And Christmas 2017 came

and it was sweet!

The three of us at home had Chinese food for Christmas Eve as has been our recent tradition (although usually we buy it from Panda Express).  Christmas morning Jena didn't wake up until after 9:00 so we got a late start with opening gifts, but it was worth waiting for.

Gary and Jena getting ready to be our "Christmas Train" to start Christmas morning....

A very SHORT train these days, but we are happy for our kids and their own little families have their Christmas mornings together.

 As I opened my stocking, I started laughing so hard.  We did it again.....Gary and I both gave each other RV oil for the slideout in our stockings.  Gary couldn't figure it out as he hadn't started opening his stocking yet.

(History note:  Gary and I take great pride in being clever with our items in each other's stockings.  It is a bit of a competition.  Several years ago, we both gave each other tent pegs in our stockings [different brands and types, but tent pegs].  We can't believe that it actually happened again.)

 Jena likes to be creative with the tags....

 So, IF any one ever hears Gary complain about my love of traveling....remind him that he encourages me with books like this....and a blue whale and binoculars for a promised whale watching trip in the Puget Sound this summer.

Gary mentioned that his cards with three grandkids on the back were wearing out so Jessica made him another deck with all six of them on it.  Inside the heart, it says, We love Grandpa.

We have a little free library out front but we still buy each other new books to read.  I have already finished reading the trilogy (Royal.....) and it will soon be in the library for others to read as well.

We then stopped by and dropped off gifts to Scarlett and James.  Jena had gotten a small "cleaning kit" for Scarlett and she loved it and wanted to start cleaning right away.  James who is only 10 months, just wanted anything that Scarlett had.

So Chantel gave his a rag so he could help Scarlett clean the refrigerator with her spray bottle and sponge.

We then headed down to Provo to visit Ben.  He had some gifts for us and he opened our gifts to him.

 Jena tried on the cap before she adjusted it to fit her head.

We were able to stay about an hour with Ben and then headed back to Syracuse....it had snowed over the weekend and even during Christmas Eve night so we had a white Christmas.

Down our street to the west......gorgeous clouds.....

And apparently this is the only picture I took of Christmas dinner with Jessica, Elessia, and family and Scott and Chantel and family..... we had BBQ rib dinner and we all made wooden snowman for our houses.  The grandkids played and it was a nice end to the day.

Tosha sent me this enhanced photo with her and Cooper.  They are still without their household goods but in their new home on base.  They are trying to be good sports and will likely always remember their Christmas without a tree or their decorations...or even a couch!  It will be like Christmas again when their stuff finally arrives.  I can remember how exciting it was to Jessica and Scott when our shipment arrived in Hong Kong.

Merry Christmas 2017, everyone!!!  Hope yours was "shining and bright" and every thing wonderful, too.