A Good Christmas Weekend, even without snow!

On Christmas Day we did our traditional fondue meal at Anthony and Lori's house with Lori's brother Gary  and his son William, Sam and Jennifer, and Destiny.  It was fun and crazy, as it always is.  However, we had to admit that without our two biggest eaters - Frank and Ray - it wasn't quite as entertaining.  They always enjoyed the competition of who could eat the most meat!

Austin got a new tent from his uncle Gary...

...and a clock from me.  Lately, in addition to being obsessed with colors and shapes, he's also been crazy about clocks.  This wonderful toy from Michaels (my new favorite store, by the way), combines all of his obsessions into one.  Plus, it will be the start of learning numbers.

Lori gave Destiny an adorable coat, hat, scarf, gloves ensemble.

Of course, being Destiny, there had to be that diva shot!

I gave her several crafts to work on this week - from Michaels, of course!

It was a good Christmas day, with contact in one form or another with each of our seven children.  I dream of the day that we all will be together at one time in one place.

This morning the pianist/choir director at Fillmore UM was out of town, so I substituted for her for the first time.  Dick had to work today, but was able to be there for the first half hour, so I had him play his twelve string guitar along with my prelude number, What Child Is This?  as well as the special number O Holy Night.  Melanie Fisher sang it with me as a duet.  Melanie does not go there to church, but does special numbers there from time to time, and she also helped with the cantata.  We've enjoyed getting to know one another, so this week I asked if she'd consider coming to Fillmore bright and early the day after Christmas to harmonize with me on that song.  If I do say do myself, we sounded pretty awesome together!

Anthony, Lori, and Austin came here for lunch, helping us to use up some of the leftovers from the fondue.  Austin is just crazy over Destiny.  Here she's holding the little guitar Anthony and Lori gave Austin (from Michaels, by the way!)  

Then Destiny got out her guitar that I had given her for her birthday several years ago.  Anthony tuned it for her.  It takes a real man to play a purple Hannah Montana guitar!

After they left, Destiny and I worked on some of her new crafts, she watched a show or two while I napped, then Dick came home and needed the TV for football, so she played in the jacuzzi and I finally got a chance to do this. 

A good Christmas weekend.  Oh! And to you southerners and Lancaster Countians and Eastern and Northeastern coastal people - I guess we are too far north and too far inland to share in the joys of your snow storm.  We got a dusting over night, and that's it for us!  So strange!