Skype is the Bomb.

Pretty girls on their way to church.

From Grandma and Granddad

Go Arsenal!

Santa brought the Hogwart Express

Santa brought Jane

Ashlyn's new baby doll.

'Rock the baby' Ashlyn style.  Poor baby.

 

I know this is obvious to everyone, but a lot of our communication with our families and friends in the States occurs through Skype.  On Christmas Eve we opened gifts in front of my family while Skyping them so most of my pictures of the kids are from the side.  I did get them to turn to me to show off their presents but their first reactions were facing the video camera instead.  I'm glad we got to continue our Christmas Eve tradition with this slight variation.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Be Afraid Apolo Ohno and Bonnie Blair...

D and B with the Big Man of the Hour

Bailey, Shane, Davis and Kevin

Our friend Kyle invited the kids to go ice skating today with his brothers Shane and Kevin at the RDS.  Thankfully Davis and Bailey have roller blading skills to help them negotiate the ice skates.  It took them longer to get there and back because the Dart schedule was pretty random.  You know, sleet, snow, thunder and lightning slows a train down.

Christmas Party Numero 3

 Ashlyn likes to wrestle.

 

Thank you Central for the box of fun!

Charades. Buddha?

Elvis, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift?

Awesome Dirty Santa gift that did not go home with us-boo!

We love Dirty Santa!

Wednesday evening the Smiths hosted a Dirty Santa party with some of our new friends.  We played Time's Up first, which is a three round charades type game, and then Dirty Santa.  We ate lots of goodies and stayed there talking until 10:30.  There might be a bootleg video of me doing the actions to the 12 Days of Christmas, but I'll never tell.

Dirty Santa Strikes Again

Ben Thompson strikes again!

Proud of our Dirty Santa gifts.

Baby Nathan

Presenting Bibles to the new babies.

Kyle, Clara and Craig

Peter and Lynette

Mick, Esther and Peter

We enjoyed Craig's birthday last night with cake, nice presents and a good round of Dirty Santa.  (We saved the mean business for last!)  Shay and Scott bonded over The Arsenal futbol team since they can't bond over American college football.  After church services this morning we celebrated Christmas with our Ranelagh congregation.  Several talented singers and musicians put on quite a show!  Chrstmas party number three is on Wednesday, stay tuned.