Twas the night before Christmas (at our house) and mom was up until I am not telling how late finishing the gifts and wrapping and checking the list....too late for that. We always open gifts at home since ewe travel for the actually holiday. This was the first time we did it first thing in the morning. It was kind of fun. I set a pretty table the night before hoping for one of Todd's great breakfasts. Chef Todd did not disappoint and the children were amazingly patient for me to get out of bed.

Candy before breakfast, please mommy it is Christmas?M and T received little rocking chairs. They used them before they were unwrapped--how do you wrap rocking chairs and a doll bed?

This was the stay up too late to finish gift. A thrifted oxford embroidered with horses.

Earrings for the girl with new holes in her ears. She can take the starter studs out this week.

Machines for the future ME.


A quiet moment on mommy's lap--the pink in the children's isn't the camera it's the dreaded pink eye.

Natalie and her new doll that she has been begging for for months. She promises to be a better mommy to this one than the last which got an unattractive haircut. They are inseparable.For the first time this year everyone got socks and underwear in their stockings. I was amazed at the excitement of some of the children about this. Todd was not spared. He also got a boatload of mini-snickers and some Reese's. I received a much needed new heating pad for my back and some very yummy chocolates that I don't have to share and won't admit to haw many I have left.

After things settled down to a normal Saturday I got a chance to take a walk out in the 10 plus inches of snow we got yesterday. We were fortunate that we didn't have to go out in it and thankful for our neighbor who plows our long driveway

I am really glad we don't live in the barn in the cold.

My outdoor girl--yes her eyes are pink too--walked with me part of the way. The snow was deepest on the west side of the pond, up to my knees, it was not an easy walk around the pond, but my it is pretty. I still love the snow. Our outside cats are fortunately fur balls. They spend a lot of time on the front porch in a box with a deer hide in it. But they eat in the barn and hopefully catch all the mice that might come out from under the snow.