Every Christmas celebration is started with going out to where our family originated, a place called Conde, and singing Christmas carols to our family.  This year, my cousin Carrell joined us!  Yay!  We had a CD of the Freestate Ramblers who are a fiddle group started in the early 1900’s by John Ashby.  We had an entire lesson from Frank on who was who and what was what with that group. 

Mary Dale’s refridge is covered in magnets, which is always a source of fun

After a quick stop to Margie’s, we headed to Virginia and James.  They were sick this year, but watched us sing and later play, from windows in the warmth of their home!  We, and yes, we does include our duck, sang and then the kids went sledding!

Soaking in every minute of our first white Christmas in 20 years...when the sledding was slow going, Audrey and Gramma got into a rolling down the hill match.  Lil’ Round Duck watched curiously.  Soon we were headed for home with our seafood feast waiting—to be cooked by me! 

You may recall every year my kids get pj’s on xmas eve.  This year, I got a little smarter, and included a small toy in with the pj’s.  They were much better received!!  Imagine that.  With belly’s full from shrimp cocktail and shrimp pasta, the kids headed for story time with Gramma before going up to bed.

Santa arrived right on schedule, leaving Audrey a bag full of Twilight stuff, a memory foam mattress (does that just scream teenager?) and some rock climbing gear.  Malena was graced with Zhu-Zhu pets, and a real guinea pig, a huge legos set, and skates.  Spencer got some games for his PS3, an extra controller, legos, and some books.  Cade got some pirate stuff (with legos), some spy stuff (with legos) and some more legos, and a couple of video games.  Cade became slightly crazed over legos in the last few months.  So we have LOTS of legos!