Tidings of Comfort and Joy!

One Family Night, when Dan was out of town we went to look at Christmas lights!

Comfort and Joy. Those two words are apt to describe our Christmas this year.

Dan was home all week (except Monday) He ran a trail through the Everglades Tuesday morning, while we decorated candy houses with the neighbors. (I think I forgot to take pics) Tuesday night we had an awesome caroling experience complete with guitars, violin, and piano! Wow! My kids were hoping for carolers this year and boy did we get them!

We enjoyed traditional Cuban Christmas eve dinners (La Noche Buena) and reconnected with friends. We actually lucked out and were able to make it to two of our friends' dinners, one at 5pm, the other at 9! And Dan and I still had the kids in bed by midnight and were in bed ourselves by 1:30! Christmas Eve was wonderful and we are so lucky to have be surrounded by such wonderful people.

Christmas AM was an exercise in patience for poor Danya (our early riser). The whole thing would have been over by 6 am if she had been in charge. But she was not allowed to open presents until after breakfast. Eventually she was able to get Caleb up and they kept busy with their stockings (as well as checking everyone elses too!) until I finally got up to start breakfast.

Dan and I were laughing because, after several interruptions, "quick questions", eventually waking everyone up, Danya brought us the card she had made in primary. We were supposed to have opened it Christmas Eve, but forgot. After I am up, dressed, and moving, Dan, still in bed, hands me this card Danya had brought him. "Merry Christmas," it says, " I will let you sleep in until 7:30" I look at the clock and it reads 7:16. Hmmm... "Uh, I forgot I wrote that," she says. (If you have ever stayed at our house, you are not that surprised!)

One fun gift that I received was a bike! I told the kids I haven't received a bike since I was either 7 or 8 years old! So Christmas morning when kids are taking their new bikes out for a ride...so was I!