Merry Christmas! From the Lindes

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Here are some pictures from Christmas Eve. Enjoy!
~Wes

Shortest day

Snow has been a surprising story for us the past 12 hours. It's snowing right now and we are now well over the accumulation of about a foot so far this winter. It melted a bit the other day.

So today is the shortest daylight hour day of the year. We notice it up here, being that much further away from the Equator. I tried to figure it out and I think we are about a half hour sooner than the coast to reach complete darkness. The bright side is, the days only get longer from here until the end of June. But the kids don't notice or care. They play happily at my feet as I blog.

Christmas is soon, Emily's birthday is soon, and things are slowing down for this week. We had the staff over for a party last night. After the party was over we stayed up late playing "Scene it, Disney edition".

So for the week, we plan as a family to go skating (indoor, we haven't heard if the pond is ready for outdoor), and prepare for Christmas and the true meaning of the season. To know that Jesus came to save everyone, and did so without trumpets and fanfare... but rather He came, sent by God, to a virgin who gave birth in a stinky stable. Animals and other more unpleasant things were also present at the time of His bith. But yet this is how He came. Humble. A baby. The son of God. And I am truly amazed at what I see and experience. Especially at this time and season.

Wes.

Jayson's School Concert!

This will probably only be interesting to the grandparents. Wes had some trouble videoing it due to the super squirmy nearly three year old on his knee. I love how in this video Gage (beside Jayson) keeps yawning and Audrey (behind Jayson) is trying to take off her dress or something.

A nice quiet morning. really!

I'm sitting on the couch with the 3 kids nicely playing with a wooden train. Well, Jay and Em are and Ben is being Benzilla, creating havoc. I've got Vince Guaraldi Christmas playing in the background, the fire is lit and it is a cool -33C outside, without wind. But we are all warm inside our house, the house we are still so thankful for getting as the light streams through the front window and illuminates the far wall. I forgot to mention my freshly brewed Starbucks coffee at my side. Life is good!

It's Monday, a day I spend with the family. We plan to go skating later with Jayson's friend Judah.

Kids Christmas Sunday

Conversations with Emily So Far Today

Emily (Really excitedly): Is it Kismas? Is it Kismas?
Me (Christy): Not yet. Are you excited for Christmas?
Emily: No! Me no like Kismas!

Then later
Emily (walking by with a full roll of toilet paper): I made a mess, I made a mess.
Me: Did you make a mess?
Emily: No!

Benzilla

Benjamin is keeping his parents on their toes as he's learned to stand on his toes...well on his feet anyway. Here's his newest trick.....standing! This is one busy boy, from crawling at six months and pulling up on furniture at nearly seven. I think we're in for it with this kid. He's pretty pleased with himself. Click on the picture to make it bigger if you want to see some serious drool.