Home for the Holidays

Hello, friends,

Forgive the lengthy hiatus - I intended to update more while I was on winter break, but alas, I spent the majority of my time eating, sleeping, and playing the Settlers of Catan. So no updates, but I have returned to New Jersey a very rested Courtney.

Here are some photos from the trip home (with accompanying explanations):

It was Christmas. Santa came to our house, in the form of a small, 1 1/2 year old girl who had a serious fascination with cats.

 

Christmas Eve I sang in alto for our church service with my dad singing tenor and Caroline playing her viola. This was our whole crew, including Eric, our worship leader and pianist, who broke his hip only a few weeks earlier playing broomball. He played the whole service and all of the rehearsals - that's dedication!

Christmas morning! Matching pajamas are a family Christmas tradition. Cait and I each got a sewing basket from mom and dad to help us as we continue to learn how to sew.

 

Jared, Cait, and Aleah outside playing. Aleah LOVES the snow, even though she can't even put her arms down when she's all bundled up...

 

Christmas night we always drive up to the Simeones for an amazing dinner and games. We look forward to this all year long. This is me, Daryl, and Danny (who is so crazy grown up now I can hardly believe he used to spend hours building cardboard spaceships with my youngest sister, Caroline...) awaiting the feast.  The sign on the back wall reads "Sit Long. Talk Much. Laugh Often." That about summed up our wonderful night here.

 

The whole crew (minus my dad, who was taking the photo), including classic Simeone salad.

 

We also had an ugly sweater competition.  Ugly Sweater parties seem to be rising in popularity, as this was my second one of the season. Luckily Mom and Caroline had some to spare for Daryl and me. Aren't we a classy bunch? My mom's sweater won. It's hard to see in this photo, but it shows an entire mantle with stockings hanging from it. And it has shoulder pads. Rockin'.

 

The cutest little niece ever.

 

Yellow Birch Lake in winter. Didn't I grow up in a crazy-beautiful place?

 

Caroline is a budding photographer, and she took some photos of Daryl and I for our anniversary. We didn't have many good pictures of us since the wedding (three years ago! eep!), so this was a huge blessing. She's really talented!

 

 

 

That's all for now! More photos to follow when I get them. We also had a few great meals with Grandma and Grandpa, and my aunt, uncle, and cousins came up to visit from Chicago. All in all it was a really wonderful, fun, restful holiday.

What about you? How was your Christmas?