I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Merry Christmas from our winter wonderland! We arrived in snow covered PA late Friday night. Pat hit the ground running, Saturday afternoon he geared up and left for the ski slopes.

For the second year in a row we attended the Christmas Eve service at St. Marys Catholic Church. The church was built in 1913 and it's beauty accompanies the service perfectly.

 

Pat has made last minute gift buying a tradition as well. This year he chose gifts for the kids and one for himself...a remote control helicopter. After all of the gifts were open WWIII began. The helicpoters hovered, dodging the Nerf arrows, pellets and bullets flying from one side of the house to the other.

 

After a few near fatal shots the war ended and everyone ran to the garage to smash their last present. Yes I said smash, my mom came up with an innovative way to give the gift of $$. She filled ornaments with cash and let the kids break them to find the gift inside!

 

 

The family

 

 

Maggie and all of her cousins:

 

 

 

 

 

The day started with 9 adults, 3 kids and 7 dogs. My brother, Dave and his wife headed back to Canada with their two dogs and Rick and his family are finishing their Christmas rounds. That leaves a mere 4 adults and 3 dogs not including Pat who has taken off for the ski resort again. 

 

It is the night after Christmas and all through the house not a creature is stiring not even a mouse...

 

 

 

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous



Not our lifestyle but the Vanderbilt's!

The up side to Pat traveling for work is the great ideas he comes up with! He has been working in Asheville and suggested I join him. Of all the mountain towns I have been to I have never seen Asheville. Friday Maggie and I walked around the town and fell in love with it (minus the bums peddling for money). Pat purchased tickets for a candlelight Christmas tour of the Biltmore on Friday night. The house is beautiful on it's own but the Christmas decorations made it even better. There were trees in every room and the choir that sang as we entered solidified that it is Christmas time! 

Because our tickets were for a night tour of the house we were able to use our grounds pass on Saturday. The last and only time I have seen the Biltmore was in high school (or middle school?) so I don't remember much about it. This was Pat's first visit so he made sure we did everything: the house, the winery tour, the restaurants, the farm and everything in between.

I loved the chickens!

Pretty eggs

This Maggie look-a-like loved Pat!

We don't have much in common with George and Edith but there is one thing... our love of dogs. Thanks to the Vanderbilt's loyal companion, Cedric the grounds are dog friendly!

George Vanderbilt built this home as a getaway for his family. He chose an area that he thought was as beautiful as the house he wanted to build. Watching the sunset behind the mountains on the lawn of the Biltmore was a perfect ending to our trip.