It's Holiday Time!

This November we went for a hike with friends at Ruffner Mountain.  It is a 1000 acre nature preserve where they used to mine for ore.  It has been reclaimed and you can visit fun places, like the old mines.  The trails resemble the mountain to sea trail in NC, but then you occasionally hear the sound of a dump truck or a train because you are surrounded by the city!  It's kind of surreal, but it gives us a place to run around in the woods.

 We also went on a field trip to the American Village.  They did a recreation of the Pilgrims coming over and meeting the Wampanoag Indian tribe.   They had a replica of the original White House, the Liberty Bell, and lots of fun American History items.  

Then for Thanksgiving we headed back to NC for our traditional family Thanksgiving with my family.  It was a sweet time with cousins.  The kids enjoyed playing with all our old toys and then some new ones that Nana and Papa have gathered (like these Kapla Blocks below!)

 

They fried the Turkey....we will never go back.

Eliza fell in love with my old My Little Ponies.  Can't escape them!

Kids table

Fun holiday craft led by Aunt Tiffany and Nana

 

 Then finished off with our traditional hot dog cook out.  

Upon returning from Thanksgiving you are thrust right into the throws of Christmas.  So we made our way with some friends to a Christmas Parade!

 This statue weighed like 5,000 pounds!  It's the Mayfield Cow.

 The kids quickly realized that each float threw candy or handed out something yummy (like bags of girlscout cookies!)

 Then I organized a gingerbread house making party, similar to the one where Steven went to school last year.  It was lots of sugary chaotic fun.  But I think everyone had a great time.  I know I did!  We even tried to sing the 12 days of Christmas as a group.  We failed miserably.  After 10 it got a little dicey, with maids of milking making an appearance at more than one number.  Oh well!

And there are many more Christmas activities to come before we head to family for the holidays-  Behold the Lamb concert, hosting a Christmas Party Potluck here for some seminary couples, visiting Great Grandmother, and even hitting a live nativity this evening.  What a fun season it is.  We love Advent.   I'm not sure our culture sets up a heart of longing during all the chaos, but I know my heart still does.  Come Lord Jesus Come. 

Merry Christmas.