cabin time

This year Mom and Dad treated us all to a 3-day weekend at a cabin on Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. So fun and relaxing!

Skipping stones with the master, Uncle David.

Missing Viv. She caught the bug going around.

Sword-fighting and wake-boarding on the Wii. They kept breaking records and were very happy about it.

As Owen put it (see video), "I taught those guys a lesson. The lesson is: Do not mess with me!"

Now that's a cheering section.

Scientific minds working together.

Seesters!

Knitting lessons.

So grateful for our fun and loving family.

Christmas morning

Grandpa read the Christmas story, Grandma prayed a beautiful prayer, and then Aunt Katie took on her annual role as Santa.

Here's a video to give a sense of the morning.

I think she liked the framed photo of Momie and Uncle Ed.

Present-opening fatigue.

Time to get to work on those Lego sets!

Merry Christmas!

Auntie E

Auntie E stopped by with some very thoughtful Christmas presents. 

Holiday Parties

Check out these videos of Owen's class singing for the parents:

"Rudolfo, el reno de la nariz roja"

"El Burrito de Belén"

Cupcakes made by our resident professional pastry chef, Lena.

My friend Celeste, our room parent (in the green dress), organized a beautiful project for the children. The parents and children brought in supplies to make bags for homeless women and children in our community. Together with Jack's class, they also decorated the bags. The bags were stuffed with socks, soap, shampoo, first aid kits, razors, and more. Everyone really loved the project and worked together to make it happen.

Making a Christmas ornament.

Meanwhile, down in the 3rd-grade room....

Owen's TA from last year, Ms. Brianna, came to visit with her sweet baby, D.J. Owen loves babies!

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful parents we've met at our school. Especially in Owen's classroom, there's a real feeling of community.

Gifts

Every year as we're assembling gifts late at night, I wonder if it's really worth it to make homemade gifts for teachers, family, the mailman. But there's something really beautiful about making something simple with your hands. I always end up feeling like it's one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

Jack's Winter Concert

See our sweet boy?

Here's a video of Jack and his class playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on their recorders. Notice Jack's adorable reaction to the applause.

He was nervous on the drive over. But he did great!

sugar cookies

It wouldn't be Christmas without some sugar cookie cut-outs.

 I have such happy memories of my Mom helping us make these every Christmas and Easter. She always set out little bowls of colored frosting and we had so much fun decorating away. It was probably especially memorable because those were the years of no sugar in the house. 

It's one of the best part of becoming a parent--getting to pass on the happy traditions and rituals of your childhood.

Christmas elves

Christmas Dinner

The classics miraculously appeared: Omi's china. Rouladen with all the traditional German sides. Christmas crackers. Even Bunder Teller. And for some reason unclear to us all, "Good King Wenceslas" joined us for the Bunder Teller processional. I appreciate Jon-Marc's solidarity in the bottom left picture.

"Christmas" morning

An early Christmas morning!

Christmas comes early

All the clan arrived for a whirlwind "Christmas" weekend. So fun!

Good conversations. And hands.

Ticket to Ride. People are getting tense.

Apparently we specialize in good food.

Carol's TRIFLE!

The Three Musketeers plug into the matrix for dude time. I don't know. Think they might be related?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

pageant

Jack's line: "That night in the fields near Bethlehem, some of the shepherds were guarding their sheep."

Yes, folks, we had real live animals traveling to the stable in Bethlehem.

Owen kept patting baby Jesus' head, while corralling his restless goat. Check out the video:

And suddenly a great company of the heavenly host came upon them. Literally. Whoosh.

Owen was a very attentive shepherd. Notice him bending over his goat. Owen named his goat Munchie, because apparently he enjoyed eating Mary and Joseph's hay bale.

Check out the video for the general ambiance. Just a few traffic jams and runaway goats. I believe there was even a rogue bowel movement.

trim the tree

Putting up the tree, gloves and all.

Christmas tree

This year we cut our tree from the forest near the cabins. It took us a while to find a good one. Faithful, arthritic Bronte was hanging tough in spite of the snowballs hanging from her legs.

The children's tree. We use it for our Jesse Tree ornaments.

Go, Daddy, go!