Christmas Part I

Peggy’s great adventure this Christmas started with a little 19 passenger airplane  to Cancun.  It was just a few minutes after we boarded the prop that it was in the air.  The views were spectacular!  

 

From Cancun, I flew directly to Dallas.  We got right into the Christmas festivities the next day at the school that Ellie and Charlie attend.  Each of their classes had a Christmas party.

Charlie’s girlfriend is to the left.  She is about 1/2 his size but he looks to her for a little help now and again.  At the party, he sat down next to her on the floor, put his feet on her lap and asked for help.  She knew exactly what was needed and took off his shoes.

Lots of props reside at the school for some great imaginative play.  African safari anyone?

Always construction work that needs to be done!

Keanan gets some extra Mommy time while the older kids are at school.  He reminds me of Thomas the Train sometimes – his head stays stationary while his wide eyes follow Adrienne everywhere.

Ellie and Charlie are more like twins than regular siblings.  They always seem to be dreaming up play scenarios.  When Damian came home one evening, they were kitties.  Damian didn’t miss a beat and put saucers of milk on the floor for them to slurp.

As usual, I had a difficult time taking pictures of Ellie.  She is a study in motion.  Like her cousin Cody, several of the pictures I attempt turn out to be pretty background photos with no little body!  Finally, I captured one of Ellie’s death defying jumps.

Gracie, the family dog, has been amazing to me.  She has had quite a roller coaster ride of a life.  From being abandoned to becoming the princess of the household and now to being  just one of the crowd.  She is my buddy!

Is it a see-saw or a boat?

Adrienne and her men!

See what I mean about Ellie’s launches?

Keanan, like Gracie, is happiest when he is with his pack.

Ellie is mailing some last minute instructions to Santa.

Adrienne really got to me with this handmade Christmas present.  Now really, could any grandma keep the tears back with a present like this?

My visit with the Hirsts for the week leading up to Christmas created some lasting memories .  Adrienne made sure to keep the true meaning of Christmas in the foreground.  Each day Adrienne thought of a “random act of kindness” for the kids.  One day it was leaving toys at a playground for some lucky kids to find.  Another day, they took treats to the library, the fire station and the police station.  Adrienne fashioned a tee shirt for Damian complete with train tracks drawn on the back.  She included little wooden train engines that the kids can use to drive over the tracks.  A massage shirt!  Like Gracie and Keanan, I was happy to be part of the pack!