Our Merry Christmas

We had a relatively small group here for Christmas this year but it has been so fun to have them.  In addition to our little family of four, we had Megan home from BYU-I and Geoffrey home from his new job in Mississippi.  He will be able to stay until New Year's Day and Megan will be staying until January 7th.  She is off track for the Winter semester, but has been invited to take classes during that time due to the smaller number of students attending this semester.  It is a nice thing for her.  She had previously planned to stay there and take online classes and work, but will now be able to take classes on a regular schedule. 

"Welcome home, big sister."

Our decorated tree

Delivering popcorn

Here is the crew ready to come down on Christmas morning.

We always come first to the dining room where the manger has been throughout the month.  We put pieces of straw in the manger basket when we have done something kind or helpful.  The hope is that the basket will have plenty of soft straw in preparation for Baby Jesus to come on Christmas.  Here is the view Christmas morning.....

....along with the viewers.

Then we move into the family room so the kids can see what Santa has brought them.  

Here's Nate with his new Colts blanket.

Megan and Geoffrey checking out there gifts from Santa

Checking things out

We were so happy to have Grandma come up to watch the kids open gifts.  

Nate with his new guitar

Evan with his Kindle

"Hey Mom, can we take the stockings down now?"

"Here Geoffrey, I'll help.  Wait, it's not coming off"

"How does this work again?  Dad can you come help?"

"I'll hold this part and you switch over to the end.  I can't get that end piece off.  Whoops, we dropped one."  This year we saw a particularly entertaining taking down of the stockings.  :)

He seems pretty content.

Grandma enjoying the festivities

Megan in her new warm robe that she opened the night before from Stephanie

Checking out the new guitar

Trying out his new Rainbow Loom for making bracelets

Handing out the gifts

Opening gifts

Ginny found a soft place from which to watch all the happenings.

Opening his gift from Mom and Dad 

Nate opening the gift he gave to himself.  He had ordered it on the 23rd and since it came the next day he decided to wrap it all up for himself.

Here are his new golf clubs....courtesy of himself  :)

A new DVD from Grandma

Megan with her Sunday quilt. Grandma made it from pieces of a quilt top that 

Great-grandma Chapman had put together before she died.  

Steve's new coat

Evan checking out his gift from Grandma 

Nate in his Phillies Santa hat

Geoffrey opening his gift from Tracey's family 

Some jeans!!!  

Steve opening up his gift from Evan

Nikki and Kaci at Grandma's house

Happy Birthday, Tracey!!

Last year the kids went together to get me the basic Willow Tree nativity set.  This year they gave me more pieces to it.  I absolutely love it!!!  I am so thankful for my sweet family.  Stephanie, Marc and Karsten spent Christmas at their home in Burbank this year and Emily, Jim, and Jimmie were at their home in Provo.  Janelle, Scott and their little ones were home in Boston where they were able to join with Scott's parents and Michael and Sarah in their Christmas celebration.  Even though we were spread out this year, we were able to talk to everyone and still enjoy the special spirit that Christmas brings.  Merry Christmas - 2013.

December Happenings

We had just a small window of opportunity to get our tree on the first weekend in December.  Friday night was a nasty rainy night and Sunday, we got about 8 inches of snow.  Luckily, Saturday afternoon between Nate's SAT exam and the Leadership Meeting of our stake conference, we were able to go pick out a tree.  We picked it out, put it up, and got the lights on it in about an hour and a half.  Great job, guys.  And beautiful tree, too.

We were considering this one......

....but ended up choosing a Douglas Fir this year.

Nathan was inducted into the National Honor Society on December 11th.

Evan participated in his first band concert ever on December 18th.  He started playing the saxophone this year.  Here are the saxophone players in action.  Evan is third from the right.

We got this solo shot once we got home.

Nathan was also honored this month by the Lenape Regional Board of Education for his 

perfect score on the National Latin Exam.  

Nice job, Nate!!

A Mid-December Trip to the Washington DC Temple and Williamsburg

We were able to take the boys and head out for a long weekend, Dec 12-15.  We decided to go down to Williamsburg, VA.  We had been to Williamsburg many times when our older children were young, but it has been over 10 years since our last visit.  

Since we were leaving after school on Thursday, we arrived in Washington DC just after dark and were able to stop at the temple visitor's center to see the Christmas lights.   Here are some of our photos from that evening.

The center also had some nativity displays inside.  Evan especially loved these.  Our photos do not really do them justice, but he wanted to take as many photos as possible.  

Peru

Uganda

United Kingdom

Japan

Poland

Germany

Germany

China

Germany

China

Georgia

(can't remember)

Malawi

Finland

Venezuela

Israel

Tonga

We really enjoyed the opportunity to stop and see these beautiful displays.

We now head to the blue part of this post.  Here's a brief explanation.  Steve gave me a new phone earlier in the month.  It has a nice camera so I thought I would give it a try.  I guess I must have put it on a weird setting which turned everything blue, because these are the photos we got.  I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to use it.  But anyway, since I am too lazy and really don't have the know how to try to make these photos appear normal, we will take a little Williamsburg tour in blue......

The dining room/ball room in the Governor's Palace

The boys behind the palace

One of the beautiful arbors - The gardens behind the palace were immense 

and so beautiful...even in the winter.

Thomas Jefferson himself.....well kind of.  He gave a wonderful speech at a little gathering place.  They have regular character appearances at certain places each day so that you can plan where you want to be at what time.

Evan crushing some corn to make cornmeal at the Powell House.  The boys and Steve also got to play the harpsichord in the house.

Uhh-oh, someone must have made a bad choice...

At the stocks outside the courthouse

Inside the magazine.....Evan loved this place!!

In the colonial gardens

Steve, Nate, and Evan standing on the Palace Green with the Governor's Palace behind them

A game of Mancala in one of the out buildings of the Wythe House

Rolling a hoop at the Powell House

At Bruton Parish Church - notice the family name on the monument

Steve in front of Bruton Parish Church

A family shot in downtown Williamsburg

In addition to seeing the shops, houses, Capitol, and characters, we also were able to have lunch at the King's Arms Tavern.  It was sooo delicious.  The second day we were there was very rainy from noon on so we were happy to get inside and enjoy the delicious food.

Also at Christmas, Williamsburg partners with neighboring Busch Gardens which decorates their park in millions of lights and creates a winter wonderland called Christmas Town.  We went there one night and enjoyed some musical productions, some food, and some beautiful scenery.  It was so fun.

One of the really beautiful things about going to Williamsburg around Christmastime, is that you get to see the amazing wreaths and garlands that each house has.  I took a lot of photos of the artwork, but there are a ton more.  Here is my little gallery - in blue, of course.  Notice how they use fruits, herbs, feathers, and vegetables in the arrangements.  I just loved the creativity!!

We had such a good time.  We will have to go back again soon. 

Thanks, Williamsburg!!