Our First Christmas at Home

Karen and I made Christmas dinner this year. It was fun having it with family at OUR house for a change, the first time since Oshawa when I was expecting Ryan, Christmas 1983.

Two-year old Ethan was the biggest attraction as he so sweetly entertained us after dinner. Lori and Dan joined us after they returned from taking a friend to the Atlanta airport. I really goofed - I didn't get a picture of them. Lori is due with Ethan's little brother or sister in February.

He loved the little rocker, just his size! Mom and Tim made it for Ryan and she brought it in her suitcase on the train trip to Oshawa for Ryan's 2nd birthday.

Randy turned Ethan's new remote control into a phone and had several very interesting conversations with Ethan.

He enjoyed his new play doh for a long time.

Story time with Nanna - looks like Ethan is doing the reading!

Randy helped Ethan pump up some muscle with the juggling balls up his sleeves. Ethan is showing me how big they are!

Christmas Eve at Home

This was our first Christmas here at home! It was nice having Ryan, Carrie, Mom and Coleman here with us.

Ryan and Eric Baerg enjoyed some tennis Xmas Eve morning.

As a kid, my family always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, so nobody resisted when the idea was suggested this Christmas Eve!

Amy and Jeremy's gift was a hit - a skier!

Reminds me of the "all mine" days :)

"Yes! Sports talk forever, in whatever car we travel in! Seriously!"

Ever since he saw Ryan K. with his "head lamp" on a camping trip, he had to have one! We figure it'll make reading menus in low lit restaurant settings a lot easier too, or the bulletin/program in churches that like to dim the lights.

Smith's in Town

Roger, Connie and Kimberly stayed with us last Wed. night after Kimberly's graduation from her master's program. Congratulations Kimberly! We didn't get to see enough of them for sure since we were still in school and they had to head back north the next morning. Now that we're on Christmas break, it's past time to catch up on the blog before I get behind with new events/pictures (our family arrived yesterday).

Connie brought us some of her homemade biscotti, along with the recipe, which I've made 4 batches of - what fun we've been having dipping them in wassel and hot chocolate . . . Roma is next to dip in this morning at breakfast.

And you should see the beautiful book she and Roger made for us of pictures they've taken of the St. Joe lighthouse. It's a real coffee table hit. Come see it. If you haven't been to her blog, that's where you'll see many of those amazing lighthouse pictures of one of our favorite spots anywhere.

Amy & Jeremy's Gettysburg Horse Camping Trip

When Amy and Jeremy were here this week, we enjoyed seeing their recent Gettysburg camping weekend pictures which they shared with us. Their horse trailer has a compartment for them to sleep in. Here are some of my favorites.

They rode around trails at Gettysburg that you can only go on by horse.

Amy & Jeremy's Early Christmas Visit

Aren't they all duded up! Amy and Jeremy were in Ashley and Michael Blevins' wedding in NC Sunday afternoon and came on down in their wedding attire from the reception. We couldn't pass up the photo op!
Once they got into more comfortable clothes, we had them open one of their gifts - a very heavy box full of Lodge cast iron cookware. I told them they should post a sign in their window "This house protected by Lodge cookware." It is heavy stuff (could be lethal!) - and will keep Amy tough as she gets it in and out of her cupboards over the years I told her.

When we got home from school Monday afternoon, Amy was on the couch feeling rough with a sore throat and fever of 102, something Ashley seemed to be suffering from Saturday night. Nevertheless, we opened Christmas presents since it was our only chance before they left today after lunch with us at Los Potros.

Carrie & Ryan Entertain Us

Friday after school we headed up to see Ryan and Carrie for the weekend. We enjoyed a tasty potato soup and muffin supper Fri. soon as we got there. Sabbath was cold, but no snow like Collegedale got. We enjoyed a lot of great Christmas music at church. The wreaths, poinsettias, and white lights were beautiful too in the church.

We hiked around the academy campus after our delicious Sabbath dinner. They have such beautiful Christmas decorations in their cafe! Carrie lead out in getting the gazebo decorated Fri. afternoon and after sundown Sabbath with Christmas lights for their lighting on Sun. evening after the SA's banquet.

We went to our second hockey game in Nashville - another very enjoyable game with NO FIGHTS even. The MN Wild beat the Predators 5 to 3.

Sun. morning Randy helped Ryan replace the brakes on his Grand Prix before we left at noon.

First we stopped to join Connie for dinner at Woodland's Vegetarian Indian Cuisine in Nashville. Mmmmm - very tasty south Indian food. Next time we have to take Ryan along, and hopefully Carrie will come too without too much kicking and screaming ;) How can somebody NOT like Indian food?

We took in the beautiful Christmas decorations at Opryland Hotel and walked thru Opry Mills - without spending a cent. Hopefully we'll have better luck at finding the Christmas gifts we're looking for shopping here at home this weekend.