Christmas Day

After our little family's Christmas morning we have the big family's Christmas day. Merlyn got into her beautiful dress (we love cousin Elizabeth's hand-me-downs!) and then decked herself out in her new slippers, sunglasses, frog mittens, and her frog backpack. What a nut!

I forgot to count all the people, although the crowd was smaller this year than ever before -- maybe 35 people. Jerry and I at one point were the only ones sitting at the table in the playroom, each on opposite ends. We felt like royalty without the royal subjects. For anyone interest in a little old house history, the far end of the room used to be a formal parlor and the closer end was the family's sitting room. They were separated by accordian doors. The woman who now has those actual doors in her kitchen told us that when there was a death in the family, the accordian doors were opened and the casket was placed in between the two rooms so people could view the body. Now we set up tables for family gatherings in that same spot.

Boys will be boys... Carter, Myles, and Nolan are rough-housing with Brian and Gary.

Look at the cool dude! Braden

found Merlyn's sunglasses

Aunt Kelley and Berkleigh

smile for the camera.

Merlyn gets comfortable with Aunt Claire.

A favorite party game is LCR. Aunt Claire the gambler has gotten Carter and Myles hooked on playing for money. We played with dollars Christmas Day, but Aunt Claire supplied the dollars.

LCR gets quite rowdy and loud. Merlyn started getting upset by all the commotion, so Bryan got the ear muffs for her. She was still whiny, but it was amusing to everyone else.

Myles was the big winner of the $18 pot. After paying back Aunt Claire, he was $15 richer. Our policy with any money the kids get is to put half away and they can spend the other half. Later that night, Myles gave me, Bryan, Carter, Merlyn, and Berkleigh each a dollar from his winnings, then divided the rest between his savings and spending money. That Myles is such a sweet kid sometimes.

Well, after telling about two of our Christmas celebrations, I am only halfway done -- there are two more to go. Like I said, the holidays were busy!