The day after Christmas

This was Kevin's favorite Christmas gift. They're called Freeline Skates. And they are like individual skateboards for each foot. It is CRAZY HARD to learn how they work but after a few hours Kevin is going places in these. (I'm still trying to just stand still on them.)

My hope is that Brian and I didn't just buy Kevin a trip to the emergency room for Christmas.

'Twas the day before Christmas

'Twas the day before Christmas,

when out on the porch...

Long about the middle of Christmas Eve while I was baking and cleaning and washing and cooking and folding and shining; I realized I hadn't heard from Sarah in a while. I soon found her on the porch up on the swing lazily pushing herself back and forth..... back and forth..... back and forth. (Notice she was wearing my flip-flops.) I thought she looked so happy and calm that I took some time to sit with her and enjoy the beautiful day. Then I went back inside to frost and decorate these wonderful muffins to look like ornaments for our Christmas breakfast. And later that night Brian and I were up half the night putting tags and bows on presents and getting them all under the tree. I just love everything about Christmas. Even the cleaning and washing.

But especially, sitting on the porch swinging back and forth..... back and forth..... back and forth.

Christmas boots (A few days early)

These are Alex's new hiking boots for his Outward Bound trip to Costa Rica in February. He went on a hike today at the beach to break them in with two teachers and some of the students that will be going. (He put 30 pounds in his backpack to create a more authentic simulation.)

OUCH!

Anyway, the good news is he came back with no reports of blisters.

Not everyone was that lucky.

Gingerbread and Graham Cracker Village

The kids had fun creating a small village of edible houses two days before Christmas. Ranae and Sarah decorated the gingerbread house and later Kevin added to that and decorated the gingerbread tree. Matthew made houses out of graham crackers and Alex made a stable with a gumdrop star and googled Baby Jesus for a picture to go in the manger. (Don't you just love that anybody can google Baby Jesus!) The oranges with cloves didn't catch on but I finished two.

So now I have a centerpiece for the Christmas buffet line. Voila!

And it kept two girls busy for a couple of hours. Double Voila!