Christmas 2025, Celebrating the Birth of our Savior!

2025 Christmas Eve at the Kilgore house.  Kristin's in-laws.  They are so gracious to invite us every year.  We are thankful. 

Mike and Kristin getting the veggies ready for snacking on before the dinner. Looks like Mike is eating some snacks.

Layne just had her third knee surgery.  Long story for sure.  I am sure this night was hard for her.  She was in that chair most of the night.  No lifting her leg or putting any weight on it.  

Kristin and Justin, I just snapped this picture. 

This picture was the posed picture they wanted.  

Justin and Mike!

This was a gift for someone else and he didn't want to wear it. He is almost two years old and didn't exactly know what it was. Layne decided to wear it for a time. 

Ornament exchange time. Jeff always leads the way.  

Dessert time for Kristin. 

Lucy and her cousin. 

Love the cowboy hat. 

The many faces of Lucy!

Layne almost had a smile. 

The pajama tradition lives on! Layne is breaking the rules but she does have the crutches right behind her.  

Layne is leaning on the crutches and no weight on the leg.  Not safe but she did it.  

All the cousins in their new pajamas. 

Me and Kristin! 

Christmas Day we got a couple of pictures from family! We bought Lucy the purse and sweatshirt.

Rumor has it she wore the sweatshirt all day.  Glad she liked it. 

Finn, Kyle Kath and Sean! The Gleason's in California. 

Merry Christmas to all.  What a gift we have been given.  It doesn't stop with the birth of Jesus.  He lived on earth for 33 years. His death was gruesome but He rose on the third day so we could have eternal life. Praise God.  Thank you Jesus for sacrificing so much for us.  

Bald Eagle Watching 2025, We Missed It!

We have been going to see the eagles on Lake Coeur d Alene every December for at least 12 years.  I follow the Bureau of Land Management bald eagle count that is posted weekly.  Well, this year we had the government shut down and the count was delayed.  I can look back several years to see when the peak of the eagle count happens.  Most of the time it is in mid December.  I saw the count at about 284 eagles on November 26.  My thought was the count would go up and we could wait a week or so.  Nope.  The next bald eagle count went down by about 100 eagles.  We headed out.  We did miss the peak for sure but there were still bald eagles to find.  Not as many and the great picture opportunities were few and far between.  It was still amazing to see how majestic and how huge bald eagles look as the soar in the sky.  I was prepared, camera in hand ready to shoot pictures of the bald eagles. 

Mike and his spotting scope. He is a pro at spotting the eagles in the trees. It was nice that there was no snow.  The bald eagles are harder to find when there is snow in the trees.  They have white heads you know.  We did have to brave some wind and a bit of rain.  This is the second spot we went to.  

Can you tell it was windy? 

There was a little issue with Mike and his glasses.  They went missing.  We searched and searched where we were watching the bald eagles.  No luck.  Mike was ready to replace the glasses.  We headed to Michael D's for breakfast as we always do. Mike had to use my glasses to read the menu.  Charming. 

They fit him perfectly.  The glasses were eventually found.  

Lessoned learned.  If the bald eagle count gets over 200 go.  If the count goes up we can always go again.  I look forward to this tradition every year!  We will be back next year.  

Isaiah 40:31 Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary and walk and not faint. 

Christmas Pictures

 I found a site that edits pictures so I asked for some edits to use a great picture of Mike and me for our Christmas card. I must have received 50 different versions of the picture.  Here are a few!  The first one is the original.  Hmmm, which ones did we pick?