December--Catching Up

~December has been a busy month.  I've not had any time to post.  Aaron and his family made it home and found a house to rent while they are building theirs.  We've been getting to see lots of them and it has been nice.  Kylie and Wyatt have gotten so big! 

~Aaron had parked the moving truck in our yard when they made it home.  Unfortunately, it rained and they had trouble getting it out of the yard.  They tried to go through the field and got it stuck.  I came home from work to see this sight.

Lucas was having a high old time laughing at them.  First they tried the tractor, then they tried gravel, and finally they tried the Explorer.  None worked.  They ended up having to get a wrecker to wench it out.  It was dark by then, and I was at church, so I didn't get any pictures of that.

I guess you can tell, there's never a dull moment at my house!

~Kylie helped me decorate my Christmas tree this year.  It's the first time she's been here to do that.

Can you see a pattern, here?  (Everything is about 3 foot high and all in one spot.) Kyra, Elijah and Owen put the last few ornaments on the tree when they came up, and then put all the presents under it.

 

~We gave Dad a surprise birthday party on the 5th.  We had never given him a birthday party before.  His birthday is actually the 25th, but usually gets lost in the shuffle with Christmas.  He didn't suspect till he pulled up at Kim's and saw all the cars.

    

    The house was packed with family and friends.

I think he particularly enjoyed the cards and gag gifts.

~Kyra, Elijah, Owen and Abby were all in their church Christmas play on the 13th.  We went and watched, and it was very entertaining.

Kyra, Elijah and Owen were shepherds.  Kyra and Elijah quoted John 3:16.  They did a very good job.

Abby was baby Jesus.  It was probably the first time baby Jesus ever had a pink pacifier in his mouth.

~The 18th of December was Malachi's 22nd birthday.  He made it in from Canton, Ohio, (where he was working), very early that morning.  Misty had planned a surprise birthday party for him and actually pulled it off.  He didn't suspect anything until he saw the cars. 
Hmmm, seems like the cars are always a dead give away.

He had lots of help opening his presents.

~The 19th was Mom & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary.  Debbie and I took Daddy to lunch at the Cracker Barrell.  It was a tough day.

~We also attended the Woods Family Christmas dinner on the 19th.  It was at Rob and Gail's in Kingston.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so there are no pictures.

~Our Christmas play was Sunday night, Dec. 20th.  It was the first event in our new fellowship hall.  There were 125 people in attendance.  The play was a dinner theatre type event.  As always, the kids did a great job.

Westley and Seth dressed for their parts and hamming it up for the camera.

~On the 21st, I took Seth, Pamela and Kylie to Dollywood for the Christmas Festival.  We all had a really good time.  Kylie loved it.

Kylie chauffering her Mammy around in the 50's cars.

On the carousel.

On the bumble bees.  She was so excited 'cause she could ride them by herself.

Piggy ride.

On the carousel again.

Kyle "won" an Abominable Snowman for herself and a Rudolph for Wyatt at the duck pond.

Kylie and I tried to take our own picture.  I think we need to practice.  Maybe my arms just aren't long enough.

Waiting on the parade to start.

Yep, that's Seth peeking around Pamela's back.

Seth & Pam.

~Well, that's about got us caught up.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and the whole gang will be together again, including some of my "adopteds" like Rob and Jared.  The only one missing will be Tristan.  I sure wish he could be here to share his first Christmas with us.  Maybe one day soon we'll get to spend time with him.

~Merry Christmas, Tristan!~

~Merry Christmas, Everybody!~