Family Christmas Part Two

Christmas in Amarillo

I am so glad we went to Amarillo a few days early, with the winter storm that arrived just in time for Christmas. Thank goodness, DD and family didn't try to make the trip there on Christmas Eve from the metroplex. The snow was beautiful but the temperature was very cold. 

We stayed in our lot beside Mom's house and were pleased with the performance of our 5^th wheel heater when it got down to 8 degrees one night.

Mom couldn't neglect her birds. She went out when the snow let up a bit and filled their feeders. She takes good care of them.

We took our baby Dora with us and she was rather put out by having to stay in a "jail" playpen but had some problems recently so we kept her confined. Although she still got her nap out with HD!

It was great to see everyone on Christmas Eve at my sister, Barbara's for our family gathering and gift exchange. Three of my four brothers were there and all six of my sisters made it. Since DD and her family didn't make it, we hooked up the computer using Skype and visited with them. We wanted to do the same on Christmas Day for our son and daughter-in-law in Bulgaria but with the time difference, it was not possible.

I am so glad that my sister Faith was feeling well enough to come and stay for the evening and again Christmas Day. I had been working on a special gift for our sister Kathy and husband Gus since July. It is the Connell Chain #4 quilt so I was especially glad they could make the trip from south Texas to receive it. It was a good surprise for them.

   
Barbara's home was filled with people enjoying each other's company. There were 57 family members present. The kids opened gifts, then we did the Chinese gift exchange for the women, then the men. That was so much fun!

There was a much smaller crowd there for Christmas Day but we all enjoyed wonderful food and company. Barbara & John are terrific hosts!

Brave souls, Teresa, Gus and Kathy built an igloo in Barbara's front yard and did a really good job.

For more pictures, visit my son's picture site:
 http://services.mercuryws.biz/public/photos/index.php?folder=/Users/jpbiggerstaff/Amarillo%20Christmas%202009/

When we got home, we discovered we had even more snow than Amarillo got!