Christmas

The night before Christmas, we went to a friends "little" Christmas party were Santa showed up with a giant sack filled with toys for everyone there, with their names on each toy. It was quite impressive. I commented to Jack that it seemed pretty cool that Santa had a gift with his name on it and he looked at me (like I was crazy) and said, " Momma, it's Santa, of course he knows my name." Silly me. After we went home we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and the kids put out cookies and soy milk for Santa (Brian told the kids that Santa has really taken a liking to soy milk lately). So off they went to bed as fast as I have ever seen - we told them Santa only comes when kids are sleeping. They were asleep within minutes. Too bad Santa can't come every night.

We had a wonderful Christmas together! We were by ourselves this year as we are in the middle of a beautiful nowhere. Friends and family were missed, but we had a lovely day in our cozy home. The kids did not get up until 8, which was nice and then we spent most of the day opening a gazillion presents and playing with each in between the opening. It was quite a day. We had some delicious cinnamon buns made by a good friend of ours. And then ate a delicious meal prepared by yours truly. It was pretty yummy, if I do say so myself!!!

I must say that my biggest sadness of this Christmas was not having our annual Christmas Story Party with our dearest friends. Brian and I watched it together and had in on in the background most of the day, but it was not the same with out Grandpa Ralph and his little figurines and Uncle Dan and Cindy and Beedi and Grandma Polly, the Spinales and the Henn clan. Jack got this cool Joke telling thing for Christmas and is quite enthralled with it, above is one of his new Jokes. Molly doesn't quite have the hang of the joke telling, but she is not afraid to give it a whirl.

At the end of the day we started to wind down and chill out after the days big events. The kids began singing for the camera and it made me laugh, so I thought I would share with all.

Jack learned at school this year about all different ways people celebrate around this season, including Kwanzaa, Jewish, and Christian traditions. It was pretty cool. And being like his grandpa Jim, he LOVES languages!

Okay, this last little song is Molly singing Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. Molly is very into reindeer right now. She either pretends to be one or pretends that the deer in our meadow are reindeer. It is cute!!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and have an excellent New Year.

The Kids 1st Ski Day

We took the kids skiing for the first time on Saturday! It was a perfect day, the sun was out and it was in the mid 40's. Perfect day to learn to ski. The kids bundled up in their new ski suits and hats, sunglasses and skis and made their way to their lesson. They both loved it! By the second day, they had both moved up to the second kiddie hill and Jack was learning how to stop (comes in handy at times) and Molly was busy learning how to turn. What a thrill to see them up there learning one of my all time favorite activities. Their lessons were two hours which gave Brian and I a nice chunk of time to do some skiing of our own on the big hills! It was fabulous!!!

I had to stick in this picture (left) of Half Dome with snow that Brian took. Isn't it beautiful!!! Also the picture to the right is of our drive through the crazy snow to get up to Badger Pass (ski area). It was so pretty up there.

Winter Program at Yosemite Valley School

Jack had his winter program last Thursday night! It was so cute. His class of K, 1st and 2nd graders were all penguins. They sang a cute penguin song and we all had a great time. Molly liked watching Jack on stage.

Bracebridge

Brian and I got to go to the Bracebridge dinner last night and it was absolutely amazing!! It consists of a seven course delicious meal and professional opera singers singing incredible songs and some Christmas carols. And all the performers are dressed in period clothing and your backdrop for all of this is the main dining room at the Ahwahnee hotel. It was beautiful. I was brought to tears and a few occasions during the evening. In the two pictures, Brian and I are standing in front of the official Bracebridge Christmas tree.



That was my take on the festivities, but here is what the Yosemite website has to say about the event...

"Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this yuletide ceremony was Washington Irving's Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.
The Bracebridge Dinner is an elegant and artistic four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages. Over 100 players create the roles of the Squire and his family, their servants, the Lord of Misrule, minstrels and other performers. The Ahwahnee Dining Room serves as the Great Hall and stage for the festivities and is decked with magnificent wreaths, an elaborate Squire's table, large banners and traditional Yuletide decorations. The centerpiece of this revered event is a seven-course banquet of rich and wondrous dishes prepared by The Ahwahnee’s world-class culinary staff."

Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful...

Well, it is not really frightful, it is actually gorgeous here. Still amazes me what an absolutely beautiful place we get to live in. It snowed for the first time this morning. The kids were so excited I practically had to hold them down and help the get dressed before they ran out in their pj's. They kept saying that it was Christmas (b/c the only time they have seen snow is when we are at my parents for Christmas). So this is all new and they are loving it. I must say that I too am thrown back into a childhood wonder of the first snow. It is all so new and perfect and beautiful. God never ceases to amaze.

Well the three of us (Brian is out of town) were so excited by the snow that we decided to walk to school in it. It was fabulous!!! Jack yelled the entire way there about all the things he saw that he just couldn't believe were covered in snow ("LOOK THE CROSSWALK HAS SNOW ON IT", "AND LOOK, THE TREES HAVE SNOW" etc). About half way to school (school is about a mile away) Jack says, "I am sorry I am being so loud, but I am so excited about the snow and it is more beautiful than I ever imagined". Okay, so he will never stop making me laugh by the big thoughts that come to his little head.

These are some pictures from this morning in our backyard before we left for school. Jack wanted to get a picture of Half Dome, but it had disappeared into the clouds.