The really, really long Christmas!!

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
Part I

Welcome to our quiet living room on Christmas Eve.
Pat & I switch years from multi-color to blue and this year
was his year so the tree was starlight blue. We usually celebrate
with the kids between Christmas & New Year's so we've come
to really enjoy our special dinner, wine and music together.

Pat & the kids do an incredible job decorating the
outside including a 25' pvc cross to remind us
why we even have Christmas. The first year I was
afraid folks would show up Wednesdays at 7 p.m.!

Christmas morning we headed to Jeff & Steph's house for lunch.
Ryan & Joy arrived shortly after we did. Noah, Seth & Audrey
were pretty happy campers with what Santa had brought them.

I guess Papa and Caleb got the same clothes memo!!

Jeff & Steph have been collecting Dept. 56 North Pole pieces
for years and have built up a wonderful collection. Each year
Steph arranges the pieces and Jeff makes sure the active ones
work and the lights light up. It takes a lot of work but is
simply magical for little (& big) people. They wisely placed
plexiglass around the table - too many little fingers!

As usual the Walters tree was big and beautiful!
It helps to have cathedral ceilings.

Christmas Part II

Our family Christmas morning was the following Friday.
Years ago I switched to Family Baskets instead of stockings.
There isn't a mantle long enough for our family stockings.
The baskets contain ornaments, misc. gifts, games, candy etc.
This year Santa brought each family a large Christmas platter
(better to load up with goodies next year)!

Seth, Audrey & Noah in their Bass Pro Santa hats. Can you
tell Jeff likes to hunt & fish? Actually Audrey
likes to fish the most!

Next we mixed in Katie & Caleb. Audrey takes
her oldest cousin job seriously. I love the
smile on Katie's face.

At first I thought Caleb wanted me to see
his new socks but he would scowl, step back
and then smile again. Finally slow Nana got it
- TAKE MY PICTURE! So I did.

Katie was beyond thrilled with her
new princess dress from Uncle Shane and
Aunt Christy! She wore it all day and,
of course, looked adorable!

While Noah & Seth did NOT wear their new
Wii game all day - they were equally thrilled!

Audrey is re-doing her room in iCarly retro so
she really needed a disco ball!

'See - these are butterfly barbies!

Aren't they pretty??'

I'm afraid we may have started a new tradition
of, are you ready?, the Christmas Brake Pads!!
Used - not new brake pads - and only three not
four. Don't ask me why but these may be lurking
under the tree for years to come. As you can see they
bring great joy to the receiver!! So sad!

I think Noah got a little confused between Christmas
and Halloween. Amazing how well his PJ pants fit
the orange camo and coke scheme.

Pat and I made the boys tie blankets with fleece
Boy Scout panels. Very warm and apparently welcome.

Joy has a rather sadistic collection of little 'smores
ornaments in various states of melting or being eaten.
Ryan made sure to add to her collection this year too!

John & Lindsey brought back a wonderful vintage ski
poster from Italy. Framed and matted it was their
gift to Jeff & Steph for their 'winter' bathroom.

Pat loves vintage guns. The kids all went together and
bought him a Russian WWII rifle complete with ammo
bag and bayonet.

Last year I started a gift that I'm told I have to do until
I die - make calenders for everyone from the prior year's
pictures. It really is a lot of fun and a great way to relive
the year. Thank you Lord for digital cameras!!!!!

Here everyone is checking out the celebrity shots

As dinner cooked Papa read to Katie while Caleb
checked out the matchbox car supply.

Caleb really go into our Christmas dinner -
especially Aunt Steph's au gratin potatoes!

We have a kid's corner with things they can touch
& play with. Their favorite is a skating rink Mom
gave each of us girls years ago.

.... and it is in a wonderful position - right next to
the Topsy's popcorn...

...where it is enjoyed by all.
Don't come 'round here if you are skeered of
baby germs!

During our time with the kids we went to see
the progress on our local museum (closed for the season).
I'm on the board and Pat is very involved in a big
remodeling project. The kids loved 'serving' each other
at the vintage soda fountain.

And squeezing into the vintage (from my teen years)
telephone booth. We had to show them how to dial
(I'm so old!)

We had facilities to deal with hard-timers too!

Saturday night everyone headed back home
except John & Lindsey - they headed to Boston for a
conference. We took them to the airport Monday night,
came home and put away Christmas then picked up Ty & Jerilyn
Thursday night coming in from Santa Barbara. We wrapped
up our holiday celebrating Christmas with them! That takes
us to ......

Christmas - Part III

Jackson always makes a beeline for the tin of
matchbox cars. This collection was started
by Shane when he was little and has been added to
over the years. I love the fact he is playing on his
great-great-great grandmother's bench which she
needlepointed. That needlepoint is some pretty
strong stuff!
You know you are an adult when a can opener
really, truly thrills you! This was part of Jeff & Steph's
gift basket to Ty & Jerilyn. The can opener they
currently own is a lethal weapon.

There was quite a bit more to the basket - it was
fun to explore!Natalie is getting the hang of this gift opening stuff
Papa's book doesn't have any pictures
Natalie LOVES her creature comforts and this
soft, fuzzy top from Aunt Steph just shot to the
top of the list!
One of the many matchbox car (& plane) gifts Jackson
received. A boy can't have too many cars!
Natalie exploring what may become our new family
motto: Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!
Yep, looks like it says Natalie!
Later Jack decided to stack the cups
in the kid's drawer.
We amused ourselves looking at changing pictures
and playing with Papa and Mommy but best of all
zerberts are always THE greatest way to end the holidays!
We'd like to wish all reading our little family blog a
most wonderful 2011!