And So It Was Christmas.

And a lovely one it was, with the white stuff coming down and surprising us Christmas morning.

True to form, my brother Boo and his middle daughter Emma had Mom's driveway clear and ready for the holiday participants almost before the snow had stopped.

There were nineteen of us gathered, and the gifts were so many that we had to move them out to the vehicles as soon as they were opened. There are additions coming to the family, it seems: Niece one is getting married in August so of course her love was there. And now, niece two has a "special young man" and he celebrated with us. This is a very nice thing.

After gifts we dined on a sumptious ham feast in the newly renovated garage, which maintained a beautiful 70 degrees. Yay to the construction crews that have worked throughout this year to give Mom her dream of a "place big enough for everyone to sit down to eat together".

Then chit-chats and a couple of naps and then the caroling. Oh yay. We are fortunate that brother Crits is a pianoman . . . makes our warbling sound almost decent. It was a super birthday party.