the 2nd best thing about Christmas ...

i think this Christmas gift was a winner ... what do you think ??? and ... how cute they decided the 3 peep snowmen in front of the house are ... Jalene on the sled and Gramma Ruth and i the other 2 !!!

we knew Jalene would welcome Ev's help and we knew they would have an awesome time doing this

• great idea Gramma Ruth !!!

THE most beautiful gingerbread house builder we know !!!

we think Ev was liking this project too ...

looking good Jalene ... we hope it tastes as good as it looks

poor Janelle has been sick for a few days with an ear infection ... if not i'm sure she would have helped with the project too

and after sitting for a short time ... the house became a new years eve treat ... reports are as we had hoped ... it indeed tasted as good as it looked • great stuff !!!

THANK YOU Terri ... for overseeing the project and for taking and sharing the AWESOME pictures with us ... and ... THANK YOU Jalene ... for making this Christmas so special for us ... we LOVE and MISS you guys SO MUCH !!!

Christmas weekend ...

Steph & Steve made our Christmas weekend complete with their visit today ... they are approximately 3 months and 13 days into their first pregnancy and we are all SO excited with anticipation for them ... we're sure the last 5 months and couple of weeks will fly by ... for us anyways ... it may be a different story for them ... (-8b

•••

Adam brought Isaac over so we could see him in the awesome outfit we got him for Christmas and ... to copy many of the pictures i've taken of them the past few months ...

Isaac LOVES walking around and around in our little apartment ... we're not sure if he's chasing Thea or if Thea is chasing him sometimes ...

Isaac and Thea always have great fun playing with each other ...

kc's 2 favorite boys carrying on the congdon name ...

Christmas day 2008 ...

we were blessed to spend this Christmas day with Adam, Jenn, Isaac and Julian ... thank you Adam & Jenn for having us in your beautiful new home for a "yummy" dinner and a wonderful time together !!!

we started out our time together "skyping" with the Mackmers in phoenix ... how awesome it was to see and talk with them on this special day !!!

by the time we got there ... Isaac had the gift opening down ... too cute !!!

Isaac enjoying his new rocking zebra ...

and [ believe it or not ] this is how he gets off ... everytime ... which is fine as long as there aren't other toys within landing distance

Adam "trying" to help Jenn in our game of Quiddler ...

[ i think ] this is where Jenn bested Julian in one hand ... ???

Isaac helping [ ??? ] Jenn out ... whatdayathink • do they like each other or what

Ruth and her middle son, Julian

THE most blessed grampa we know and 1 very "cute boy"

O holy night ...

... O Holy Night ...

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine,

the night when Christ was born;

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,

Now come the wisemen

from out of the Orient land.

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our friends.

He knows our need,

our weakness is no stranger,

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains he shall break,

for the slave is our brother.

And in his name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy

in grateful chorus raise we,

With all our hearts we praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

His power and glory ever more proclaim!

...

..

.

my very favorite Christmas song ever ... brings tears down my face every time i hear it ... for me it began when i was just a young boy in our favorite hometown of Forestville, NY and every Christmas eve [ that i can remember ] my sister Beth sang this at the candlelight service at the methodist church we attended. i've since especially enjoyed Martina Mcbrides version and ... the Whiffenpoofs on West Wing ... and then tonight at the first of our 2 Christmas Eve services at North ... i enjoyed it SO much in the 1st service with 350 others ... i convinced Ruth to stay for the 2nd service so we could enjoy it again. along with an awesome instrumental song by the amazing Mapes family and "what Child is this" by Nate Bantle.

.

we wish you all a very merry CHRISTmas • LOVE ... kc, Ruth and Thea

.

ps • happy birthday Steve ... a birthday you share with my dad who would have turned 91 today ... if he was still with us.

it's the most wonderful time of the year ...

seems like just a few weeks ago Ruth was making Christmas cookies with Jalene, Evan & Aunt Steph ... we were blessed to be able to have Ruth's grandaughter, Michaela over this Christmas !!!

these are just a few of the awesome cookies the girls made ... great job ladies !!!

Michaela had a blast playing out in the snow we got the last 2 days ...

¡¡¡ Thea LOVED having her over too !!!

we had a wonderful time with Michaela today • what a sweetheart she is !!!

hey --- how'd this "cute boy" sneak into this post ... this was from 1 of the last times i got to watch Isaac ... (-8b