Christmas At Our House -- Part II

We have shopped, baked, decorated and read and read Christmas books. I love to read Christmas books to the kids and today we read The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle. I think they really enjoyed it. We have collected so many Christmas books over the years that it is now pretty much impossible to read all of them before Christmas. We have boxes and baskets and tubs full of books. Each year I have always tried to buy several new ones and somehow we have ended up with so many -- ones we have bought and gifts from friends and family. The kids will sit and read and read. It makes for a very quiet house -- sometimes one of my older kids will stop by and ask why it is so quiet. It is all the books that I only pull out once a year. Almost every room I walk into has a child reading in it or maybe an older child reading to the younger ones -- I think they enjoy reading the books that they loved so much when they were little to their younger siblings. These books are very special to them. 

Now we just have to finish wrapping and baking for our neighbors. Sarah and Caroline still have to buy something for each other and they are having a very hard time keeping what they are buying a secret. According to Sarah, she is buying Caroline dress-up clothes and make-up. Caroline wants to buy Sarah either doctor stuff or a gymnastic outfit. I don't know if the little money they have will get any of this, but I know they will have fun finding something for each other. 

Zola loves to bake and cook. She is always asking me if she can make something. 

She is also good about letting Sarah and Caroline help. She is so patient and 

never seems to get frustrated -- no matter how many kids want to help her. 

Sarah has just taken a real liking to baking. She has gotten to the point that 

she is pretty good at this. 

Zola made some peanut butter cookies that had NO flour in them and they

were actually pretty good. I was surprised. 

Claire likes to watch more than she likes to mix. 

Bethany has played with the ornaments, turned on every single musical 

decoration we have and danced and danced through the house. She 

is always so full of energy, but seems to have even more this Christmas

season  -- if that is possible. 

Christmas At Our House

I love this time of year -- decorating, making gingerbread houses, baking, and reading Christmas books. This year it seems extra exciting as I know that not only do we have all the Christmas preparations, but not long after Christmas we will have Bella and Sophia here -- finally part of our family. Not only do we have Bella and Sophia joining the family, but our oldest daughter will also have her first child  -- a little girl. So many things to look forward to. 

Our $39 Tree From Walmart That We Spray With Snow and Try to Cover The Holes With Angel Hair -- It Doesn't Work.

Christmas Tea

Every year we have Christmas Tea at the Jefferson Hotel here in Richmond. I don't actually remember how many years we have done this as it just seems like we always have. Only the girls go and only girls that are old enough -- and I decide what is old enough. This year was Caroline's first year to go and also the first year for my daughter-in-law Shannon. 

The hotel is beautifully decorated in a traditional Christmas manner. You can walk around and look at all the decorations and visit the gift shop -- Sarah and Caroline really liked the train made totally of gingerbread and candy. They also enjoyed just walking up and down the huge set of steps and visiting the gift shop. It is something that all the girls look forward to every year. My daughter, Meredith, is expecting her first little girl sometime in the next few weeks, and I know that one day she will be bringing her daughter to Christmas Tea. It really is a lovely tradition. 

Several of my older girls couldn't make it, as they are away at school, or live in a different state. I do miss having all of them there. This is a tradition that I think we will continue for a long, long time as young and old can enjoy this celebration of Christmas together and it makes the little ones feel so special. 

Daughter-in-law Shannon