Christmas by Candlelight...

This is what we woke up to on Christmas Eve Morning.

All of us were so excited to have such a White Christmas..

The kids went outside for hours and played. Benjy's 4 Wheel Drive Truck that he has been waiting 10 years for...came in handy getting home! (Background)
Sledding down the rock pile... some exposed rocks (eek) but the guys covered them up.

We had both fireplaces going, thank goodness because...at 4:30 PM the kids put on their annual Nativity program, except this year we actually had a baby to play Baby Jesus. Right after the program the electricity went out and stayed off until 6AM Christmas Morning.
It was pitch black, but the camera flash makes it look like we had light, but this reindeer was all that lit our traditional oyster stew dinner.

The kids ate by the light of this little candle.
Auntie Em snuggled Kyce while we opened gifts in the dark.
Grandpa hung a camping lantern so that he could read the names on the gifts. It was fun.. whoever had flashlights would spotlight the person opening the gift. I almost wish the flash had been turned off so you could see how dark it was...

We all thought it was so cool and a Christmas to remember...but when the temperature in the house started to drop and we realized we couldn't flush the toilets or that the water wouldn't run because my parents have a well and the pump wasn't running, we started to get a little anxious about how long we would be without power.

I guess when my mom was 6 months pregnant with me...they got stuck without power for 3 days and 4 families piled into a little house that had a wood burning stove and they still have fond memories of that experience. I am sure all of us will remember this Christmas and remember to be thankful for modern conveniences.