A Very Family Christmas!

Christmas in our house always starts with my birthday!! The story goes that I was born at home (quite common in England back in the olden days), two days early so that my mum was fit and able to cook Christmas lunch. Sounds about right to me.

Everyone came to us for Christmas this year. We pooled our pictures but sometimes we were just too busy having fun to document it.

Jonathan and Lauren arrived in time for lunch on the 22nd. They enjoy a leisurely drive up from Nashville, spread over  two days so they arrive happy and ready for what’s to come…

We celebrated my birthday (on the 23rd) with a trip to the Science and Industry Museum in Chicago.

Lilly and Lucy were happy to pose by the big Christmas tree 🙂

We had decided to order a carry-out Chinese meal for dinner and James’s family arrived just in time, bringing a birthday pie from Norske Nook for dessert.

All the family were staying in a local Home2Suites for the holidays. (More bathrooms and a swimming pool!)

The Kindlers and Harmatas checked in in time to meet us for the Christmas Eve service at church. We needed a lot of seats…

Sarah’s grandparents joined us for dinner afterwards. I had made lots of baked pasta!!

We had two tables, one in the music room and this one. Yes, I should have cleaned the camera lens.

I had lots of time to get ready on Christmas morning before everyone arrived. It was 55 degrees which seemed just right for a kick around in the back yard.

Girls got their hair styled.

Collaborative coloring took place.

John did an excellent job of carving the turkey.

And lunch was served.

Time for some presents!

And then the family photo at the top of today’s post. Thank you Julia for trying so hard.

I had a nap before dessert. There was something for everyone. The chocolate log, with meringue mushrooms, was a big hit!

The younger children needed to get back to their beds. We went for a drive around Naperville to look at the Christmas lights with Julia’s family.

These ones are just a block from our home.

Yes, it was raining.

And of course we had to go and see the Taylor Swift house…

It was too wet to get out of the car but the traffic was moving very slowly.

Joanne and John went to visit John’s family on Boxing day and then returned to the wilds of Wisconsin. I went to IKEA with the Kindlers and the Nashville Redfords. We bought a cart of assorted things, including a very much reduced tiger rug for Ruby. (reduced in price, not size. I’m looking forward to seeing it in her room)

The cousins needed a rest part way round. There are always lots of seating choices at IKEA!

And that’s where the pictures stopped…

There was cold turkey and Bubble and Squeak for dinner. Lauren thought it was better than she expected.

We were down to the Kindlers and the Wisconsin Redfords by Wednesday lunchtime. There was a big pot of turkey and vegetable soup.

And then it was quiet!

Time for Netflix and sewing.

I’ve been dropping hints about some exciting travel opportunities coming up… How about a Caribbean Cruise to the Panama Canal in February 2025 with The American Quilters Society? All the details are at the link. Twelve days with four teachers for some sewing at sea, and lots of fun side trips. I’ll be teaching three hand work classes including this embroidery piece. I had a very short deadline for producing my original samples so I have switched a few things around and restitched this one. I’m hoping the picture on line will match soon? let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to find the answers. You know it will be fun!

That’s 2025. But first we have 2024… Just one last weekend in 2023. We are planning on taking it easy before we get back to work with a vengeance on Tuesday.

We’ll see how that goes.