Merry Christmas!

Family photo sans David Jr., who was in a snit nearby, refusing to be part of the merriment.

Natalie, taking the picture: "David! I have a candy cane in my pocket!" Genius.

The best picture of the four of them turned out with Aunt Natalie, fittingly.

Happy birthday Jesus! We're a little shaky and very full of sugar! 

Aunt Kate's gift to me: a cute pair of Toms. Love them!

A labor of love, as Lola would say.

"Can I open one???"

Fried rice and chocolate...seems about right.

The girls spent most of Christmas Eve with Dave helping to decorate the church.  You see the lovely product of much hard work on the part of many! It was a quiet, recollected Christmas Eve, which the dark, rainy weather seemed to encourage. After dinner, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and cookies, milk and carrots set out for St. Nicholas and his entourage, they were in bed far past their usual bedtime. I thought they might sleep in. Oh, silly Mommy. They woke up shortly before 5 am... thank you, husband, for getting up soon after. We've all enjoyed separate nap times (the adults, that is!) squeezed in between Christmas day excitement and present opening. Aunt Natalie is watching Frozen with them downstairs at the moment. We're waiting in anticipation for Lolo and Lola to come join the celebration of our Lord's birth. May the peace, hope and courage of the season permeate everyone's family and home!