Merry Christmas!

Here's a picture of us at the Graham Christmas party. This year Joan hosted, and since there are too many of us to fit comfortably in her house, we used a community center. We all had a great time as the snow piled up outside.

Christmas Eve we made dinner at our house for Will's family. We all went to church together and I sat next to my nephew Christopher, who is 5. Pastor Erik said something in his invocation about Jesus' presence, and Christopher said, a little too loudly, "Jesus is getting presents?!" I whispered yes, it is his birthday, of course he should get presents. And, on the way out, Liam gave Pastor Erik a Big Wet Christmas Kiss. (I suggested it to Liam, but I didn't think he would actually DO it.)

Then we came back home for lasagna! And although I had been threatening to do so, I did not make everyone sing Christmas carols, nor did I get out the jigsaw puzzle. We were busy enough with eating and telling stories and laughing and opening presents.

On Christmas it was snowing again, and there was no wind, a beautiful winter day. So we went sledding. Will demonstrated that he can still go over the jump and catch the sled in his hand, landing on his feet. We are awed by your sledding prowess, my dear. Liam wiped out on his first run, and didn't like having a face full of snow. He is so light in the sled, it's like pulling a load of marshmallows, and every time you go over the slightest bump he nearly bounces out. But he quickly recovered from his face-plant and went down the big hill with Daddy.

We're so excited to have Will's family visiting from overseas: brother Tony, his wife Yumi, and their son Christopher. Our nephew took a little while to warm up to his cousin Liam, but now he is sharing toys and bringing Liam food, which is surely the way to secure Liam's affections. Last night he offered to teach Liam how to "speak English properly."