We arrived at my parent’s new home in Florence after a rainy drive to the coast on Saturday night. We stayed up late getting a tour of their 1960’s home, hearing about their plans for changes, and catching up with my brother and his wife, and their travels.

Next day was our “Christmas Eve” so we did some Christmas baking for the next morning’s traditional Halvorson Christmas breakfast. We also opened one gift early:  a board game for the group to play while we were there and enjoyed a couples-team game.

Later in the evening we went downtown Florence L and I, as a Christmas present, took everyone out to dinner  then we came back and talked until we decided it was time for Santa to come fill stockings.

The next morning we followed Halvorson Christmas patterns. We opened stockings and then  read out-loud an illustrated children’s Christmas story. We then had our sour cream coffee cake and blueberry buckle with scrambled eggs, smoky links, and bacon. Last of all we opened presents.

After enjoying our “Christmas” Morning we decided to take turns joining my parents in their canoe on the lake. It was a cool morning but clear and we enjoyed the quiet ride.

Next morning we packed up and went out to lunch before we all hit the road again: my parents and brother and sister in law headed to California and Luke and I back to the Greene house.