A Florida Family Christmas

What, wait - we celebrated Christmas in another state besides the normal TX and GA?  Actually, no - the Floridians came to Georgia!  We were thrilled when our Tampa family told us they would spend their Christmas holiday in Helen, GA, just a short 80 mile trip from Atlanta and a lovely little "German" town.   We visited with my parents back in 2011, and I've always wanted to go back (when it was not Octoberfest and really crazy!)   Friday we got the chance.

It's so great to see this side of the family.  James is very close to his cousin, Kim,  and her family, and we don't see them or his aunt and uncle often enough.  We've been lucky the past few years that her daughter, Katelyn, has spent a good deal of time in Atlanta (and we try to convince Kate to move here after graduating next year all the time.)  We know it will bring the whole crew up here more.  :)

Our visit started off with a Bavarian restaurant that made a damn good Reuben and had some really good German beer on draft.

Everything was decorated beautifully for Christmas, so lunch was followed by a leisurely stroll around town (to work off all the food.)

JB was quite content to have Aunt Kim cart him around in her arms. After she let him try some fudge at the candy shop, we were not quite sure he would even come home with us (which I think she would have been okay with…)

Then she really upped the ante when she took JB into a toy store to pick out a toy!  JB was thrilled!  Although all he really wanted was the chair (he's really into sitting on things right now), he finally decided that he loved the tambourine, a bouncy ball, and a fun cow that you walk on a stick.  Because he's spoiled rotten, he left with all three.

JB had a lot of fun with his cousins outside the shop with his new ball. He showed off some of his kicking skills to this (very talented) soccer-playing family.  Let's hope he inherits some of their sports skills (because he's not getting too many from James or me).

We ended the day by catching up around the fire outside their cabin.  I always forget how beautiful this part of Georgia is - definitely a place I would recommend for a little R&R.

Enda (who got to come along, as this family is very much a dog family) had a blast with her furry cousins, Maddie and Max.  This might have been her favorite part of the Christmas break!

I wish we could have stayed days!  I am so glad that our Christmas included this group.  

Over the last couple of weeks, we've managed to see so many people we love.  Our hearts are full, folks…