Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at Mark's grandpa's house this year.  It has been a tradition in Mark's family to spend Christmas at his Grandma and Grandpa Ryser's house.  We haven't been able to do that for a few years because it has gotten harder for Grandpa to host the growing family.  Three of mark's four sisters were with their in-laws for Christmas Eve this year, so Grandpa wanted to host the smaller gathering.  He was very kind to do that because it was a lot of work for him. 

We always have a nice dinner out on Grandpa's enclosed patio with his wood-burning stove keeping the room warm.  The smell of a wood-burning fire brings back so many good memories of my childhood as well as we had a wood stove in our basement. 

We always go down in the basement after dinner and Grandpa sits in this chair (that Garrett briefly stole:) and reads a story to everyone.  The kids then get to open a present from Great Grandpa and head home to go to bed.  This year we all took a minute to go around the family and have each person do a little tribute to Grandpa.  That was Mark's aunt Karen's idea.  It was very spiritual to hear all the wonderful things all of Grandpa's children, grandchildren, and married in grandchildren had to say about him.  He is the most amazing man I have ever known.