Christmas!

Finally, Christmas arrived! We are so blessed with every necessity we need when so many others are struggling this year. We are also blessed with lots of fun toys and items that make life so much easier and more fun. Thanks to all of you who gave to us so unselfishly. 

I have posted a few pictures here & I will post more to our web gallery--accessible from this blog.

Caroline received a Disney Princess bike with a "front pack" (which apparently has taken the place of baskets), and a water bottle. She pedals cautiously and even stops to push the bike down any incline, no matter how small. This spring, I hope to get those training wheels removed and see if I can get her going on two wheels. Then we will be able to have bike rides as a family!

Mattie also received a bike. It is truly a big-girl bike & it brought tears to my eyes to see that she can actually handle a bike that size! She likes to ride fast & speeds ahead of us slower people.

We went to the Nutcracker at the Kimo theatre in downtown ABQ. It is similar to the Fox in that it is old & extravagantly decorated; however, it is much smaller. We went on Christmas Eve, so there was a tea afterwards. There were refreshments and the cast was out front greeting the children, signing autographs and handing out goody bags. Above is a picture of Mattie with the Nutcracker Prince. Caroline wouldn't have a thing to do with any of the dancers, but Mattie met most of the principals.

Here are the girls posing in front of our tree before the Nutcracker. The girls enjoyed the show, as did the little boy seated behind us. He had lots of questions for his Grammy! By the end, all of the kids were fidgeting, except the cute little girl next to me (not one of mine). She was snoring rather loudly with her knees tucked up under her! Very funny. I am so lucky that Derick enjoys (or at least endures) going to events like this with his ladies.

Now the girls and Derick have gone sledding with our friends the Kivis & I am trying to get the house back under control. It is snowing like mad outside & is sticking to the driveways & sidewalks. Maybe it will snow all night & we will have a winter wonderland in the morning before the New Mexico sun comes back to melt it all.

I hope you all had a great Christmas & I will start posting again on a daily basis so that there won't be so much to read in one sitting!