A Handmade Christmas!

Christmas started pretty late in the morning for us, as we had gone to a Eucharist service Christmas Eve. We ate a lovely dinner of meatless sizzling fajitas at Applebea's afterward (it was about the only place open) and to our amazement, the waitress informed us that someone had played "Santa" and paid our bill! God bless our mysterious benefactor!
















Aaahhh, just- can't- wake- up















Too precious for words















Stre-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-tch
















Stocking up on those goodies!

I missed this part because I had to change Reuben, but luckily Luke, while taking a portrait of his foot, happened to catch the girls in the background :)















We made most of our gifts for one another again this year. Luke built Virginia and Miriam some beautiful wooden boxes with their names wood-burned on the lids, a toy tractor trailer truck for Reuben, and for me he made a hoe from an old lawn mower blade and a hickory sapling he cut from our woods. I crocheted some soft toys for the kids and a felted wool cap for Luke. I also found a great mug at Goodwill for Virginia to get him- big, blue and with his name, "Papa", on it.











































When Virginia opened her bunny, she exclaimed, "Aww, how cute!" She said it is her favorite gift.















Hoe Hoe Hoe!

Christmas dinner was a family creation. Luke wanted us to make something like a dish he had at an Olive Garden once, so we looked up their menu, then found this recipe for Ravioli di Portobello















Can't decide which looks hotter, the food or the chef!


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Can you find the hidden Virginia?

It was a success! And delicious too, although we didn't have all the ingredients and had to improvise a bit. We even customized some ravioli pasta for the girls, who didn't care for mushrooms, but liked theirs filled with cheese instead. Luke fixed up the plates beautifully!



















As I look at each face I realize- Jesus is here.
Welcome, Lord


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