Christmas 2014

Our Christmas morning dawned clear and crisp, beautiful, if not white.

Amazingly, we'd all slept fairly well, considering it was our first night since flying.

Sue and Gord made a yummy ham dinner, and afterwards we went to see the home they'll be moving into in a few months.

After checking out the home, we walked around the village, stopping at the nearby church. Old
English churches have such character and majesty to them.

 We then went into the village park, or rec, and played on the exercise machines.

On Boxing Day, we celebrated the holiday again, this time with the addition of Dean, Jenny, Euan and Olivia.

Nan and Pop cooked another feast, this time with turkey and Yorkshire pudding (Violet's favorite). Cora joined us at the big table, mainly because there wasn't another miniature chair for her.

I don't think she minded too much. Just look how grownup she looks!

Later on, we opened presents - oh what fun! The girls were pleased with everything, such nice books and crafting kits and Hello Kitty jammies.

 Later, after 16-month-old Olivia joined us from her nap, I helped her get started on her little pile. Isn't she adorable?

 Euan's big present of the day was a real train set, from Nan and Pop. All the children, young and old, loved helping set up and play with this gift.

 We pulled Christmas crackers, too.

In the evening, Father Christmas made a surprise visit, apparently on his way back to Lapland after delivering his gifts.

See Violet's face? That's happiness. She must believe with all her heart that the real St. Nick comes complete with a Somerset accent.

Cora, standing on the other side of the Santa story, did her best to encourage the belief of her sister and cousins.

A beautiful Christmas it was! May the joy, and BELIEF, of the season light up your heart, into the coming year and beyond.