On Holiday in Bayside

Winter recess started at 1:30 pm on Friday the 17th; so, of course, we were in the car heading north to Bayside by 2 pm.  I look forward to the day when I can live in my house year round instead of scrambling to it on every vacation I have.  The drive is tiring... and we just did it three weeks ago.  The kids are troopers and are turning into really good little travelers.

The first thing on the list when we got to the house was decorate for Christmas.  Christmas was less than a week away and we needed to find and decorate a tree and get the lights up on the house.  For the past few years Lee and Erik have gone tree hunting in the local mountains (with a permit!) the day after Thanksgiving.  This year Nick made the trek with Lee instead, but the snow was too deep to get to the prime trees.  Trying to save a little money, Erik went up on the hill in our backyard and cut down not one, but two little trees.  They were perfect (though the one we put in our dining room was really prickly)!

In the process of doing one of many face-plants into the wet lawn.

While Erik and I were running around getting things settled and Jonah was taking a nap, Nick and Kyoko took Mei and Cairo to church to be apart of the yearly Christmas program.  Mei is a pro at this, having done it in years past, but this was Cairo's first time.  Both girls dressed up like the cutest little lambs you ever did see.  In the end, Mei stayed back with Nick and Kyoko during the performance, while Cairo went up front.  What was Cairo's favorite part of it all?- getting to dress up like a lamb just like Mei.

By the end of the day Sunday, the lights were up, the trees were decorated, and we were all feeling the holiday cheer.... and the holiday boogers.  Yup, as soon as we got to the house Erik, Jonah, and Cairo all came down with colds and coughs.  Luckily, I was spared from it all.  Cairo and Erik were the worst off and I made my first trip to the local drug store for some kleenex and cold medicine.

Taking it easy and reading in Jonah's new chair.

After a few days of resting everyone was feeling better and by Christmas my little Dedini unit was up and running again.  Unfortunately, on Christmas Eve Mei came down with a fever and stomach virus.  Our plans to get together with Nick and his family for Christmas Eve were postponed for the next day and Erik, the kids, and I joined the Loomis Family for dinner instead.  Before heading over for Christmas Eve dinner Erik, Jonah, and I (Cairo was asleep) attempted to finish wrapping some presents for Jill (she has been down in Ferndale helping take care of Grandma Tipple).  Jonah wanted to be very "helpful" but was really just unwrapping everything.  So, Erik took an empty paper bag, cut some holes into it, and let Jonah play.

Once all the chores were done and Cairo was up from her nap, I snapped a few pictures of the kids in front of the Christmas tree and we headed out.  Cairo and Jonah wore coordinating flannel shirts courtesy of Mae-mae and Papa Dave.  We are still working on getting both kids to look and smile at the camera at the same time.

At the Loomis' we enjoyed a yummy pesto pasts dinner and exchanged presents.  The kids played together and the adults got to chit-chat.  Lili was so cute.  She was playing baby with Cairo and kept calling her "Mama."

Yummy Hors d'oeuvres

The boys

Lili and J Bear were playing cars on me

At 8:30, with the kids still going strong, we headed for home to put out the cookies and get in bed before Santa made his arrival.  We didn't to stay up too late and have him pass over our house afterall...