Christmas Morning and Christmas in Seven Springs

Christmas Morning... Barney gave his little gift to Erika and Bobby.. He went right to them like he knew it was from him!

 A Christmas Barney ornament holding his stocking to
hang on their tree.

After that we headed to Michelle and Adam's for Christmas

Breakfast and once again it was terrific.  

Adam's dad, Bill and his friend, Stacy and Jerry Z

were there, too.  We had a lot of fun talking and eating.

I don't know why i don't have pictures of the kids!?!

Adam and his tree!

Iris and her nativity set.. push the angel hear,
" Away in a Manger".


After breakfast we took off to Seven Springs, Pa.
where we had rented a "lodge" or large suite at the Log Cabin Inn
Bruce and I went out early to transform the place from this....

                                                   To this...

                                                Note:  16 stocking hanging on the fireplace!

Bruce in the kitchen!

 It was so much fun getting everything ready. 

Since we only had a few weeks at home
we didn't decorate our house so this made up for it. 

The Dining Room!

The kids "bunk room"! 

And then the Aliens started landing....
The Krogh boys had gotten miner's lights
for Christmas!  They arrived first and shortly
there after the Ashe's arrived. 

Then we had an evening of eating....

 Relaxing...

and even exercising....

Playing games....

and starting the Christmas puzzle that Michelle got!
That ended our 25th Christmas day... but morning is coming!

Then....the morning of the 26th began our Christmas morning as a family. 

Michelle and Adam and kids were due to arrive so while we waited for them,

the kids watch cartoons and had breakfast....  BUT the big news is 

we are going to have a really White Christmas... the snow has started and is

coming down hard. 

 

Heather and Colin having a Christmas Morning Moment by the
blazing fire that Rob started! 

They made it through the snow and down the hills!

Michelle and little miss Iris, just waking up. 

Rob and Michelle also enjoying the warm fire.. (from the fireplace)

They got to the lodge none too soon.  The roads were starting to get bad.
Thank you Lord, for letting everyone get here safely to celebrate your birthday!

Stocking from Santa #2.... first.
Seems Santa came to all their houses yesterday???

A Christmas tree that lights up!

 Tic Tacs were the biggest hit!

Pop TARTS?

Another tree that lights up!

"No ones lookin'... I'll eat the whole box before they notice."

And the white Christmas just gets whiter and whiter! 

At this point...Rob turned one of the couches around, like we used to do
on Lime Hollow and all the kids watched the cars trying to maneuver in the
snow... We could barely see across the street at this point.

No use for a picnic table today!

"Ahhhhh.. another box of Tic Tacs.. This is my lucky day!"

Please can we open the presents now????

Books, boxes and bows and boys!

"Mommy, i got a dolly!"

 "What do i do with it?"

Iris was in awe and still holding her little Christmas Tree. 

Shrinky Dinks for Elizabeth

A National Geo Animal Book for the Kroghs...

A Mustache for Brian and Daddy!!!!!

But Brian got his from a box! 

Iris opening her dolly!

Checkin'her out. 

 The hand made puppets from Africa for the families. 

 I'm goin' to sit over here with my dolly and look cute, ok?

Michelle's favorite bag... the Obama Bag from the market. 

What?

A surprise..... 

A favorite game from the Krogh kids childhood.... hahaha!
Rob let the girls open since he found it a "Once Upon a Child"

AND NOW FOR THE MOST CREATIVE PRESENT OF ALL...DONE BY A VERY TALENTED

14 YEAR OLD GIRL IN OUR CHURCH IN KIGALI.... 

DRAWINGS OF WYATT, HENRY AND OSCAR.....

IRIS AND ISAAC

AND ELIZABETH, BRIAN AND KATHERINE. 

AND IT KEPT SNOWING...

Setting up Mall Madness.. See the joy all around.. ha!

Gram, thank you for your beautiful picture from beautiful you!
You were right here with us, almost!

The calm after the storm.

"I got my Daddy!!  He's a good dancer."

And the puzzle continues!  Remind you of life in Germany, kids?

Adam was attacking the puzzle from another angle and Michelle

is  getting in on the 'action'!

Fossball was a hit and everyone wanted to play with grampa!

Christmas dinner at the kids' table.  I love it. The "big kids"
on one side and the littler kids on the other.. Is littler a word?

Christmas dinner at the adult table... Simple dinner but tasty. 

Katherine had no complaints --She chowed down and
cleaned up! 

 Finally time for the Christmas Blessing.. and what a great
blessing it was to all be together. Since we are living 10,000
miles away this was really a wonderful time to be together.
Our family is such a blessing to us.

Still snowing...

Throughout the day... the guys would go out and shove
someone out of a snow rut after they lost control of the car. 

Got 'im turned around.

Adam, Rob and Bruce trotting back to the lodge.

Back on the inside... the kids were playing with their presents 

 while in one of the top bunks!

Time to get Katherine all cleaned up...  

 She's so happy.

Always fun in the bathtub.

Then it was time to play with grampa and do "How Big".

 SOOOOO Big!!!  Iris (looking on thinks).. I remember when
I used to do that! 

"Ok. Why am i the only one here for the grandkid picture?"

That's better. Katherine... stop pulling my hair.

Again... We are so blessed that we have such fun grandkids
and great parents that are raising them!  They are so much
better at it than their parents were. Really!

READ IT AND THEY WILL COME...

AND COME...

AND SNEAK IN STANDING IN THE GALLERY

AND TRY TO GET IN BUT NEED A LEG UP!

THE CHRISTMAS STORY.

BUT THEY FINALLY THEY ALL GOT THERE BUT THE BABY!
I love this picture!!!

While i sat in the bunk bed room while the kids settled down
everyone else started the games.

Michelle must have a good answer!

 and the other team... ready with their answers.

Kids all asleep and we finally start the Settlers of Catan game.... 

Some chose not to play but to simply relax after taking care of kids
all day and eating too much..  These two were the only 2 that
had exercised the day before though.

This was the end of a White Christmas Day!

For those of you reading this blog who aren't family, please forgive me.
This is entirely meant for them... but i don't know how to just send it to them..... The rest of you will just have to either read it all or pass....

No matter what you decide though I do pray that you didn't miss the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus sent his son, for you and me.
To live for us, to teach us how to live,  to die for our sins and then
to raise from the dead to go to his father in heaven
so that one day we too, can go to heaven and meet the Father!

THAT will be a real WHITE CHRISTMAS ----When sin will be no more.
When all our sins shall be as white as
snow and are wrapped in his gleaming righteousness... forever and ever.

Talk about a Christmas Gift!
There couldn't be a greater one.

love,
margie