Ehlana and Ethan:
It’s the day after Christmas; we’re taking a quick break between a morning of sales shopping and lunch; and will take the time for at least a highlights update for the past few days through to now.
For Christmas Eve day, there was another shopping trip with the highlights including the stop at the bakery for Santa-approved treats and visits to the clothing and shoe stores. Christmas Eve at the church was amazing; and you won’t be surprised to find out that our favorite parts of that service were singing ‘Not That Far From Bethlehem’ with Naomi and the Christmas Spirits and then being in on the surprise collaboration with Cassie and Michael while they sang ‘The Hope of Christmas’ as a duet with some four-part background vocals and music from us. There was some family time back at home, but that was filled with cameo moments; since Cassie and Michael were very busy – including helping out at the Inn with the post-dinner clean-up and a Christmas Eve bedtime visit with Sierra. It was late by the time we got to bed – after taking turns putting gifts under the tree; so we went straight to sleep so that we wouldn’t get in the way of Santa’s visit! ;^)
Christmas Day was amazing – from the early-morning stocking and gifts that we opened to breakfast and the start of the family and friends fun. Our adventures included the family dinners that we respectively attended with the Drapers and Seagers; and that added to the holiday fun for our best friends’ families; since Ethan was with Naomi and I was with Aiden for those meals. Our own family dinner was comparatively-small, but Naomi and Aiden were with us for that too; and we had a blast in part because we only had Caleb and Faith with us for cousins while the rest of our home-town cousins were busy with the Johnson clan Christmas. Naomi wanted best friend support with keeping her cousins entertained in the evening and overnight; so I was with her for the sleepover while Aiden spent the night with Ethan after walking me home from his house.
That brings us to today, and while the shopping will certainly be one of our highlights of the day; we’ll be having fun for the rest of the day too. A play afternoon is already booked for the kids – with boys at the Carringtons’ and girls at the Ayres’ homes. There is sure to be football and video gaming for the boys and more playing with toys and games for the girls – along with Christmas chick flicks. Segregated sleepovers will likely be included, but we’re thinking about skipping them this time; and having Naomi and Aiden stay here with us tonight. That’s partly because the co-ed sleepover would be more-fun for us, but we’re also nearing our limit for holiday fun with all of the cousins – especially the most-annoying members of that group that we won’t name in this report.
The rest of the news for today can wait for the next update, though; so that’s all we have for now. If you’re going to miss the Christmas songs; feel free to rewind to any or all of our previous Christmastime updates to watch them again – or flip ahead to future years; since that is an option depending on how far into our future you’re reading this! ;^)
This is Ehlana and Ethan Proctor; live from the hidden home of the Magi of the Light – and May the Magi Force be with you!
