a photo journal of Christmas 2014

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

They all dressed in Hawaiian shirts.  

This is a blurry picture because I was not able to get an un-blurry one.

David eats the protein bar that I put in his stocking.  

The others received Lindt Lindor Truffles.

Shannon enjoys a cup of Christmas coffee.

Jon hangs out with the Schu.

Laura and Matthew sit in the sunshine.

The sunshine was fantastic that morning.

Shawn ponders the events to come.

A Christmas morning fire.

Christmas is pretty much the only morning we have a fire.

A funny picture of Piper.

The egg-bake was not done, so we were killing time

after opening the stockings, 

which had a fight-the-virus theme this year

(medicines, tissues and cough drops).

The gingerbread house

that Jon and Shanny decorated,

posing in front of spaghetti squash.  Ha!

Jon and Shannon wait patiently.

David, a.k.a. "Mr. Christmas," 

works on distributing people's presents

from under the tree.

Another shot of "Mr. Christmas,"

taking his duties seriously.

...and yet more to go...

The angel atop the tree says, 

"Be sure to get the right gifts to the right people."

Random decorations.

Remember, killing time while the egg-bake bakes.

Dad wants to get in on

the Mr. Christmas thing.

I do not know what Laura is doing with her shirt.

So many amazing things about this picture.

I leave it to you to notice them.

Dad inspects his packages.

A sax and dumbbells because

David is in the house.

Some of our Christmas cards 

form a Christmas tree on the wall.

Soon I will do something more permanent

on this wall.

Wondering how she'd get this home on the plane.

It's okay.  It turned out to be a carry-on suitcase.

Curiouser and curiouser.

So... who has more anticipation,

do you think?

I like this picture because it shows

Mr. Christmas,

the fire,

the tree,

the sun streaming through the windows,

and at least a piece of nearly everyone.

Finally a delicious breakfast.

Oranges, fruitcake and egg-bake.  Yay!

Back to the task of opening presents.

I do love the sunlight in this picture.

What a glorious day.

A very cute shot

of a very cute dog.

Are we having fun yet?

Jon is a champion wrapper.

(It was a beautiful fountain pen with ink cartridges.)

He knew what it was right away!

Some of us needed an explanation.

A tee-shirt with the Greek alphabet 

and all the things the letters stand for in science.

A dog's life.

And the reason why we have blankets on our furniture.

No more presents here.

So. On about 12/23, I realized I'd made a mistake, 

and was short a gift for Jon.

He got a box of chocolate dipped granola bars

to even the count.

Periwinkle is nice on Shannon.

How do you like it with the Hawaiian shirt?

I tried to make

a small lap quilt for Laura

out of fabric squares

from her wedding centerpieces.

Poor Matthew asked for a scarf and got a face mask.

The online picture was not representative.

He was a good sport and said it would be useful 

when he rides his bike to school.

My favorite shot of the day.

He asked for a sweater vest.

I did not know that this is how he would wear it.

A random shot of Christmas in our living room.

So it doesn't feel left out.

David played lovely carols.

Oh yes, and I was there too.

So I don't feel left out.

My boys and me (David!).

A better behaved shot.

the papa and the mama

haha.  I finally realize that the candles are crooked and fix them.

with the newlyweds

They wanted me to hold both dogs.

That is a big armload of dog.

A private moment in the sun.

And... Jon is ready

for Second Breakfast.

Random decorative shots.

Keeping it festive.

The dining room, all decked out.

What, pray tell, is that?

Aha!  The gravy boat from my discontinued china

that my kids hunted up

and bought me for my birthday...

awaiting the gravy from the

Christmas roast beast.

An afternoon game of Pandemic.

Highly recommended, cooperative game.

Shannon whips up some creme brulee

for Christmas dessert.

It's gluten free.

Christmas dinner.  

My boys are incorrigible.

No valid excuse exists
for Jon's facial expression.

David is a ham.

(**Matthew is not incorrigible.**)

Do you see the new gravy boat?

And now:

A Creme Brulee Vignette

Shannon is really good with a blow torch.

She glazes that sugar just gorgeously.

Cracking through the glazed shell

to the creamy goodness below.

After dessert, we sat around in the living room 

and listened to David play Christmas music on the piano.

We were too tired to take many more pictures.

And that was Christmas 2014.

A blessed day of family togetherness,

a day to remember our Savior's birth.