This is a school assignment James built, the Great wall of China
The boys got all bundled up and gathered at the school early in the morning to go on a Snowshoeing outing at Mt. Shasta with the Scouts
Becky was sick the night of the Christmas Concert, so she wasn't there with the advanced band. James is in the Intermediate Band, he is standing in the back playing drums
Beautiful red sunrise
We went down to my mom's house for a late Thanksgiving/ early Christmas gathering
The kids got to open their gifts there early, as they weren't sure if they could make it up for Christmas. Good thing we got together early, because we ended up snowed in on Christmas!
On Christmas Eve, we had a birthday cake for James, who turned 14
We ran out of birthday candles, so we lit regular candles for him to blow out
We gave James a leather hat like dad's, and we let each of the kids open one present. We will have a real party for James in a couple weeks.
James got some new outfits
Thomas got a Toy Story Snuggy
Becky got some Converse
Thomas wrote us a short story
Christmas morning, each of the kids researched and explained part of the Christmas story, after they went through their stockings
Becky had fuzzy socks in her stocking. My phone broke for a while, so these next pictures are out of order, as they are from Becky and James' phones.
This is the day after Christmas, Becky was at Gabby's house. They shoveled Gabby's driveway, but took breaks to play.
These pictures are from James' phone, taken the day of the big storm. The Thursday before Christmas it started snowing, and didn't stop until Saturday. Friday was a Snow day, so the kids got an extra day of vacation. These are pics from the Friday before Christmas. Thomas is shoveling across the street. Our neighbor paid him a dollar to try and find his newspaper.
Becky and James shoveled several houses for elderly people and friends on the next street
There's James headed out with the shovel
can you see our cars?
Now we are back to Christmas day
Becky is reading about Mary, mother of Jesus
Thomas researched and told us about Herod
James told us about the Messiah
I made the kids each a new hat for their stockings.
Thomas' is like a heartless from Kingdom Hearts
James' has horns and teeth, it is swallowing his head
Present time!
The kids really like Kingdom hearts.
The table is all laid out for Christmas dinner
Thank you for joining us for Christmas. Happy New Year!!
