The holiday started when Bob and Suzanne took Abbey to see her first Christmas light display

Abbey was all excited to see the bright lights and animals

Yamas, and donkeys, and piggies, and oxen, and deer,and camels

We headed to Denver in a snow storm crossing Iowa and Nebraska

Along the way we stopped for directions

Some who didn't ask directions gave up along the way.

After two days of hard driving we arrived at the home of our gracious hosts, Phillip & Laura.

We spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with Laura's sister, Chris, and her wonderful family. It seems that cooking became the national past time.

Mike, our host and Chris' husband, carries on a lively conversation with Laura and her mother, Brenda

Bill, Laura's step-father, carves the ham while Brenda and Mike check the status of the boiling potatos.

Brenda, Laura's mother, fries the appitizers

Aunt Rilla, Brenda's sister, tastes the appitizers

Bill and Brenda start carving the smoked turkey

While Bill carves the ham Bob takes over carving the turkey. Brenda and Melonie, Laura's sister, smash the potatos while Mike gets the bowl ready.

Chris takes pride in setting the table for the Christmas feast in her new home.

The dinner table is a lively place for conversation.

Melonie is full of fun; she spreads her joy and gives us a big smile.

Our tummy's stuffed, we have the gift exchange/steal - everyone picks a number and you pick a gift according to your number. But, if someone has something you like you can steal their gift and then they can steal someone else's gift or pick one from under the tree. What a hoot.

Bob wins the Garth Brooks "look alike contest." Someone else won the "sounds alike contest."

No trip to Colorado would be complete without visiting the ski areas

Vail has a fine collection of fur coats.

Of course we did visit, but not test, the ski slopes

Bob is always looking for another route to take on a motorcycle trip. This looks quite promising.

A never ending season of parties. The next week we celebrate Christmas with Fran's sister Mary and her husband, Jere.

Fran's brother, Charlie, and his wife, Susan, enjoy dinner with their son Ben who has just returned from 10 months of traveling throughout the Indian subcontinent and southeast asia.

Suzanne tells Abbey how good the food is.

Mary proposes a toast. "God bless us everyone."

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