We hosted our second annual Christmas cookie decorating party on Christmas Eve eve. On the morning of Christmas Eve, we traveled to Raleigh and arrived just in time for the candlelight service at Trinity. It was a sweet service. It's always fun to be there in such a big sanctuary with so many people and to sing with so many other voices! At the children's moment, the church gave all of the children a copy of the book, "Love Came Down at Christmastime". The service ended in an upbeat way with a spirited, jazz-band version of "Go Tell it on the Mountain."
We spent Christmas Eve night at the rental house in North Ridge. I think it was a record Christmas Eve crowd for the family. Ten names made it on the ornament this year! (You have to spend the night on Christmas Eve for your name to be on the ornament.) We awoke Christmas morning to a load of presents under and all around the tree. Santa brought Mary Grace a new bike that even has a seat on the back for her babydoll. And he brought Elsie a "plasma" car, which she calls her "Mickey rocket". It does kind of look like a Mickey rocket and she had asked for a Mickey bike, so that's what we're calling it! The girls also received lots of toys, games, dolls, and a big dollhouse to share.
The Monahans had us over for Christmas dinner and the snow started while we were there. By the time we woke on Sunday morning, there was at least 4 inches of snow covering the ground and it was still pouring from the sky. We tried to sled that day but the snow was just too deep and soft. Everyone spent the night at the house again that night and we woke to much more sled-favorable conditions the next morning.
On Monday afternoon, we headed back to St. Marys. Then on Tuesday, the Kinneys came down for the week. We enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing week with them. We hardly left the house the entire time they were down!
That's a short recap in words, here's the story in photos:
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