Next on the Christmas agenda was brunch on Monday with the Shirrells (Bekah, Barrett and 19-month-old Ila) and the Sapps (Dustin, Shelley, 4-year-old Evan, 2 1/2-year-old Nate and 3-month-old Lizzy). Bekah, Shelley, Barrett, Dustin and I are all friends from high school. It was fun catching up (in person) with old friends and letting our kids play.

That’s Greg holding Cate, who is looking at the dog Honey. Ila and Nate are watching Evan shoot marshmallows out of a “marshmallow gun” while Barrett supervises.

Shelley (well, Nate and Evan …) gave Cate an enormous penguin, as you can see ..

… And Cate loved it.

And now here’s Lizzy … She’s so sweet and tiny (even compared to Cate who is just four months older). I enjoyed meeting her in person for the first time.

Lizzy even tolerated the Christmas ribbon tied around her head!

Then there was this …

We tried to take the three girls pictures while the boys were rough-housing with Barrett. I got the first one before Ila decided she didn’t want to be confined to the couch.