Kater & Em have a friend named AJ who lives across the street from their dad's house. They felt it important that he have superhero capes as a gift - so they designed and helped to sew these. They picked the fabric and told me just what I needed to do to make them perfect...


Please note the little pocket on the one Em designed - even superheros need someplace to keep things...


On the Saturday before Christmas we were informed that we'd neglected to go see Santa at the mall. Nevermind that the jolly old fellow walks past our house every day (our neighbor is a deadringer!)... so off to the mall we went! I broke the rules and took my own photos - no way was I paying $20 for a 4x6"

Our friend Jason took a family picture of us one night...
Rory is being Rory, and I love it!

And one of just the kids.

Christmas Eve we went to church for a special service. It was a beautiful way to usher in the Christ-Child... as the clock turned to midnight we were lighting candles and singing Silent Night. The children had napped so the could make it late into the night, and they wore their jammies to church...


We went home, where the magna carta to Santa was written and cookies and milk were left on the mantle above the stockings. It didn't talk long for everyone to fall asleep...

The next morning Em woke us at 4 with "SANTA came and there are thousands of dolls in the livingroom!" (Santa had brought American Girl dolls for our girls, as well as bringing my old AG dolls from Omah's house!) We told her to let us sleep just a little more, and she woke everyone else. They all bedded down on the sofas and let us sleep 'till 8! The livingroom was a wonderland. Santa had trimmed the tree with silver tinsle and candy canes, and the stockings were bulging. There were gifts from family and friends, and the j0lly old elf himself...


We spent the day lounging in the livingroom, eating Christmas sweets and cheeseball & crakers and Jme made his famous sausage balls & butter-me-not biscuts. There were oranges and cookies too, of course. Uncle Ken came over in the late morning, followed by the Melrose cousins and their mum & dad. Then Jason in the late afternoon. The children left for their 'alternates' at 2, and we lounged some more. In the evening we went to play pool and met Hollie to eat chinese food...


This week has been quiet. The kids are still gone and we have been bubbing 'round the house. We cleaned out our pit of a closet, and started on our bedroom - the only 'messy' room of the house. I have actually watched TV - we actually watched ALL of 'Rome' yesterday... talk about a TV marathon. But Jme was sick and I didn't feel like doing a thing so it worked.


I hope you and yours have had a joyous holiday season... may you be blessed in the comming new year!