Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you! We've had a quiet and cozy holiday, just the way we like it, beginning Thursday night with our Christmas Eve celebration. We can't imagine a sweeter Mary and Joseph than this pair.

Here are 2/3 of the cast for our nativity play. Sophie was the narrator and the angel. Helen was Mary. Abe was Joseph. Brandan and Becky were innkeepers and shepherds and wise men. Gibson was Brandan's understudy, popping in and out of the action as it suited him. The sweetest line of the play came from Helen. When Innkeeper Brandan invited Mary and Joseph to stay in his stable, Helen said, "Let's take it, Joseph," in such a tired little voice, you could believe she had walked all the way from Nazareth.

Our Christmas Eve dinner has evolved over the years until now we think we have the perfect menu: individual pot pies, roasted brussels sprouts, citrus salad and bacon wrapped dates. No one ever has room for dessert, but we make one anyway. This year it was a gingerbread cake. We always use the crystal Brandan bought in Finland at the end of his mission. Wise beyond his years, he left the reindeer skins (the more typical missionary souvenir) in Finland where they belong and instead came home with beautiful goblets and bowls. Brandan lit a small bonfire's worth of candles. We have really loved lighting candles every evening this December.

We all slept under the Christmas tree and after presents and breakfast Christmas morning, the kids piled the blankets and pillows together and spent a couple of hours watching the BBC miniseries, Planet Earth. We particularly liked the part about the snow leopards in Pakistan.

Later in the day, Brandan and Abe played a few games of Stratego, a fast moving game that's sort of like battleship without the ships. Here they are getting ready for another round.

A few days before Christmas Sophie said, "All I want for Christmas is a hunk of blue cheese." Really? "Well, no," she said, "I want other things, too." Here she is with the wedge of cheese she got for Christmas, a very nice buttermilk blue.

We've eaten a lot of good food the past two days and the refrigerator is full of lovely leftovers.

Here's Abe enjoying some Ebelskiver pancakes for breakfast. We've never made Ebelskivers before and they were delicious.

Another treat today has been talking to our family far away. We love holiday phone calls and can't wait to see you all soon.