The Day After

Middlest tries to straighten Youngest's glasses for a photo

Huz does the traditional "Reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

One of my favorite days of the year! The Day After. I've no shopping/wrapping/baking/cleaning urgency. I can watch my kids build Legos and play the board games we received, make up outfits with the new clothes for the girls, wash new sheets and try out the bicycle that goes no where. A wonderfully, lazy family day. Church was quiet this morning, some folks are travelling, but Huz did a wonderful job singing "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" as a fourth in a quartet of friends. Then, he was inundated with requests to join the choir.  I was proud to see him up there singing, and was glad I had not brought my camera, as I would have had to take a photo, and that might have caused great eyerolling by the Eldest and Middlest.

Now, even on the wonderful Day After the same things that have to always happen still have to happen. On my third load of dishes today (we got a bit behind yesterday, what with the constant eating) and my third or fourth load of laundry (I got WAY behind in the days leading to Christmas. The sheep water buckets all needed a scrub today (why, oh why do you poop in your water?) the walks had to be shoveled and swept of the day's snows and horses will still have to be groomed tonight, stalls picked etc. But, really, that is such a joy to do when nothing else presses!

Middlest thrilled with "Penelope" from Aunt K. and Uncle E.

Youngest tries out his new handknit chapeau and homemade marshmallow gun from Aunt E. and Uncle D.

Youngest and Eldest poised to plow into stockings

Tucker has his eye on the prize! A stuffed dog toy peeks out of the top of his stocking, and he is intensely hoping for it to fall.

Happy Dog. Stuffed Buffalo is out of the stocking.