Merry Christmas! 

This year we were so happy to celebrate our very first Christmas morning in our own home. Yes, after 10 years ... our very first! It was wonderful to wake up Christmas morning and see the kids so excited about their stockings and the extra pile of presents under the tree. Santa (and all our family) was very good to the kids, bringing them lots of great toys and goodies.

Matthew overloaded on Thomas the Tank Engine toys and paraphernalia (much to his joy!) ... everything from Thomas toys to Thomas-shaped pasta! Emily got a homemade doll from Gramma Jamma, a puppet theatre, new roller blades, and some computer games. After we opened presents and had a big Christmas brunch, we played with the new toys and then cleaned up to host a nice Christmas ham dinner with friends. The kids all played together and the adults played cards and board games.

It was a very cozy and homey Christmas and we were all very happy and blessed.

Daisy, Daisy  Emily has been participating in our local Daisy Scout troop. In early December, she participated in her Girl Scout Investiture Ceremony.	Upwardly Mobile One day when we tried to catch Zoe to come back inside, she zipped about eight feet up one of our trees. She mewed a bit and then awkwardly scrambled her way back down. Now she does it almost every time she goes outside ... sometimes fifteen or so feet!
O Tannenbaum  It's hard to tell in this pictrure, but this was easily the fattest tree we've ever had (or seen). Its lower diameter was in the ballpark of seven feet!	So Peaceful  I caught this shot of Emily early one morning a few days before Christmas.
Awwwww....  ISame morning, Matthew's room.	It's Thomas!  Matthew opens his Thomas "baffies" (slipper to all us Yanks) from Uncle Bill of Scotland. He wears these almost every day now.
One for Me! Emily reads well enough to pass out presents to all the right people. When she saw her own name, she'd cry, "Yay! One for me!"	More Thomas!  Since Matthew received these Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs from Uncle Steve Horn we've all gotten to know Thomas (and his theme song) exceedingly well.
Look at Me! When Emily unwrapped these skates and pads, Joe asked her if she knew what they were. She looked at him and replied calmly, "Daddy, they're roller blades, of course. You know, for skating." Duh!	All Thomas, All the Time Yes, here Matthew has his Thomas-shaped pasta for lunch, with a Thomas juicebox, three (count 'em) Thomas engines, and Thomas' friend Percy.
Rainbow Girl Grandma Schierer made this fantastic rainbow sweater for Emily.	It's Showtime! Emily got this great doorway puppet theatre and some puppets. She and Matthew put on a very entertaining and chaotic fairy tale show for us.
Choo, choo! Matthew and his train set have been inseparable since Christmas morning.

We'd love to hear from you at alleghator@yahoo.com.

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