advent day #22 - Christmas lights drive / visits

Tonight's activities included driving around the area to look at the Christmas lights/decorations on the houses around town and to stop at Farmer Webby's, Miss Mary's, Grammy Lou and Papa George's, and Papa Roger and Nana's houses to visit with them and deliver our cookies we made for them.

Nathan and Ivy stopped down at Farmer Webby's house, while Owen and Letty were napping, and I got supper together. Then, after supper, we were off on our adventures!

We decided to drive down to our dear friend Miss Mary's house first but to look at the Christmas lights on the houses along the way.

This was our favorite. (Sorry, it's not a good picture, but I didn't want try to get the perfect picture and cause alarm to the people having a strange vehicle drive by their house taking pictures.) The ENTIRE house was lit up (I wouldn't want to see their electric bill!); there were lighted reindeer that moved their head and Santa's sleigh lit up in the yard along with lots of other stuff; and Nathan and I enjoyed seeing the little nativity scene there as well.

Also among Ivy and Owen's favorites were the blown-up Christmas decorations, especially the blown-up snowmen and a blown-up Santa Clause waving hello.

This was also a fun house for us to see.

We then stopped by Miss Mary's nice, toasty-warm house and visited with her. (Sorry, I forgot to take the camera out of my pocket again - why do I seem to always do that?) Then, we drove down a scenic road thinking that we would see A LOT of houses with Christmas lights on them, to which, we did not! Ivy summed up the scenic road adventure quite well as she continued to inform us along the 10-mile stretch, "All I see is darkness!" :-) SO, it was time to stop at the kids' "local, adopted" grandparents' houses. It just so happened that Papa Roger and Nana were at Grammy Lou and Papa George's house so we were able to visit with everyone there. (Again, I totally forgot to take some pictures! Oops!) It was great to visit with everyone that night. Going visiting is something that we just need to plan to do more often!

After returning home and getting ready for bed, we practiced our memory verse and read about the 3 wise men coming to visit baby Jesus from the book of Matthew.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. ~Matthew 2:9b-11