It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Another bountiful Thanksgiving has come and gone, and Christmas is on its way. There is snow on the cold, hard ground outside, and our feet can well attest this, for Thanksgiving morning saw the revival of one of the Hall family traditions...that of running barefoot in the first snowfall.

Aw, much better...

And to get you in the mood for Christmas, here's Rebecca's rendition of Silent Night...

Captain America!

I think these pictures speak for themselves.

 I love our little seven-year-old tomboy Becca.

And look at these incredible, tiny baby mice! (They were temporarily "rescued"

from our garage by one of the younger kids.) Isn't God's creation magnificent?

Bon Appetit

Welcome to "Tony's (EVERYTHING ORGANIC) Restaurant,"

a new and tasty joint conveniently located in our kitchen.

Menu:

APPLES

CHEESE

CHOKOLATE MILK

POPCORN

CORNCHIPS

COFFEE

When the chef's away, the chef-lings will play...

A pot of popcorn.

Special order for the chef on sabbatical.

(Belated) Easter Post

Time to decorate hard-boiled eggs!

  

Bird nest treats!

Ana Gail

A few days before Easter, per tradition, we made the crucifixion/resurrection
scene (we formed the landscape out of dough, which we then baked and painted).

"But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

On the other side of this mountain face is the tomb hollow. On Easter morning,

we took the little pipe-cleaner Jesus out of the tomb and hid him somewhere in the

house for the little girls to find. "He is not here, but has risen!" Luke 24:6

And just the other day...popsicle weather!

Jonan ol' boy.

Eight Days of Christmas

A sampling of our Christmas in eight, non-sequential days...

Day One: it's time to trim the tree, unearthed from the basement and pre-

decked with lights. Ornament by familiar ornament, the pretty sight unfolds.

Task complete, it's time to become laughing, wrestling midgets, of course.

Day Two: preparing for a family Christmas performance in Richfield.

Jonathan and Ana on the piano: "Jingle Bells" with

energy and precision. They do such a good job of it!

Day Three: making a gingerbread house from PapaDama & Dama!

Day Four: smoking fresh bacon in Papa's home-made smoker.

Day Five: ballet with Ana & Rebecca.

Day Six: on December 23rd, Friday evening, we had a small gathering of family
and friends for hors d'oeuvres, visiting, and singing. "I'm Dreaming Of A White
Christmas" (we were not to have one), "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire"
and "O Holy Night" - it's interesting how the familiar can bring such comfort.

When all but one of our guests had said goodbye, we settled in the living room

for a family tradition: a read-aloud of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

"'And, lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them,' Mother went on,

'and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and--'

'Shazam!' Gladys yelled, flinging her arms out and smacking the kid next to her. ...

'Out of the black night with horrible vengeance, the Mighty Marvo--'"

~ ~ ~

Day Seven: it's Christmas Eve Day, and the house is a-buzz with preparations for

our grandparents' visit and royal feasting. With China dishes in place settings equal
measures apart, the table is spread when Perfectionism consults Emily Post.

The guests arrive and the meal commences...

Two steaming main course selections: Wild Rice Soup and Oyster Stew.

Ana finds she is not fond of Oyster Stew...

I love Dama's expression in this next picture...

...and the boys' in this...

After the Christmas Eve service at church, where us girls sang "Mary
Did You Know" and the whole congregation sang "Silent Night" with
candles in cupped hands, we returned home to give gifts and play more
music. Daniel gave PDP and Dama a 3D topographical wall map of Lily
Bay that he made with quarter-inch foam-board and a Dremel tool.

Sarah came over too, and as the night waned, we opened our stockings.

Becca found stockings in her stocking! :) (Her black nose is the remains of a
sheep get-up she wore to create a nativity scene with Jonathan and Ana.)

Day Eight: Christmas morning was spent at church and then at home, opening presents, laughing, and enjoying the beautiful gift of each other's company.

We hope you had a Merry Christmas! HAPPY 2012!