In which I get what I wanted for Christmas:

Which was the house full of family and dogs...

and everyone posing for the traditional picture around the box lid with the date on it.

(including the Boston Gentleman's impersonation of the Hound of the Baskervilles)

Hastening along: 2001! 2002!

 Oh, I can't keep up with this!

2001 hurries by...

I've now scanned hundreds of pictures.
Lots of great faces, sweet smiles, goofy looks.

 There's a dinner at Mimi's

 and another Christmas Eve party






and some more wonderful snow.

 2002 shows the kids getting bigger (as expected)

 people are still putting

things on their heads  (also as expected)

and these two guys are bemused at the family they find themselves in.

Up counting: 1999

When we use the phrase "big Christmas"..

you know we measured it and it would barely fit through the door.

The tree took two tall men to put on the lights.

There were new ornaments...

and a new stocking.

Those who dressed up for Christmas Eve...

and those who dressed up for New Year's Eve.

Smiles,

and more smiles...

and a few field trips to introduce the littlest one to our hairy, furry friends.

Up counting: 1998

1998 was another year with two Christmases.

We had an early celebration with the Adventurous Bloomingtonaut,

who then took off to paddle around Baja and have Christmas on a sandy island.

We, however, went on to have all the traditional parts of Christmas--the tree, the friends on Christmas Eve, the weird presents, the various and sundry usual photos- including of course the guy with something on his head...

and this year, with something new in his arms!

Counting Up: 96 -97

A new Home Place in 1996 ...

Lovely empty space, right?

  Watch it fill up in the coming years.

It wasn't just the house - the family was changing.

Check out the Christmas Card - yes, the kids moved out.

Which is not to say they didn't come home again for Christmas:

Here's 1997.

I guess the living room hadn't filled up too much yet.

 

Still, the family was changing.  We met our wonderful SIL-to-be for the first time.

Mimi had a new haircut. 

What didn't change? A wonderful gathering of friends on Christmas Eve.

Wish we could have all of you and your families here again!!

Counting up: 1994

 A quick look at the traditional family picture...

 the last one at the Old Home Place, but of course we didn't know that then.

 We only noticed that the "kids" were about grown up.

And there is another picture motif that I may not have mentioned until now--

the "guy with something on his head" photo.

Counting up: skipping a year to 1993

I know that there are pictures from 1992 but since they haven't been scanned ( or found) I'm skipping ahead to 1993.

It was another snowy Christmas.  

We headed over to HoosierKitty's for the afternoon and a jigsaw puzzle.

The next day we left for the West Virginia Home Place.

To take the traditional pictures...

and see how much the cousins have grown.

Inside, there was another jigsaw puzzle to put together...

and outside, a two-headed snow goon appeared.

Counting up: 1991

This year the tree just about filled the living room.

But there was still room for friends on Christmas eve -

The drum set appeared on Christmas morning and here the Fantastically Coordinated Kid demonstrates juggling and playing the drums at the same time.

Mimi is amused.

The day continues to be entertaining.

HoosierKitty has a jigsaw for our afternoon.

Later, at the Old Home Place in West Virginia, we take the traditional photo around the box lid date.