The Holidays in April?

Since this is more for Alan and me and our memories, I am using this commitment to pick up some of the past highlights again.  The holidays started for us when Jade came for Thanksgiving.  We were lucky to get the Schooleys to come for Thanksgiving and share that day and our mutual kids with us.  We also got Mao and Cathy and their kids for the first time in a few years.  It was a wonderful day with way too much good food.  We did this with them the first year we moved in this house.  We have a little different combination of our families, but it was nice to be with them again. Carla Birmingham from our office also joined us since her boys were with their dad this year.  We were so glad she came and that we could share with her.

As our tradition has been since Mackenzie was old enough to decorate a tree, JR brought his kids over and joined with Jen, Bailey and me in decorating our tree. 

Mackenzie is no longer content with the lower branches.

Bailey almost made the top branches.

Even Kayla wants a higher spot.

Ethan broke more than he got on the tree I think.  Jen helped him hit his mark.

For more years than I am sure of (maybe 27 or 28), the Christmas season doesn't truly start until our ornament exchange group gets together.  This is who are left of that group.  Now we buy the ornament and meet at Mimi's.  Next year we are not even buying an ornament.  I love these dear, dear friends.  We need to get together more than just this once.

Then we took time out from the Holiday busy-ness and flew to North Carolina for Sam's actual graduation.  (A separate blog some day.)  We were so excited for baby Ruby to arrive a little early so we could spend the five days with her as well as see Sam walk at his graduation ceremony from NC State. 

Isn't she a beautiful newborn?

We  went out and helped them buy a Christmas tree.

Fun to decorate the tree together.

Should this one go here?

Got to find the perfect place.

Aren't they good looking brothers ready for church?

Got to have a family picture, but the camera failed on most of them this trip.

We loved this cute little Ruby already.  We were glad we would be back in 2 months to see her again.  What a great early Christmas present!