Christmas Fun

This morning we put Lucas, Janette and Joshua on the plane and officially brought our Christmas season to an end. We couldn't have packed it more fully. We visited Mount Vernon where we loved mingling with memories of George Washington, eating ginger crisps, and actually feeling the snow fall in the new movie about his Christmas crossing of the Delaware. We visited the Library of Congress and, since we saw National Treasure: Book of Secrets on Christmas day, someone suggested we followed it up with the actual tour of all the movie locations. We went to our timeshare in Williamsburg where we especially loved hearing Thomas Jefferson (I believed it was Thomas Jefferson). He was eloquent and stirring and made me want to stand up for freedom. We loved oohing and ahing at the illumination of Governor's Green. This is a nighttime celebration where a fife and drum corps in crisp, red uniforms march out along the green, and torch bearers ignite lights along the road leading to the Governor's palace. We visited the National Botanical gardens where Lucas was in seventh heaven, lingering over every tree and plant and identifying them for the rest of us.

It was wonderful to have Melissa join us for three days and actually get the almond in the rice pudding. Andy asked for books for Christmas and came away with a pile. It is always inspiring to be around Andy. When we weren't seeing fun things, we did fun things like watch The Planet Earth on our new big screen television or one of Mariah's romantic movies from the new A&E collection. We also played a fiercely competitive round of Cranium, Apples to Apples and gorged ourselves on fondue and many other treats. Since we have finished the attic above the garage, we spent a day together hoisting boxes up, and many, many of these belong to the children.

All in all it was a great time, as you may be able to tell from the pictures below, compliments of Dad. Now we look forward to a new year with great excitement for all the good things that lie ahead. We are visiting Eliot and Angie the third week in January, going to the Rexburg Temple dedication the first weekend in February, and leading a Caribbean cruise where we will swim with the stingrays and teach about Book of Mormon geography. Best of all are these new babies coming. It is fun to read Julie's blog and follow the details there.

We are dressed up for the nativity scene on Christmas Eve. Michaela came as a newsie, Melissa as a flower child. Dad came as a shepherd who had been dirtied up watching the sheep.

Christmas morning on Mom and Dad's bed. Some traditions go on forever.

We thought no one got the almond this year in the rice pudding. We guessed everyone all around the circle, but not Melissa because she had been dishing the pudding. We began to talk about how perhaps one of us had accidentally chewed it up. I did say that I thought the almond was a bit small this year and that could have happened. Dad said this had never happened before in all the years he had been doing this tradition. We were about to give up and call the rice pudding almond decimated and gone, when Melissa finally confessed. She had it all along, and she should have had an Academy Award for her acting.

She was delighted to have snookered us like this.

One of the funnest parts about Christmas was coming to know Joshua so well. At first he was frightened of Lucy and Grandpa and Ana, but he soon warmed up to us all. He repeats everything, especially the last word of every sentence. He can say all of our names. He loves to sweep, mop and vacuum the entire house--especially without being asked. We loved every minute together. Lucy became frightened of him!

Mariah loved being an aunt.

Who is this gorgoues colonial family at Williamsburg?

Truman got a new camera for Christmas and took about a thousand pictures in Williamsburg. Andy and Michaela love each other.

Michaela and Mom love each other.

Dad loves Mom, making me the most photographed woman in America.

Need a lift?

A smiling picture of the family in the stocks at Williamsburg.

Now, Dad said, choose your worst face and let's take another picture. Everybody laughed when they saw this picture because I have the same face in both pictures.