Final Day with Hayden and Halle

Evie and Julia prep

New dolls from Aunt Ellen and Uncle Walt

Post Christmas Dinner

Els and Halle cut the Peppermint ice cream cake

Because we babysat last night for Jill and Drew, who went off for the day and night, I ended up sleeping with Coco the dog on my bed, his routine I  guess, and Hayden ended up in bed as well, both creating book ends as I slept, or sort of slept.  I guess you can get used to it.  It's a gray day, as Halle and Evie are up as Hayden sleeps in. My new best friends, Halle next to me, and Coco on my lap, watch as I write this blog.

We had a great time yesterday at my sister Ellen's house.  We got there about 4:00, had a tasty lasagne for dinner (Hayden's favorite by the way), and headed home about 8:00 as we thought the girls we tired.  Both Hayden and Halle were on their best behavior, quiet almost to the point of timidity most of the visit, very unusual for them when they are around us.  They spent a good part of their time playing with Julia's amazing doll house, as the adults caught up on things.  It was good to see Julia and Brooks, both looking good and doing well, Julia at grad school in North Carolina, Brooks as a division manager for Best Buy.  Besides lasagne, we had a peppermint ice cream cake and cake balls(compliments of Julia) for dessert.  We laughed pretty hard about their stories from the previous evening with the Lange's, cousins from Maryland.  Patsi got a new camera for Christmas, Walt a computer, so they are set for the year from a techno point of view.  As I mentioned, we left about 8:00 because the girls seemed tired and were so quiet during our stay.  Once they got into the car, however, they went wild, reawakened or free to be themselves, so it was a noisy ride home, an understatement.  It was a fun evening, always great food and company, always fun to see Ellen and Walt and their kids, Julia and Brooks.