christmas part 1: SEGUIN

adam and i started off celebrating christmas in seguin. christmas eve is when i started to feel worse. i, of course wouldn't miss celebrating christmas. so, excuse the pictures....i am smiling the best i can!

on christmas eve, we went to church and then to my aunt and uncle's to celebrate with all of the raetzsch's.

the raetzsch cousins.

on christmas day, we woke up and opened gifts at my parents' house. here's my stash of presents. i was very lucky this christmas...i got a lot of nice gifts including a new pair of emu boots from my parents! they are so comfy.

my favorite gifts were the donations made in my name...a heifer from my parents to a village in africa, a clothing donation to world vision from my brother ted, and a donation to the children's defense fund, an organization to help poor children in the u.s.

my aunt nancy, my mom's sister, made a needle point stocking for adam. needle point takes a LONG time! thank you SO much, nancy!!!

on christmas day, we ate a special christmas meal, turkey and everything else that goes with it. (well, actually, i didn't, everyone else did though). i ate green pudding instead. tasty, huh? on another note, i love the table setting that my mom and i set out for lunch.

i bought crackers to put on everybody's plate. christmas crackers are huge in england. they are so much fun, too! you "crack" them open and inside are the following: a joke to share with your company, a crown to wear and a goody to keep (sometimes a toy such as a christmas puzzle, sometimes an ornament, etc.)

i loved seeing everyone with their crowns on! ironically, my brother ted and adam were the only two with a pink one.

it's a great conversation piece.

this is definitely something that i want to consider doing as a tradition every year! cheers to crackers and to christmas!

stay tuned--christmas part 2: AUSTIN