Eyrealm: "Tis the Season"

For the first time since our children started leaving home we have a family close enough to celebrate with! Now that Saren and family have moved to Ogden we can play together! On December 21st we enjoyed a lovely meal at Bambara across the street from the Capitol Theater and then we loved seeing the Nutcracker Ballet along with Eliza and Isaac. Along with the fact that Isaac had an attack of flu just as the performance started, it was a night that none of us will soon forget!

On the morning of the 23rd we started our official Christmas celebration. New shirts....

New shoes, coats, sweaters, scarves especially picked out for me by a really great guy (shown above).

And a pretty big surprise for him too!

On that day we traveled to Maddox for the official Eyre party where we played chimes on Christmas carols, ate to our heart's content and had a chance to catch up with Rawlin and Kevan's family. It was especially fun this year to have Sheri and Lynn and of course, Grandma. Not one picture was taken!

That night we stayed overnight with the Looslis. After reading our new favorite Christmas story...with special rapt attention by Dad....

We moved to the Nativity play which is always sobering as well as so much fun!

So much fun to end with our traditional songs and feel the true spirit of Christmas!

The next morning we awoke to actual musical accompaniment to the singing on the stairs (Ashton had set the digital piano to play along with them as they sang).

SO fun to have such great new stairs to sing from and come down on for the gift giving!

Grandfather and I actually got to see the kids open the presents we bought for them. Not something that happens every year since everybody is so far away. They were pretty excited don't you think?

Of course watching them give their gifts to each other is always the best part...along with watching Dad help put things together and Mom making sure that everyone has a gift and is happy about it.

We were feeling the love all around!