Christmas with the Brucks

We  spent Christmas with Chris' side of the family this year!

Chris worked a half day and then we were on our way. 

We got there just in time to pull up into the parking lot for the Christmas Eve service!

It was a Candlelight service as well!

We went back to mom and dad's house and waited for the rest of the family (the Schucks) to come! 

Ryken enjoyed riding on his cousins horse - which made noises!

The best picture we got of the 3 youngest!

They sure looked cute though!

Once everyone was there we ate dinner and then sang some hymns together and Chris' dad read a string a verses that told the story of Christ's birth!

I bothered everyone for a family picture! Glad I did! They are sure nice to have!

(Betty, a lady from their church also joined us! - She was a sweet, recently widowed women.)

Then presents were passed around and opened!

Ryken loved all the wrapping paper...

...and bows laying around!

Baby's 1st Christmas!

Christmas Morning, Sorraya checked to see if we had any new snow to make it a complete white Christmas! But no new snow! 

Bismark still had more snow on the ground than Fargo did!

The boys playing with play-dough together!

Sorraya looking pretty for Christmas!

When the kids were napping, the adults went down stairs and enjoyed the cozy basement with the fire!!!

We also watched Last of the Mohicans!

Merry Christmas from the Brucks!

We had a ham dinner and just relaxed the rest of the evening!

On Friday, the boys helped Nana make orange juice and then had to taste some of course!

Sorraya loved Matthews kitchen! She would get up on her tippy toes and look into the sink! 

The kids helping Nana vacuum!

The boys had a blast jumping onto the bean bag and Raya was an excited onlooker!

Back at the kitchen!! 

Sitting with Solomon!

The Schucks came back over for dinner and games tonight!

Saturday morning after breakfast and before we headed back to Fargo,

we stopped at the Heritage Center to look around!

Huge dinosaur bones!

Feeling different kinds of animal fur!

The boys loved running in and out and around the bark tepee!

Driving a tractor!

We said our goodbyes to our family!

(This is Ryken saying bye to Raya actually - haha!)

A beautiful winter scene of the Missouri River!

It was a wonderful visit! It was longer than we usually stay so that was a plus!

Mom's hospitality is always so thoughtful and loving!