Ethan and Ehlana:
Happy 14th Birthday, Seth Green!
We’re home and wrapping up our afternoon chores to clean up from our family holiday weekend, but also need to get going soon because we’re going to Seth’s birthday party and then we’ll be with Aiden or Naomi for the rest of the night. We don’t want to leave all of the weekend news for another day, though, so we’ll go with a quick version and then get back to having fun with our friends.
Our family Christmas yesterday was a major event at three homes to have room for everyone. Cassie and Michael hosted the Proctor-Rice clan and festivities; and the Johnson clan was split between Josiah and Christina’s home and Uncle Nick and Aunt Deborah’s home. There was some mixing and matching going on too, and the teens and kids got together for some play time that included outdoor fun while enjoying the sun and warm weather that topped out in the mid-sixties. There were three sets of gift exchanges; three major meals; and a lot of fun and love shared with everyone. The outdoor play included biking the trails and canoe rides and back yard games; and we even went for an evening ride after dark with some of the other teens while the kids mostly moved on to sleepovers for the guys at the Ayres’ house and with Mariah and the Palmers’ for the girls. Cassie and Michael hosted some teens – including Ehlana and me; Naomi, Aiden, Sophia, Aaron, and Jayden; and we also had some of the collegians spend the evening with us while parents and grandparents moved on to other entertainments for the rest of the night.
We’re not exactly keeping this short, but want to mention that Jayden has a girlfriend back at home, and while he didn’t invite her along for the weekend; he also isn’t staying longer – even though he could have done that and visited with his sisters while they’re here and home from college. We’ve had fun with him as always, but he was also ready to go home when he left with his parents after the noon buffet today.
Our entertainment last night included that bike ride; some ‘live’ music play time; some college football watching; video gaming; and a movie. There was a lot of co-ed cuddle time and we stayed up too-late talking and having fun; and then we eventually got some sleep without any co-ed sleepovers for the teens in the house. Tai Chi was indoors due to the rain that moved in overnight; the teens helped with all of the work before and after breakfast; and we ate in shifts while taking turns getting ready for church. We had help for rides to the church instead of walking in the rain; the service was teen-led and awesome – not that we’re trying to brag about our contributions to the music and skits; and there wasn’t any Sunday school because of the special service. This one was a bit different since it was after Christmas, but that is just the start of Jesus’ story; and Pastor John’s messages in the coming months will include the journey from Bethlehem to the Cross.
The service went long; we had to pack up some of our gear; and then we moved on to the Inn for the noon buffet – which is why we missed out on some of the packing work that our weekend guests had lots of help with so that most of them could hit the road for their homes following that special lunch-dinner. Ehlana and I helped with the next-gen kids during the meal; the goodbyes were quick because of the rain; and then Mom put us to work on the post-holiday clean-up at home and three cottages. That kept us busy to now; and we really need to get going because we need to drop off our overnight bags at Naomi’s our Aiden’s house; and then we’re all getting a ride over to Seth’s for his party. The rest of our story can wait for tomorrow, so stayed tuned for that; and we’ll get going again right now.
Until next time, live with love, fellow Magi of the Light!
