Christmas/New Year

Finally, Christmas came! We started Christmas Eve with a new tradition - going out for breakfast together. On Christmas Eve we attended our church service and had dinner with our friends from Kentucky. The kids did a little exchange together and enjoyed getting ready for Santa. We woke up Christmas morning and delayed the gifts by having breakfast together. I had prepped a sausage and egg casserole and a pumpkin french toast casserole the day before. Then it was present time, and the kids went crazy! They loved everything and enjoyed playing with things as they opened their gifts. After a long day of opening and playing and showing our friends what we got, we hosted two families from church for a delicious Christmas dinner, including lamb as the meat. It was fun to fellowship with adults and come together to celebrate the wonder of Christmas. For New years Eve we ended up having an impromptu party with our neighbors and kids. We played Pie Face, watched football, and the girls got out the disco ball and kareoke machine. We stayed up until 10 and let the kids experience the countdown from NYC. This is one beautiful thing about Mountain Time! On New Years Day we introduced some friends to Japanese nabe. We wanted to order osechi but did not place the order in time. Now we know better for next year. So, we did nabe and everyone loved it. 2016 has brought many changes for our family. We still do not feel settled and probably wont for awhile. But we are thankful for God's provision and guidance in 2016 and look forward to seeing what he does for us in 2017. We owe everything to Him, who saved us and redeemed us and calls us by name. To him be all glory and power forever.