Christmas Eve 2017 - Goodnight

Sunday, December 24, 2017

What a lovely day this Christmas Eve was. Time for bed though...

Christmas Eve 2017 - Greetings to Sam and Pete

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Shortly before Dale and I headed of to the Christmas Eve service I texted Sam and Pete the above picture. Sam texted back the following... 

...with the message that they ended up with a white Christmas. I texted back that that's pretty good for Kansas. Pete texted that they're doing cheese fondue at their house.

Christmas Eve 2017 - White Christmas

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Just after our church service ended I checked my phone and noticed Mike had texted me the above picture. He's in Arizona visiting Charisse's family and I took it to mean they're watching White Christmas. When Dale and I got home from church we put together a grazing tray of pickled herring, crackers, apples, pears, ham, swiss cheese and French onion dip.  We also put in White Christmas and I texted the following picture to Mike:

I also texted this one:

...with the message "I'll be Danny Kaye to your Bing Crosby." He's such a good sport to put up with me.

Dale and I started falling asleep on the couch before the movie ended (just as Rosie Clooney gets dropped off at the train station by the general after he misunderstanding with Bing). We decided to go to bed but I got a brief second wind and ended up reading The Polar Express before I settled in for my long winter nap. I find the story magical. It's copyrighted 1985 so I didn't grow up with it but I encountered it in the early nineties when I began teaching. It touched me when I first read it as it made me think about what it means to believe. 

Christmas Eve 2017 - Church Service

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Our Christmas Eve church service was lovely. The singing of carols beautiful. Dale and I were 2 of the 3 Kings in the Christmas pageant.  Here I am with my buddy Emma who played the lead angel:

After the service there was a visit from St. Nicholas. He passed out bags of treats to the kids. I took advantage of getting a photo op with him. Took 50+ Christmases to finally see him on Christmas Eve but I guess good things come to those who wait!!

Christmas Eve 2017 - Getting the Holiday Started

Dale and I tried to get brunch at the Normandy Kitchen, but, alas, it was closed. We were able to get into Bank,  down the street. Dale got the Cobb Salad and I got the chicken pot pie (which was awesome by the way).

After we got home Dale took Athena for a walk. We got a light dusting of snow so I swept and then took a picture of Hedgehog Hollow. 

Christmas Eve 2017 - Ghost Stories

Discovered this series of ghost stories for Christmas last year. This year three new titles were added to the series. I read the two pictured at top prior to Christmas but started The Empty House, pictured at bottom, on Christmas Eve. All three are spooky to be sure!!