That said, we did have quite a few really fun days! Brynnie and I didn't make it to church Sunday morning, thanks to my sinus infection and general lung-hacking, but the rest of our family did, and the girls had a fun time visiting Nana's and Poppy's church.
Ready to go!
Mom and Lily had to get up and do some walking/posing during the sermon. Apparently, Lil made lots of new friends while walking the halls.
Claire with a picture of Mom and Dad on the missions wall.
And finding Kenya/Bo.
Sunday night, we went to Bridgestreet for supper + visiting the Brighton store where a friend of ours works. The girls had fun visiting Mrs. Melson and choosing new charms for their Nana & Poppy bracelets.
Lily was having fun, I promise.
The Christmas decorations at Bridgestreet are so beautiful but often hard to photograph. Daddy got a good shot of that Christmas tree, though!
I was still pretty sick when the Benefields came for supper, so I didn't get to visit with them, but the rest of my family did, and they had a great time. Brynna, particularly, loved it, as Ellie gave her sugar for the first time. They are forever bonded now.
Look at those sugar-crazed eyes.
My dad had several days off work, and the girls had just a wonderful time playing. I felt a tiny bit sorry for all the pets, though, as my children were terribly exuberant about playing with them.
Poor old Winnie...she just wanted to go for a walk. You might not be able to tell from this picture, but she's got three leashes going on because EVERYONE needed a job.
Bless it.
Our Tuesday was a fun day...until the stomach virus got me. We had supper at my favorite Mediterranean hole-in-the-wall, followed by a family stroll through the Tinsel Trail (a path of Christmas trees sponsored and decorated by businesses all around Huntsville), which was really fun to do with the girls. Then we went home and the next 24-hours were pure misery for me.
At Papa Gyro's, opening a school Christmas present from Claire!
I absolutely loved it.
Me and my middlest girl. And her scruffy cat.
Trumpkin got a seat right in the middle of all the action. I'm not even sure how she sneaked her along with us, as I am usually adamant that Trumpkin not leave the house. WHAT WOULD WE DO IF WE LOST HER??
Tinsel Trail-ing
We had set Thursday of that week as our family Christmas because my Dad was off work. Unfortunately, poor old Brad was recovering from the stomach virus that day and was mostly quarantined, as I was TERRIFIED of having a couple of sicky girls OR sicky parents, as they were only a few days out from flying to see Amiee in Kenya. Having succumbed to a stomach virus on an international flight before, trust me when I say that it is a MOST miserable, kill-me-now experience. So, I was living in a state of anxious misery, praying that my children and parents wouldn't catch it.
Long story short: Brad didn't really get to participate in the "Christmas morning" festivities. He did ask, ever-so-nicely, if he could just watch the girls from a distance. It really is just so fun to watch their delight, so I told him he could...from about 10 feet away. (I'm delightful to be around when trying to manage illness.)
The sweetest, best moment before they see their treasure trove. Look at the hand-holding!
Lily's surprised hands over her mouth!
These hooded blankets were a major hit. Bear, Duck, Fox.
The annual Happy Birthday, Jesus cake! Please enjoy the progression of Lily's faces.
Because of all the illness, our planned Christmas gatherings with both my mom's and dad's sides of the family were canceled, which was highly disappointing, especially to Claire and Lily. My dad's family all lives in the same county as my parents, though, so my aunt and uncle drove the girls' gifts over, much to their delight.
Again...Lily's fabulous excited face!
My aunt and uncle gave the girls the Toy Story pantheon, and little did any of us know how deeply attached the girls were destined to grow.
Faces...
More faces...
Thank you, McPhersons! The girls loved every bit of it.
The last thing we did during our Alabama visit was go see a production of The Nutcracker. I felt pretty sure that the girls would enjoy it, but goodness. They REALLY LOVED it. Lily, especially, was talking about it for a long time after. Full disclosure: she was pretty scared of the Rat King. Before going to bed after the production, she told my mom to "be brave, Nana. Bad Mousy not get you!" Bless her. Mom also told me that, prior to lights out, Lily sat on her bed, staring off a little bit, and said, "It was a pretty dance, Nana. Good job, dancers!"
Gussied up for the ballet
Loving their fancy dresses!
Brynnie got fancy, too.
Posing with the Sugar Plum Fairy, who we've known since she was younger than Lily.
And big sister Sugar Plum.
Thank you, Nana and Poppy, for our lovely Christmas celebration! And for taking care of all of us who were sick. While you were preparing for your trip to Kenya. It really was a doozy of week.
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