Heritage Hill Christmas

Today we found this great little place called Heritage Hill. It's a little community that was established in the late 1800's. Every year at Christmas they decorate all the houses and at each house they talk about what Christmas & life was like in that time period. Wes made a comment as we were walking down the lanes, he said, "Life use to be so simple." He's right, I have spent the last week running around frantic trying to get the shopping, wrapping, baking, cleaning and everything else done. (If my Mom was not here, I would have never survived. Thank Heaven for Mothers.) But today it was different, listening to the bells on the sleigh ride, enjoying the piano in the church built in 1905, loving the snow, so simple, so pure.

One of the neatest things was looking at the trees that were decorated. The ornaments, popcorn strings, paper and walnuts. They were so frugal, creative. It was neat to see how they hung the candles from the trees, I can just imagine. I take so much for granted, even to the littlest items like Christmas lights.

We stopped at the Bakery, where they were making sugar cookies on a old time stove, it was amazing the effort to even make cookies. They also had a old blacksmith shop, a printing press where the kids made christmas cards and then to a dance hall where Wes & Tye learned how to do the Virginia Reel. They had a violin quartet playing the music, and it was hilarious to see Wes & Tye out there Dancing. It was so fun.

The last stop was a very old log barn, which they made into a stable and had a live nativity. It was so neat to explain to the kids that this was really how Christ was born, in a stable, with animals, and Jesus laying in the straw. For the first time, I think they really understood. What a humbling day....how grateful I am for days like today.How greatful I am for Christmas!