a very merry christmas

Christmas Eve was spent at my dad's brother's house with family. We had so much good food, I made a yummy cheese ball. We played "two truths and a lie" (we try play a getting-to-know you /how-well-do-you-know-your-family game every year), it was funny to hear what everyone came up with. We exchanged gifts, I ended up with $30 iTunes gift card, yeah. It was a pretty heated gift exchange game. We don't see my dad's side of the family very often even though they live real close. It was good to be with them and strengthen our friendships.

We were just missing 4 of my grandma's grandchildren this year

After our Christmas Eve celebration at the Farrars I went to my parents to get ready for Santa's arrival. We stayed up extremely late getting ready for Christmas, before going to bed Stephanie and I set the table all fancy for breakfast (we wanted to surprise everyone). We woke up early and my sister and her family came over to open presents. We ate breakfast first this year. Leah was darling, she knew exactly what to do with all of the presents (click here to see pictures of Leah). My family is very generous with each other. I got a lot of nice things. Thanks everyone. It was exciting to see what everyone else received. We took an hour plus drive to my mom's brother's house, it started to snow! SNOW! We had a white Christmas, our first in forever. We ate again, more this time (I am still a little ill from eating too much). Leah was frightened of my uncle's 2 dogs, she was mostly just being dramatic, but it was funny still. She spent most of the day on the couch hiding from the doggies. We rode the ferry home that evening, it was so cold, we took some scary pictures of us outside on the ferry. Grandma Jackie came back to Lynnwood to spend a couple of weeks with us.

(when we left Mother Russia for the New Country)

I love Christmas and I am so sad that it is over. I kind of feel that Christmas is what we live all year for. And when it is over my heart is kind of lonely. I guess the good thing is that there is always next Christmas. I have the new year to look forward to, 2008 is going to be fabulous and that makes my heart happy.