Christmas Caroling

We enjoy caroling with our church family every Christmas.  This year the Gallaghers hosted the caroling party.

One of the homes at which we caroled - the pond in front makes the lights twice as beautiful.

Visiting and enjoying snacks at the Gallaghers' afterwards.

Christmas Preparations

We enjoyed packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child again this year.

Emily assembling the boxes

Rebekah bagging candies

Deborah putting batteries into the flashlights

Gifts sorted and ready to pack

A little helper brings over an armload...

..to pack the boxes with.

Time to put up the tree!  Melissa has always been our decorator, and this was our first year to attempt it without her.

Amanda looks a little worried that won't turn out right.  :) 

I don't think we've gotten a picture of the finished product yet, but it turned out just fine.

And finally...a few pictures of Hugh.  They don't really go with this post, but they're too cute to pass up.  

He attended his first birthday party last week. :)

A Visit with Cousins

A couple days after Melissa and Hugh came home from the hospital, some of our cousins came to meet the baby, so we all went over to their house for the evening.

The center of attention

We had so much fun visiting with our cousins!

Aunt Rachel enjoys the baby

More visiting

Of course, Hugh was passed around all evening.

Gingerbread Houses

A few weeks ago we had some friends over to decorate gingerbread houses.

The day before...gingerbread pieces cooling before being assembled

Putting the walls together

Ready to be decorated

Cornflake trees for the yards of the houses

Each of the seven children had a house to decorate.

It was fun to see the individual creativity in each house.

Of course this one would have a pasture full of horses!  :)

Maycen looks pleased with hers

A gingerbread village