Sunday, December 30, 2007

Merry Christmas!





We had a wonderful Christmas! My family came down from Ohio to stay for a few days over Christmas. Bobby is still here as well. We also had Uncle Jeff and Aie over as well. We really missed Ama and Grandpa out in California though! Daniel was excited to come downstairs to see the presents and the empty cookie plate and milk glass with a thank you note from Santa for the milk and cookies and carrot for his reindeer. :-) He enjoyed opening his presents and handing out presents as well. He "helped" Alayna open her presents too! This was the first year that he really understood presents. Last year he had just as much fun handing out the presents to people as he did opening his own. I had made most of the side dishes and the pie on Christmas Eve, so all I had to worry about Christmas day was the turkey which was nice! We had a nice huge dinner together. Brian built a fire, so everything was nice and cozy. Daniel kept saying happy birthday to Jesus and we also sang the Happy Birthday song. So sweet! I wanted to make a birthday cake with Daniel, but ran out of time. Our church in New York did that with the children and I thought it was a neat tradition. Maybe next year. I can't believe the Christmas season is almost over. I love the decorations and lights. It makes the house feel so warm and cozy that it saddens me to have to take everything down in a couple days. (along with all the work involved!) It also means I have to stop playing Christmas music as well. :-( I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends! Praise God for blessing us with this wonderful season to celebrate His birth!!!

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas Cookies


Daniel had fun making Christmas cookies! He helped me with the Gingerbread cookies and the Sugar cut-outs. I love having a little helper in the kitchen! I'm not sure if he had more fun making the cookies or eating them!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Decorating the Christmas Tree







We found our tree at the tree farm we have been going to the past few years. I can't believe this will be our fourth Christmas here. It is definitely different finding a tree in 50 degree weather! Tracking through the deep powdery snow in New York to cut down the tree was the best! When we returned home we made a fire and started decorating. Daniel had so much fun unwrapping the ornaments from the box! So cute and sweet! Then his sweet little hands decorating, oh my! Of course we have patches of ornaments all around the bottom of the tree! Brian's mom gave us an ornament of a euphonium so of course Daniel had to blow in it. Now every once in a while he will walk by the tree and "play" the horn! This Christmas will be so fun with him!