Under the same roof

There is a cozy, all is right with the world feeling when all of us are under the same roof.

Braeden and Anna and QE came yesterday and right now I'm sitting alone in a still house waiting to hear QE.  An advantage of having roughly the same sleep schedule as she does (I go to bed way earlier than everyone else) is that I get morning time with her.

(And I don't think her parents mind.)

We had a wonderful Christmas time.  Christmas Eve was nice.  Mark looked snazzy in his suit, complete with a pocket watch he bought himself.

I think he is aspiring to look like his grandpa.  He said he just needs a mustache.

We played games and I made cinnamon rolls and Adam and Mark wrapped last minute gifts.  In the evening we read stories to each other (including one Adam had written that day).  He doesn't write that often (besides for work), but  I'm always glad when he writes.

I love this picture of Emma reading to us which Mark holding his favorite Christmas bear.  When he was little, he'd always hold his bear so he could see the book.  He still does.  I guess it is muscle memory.

(The little tree was for QE.)

We had a mini testimony meeting around the candlelit table and it made me feel happy.

I asked Mark if we were going to watch Charlie Brown Christmas and he asked, "Well, is it December 24?"

He is very good at being the youngest child.

Christmas morning we had a late call time (I had been up for hours).  We enjoyed our gifts and had happy surprises.

Then we tidied up and made ready for our guests.  

I may or may not have been watching out the front window.

QE was happy to be at Nana and Papa's house.  She started calling him papa and I finally realized it is because that is what Braeden calls him a lot.  We are happy to be Nana and Papa.  She was quick to hug us but then equally quick to want to be set down so she could explore.  She gently touches Christmas ornaments (and nothing breakable is down low) but she is mainly interested in books.  She didn't want to be read to, but perused all the books herself.  Later in the evening, she wanted to be read to and knew which books were the ones she wanted.

Smart girl.

She took Adam upstairs to play in the nursery (that room has been rebranded many times) and later she took me.

We are helpless when she grabs our hand and pulls us where she wants to go.

"Sit down, Nana.  Sit down."  What's a girl to do? I sat down and pretended to drink milk and water out of the little cups she would present to me.

I had pulled out the Little People and there was a princess doll in there that was from something else.  QE immediately named her Princess Anna.  (Pronounced like the princess from Frozen.)  She has never seen the movie (she doesn't watch any screens besides FaceTime with her grandparents) but they have a Frozen book and she is obsessed.  

Braeden and I marveled at the power of Frozen.  Emma was more captivated by it than anything else as a little girl.

We had our Christmas dinner and read stories then QE went to sleep and the rest of us showed each other funny SNL clips until I went to bed early.

I am looking forward to the week ahead!