Our Christmas

This was the very first year in our marriage with no kids home for Christmas. We missed them a lot, but enjoyed just being with each other and no set schedule. On Christmas Eve, we drove to Beaufort to go to lunch with Nathan, Ashley and Hannah, and exchange gifts. They have a new home and have done a great job decorating. Their tree was almost 12 feet high! We drove home early in the evening and enjoyed looking at the Christmas lights, although we think there weren't as many as usual! This holiday season we went to James Island lights in Charleston, Swan Lake in Sumter, and this nice man out in the countryside that turns his entire 3-4 acres into lights and music! Not real fancy, but lots of spirit. When we got home, one of my Christmas presents had been delivered! Bruce got my car detailed and it just shone from end to end!! We had some brats on the grill, watched some Christmas movies and as usual, fell asleep! Christmas morning we slept in late (8:00), got up and decided to go for a walk in the state park, even before breakfast and gifts! It was a nice, crisp day and although it was pretty, I miss walking in the woods in the snow. I loved that crunchy sound! Dixie went with us and loved every minute of it. We then drove out past Milford Plantation, which was the home of Governor Manning back in the 1800's. Even the outbuildings and stable have columns. They called it "Manning's Folly" because it was so far out from everything. For Christmas dinner we had sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes, and a DUCK!!! Bruce fixed it with a stuffing and everything. It's still not my favorite meat (I don't eat much meat anyway!), but it looked really nice. Ate pumpkin pie, too. Opened gifts and enjoyed a quiet day with lots of phone calls from all the kids. Nathan and Ashley were both working, Mandy and Brandon, Maggie and Ryleigh were in Provo, Bethany and Keith in Las Vegas, Travis and Amber in California with Amber's parents, and Tiffany and Mike and Zach were in Tacoma with Mike's family. It was still a special day!