O little town of Raleigh,

How loud thy evenings ring!

With rooster crows and clucking hens

And a small sheltie who sings.

The farm is shutting down now.

It's still before the dawn (finally)

But suddenly my clock goes off

Though I do naught but yawn.

The chicks they are a pecking

The college daughter's here (Hurray!)

The kids are up, the husband's home,

The Carolina skies are clear!

But ‘lo what is that looming?

A storm blows violently???

Oh no, I see my hubbie Chris

In a great big cloud of bees!

You know we love that honey

And so do all our friends!

With eggs and bees and art galore,

Production never ends!

Our kids they have stopped growing

In bodies, not in minds

Eloise sings and studies hard,

Kailee climbs rocks (all kinds)!

NC State cares for our money

We send it twice a year! [GULP!]

They teach our daughter lots of things

She really loves it there!

Meanwhile our youngest works so hard

At a theater job each week.

She goes to class, washes her dog,

And sings as much as speaks!

We are now approaching

The ending of this song!

We wish we'd soon see all of you,

We hope it won't be long!

Merry Christmas from Green Grables!

(Hoping you are all feeling much healthier than we are this evening - but we are still thrilled that it is Christmas Eve!)