This has been an unusual year for most people, and the Franklin family is no exception. We got COVID-19, the kids are doing school virtually from home, I can’t play poker in a casino, and Missy started a PhD program.
Our Christmas was a nice, relaxing return to semi-normalcy, highlighted by lots of family time.
My sister and her family visited from North Carolina. Their three children are roughly the same ages as ours, and they’ve always gotten along well. We had a big family dinner, went to see the Christmas lights in Yukon, and played a bunch of games.
On the same day that Allison and her family left, Missy’s sister Terri arrived with her four kids. Again, all the cousins have always gotten along beautifully and we had lots of fun with them too. Of course that included another big family meal, as well as helping the kids make sugar cookies and mine for precious gems (a backyard kit that was one of Hawk’s Christmas presents).
Addison’s birthday is the day after Christmas, so we have even more celebrating to do than the average family. This year she turned 12, her last birthday before teenagery sets in. Seems impossible. She requested homemade brown bread ice cream, but that will have to be put on hold because Missy made too many great pies and sugar cookies.
Hawk’s favorite present this year was an explorer kit, with a vest that has pockets for all of his explorer gear. It’s got a magnifying glass, compass, flashlight, fan, and a hat. Maddux got a guitar, which is special for me since I’ll get to teach him how to play. It has cheap plastic strings, which are easier for his little fingers to press down but also so flimsy that I broke one just tuning the thing right out of the box. Still, I’ve already taught him a couple of chords. Myra’s favorite present was her Easy-Bake oven. She made some tiny sandwich cookies that were great barely edible. But she had a lot of fun making them. Addie got a hoverboard, which she has been on it almost nonstop since she got it.
Hope you enjoy the pictures. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
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