Christmas

We just returned from our Christmas adventures yesterday afternoon (and yes, there is a broom in my stocking--nothing like the most practical of gifts from a loving husband:)...Jason's break started the 23rd and we had some sweet family days together here, (enjoying the Y and the Eagles Nest and some fun shopping and the Macy's display with friends) and it was so fun to have our first Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together in Minnesota for the first time ever in our marriage too and start some of our own family traditions with the kids. I made a yummy roast for dinner and we had homemade whole wheat pancakes with all of the toppings for breakfast---a true hit for a family that is really into designing their own food (as well as making a gigantic mess wherever possible:) We opened presents Christmas Eve morning, so as to have the day to enjoy them, and then it was easy to make the transition to church that night and the next morning--to take the focus off of presents and build up the excitement for worshiping together as a family. It was a really refreshing couple of days... And then Christmas Day afternoon, we headed down to Rockford for a few days for the traditional Swedish Smorgasbord and then headed to Iowa on Thursday for New Years (where, of course we played a truly epic game of Settlers---pretty much combining all of the expansions and making it as crazy complicated as possible---it took two nights to finish, and of course, Jason won:) We love you, family, and feel so deeply and richly blessed to have all of you in our lives:) Thank you for everything!