Best Christmas Present Ever!

All of our children were home for Christmas!  My heart was full.  Thanks for making the effort to come and be together!  This will be our last Christmas with everyone for a few years.  Next Christmas, Derek will be a full-time missionary somewhere in the world.

Wearing their Christmas hats from Grandpa and Grandma.

We played in the pool the very first night they arrived.  It felt so warm here compared to Utah.

Thanks, Stephen, for being the picture taker!

A family invited us over for a Gingerbread House Decorating Party.  It was lots of fun but I didn't get photos of the houses.  Anyone else have some on their camera?

Mine and Stephen's from a different party.
We deconstructed our house to make
the dormer window and chimney.

We had the Tholen family over for Christmas Eve Dinner.  I had fun decorating the table.  We went with 2 kinds of soups, salad, rolls, fresh fruit and Mock Strawberry Margaritas.  And then we had a campfire and made s'mores for dessert.  Christmas Eve campfires have become our new tradition.  We had people share some things for a little Christmas program.  Stephen read Luke 2 for us.  I loved it when Devyn, Derek, Stephen and Anthony sang a jazzy version of "Jingle Bells".  Heather sang a solo "In the Bleak Midwinter".  The Tholen girls did an Angry Bird skit--funny! Holly and I played a piano duet "Ding Dong Merrily on High" and Anthony read "The Night Before Christmas".  I loved being together with family and friends!

Having all the college kids home was a great help to our ward choir!  The whole Holmstead clan came to choir practice and sang in the choir on Christmas Day.  The music was beautiful and there were some funny moments too.  The genie cut-off was especially amusing to us.  But I guess you had to be there.  I love that my children can find the humor in situations.

We spent part of the break learning a new hobby--kite boarding!  It was great fun to learn to fly the kite and try to put it together with the long board.

Derek testing out the power of the kite.

Devyn and Derek on top of Vista View.

We just enjoyed every moment with our family!  It was so sad when Heather and Anthony had to leave to head back home.  Devyn and Derek were able to stay for an extra week and get in some scuba diving.

New Year's Eve was spent at a bonfire in the Everglades!  How cool is that?!  The Bartholomew family invited us to join them--there were a lot of people there.  We sat around the campfire, visited with each other, had snacks and shot off fireworks every half hour.  It was lots of fun!

And then we also got to celebrate Devyn's birthday!  Last we were together on his birthday was January 2009. Happy, happy birthday to my January son!  I am so grateful for the man that he has grown up to be.  He is such a good example to our family and brings us so much joy!

Yep, our Christmas was filled with lots of joy this year!