Weekly Update 12-31-2012

Christmas morning in front of Jaedyn's Christmas tree

 Tuesday, Christmas, we woke up late, for Christmas (after 8) and had pancakes and yogurt-berry parfaits with gluten-free granola.  We opened presents around Jaedyn's homemade Christmas tree (she is so creative).  I decided not to go to the trouble to put up our artificial tree since she had so lovingly and creatively made this one out of a laundry basket, a stick, green plastic wrapping stuff, and construction paper.  She made the angel out of a stuffed sock.  She had made it when she finished her own Christmas gifts and we didn't have a tree put up yet the previous week.  While Tim and Jaedyn were gone to Anchorage I had asked Ciara to help me put up the other tree, and she wasn't interested in the work of it either, so we decided not to do it at all.  Anyway, we spent the rest of the day playing games and hanging out together as a family.  It was nice not having the stress of going anywhere.  Tim cooked up steaks on the grill for our Christmas dinner!  Yum.

Tim, Eliana and Josiah enjoy a Christmas gift from family in Illinois

Wednesday through Friday I was back to work with my usual full-time schedule.  There is a lot of influenza and pertussis (whooping cough) on the peninsula right now, and I saw a lot of sick people.  On one of those days I took advantage of Eddie Bauer's semi-annual sales to order 7 new tall winter clothing items.  Looking forward to getting some new clothes to wear to work!  Mostly they are sweaters and a blouse.  I had wanted some new skirts too, but there weren't any left in my size.  Jaedyn and Ciara had friends over one day during the week too.

A moose came to visit on Saturday. 
He had a friend with him, but the other moose
stayed out of range of a picture.

Friday night/Saturday we celebrated Shabbot and went to MoAdim to fellowship with our friends.  On Saturday we also spent the evening with some new friends, the Engebreitsens, chatting and having dinner.  My son had a friend there, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

One of Josiah's fish likes veggies.
 This was a cucumber he'd chowed down. 
See the spokes it left?

Yesterday, Sunday, we all slept in and hung out at home.  It has been in the upper 30s around here, so the snow is melting and it feels warm outside.  In the evening, Eliana and I played "Seafarers", then I played with Josiah, Tim and Ciara.  I barely won both games.  It is fun seeing how my two youngest can learn to strategize with this game.  Eliana had 12 points at the end of her game with me (13 wins).  She wanted to have a "Mom and Daughter" time, and it was fun to do something with just the two of us.

Tim and I have been watching some episodes that he picked up at Blockbuster of "Northern Exposure".  Uh, this is definitely not for families!  I don't think we'll be watching any more.  It is erotic at times and definitely amoral!  It may be about Alaska, and there is some good humor about Alaskans, but, ahem, yikes!

I think I will be at work for just a short time today, then will get tomorrow off for New Years.

Have a Happy New Year, Friends!