Christmas at Donna's House

For days before we left, Ruby was eagerly telling everyone we were going to "Nonna's house."  And we were all very excited to go.  It is always nice for me to get to visit with family and see them.  After we were to spend Christmas with Donna we were also going to get to see my other sister, Betsy, in Indiana. 

Christmas there was like living on a cloud.  It is so comfortable and fun to be there - the kids play nice and the parents do too!  Of course, the reason for the season is to celebrate Christ's birth and it was fun to join in with the Cummings' tradition of acting out the nativity from the scriptures.  The kids had great fun doing it and enlisted the missionaries (who came for dinner) to help too.  Lyman starred as both the Roman soldier reading the "decree from Ceaser Agustus" that the world should be taxed, as well as one of the three kings.  Corilynn was the angel that visited the sheppards and the "new star."  Ruby was going to play the baby Jesus but they couldnt get her to stay put - so she was an audience member.  Charlotte was behind the scenes and worked the lights.  It was a major production!

 Here comes Mary and Joseph (Camee and Jesse).

 The angel appears to the shepards (Jared and one of the missionaries).

 Mary and Joseph with the new babe in the stable.

 Here comes the three kings bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (gold wrapped Christmas crackers, a large pepper grinder and a stick of Old Spice deodorant).

 You can see our new star (she should be pointing it at the audience but obviously she is a bit distracted).

 The whole cast and crew - Kayla read the story from the scriptures.  Bonus for the reader of this blog - Mary is shown here both pregnant and with Baby Jesus in Joseph's arms.  Another Chrsitmas mircacle?

 Another Cummings' tradition: age shaped pancakes on your birthday.  It wasn't Andy's but shortly after Christmas it was Jared's.  He got a 15.  Andy asked Dave to make him a 34 in Roman numerals.  It turned out pretty awesome.