Christmas part II

I forgot!  December 23 was Venezuelan Christmas!  Since Julio had to work the whole weekend, I thought we could serve traditional Venezuelan Christmas Eve fare, play a few games, maybe open presents from family...
But then.  Julio was sick.  Still sick.  Too sick to do much more than nap and attempt to clean his sinuses (sini?) with the Neti pot.  So, my big plans for a Venezuelan Christmas with Daddy turned into just a delicious dinner.  Which was still fun, though less celebratory than we would have liked.

Sofia was so excited for Christmas this year.  She woke up ecstatic to see the stockings had migrated to the table and were filled with goodies.  Santa had eaten her cookies (they were delicious) and even wrote her a note telling her so.  We had a wonderful morning all together opening presents and eating cinnamon rolls and egg bake.  We missed Johanna and family and Julio's family, but enjoyed Aunt Sarah and Grandma and Grandpa.

Merry Christmas to all!  May you be filled with peace, love, joy and hope this holiday season and all year long.

Christmas Time!

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Chanukah, and an early Happy New Year!  We are having a great holiday season, though Julio has spent most of it being sick.  He's been able to enjoy December despite the illness, however, and the girls have brought the magic of the season to all of us.

We started our celebrating in Minneapolis, visiting Padrino Gerardo and Alissa, where we made hallacas and visited Santa.

Christmas Eve was spent preparing for Christmas.  We made cranberry salad, a holiday cake, rolls, cinnamon buns, and a refrigerated egg bake for the next morning.  Grandma made traditional oyster stew, and Grandma, Sarah, the girls, and I went to church.

We all sat in front to sing in the choir, which Grandma now directs and which was greatly depleted due to Christmas travel.  Sofia and Amalia did wonderfully.  Sofia enjoyed the children's sermon and put a baby Jesus in the manger in the nativity scene with the rest of the kids. Amalia seemed to enjoy the singing, and after nursing, fell asleep for most of the service, waking up at the very end when we all had candles.  Sofia even got her own this year!  Singing Silent Night in a dark church holding a candle is simply my favorite time.
We let the girls open one present before bed (bribery), and Sofia chose their presents from Sarah, which had been sitting under the tree all week torturing her.  ("Mom, we can call Aunt Sarah and say thank you and then open the presents!")  Sarah made them both beautiful knitted dolls!  Sofia wants to name them both Strawberry Shortcake.

After presents, we all got ready for bed, though Mom didn't get to go to sleep.  Someone has to prepare for Christmas!  Sofia set out cookies for Santa and wrote him a note.  Amalia was fussing, and I laid her on Sofia's bed while we got Sofie's jambes on.  Sofia went to snuggle her for a minute, and pretty soon, both girls were giggling.  Amalia sure loves her big sister, and Sofia sure loves her little sister.

It's getting late, and I'm getting tired.  Christmas stories to come tomorrow!