Great surprise

Christmas came early today when Kylee and Brody surprised us by coming home for Christmas 5 days earlier than anticipated! Me, Mike, Jess, Jake and Cam had been on a mini-family reunion overnighter with Ann, Carol and their families at Sherwood Hills in Sardine Canyon. We all had a great time, and we loved being together and enjoying good food, company and fun and entertaining games. When we got home today (with the Bundy's along who came to spend the rest of the day with us- or so we thought- turns out they were in on the surprise so wanted to come and see the Hatch's and our reaction) Kylee and Brody were in the house waiting for us. We were expecting the house to look like we left it the night before even though we knew our friends doing the boys paper routes for us would have been in the house that morning folding and preparing the papers- but the house wasn't as we left it- several lights were on, there was music playing, a candle was lit, and several nutcrackers were sitting in the middle of the living room floor. We all stood in the entry of the house puzzling over who would have done that--- was it our friends playing a joke on us after they'd done the route? Just then Kylee comes running down the hall yelling surprise! It was so unexpected and fun, that of course I was a bit verclempt and totally speechless! It was so exciting, and now it feels like Christmas is truly here.