Christmas at Baylesville!

 It all started, as it always does, with the Christmas Eve service. 

David and Candace performed a gorgeous rendition of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" with guitar, violin, and beautiful vocals, but I completely forgot that our new camera takes video. Luckily, I remembered in time to record the last verse of my Mom playing piano and my Dad singing "Oh Holy Night." They've performed it pretty much every Christmas Eve as long as I can remember. As you can hear in the video below, it was just as beautiful as ever. (And, of course, Daddy nailed the high note, just as he always does!)

Then we headed over to Clyde's for dinner, a fun annual tradition for the Maryland crew. Unfortunately, Katie had to work Christmas Eve (welcome to managing in retail). We were sad she and Andre couldn't be there. Our 9:30pm reservation pushed the limits of childhood endurance, and the kids started falling asleep at the table around 11pm, but they were troopers!

Of course the next morning the kids were chomping at the bit to start opening presents!

 Our resident artist, the amazing Andre!

 

Daniel and Baby Daniel

Katie and Andre got to hang out Christmas Day, but she had to get back for work the next day. My Daniel also had to leave on the 26th. Katie and I had plans to spend the next week together but sadly, I caved to the terrible flu bug that had already made its rounds through Daniel, Owen, and Jack (and as we found out later, everyone in Daniel's family except Skylar). Then both Katie and Andre came down with the flu, so our sister plans got canceled. Ugh. 

I spent almost a week in bed while Mom and Dad and the MD sibs took on some serious grandchild/nephew duties. Lots of games, dancing with the Wii, & Mother May I!

Once I finally started feeling like myself again, it was time for some fun at Daniel and Vivian's house.

  

What a wonderful Christmas! There's no place like home.