Sunday, January 5, 2014

Christmas break time~

I realize it has been forever and a day since I last posted on my blog.  I have been on Christmas break back in Pennsylvania...that being said, I'm sure you can imagine that blogging was not priority, spending time with family and friends was.  Anyway, now that Christmas and New Years are over, I have a little more time to write and study and blog like I'd like to. 
 
My first week at home was spent with these adorable girls...I babysat them and enjoyed it immensely.  They've both grown so much since the summer when I left!
 

 
The next few days I did some Christmas shopping and also spread a lot of Christmas cheer in the community.  I volunteered at the Salvation Army to ring the bell outside of Shur Fine.  Then on a Saturday evening, Oliver, Sarah and me went to the Hanover mall and I wore a bear costume and we wished everyone a Merry Christmas. 
 
Who would come up with an idea like that?
 

 
Of course, anyone who knows my brother, knows that it was his idea.  Anyway, we got a picture with the man who was ringing the Salvation Army bell outside.  You would not imagine the number of people who wanted pictures with me and wanted me to give them a hug.  I was hugged more as a bear in one night and I have in my entire 22 years as a human!  Pretty crazy!
 

 
Despite being strange and goofy, it was fun to do!

 
 
Christmas morning we had our church service early, and then me and Oliver and Sarah set out to wish the nearby Ville's a Merry Christmas like we did last year.  Last year, we drove around to all the nearby towns and rolled down the windows and simply yelled "Merry Christmas!" to everyone we saw.  A sort of the George Bailey kind of 'running down the middle of Bedford Falls' kind of thing.  Last year it was very successful and we had a lot of cheery "Merry Christmas's" back...but this year there was no snow and it simply didn't have that "Christmas" feel.  So after only hitting two Villes and Gettysburg, we drove to Grandma's house where we had the rest of our Christmas day.
 



I enjoyed spending time with my nieces and nephew!
 


 
Then just last week, I went with my dear friends to Longwood Gardens- a huge botanical garden near Philadelphia. 
This display of floating apples was pretty impressive to me...
But I had a great time and everything was so beautiful!
 


 
On New Years Day, as is the custom, we (the Keckler family) had our Christmas Day.  It was held at Katie and Ryan's house this year. 
Here is a cute picture of Hudson trying to open his present

 
I took a few "sister" pictures. 


 
Then when we came home, I wanted a few pictures with my parents and brother too...




 
In the 2 1/2 weeks I've been home, this is what I've done...and that's not counting the small things like pruning and baking Christmas cookies. 
 It's good to be home!
 

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