Christmas in Versailles

 We spent this Christmas in my parents' hometown, Versailles, Ohio.  I took full advantage of not having a job to run back to and stayed in Ohio for ten days. My cousin, Andy, kindly opened his home to us.  Being single with no children, I think we were a little 'shock and awe,' but he was a trooper letting us practically take over his house. We didn't take our normal 1,336 pictures because our family photog (Steve) had to go back to work during the week. But, the pictures can be imagined- lots of people laughing, telling stories, swimming, bowling, playing games, cooking, eating, and just spending time together.   It was, as anticipated, a fantastic time with family.  With the challenging year we've had, it was positive to ring in the new year with family. 

 

My kids loved all the attention they received!  At any given moment they had more than one person willing to listen to their stories, requests, and general thoughts on life.  

Cannon loved his 'Elmer Fudd' hat from Grandma Pits.  It helped keep him warm in the Ohio weather.  We hoped for a white Christmas but instead had only a little sleet and a lot of rain. 

Godmother Bailey stayed in Ohio the whole time we were there and got in lots of loving time with Cannon...and Harrison and Gavin, too.  My boys have a thing for pretty girls.  Kinda makes their Daddy proud. 

 All of the Pitsenbarger grandkids, great-grandkids, and a few spouses.  It's always a challenge to get this many people together and smiling, but it's so worth the end result. This was a birthday present for Grandma!

 I'm so thankful Cannon was able to meet and spend time with his only living Great-Grandfather.  

 The farm fields of Ohio....with a random fake deer to climb on.  Seems perfectly normal to me.  

 Steve could not contain himself when he found out my cousin Andy is a apiarist (a beekeeper, Shanita) and was willing to let Steve play beekeeper with him for the day.  Steve was the assistant and did an excellent job of 'smoking' the bees to help keep them calm.  The bees were so calm we were even able to stick our fingers into the honeycomb and pull out a dollop of honey to eat.

 We went to lots of basketball games to watch my cousins play.  Harrison thought it was soo cool that he knew some of the players. He keeps talking about how he hopes one day he can play basketball as good as Dominic, Damien and Noah.  I think because our family is so big he assumes everyone in Ohio is a relative. At one point during a game I turned around to find him sitting with another family behind us.  He's making casual conversation asking them if they're cheering for the orange or blue team.  The funny part is...I think somehow, although distantly, we are related to them!  

We finally broke down and gave Gavin a real haircut.  The winter chapped skin + static-y straight hair + runny nose = a homeless, neglected-looking child. Gavin was so excited to have his locks cut, he kept calling it his 

'man hair.'  He instantly aged, which hurts my heart a little bit, but he now looks handsome as ever.