Christmas continues ...

Jody's:

My niece Kial decided she wanted to host Christmas this year!  We had originally planned to get together on Christmas Eve as usual, but due to the amount of snow we had this year, we had to postpone it until the following Sunday.  This is my oldest brother, Dean, and his daughter, Kial, cooking up a storm in the kitchen.  Excellent meal, Kial!
This is me (left) with my nephew, Drew, and his girlfriend Darby.
Here's Riley opening up his new bathrobe, a gift from Grandma.  He needed/wanted a new one so bad, and this one is the softest in the world - he loves it!  Also in the picture is my other brother, Paul, and my SIL Jill.  An awesome Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Early on Christmas morning we were fortunate enough to have our 3-point buck friend come by for a visit.  (Or could it be one of Santa's reindeer that got left behind?)  Here he is enjoying one of two apples we threw out for him to eat. 

Bleu and Rocket just HAD to lay on the wrapping paper after we opening our presents.  

Christmas morning was so JoyFul this year - full of love, good food, great gifts, and snow!  We NEVER have snow on Christmas here in the Seattle area!  What a treat!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!

Jody's:

We got more snow than this year than I can remember ever getting here in the Northwest, except for maybe back in the 60s.  (Yes, I'm old enough to remember the 60s!)  It was perfect snow for sledding and playing in, even for taking late night walks in the silent stillness, with nothing but the sound of an occasional branch snapping from the weight of the snow.  Beautiful!

Jody's:

We got a BUNCH more snow last night.  We didn't quite get the 70 mph winds they were forecasting, nor the 12" of snow, but we got plenty of snow for playing in!  This is our neighbor's house across the street.  Looks like a little winter cabin in the snow!

Bleu Belle just HAD to go out in this strange white stuff.  Usually when she gets out we can't get her back in, but she had no problem coming back in after about 5 minutes.  I'm sure her fur coat kept her nice and warm, but I think her toes got cold.

Jody's:

The sky was so pretty this morning.  I love how the sun shines thru this amber glass.

We got lots more snow last night!  This was taken seconds after the first rays of the morning sun hit the snow on our back deck.

Mmmmmm ... homemade Khalua brewing on the stove!!

Jody's:

We got some snow yesterday!  It looked so pretty at night with the moon shining above it all.  You can see the moon in the background.

Jody's:

There's a bear in our garbage!  No, wait, it's just Rocket, foraging in our recycling container for a scrap of paper to play with.

Jody's:

Our cats, Rocket and Bleu, know that they are wonderful gifts in our lives.  That's why they sit under our tree.  Or, could it be that they're waiting for us to leave the room so they can attack all the ornaments?

Jody's:

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree ...

Jody's:

Some sort of sailboat race in Puget Sound - tons of colorful spinnakers all over the water today.  Gorgeous!

Riley's:

Coolest clouds ever!