Christmas 2010!

This year's Christmas was an extra exciting Christmas for the Birx families.  Instead of breathing down each other's necks at the Birx homestead in Maryland (a place that we dearly love), we enjoyed a spacious 7 bedroom, 6 bathroom Virginia Beach rental house!  There was plenty of breathing room -- especially for the 12 1/2 grandkids to run around!  Other than the 6 kids and 3 adults who got "the bug," it was a very fun and special time with family (although, that's easy for me to say because none of us WI Birxes got sick -- Sharon and Alisha may say otherwise!).  Tim and Phyllis even brought a real Christmas tree for the house!  I truly do enjoy Daniel's family and realize more and more just what a blessing they all are to me.  I love every single one of them!

The following are some pictures of our time pre, during, and post Christmas... 

The Sunday before we left, Lillian played the piano in our church for the first time!  She played 3 Christmas songs during the offering and did an excellent job!! 

Somewhere in West Virginia on day 2 of our drive out to Virginia Beach, VA

Lillian with a couple of her most favorite people ever -- cousins Hannah and Lydia

Hannah and Lillian enjoying the Christmas tree.  The kids made all the decorations for the tree!

We took a short road trip to Cape Henry.  This is where the English Colonists first came ashore from Britian in 1607, and a year later settled Jamestown, VA.  Notice Daniel and the girls waving from inside!

Lydia and Lillian enjoying the view of the Atlantic Ocean from the top of the lighthouse

The view of the ocean from ground level -- it was a very windy day

The computer station (3 more laptops were hiding somewhere)

Listening intently to Grandpa's story

The cousins enjoying Christmas breakfast together

Unlce Nathan getting that perfect shot while out on a walk with the kids

A calm view before the storm...

... the storm -- a snow storm!  Strange to see snow on the beach!

Nathan and Josh trying to stand their ground

"A Bay Star" covered in SNOW!  Who would have thought?!!

The whole family  :)

After a week in Virginia Beach, we stayed in Maryland with Daniel's parents for about 4 days.  We toured Herr's Potato Chip Factory in Nottingham, PA (we also visited there this past summer).

That same day we also went to the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg, PA

It was a huge, very detailed, model train display

The cousins enjoying some lunch after a busy morning of driving around Pennsylvania

On our way back home to Wisconsin, we stopped to see my Grandpa Whyte (93!) and his wife, Naomi, in Illinois -- the girls loved seeing Great Grandpa Whyte and Naomi (I enjoyed it, too!)! 

The day after we got home the girls were so excited to open up their gifts from us.  Abigail struck gold with Calico Critters...

Lillian hit the jack pot with "American Girl" accessories...

and Rebecca broke the bank with Fisher Price dollhouse additions!

What did little Rachel get you ask?  Nothing!  The poor thing!  Although she didn't even seem to notice...

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We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!