We were able to spend Christmas Eve with Steve's parents and grandparents. (Have I mentioned how fortunate we are to live near family?) While others have to travel hours to visit, we have about a 10 minute drive. We hope that we NEVER take this for granted!
Steve's mom prepared an absolute FEAST! Pork roast, mashed potatoes (a favorite of Amaya's), scalloped corn, jello, rolls (another favorite), and a chocolately oatmeal dessert with red and green M & Ms, but I can't remember the name of it.
Amaya enjoyed opening presents (playing with the bows and boxes). Grandma and Grandpa Horning gave her a dollhouse called the Busy Day Home. It's already become a favorite toy. They also gave her some farm animals so that when she goes over to their house, she'll have more toys to play with.
One of the best presents of all was Steve's. After raking over 20 bags of leaves this fall, Steve's parents gave him - drum roll please - a LEAF-BLOWER/SHREDDER!
The evening was full of a lot of laughs and a lot of surprises. The greatest surprise was one of Ruth Ann's (Steve's Mom) presents from Lowell (Steve's Dad). She had this GIGANTIC box filled with packing peanuts and envelopes. She was instructed to find each envelope and open them in order. A few of the envelopes were difficult for her to find. She opened up mints, gum, chocolates, and her last envelope had a gift certificate to the Rochester Athletic Club! Lowell has this knack for surprising AND disguising gifts!
No Christmas would be complete without pictures by the Christmas Tree. Here are Grandpa and Grandma Horning and Amaya...
...and Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma Struckmann.
