Christmas Eve

Hadassah and Mommy have arrived, dressed for Christmas.

Jemma too!

Seth and Janelle with their babies, two of four boys.  So glad we get to have them close!

Grammy setting up Playmobil with Johannes.

Hadassah at the head of the kids' table.

Big girls

Boys!

Big Boys

Nathanael feeling a little under the weather. 

Uncle Luke serving up a plate of roast beef with all the sides.  Jesse brought the roast from the bull that ground him in the dirt this summer, and Seth cooked it to perfection.

Banqueting Tables

Marshal's Plate

Unwrapping the Christmas Eve pajamas.

Twas the Night Before Christmas with Grandpa

Little Leroy listening intently.

Little Jemma discussing something with Mommy.

Naph ready for sugar plum dreams.

Jed

Kim finishing up her hand crocheted stockings!

All the children have gone to bed and presents come out of the woodwork, truck beds, vans, boxes, bags, closets... creating quite a mountain for a sea of nieces and nephews, brothers, and sisters, own children, and parents.  Stockings are stuffed, and the scene is set for wide-eyed wonderment and exclamations on Christmas morning.  One little one sneaks a preview.

Stockings hung on a most holy night, and all wished a goodnight.

Christmas Cut Outs and Taffy Pull

Jemma, wearing Grammy's early childhood apron, helps Mommy make Christmas cut out sugar cookies.

 My sis and I arrived with our families at Mom and Dad's before Christmas, cousins together.  Gabe and Lydia were anxious to not miss out on an old-fashioned taffy pull!  You know, the kind described in Laura Ingall's Wilder's Farmer Boy and old Raggedy Ann story books.  We followed the recipe from the Little House Cookbook.  We ended up putting the first trial too soft taffy back in the pot with another 1/4 cup of sugar and bringing to 260ºF again.  Turned out perfect, and the more you pulled with buttered fingers, the lighter in color and stiffer it got.

All hands are in!

Jemma lovin' it.

Fun with candy.

Grammy and Hadassah looking on.

Coolness.  You can see Gabe's taffy lightening in color.

Naphtali and mom pulling together.

Dassah, 15 months, busy playing in the sink.

Wrapping the candy for Christmas stockings.  It was melt in your mouth delicious!  Reminded me of my memory of See's caramel suckers.  Gabe pulled out a molar with it.

Lydia's 3rd Nutcracker

Dressed for the First Act

First role as a girl in the Christmas party scene.

"Boys" and Girls

After the show with Dad and roses.

Grandma and Grandpa came this year!

Mom with her little leading snow flurry.

American Girl doll, Rebecca, took part in the show too!  Rat King memento from Miss Diane.  Miss Diane's husband makes a wood cut gift, signed by all, for each dancer each year.

From the Nutcracker to the children's Christmas service at church on Sunday night!  A full day!

Feed the Birds

"Downy" - Downy Woodpecker

Gabe has been drawing in the birds and naming them under the willow tree.  Looking out my front window.

Maiden Voyage

Marshal got us up at dawn and to early church, on time this Sunday morning, before a salt water adventure off the island.  Gabe and Marshal have been dreaming, planning, and preparing for winter salmon fishing!  Gabe found their gently used boat with all the trimmings a few weeks ago online.  They were ready today with brined herring and poles set.  We didn't catch any big fish, but made it in and out of the big salt bay and put poles in the water.  It was perfect day for a trial run.

Captain

Mt Baker and Salt Spray

Out to  Sea

Lydia called out the depths during the trip.

I actually did most of the steering while the guys trolled for fish.

Fishing makes his heart happy.

Moonrise

I'm a point and shoot photographer trying to capture the spectacle last night.

Wish I could capture the real beauty of the moon, but happy to capture some of the special effects.

First Violin Recital

The fruit of their lessons that began in September.

"It was little fun."  She had been so nervous!  Rehearsal night she found out she gets the shakes like Mom and the red face like Dad, haha!

What did you get me into, Mom?

Actually two recitals in one day!  Gabe and Lydia played their Twinkle Variation solos as well as playing the melody in group Christmas carols, O Come Little Children, Silent Night, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas!