Our Christmas celebrations are not yet complete...we didn't want to celebrate until our Carolina grandkids arrived this week.

Lucy, at 20 months old now, is quite the charmer.  And talker.

My father-in-law Kenny is amazing. This is the 11th Christmas without my mother-in-law Peggy, who died from ALS in 2007, but at 81 years old Kenny still hosts and cooks a Christmas celebration for the entire Gray clan.  It's pert-near impossible to get everyone together at once, but even with several still missing the count this year was over 40.

My Christmas Day started out calm and quiet and peaceful...like most days in the cabin.

I miss him most this time of year.  Daddy loved Christmas!

It's becoming one of my favorite traditions...the pre-Christmas grandkids' sleepover.  I'm hoping that as the other grandchildren get a little older, they can ALL spend a night together at Grammy and Pappy's cabin, but for now it's the oldest four that live next door.

"In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to Almighty God our brother Elbert; and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth; ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The Lord bless him and keep him, the Lord make his face to shine upon him and be gracious unto him and give him peace. Amen."

You know you're out in the boonies when you're turning onto Seed Tick Neck Road.

Smiles like these are what brighten Gramaw's days and make me love this time of year.

Mama is in her happy place these days.

Our Euchre Club's first Christmas party, December 5, 2017 at Amazing Joe's in Muncie, Indiana.