Christmas in Review

Good morning to everyone!

I'm finally posting on our Christmas in review.  It was an excellent Christmas, not one that stood out with anything exciting but just enjoyable being together with family.

Christmas eve we completed all the family traditions.  A little after 5 we all sat down to a candlelight dinner of cheeses, crackers, meats, fruit, and grape juice.  After eating for about 1/2 an hour we all headed out the door to a nearby church and attended the candlelight service.  Then we came back home, finished our wonderful meal, cleaned up, got ready for bed, and sat down to watch "Charlie Brown Christmas".  Then Dad surprised us by pulling out "Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates".  It was a wonderful evening.

Christmas morning we all slept in (woohoooo!!!) and woke up to a delicious breakfast dish with eggs, ham and sausage!  Yuuummmm!!  Then we cleaned up the house and got ready to head out to my aunt and uncle's house which is about 1 1/2 hours away.  We were able to go visit my grandma who had surgery for a few minuets and am glad to say she is doing quite well for her age (81).  Then we went to the Schreur party which is always exciting.  Nearly everyone in the family was there except for 2 grandchildren and their dad.  They were all sick.  :P   We got home from that party around 11:00 p.m. 

A pictures of all the grandkids (minus the two sick boys of course)!  The ages now range from like 26 - 4.

The day after Christmas we again slept in.  When we finally got up we did chores quickly and came back in to open presents.  In our family, we draw names so we buy presents for one sibling in the family.  We also hide 3 small gifts three days prior to Christmas and hope that "your person" doesn't find out who has them.  This year I had Josh, so I got him crayons, a stuffed bear and a toothbrush/toothpaste as little gifts.  Then the big gifts was a cap pistol and slippers.  Elizabeth had me and she got me hair gel for curly hair (yayyyy!), mints, and Reeses for my little gifts and for the big gifts, conditioner for blond hair (yayyy again!), and a gift card to a local farm store.  I went right out and bought a cool sweatshirt.  :D  From Mom and Dad I got a shelf for my room and a gift certificate to the bookstore.  I got the DVD "The Ultimate Gift".

Here are just a few pictures of the kids opening gifts.....

 Rebekah getting a "horsey" calendar.

 

 Ben and Jon both had each other, and they both got the same gifts for their person!  :D

 

 Josh opening his sweet pistol.

And last but not least, here is a project I worked on the last few days:

Enjoy!

~Bethany~