S IS FOR SANTA!!!

It was 67 degrees Christmas Eve...67!!! Christmas day...56...Crazy I tell you. I begin with the weather because it is definitely something I have to say I will NOT miss next Christmas! No white Christmas for us this year...but Kristian made a very good point...at least if you get a "big girl bike" from Santa you can ride it that day!! And ride she did!! We could hardly keep up as you will see in the pictures. The picture above was taken a few days before Christmas when we went to see the lights and rode a trolley around a neighborhood called Winterhaven where they decorate just about every house quite elaborately...it was really fun. I also included when the girls helped mom make Christmas cookies...they had too much fun in the flour...Finley kept eating it...There are pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas day and a couple of aftermath pictures...and of course many of the big girl on her bike...She had asked Santa for one two times and even wrote a little letter to him. The first thing on her list was a bike, second some tools, and third some diapers for her baby. She also kept mentioning a jeep...you know the power wheels ones...I told her Santa really only has room in his sleigh for one big present for each kid and she thankfully said that if that was the case she wanted a bike! We were fortunate to have Carol come over from California, Adriane and her new husband Tiago down from Portland and Uncle Dell down from Phoenix. They all stayed the night and it was so great to have family around and to spend time together. Kristian also invited his friend Rohid a fellow PhD student. Kristian and I made a German dinner complete with Roulade, Rottkohl, Spatzle (I'm sure I spelled those terribly), rolls, salad, and after making that, we bought stollen to enjoy. The food was tasty if I do say so myself and we had fun making and eating it! So we hope everyone had a great Christmas too and we love and miss you all especially this time of year. Oh...I meant to do a Christmas letter...even attempted it...sorry...wasn't meant to be this year...hopefully next year! Love to all! *******************************************************************************