Home for Christmas!

EVERYONE came home for Christmas last year ... Sabrina and family from Austin, Nick and family from Houston, Adam and our Emily from Minneapolis ... EXCEPT Jesse and Di couldn't come from El Paso because Jesse wasn't even IN El Paso. He was across the ocean in very far away Iraq. So the situation being what it was, I couldn't even listen to the song "I'll be Home for Christmas" without a very heavy heart.

This year is a very different circumstance. Sabrina and family cannot come home, nor can Nick and Rachel. So I still can't listen to some of the beautiful songs of Christmas without sadness! It's tough to be an old granny far away from ones that are so loved.

Monday, we got ready to welcome Jesse home. I was looking forward to seeing Diana and the little kids too, but I hadn't seen Jesse since July 2007 and in the interim, he had been in a place I had never dreamed for him when he was my little boy. I had wanted to have a big welcome home sign made up to put in front of the house but with all of our pre-Christmas activities, 15 inches of snow, meal preparation, etc. I never did get that sign accomplished.Jesse and Di and children left El Paso early Saturday morning and actually arrived at Di's parents house by 10:00 Sunday evening. That's pretty good driving time for a 1600 mile trip! Here is their SUV coming down the street!

And here is Emma catching snowflakes on her tongue!

Tom and Judy had come over especially to visit Adam and Emily late in the afternoon, so they were able to see Jesse's family too.

The little ones lost no time at all and got right to playing!

Everyone of them really enjoyed the marble run in the playroom. I explained to each of them that THIS is what I got for their daddy and it was all wrapped up under the tree for him to open Christmas day. I told them it was a secret and not to tell him. This was just a fun game for me because I knew they would each whisper this secret to him as soon as they could ... and they did!

Grandpa Jones ran his trains for awhile ...

We played many games of Checkers. Aunt Emily and Emma are trying to beat Uncle Adam in this game ... and they did! But I'm not sure if he didn't LET them have this win ... losing is kind of hard on our small Emma Joy.

Tom and Judy left early evening to be with some of their family. Adam and Emily left a little later, and then we all went to bed. Some of us got a little bit more sleep than others ... but then it was morning and definitely time to play!

Last year's Hallmark present from Aunt Emily is a big hit. Matthew especially likes to see the snowman dance and wiggle along with him ...

We had many races with the marble run, played with every single Matchbox and Hotwheel car and truck in the basement, had all of the micromachines out and about, put every puzzle that we own together and apart ...

... and we took a playtime break to watch the Polar Express, complete with our very own tickets to ride the train!

Our favorite puzzle was this huge fire truck ... Sabrina has one just like it at her house, and I think Nathan Paul will find one wrapped up for Christmas for him too!

Emma and I tried to make some kind of building out of our alphabet puzzle, but we had trouble making it stay together!

We finally gave up the building idea and just made a nice design for the carpet ...

Wild man Chris (I call him this because of his wild hair) was wearing the Christmas bell because when we were watching the Polar Express, he played the part of the little boy who got the first bell of Christmas. Emma played the part of the kind little girl and Matthew was Billy (the little poor boy who almost didn't get on the train). I was the conductor, and so awarded the bell to Christopher.

I have lots more pictures, but these give you a feel for the last few days. We've had a great time so far.

But we haven't forgotten you dear families down there in the great state of Texas ... wish you could be here with us!