Winter Sports

We started out the new year by celebrating Grandpa Selvage's 80th birthday.  He is a New Year's baby, so on the 1st, we stopped by their home and took him a cake.

Then on Sunday, we had a family gathering with all of his and Norma's siblings, plus Doug came home from Germany for a surprise visit.  I forgot to take put my SD card back in my camera AND forgot to bring my cell phone.  Really, Vickie? 80 years old, and you don't manage to get pictures!!!


Tommy and Ellie were excited one Friday to tell me about their swimming lesson.  They got to paddle around the pool in a kayak!  So fun.  Thankfully, Tommy's teacher DID remember her camera, and she posted these pictures on Facebook for me.

Ellie was so excited to tell about this that she was tripping over her words.

What a great confidence building exercise!

And FINALLY, we got some snow last week.

Although it wasn't enough to build a snowman like
they wanted, it was enough to flap up a few angels.

And to bounce around in a bit.

Yay for snow!

The "sand castle" that they built was about 2" high.

And So This is Christmas

By the beginning of December, the kids were more than ready to decorate the tree.

We had fun one afternoon making graham cracker nativities.

Ethan and Tera at our family party.
They were getting ready to leave before I remembered to pull out my camera.

I had been busy in the kitchen making up cookie plates to send home with Mom.
Sandy, Ellie, and Lindy were my co-bakers and platers. 

Apples to Apples seems to be the traditional game of choice for our crew.

We also enjoyed a nice Christmas Eve with Grandma and Grandpa Selvage, but I forgot to put the sd card back in my camera, so we didn't get any pictures of it this year.  Somewhere, there is a video from the new video camera that Tom got, but it would need heavy editing before appearing here, since I was in most of the scenes.

Before bed on Christmas Eve, we donned costumes over new
Christmas PJs and acted out the story of Christ's birth.

Papa was an innkeeper who turned away Joseph.
I got to play the nice guy who let them use the barn.

Ellie and Tommy both played wise men.

and also our main characters, Joseph and Mary.

All loaded and ready.

Christmas morning, Ellie singing into her new microphone.
She looks a bit like a lounge singer, doesn't she?

and this one definitely has that look down!