Signing Off

Merry Christmas everyone, and I hope this finds you well and enjoying the pre-Christmas activities.  My guests began arriving several days ago, and more will be coming tomorrow and staying through the next week. In order to enjoy the holiday with my family, I'll probably be posting sparsely until after the new year.

Before I go, let me share with you a collection of our family activities over the last week or so.  We always enjoy being together and enjoying the love of family and friends.  Good food, too.

There were some artists at work, creating two lovely gingerbread houses.

Grandtwins Brianna and Tori - with Tori in charge of quality control

Son Caleb said some goodbyes to his special friend Stacy.  Stacy will be spending the Christmas week in England with her older sister.

Prior to their goodbyes, they attended an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party with the young adults group at our church.

By the way, that necktie plays Christmas tunes.  It's a winner don't you think?

At the annual family Christmas party, everyone was happy when the little princess (granddaughter Ellie) arrived.  She loves to be all fancied up.

Hosted by my parents, this party hit a home run when it came to the delicious spread of food.

With temperatures up into the 60's on the day of the party - very weird for late December in central Pennsylvania - there may have been some snowmen melting in the heat.

Along with the good food, there were plenty of presents to be unwrapped.

Daughter Lindsay and Ellie (in her second outfit of the day)

My father Tom and nephew Zacchary

Between the plates of food and the piles of presents, there was a puzzle that needed assembling.  My parents have a special puzzle table.  Any guests are welcome to add pieces to whatever puzzle is ongoing during their visit.

Nephew Luke

I love the reminder that Christmas is all about the gift of a baby many years ago, and our family is excited to welcome another baby next May.  Daughter Sarah and SIL Lance are excited about this addition.  If you look closely in this next photo, the baby is starting to show us that he/she is growing nicely.

So now we are back home again, and making preparations for Christmas eve and Christmas day.  It's a busy time for us as it is for most families.  There are last minute gifts to unwrap, party leftovers to be eaten,

Christmas day food to be prepared, and beds to be prepared for the next batch of arriving relatives.

Even the puppy is in holiday mode.  She's got her own dangling mistletoe,

A kiss for me, please?

and she already received a few gifts of her own.

Please enjoy your Christmas however you choose to spend it, and perhaps take a moment to think about the greatest gift that was ever given, the birth of the baby Jesus.  

And with that, the gift of Hope.