After Christmas but still Christmas - December 26-29

Monday

A few years ago I wrote a poem called "The Day After Christmas," styled after the classic, "The Night Before Christmas." You can read it at the link. This year, the day after is just the beginning.  We spent the morning and early afternoon getting ready for Round-2, David's family.  I made a grocery run and baked sweet potatoes for our favorite casserole.  The family got in about 4:30. A few flurries fell throughout the afternoon, but we thought nothing of it.  No snow predicted for the valley and only a dusting for the area. Laura's family came over and we feasted on ham, turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans and rolls, all set up for self-serve.  After eating, we had a round of gift opening.  There was something for everyone and lots for the young Whitakers.  We enjoyed the excited smiles and kids laughter.  What a joy!  Those flurries kept coming and before dark we had almost an inch on the ground.  The roads were frozen, so they were covered, too.

John David

Allison

Owen

Evangeline

Tuesday

The kids had not come prepared for snow.  It was a surprise for all of us.  So we stayed inside most of the day Tuesday.  There was plenty to do,  playing with new Christmas toys.  Laura braved the snowy roads and came over late morning.  Today, December 27, is John David's fourth birthday. I made chocolate cupcakes and Amanda made buttercream frosting.  I heard that they were delicious!  We had cupcakes and a few birthday gifts before lunch.

John David is ready to blow!

Lunch was leftovers.  After lunch, David and Trisha left for their Christmas Conference with Campus Outreach/Movement in Chattanooga.  David's SEMO (Southeast Missouri State Univ) Campus Outreach group has separated from the main organization to form their own independent group called Campus Movement. He is one of the leaders and devotes 2 or 3 days per week to that work.  

The children stayed with us.  We had planned to go to the Matzeks for late afternoon and supper, but we did not take a chance on their driveway in David's van. They watched a movie instead and played on.

Owen ventured out to fly his remote control helicopter in the snow.

 but I didn't catch him in the pic.

Wednesday

What a weather contrast, sunny and almost balmy today after so many cold dreary days.  We played inside all morning. Amanda and Claire came over for pancake lunch.  I've learned to make gluten-free pancakes that are pretty good.  After lunch, we all went outside to pick up sticks and branches that had blown down in the pre-Christmas storm.  Bill and the kids made a small bonfire.  Pretty soon we were shedding out coats and enjoying the warm sun and fresh air. Evangeline escaped by inside as soon as she could. Owen, Allison, John and I went exploring in the woods (the upper corner of our two acres).  Winter is the only time we can safely walk there.  We trekked through the woods all the way to the park road and up to the overlook.  They thought it was quite the adventure.  Later, I took them to Laura's house to play and I returned there later to share a pizza supper.

Anna called to tell us that today, Dec 28th, was their grandmother Gagi's birthday (Anna Jackson Renshaw, b 1879).  Today was also my mammaw's birthday (Emily Lucille Farrar Westmoreland, b 1902).  I had never made the connection.

Thursday morning we packed all the stuff and the kids too and set out for Chattanooga.  We met David and Trisha at Chuy's near Hamilton Place Mall for lunch.  After lunch we didn't tarry and were home mid-afternoon.  They were headed for a walk-about downtown near the Aquarium plaza and walking bridge.  Hope they had fun.  We surely did.  The time together was short but satisfying none-the-less.