Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Meads! We had a lovely celebration of Christ’s birth and we hope you did too. I have been uploading photos from the past few months and would like to share some so you can see what we have been up to during the past few months. We have had quite a few visitors staying with us which has been lots of fun!
Our Italian friend Andrea, who visits us every year, brought his son, Matteo, with him this time. The kids had a great time together, despite the language barrier. We enjoyed a fun outing to Bourton-on-the-Water where we visited Birdland and the Model Village.
Kaylah loved the puddles at Birdland . . .later we found out she hadn’t had any socks on all day. She never complained about her COLD feet!
Aunt Carol surprised Joel by coming (and Mariah) to help celebrate his birthday in November. We had lots of fun!
Birthday boy – eight years old!
A friend helped me make this tank cake for his army themed birthday party! Turned out great – thanks Hollie!
One of Joel’s birthday highlights was getting a drum set. Several relatives went together to get it for him. He’s having lessons now and our house is (not!) quiet. 🙂
We visited Cotswold Wildlife Park with Aunt Carol – a superb day out!
Aliyah got up close and personal with a giraffe!
Kaylah and Mariah – good buddies
Aunt Carol blessed us by staying with the children so Peter and I could get away for two nights. Soooo nice! We stayed in Appledore in North Devon.
We enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with some American friends . . . Joel was very excited about the pumpkin pie!
Our next visitors were my sister Amy and her baby Ellie in early December. I hadn’t seen Amy for over two years. It was a very special visit. Here we are at Lacock Abbey on a beautiful day.
The girls in the Abbey . . . pretending to be nuns. 🙂
We had such a fun trip out to Bath, enjoying the Christmas Market, hearing organ music in the Abbey . . .
. . and enjoying lunch at the famous Sally Lunn’s bakery!
Here we are with our buns!
Amy was able to join us at the Aliyah and Mariah’s piano recital. We sat in the balcony so as not to be disruptive with our tribe of children spectators! Nice view!
We all enjoyed lots of cuddles with Ellie and lots of laughs with Amy! Despite the jet lag for Amy and Ellie, it was a precious few days.
Next up was Christmas!
The season of joy and good cheer!
We had a cookie making party with a few of the neighbour kids . . . MANY cookies made and shared!
The gingerbread house making wasn’t quite so successful this year! 🙁
We had lots of fun ice skating with Peter’s sister’s family on Christmas Eve. Here’s Mariah with Daniel and Rebecca.
Joel skated HARD for two full hours. He got to use this snowman that someone abandoned at one point. Kaylah keeps talking about how she will go skating when she’s bigger!
Here’s Kaylah with her new doll bed that her sisters and Joel bought her.
Kaylah also got a new scooter but at this moment was much more interested in a tootsie roll (yes, they sell these American treats at Asda in case you are interested!)
Hmmm . . . what could be under Dad’s dressing gown?
Several relatives went together and bought Hannah and Aliyah a bass guitar. They are excited to learn to play it!
Christmas dinner with Peter’s family. Our attempt to do a turkey actually worked, thanks to good advice from friends!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Meads!
We will be writing and sending a mini-update soon by email to let you know the ministry highlights from the past months and prayer requests for the next few. Thank you so much for your prayers for our family and love and encouragement that you show to us.
