Holidays

This is a LONG post of pics, since it's been so long since I've been able to update my blog. Life has been very busy, as usual, and time flies. It's so cold here right now, I am not enjoying winter, I never do. So looking back on pictures is cheering. Now I am looking forward to spring, my favorite time of year.

The beginning of December found us kicking off our holiday season in our annual reenactment at the Backcountry Farm in the Scheile Museum. It was a very cold day, so Max and I didn't stay dressed out for long. But here is the cabin looking festive.



Maura, staying warm in her cape.


The beautiful food the ladies there made, all the reenactors ate them after the public left.


Curtiss, Ben, Grace, David and Maura, singing Christmas hymns.


Kaley and Josiah, helping to hand out candles for the candlelight service.


Josiah was entranced with the lanterns.


Max, trying to stay warm.




This is Max and I on some random day before Christmas. He is so happy and getting so big. He weighs 18lbs already! He is one of our happiest babies. Always a smile and it doesn't take much to cheer him up if he is unhappy. We all adore him. Josiah love him so much, never a day of jealousy.


Christmas cookies were awkward and difficult this year. We never did get it together. I always had guilt at the sugar and carbs that were laying around. Maura can't have wheat so here she is trying her hand at gluten free cookies. Unfortunately, they aren't sugar free and are high on the glycemic index. So they wreaked havoc on her blood sugars. I am not sure what we will do next year.





She sure had fun. Maybe next year we will do the cinnamon cut outs for decorations-you don't eat those but still have the cutout fun.


We got snow!! Lots for us, the kids loved it. Actually, writing this 4 weeks later, we still have patches of snow on the ground. Unusual for this area of NC.


Kaley, still being a kid-yea!


Curtiss and the dirty snow man he and the kids built.


Our next excitement was a visit from my sister Melody and family. We don't get to each others houses but maybe once or twice a year so it was a treat! We all had a great time. My mom also was here so it was a real houseful. Melody is my birth sister so it is especially special that we know one another and get on so well. We have all been in touch for 12 1/2 years now and it's cool to look back and see how we have all grown.

Melody holding Max, sweet.


COUSINS!


Max


Four generations of women in our family. My grandmother, Lauretta; my Mom, Audrey, Melody and I and Kaley.


These are all my moms grandchildren in one place, wow! Left to right, back to front: Jon Paul 9, Grace 9, Charlie 12, Max 3m, Kaley 17, Joseph 6, Maura 5, Benjamin 7, Josiah 2, David 7, Robert 9, Curtiss 11, Sarah 7. You can see 2000 and 2002 were big years for grandkids for my mom and pop!


We sped on from there to Christmas day. Mark and I beat the kids up! (not literally)



My beautiful girls, I think this is Christmas eve.


Our tradition is stockings first and everyone gets a Christmas mug.


David


Me getting my surprise gift, an ipod!


Curtiss and Grace playing with their new camera.


The spread at mom and dads.


The outlaw Josie Wales.


A fairy that stopped by.


Snow on the ground still.



After Christmas my sister April and brother Randy came down. Here is my gorgeous nephew Jaden with Kaley



Oh, he is so cute. We had fun sitting around talking and nursing our babies.


I have more pics of family to follow, some of my other nephew Jack and the kids. I'll have to get them downloaded soon. For now, it's back to the sounds going on behind me near the wood stove as I type in the cold office. Back to dinner and a cup of coffee.

blessings