Getting ready for Christmas

Stringing popcorn and cranberries for the tree. We had to make a couple of extra bowls of popcorn to make enough for the tree because some little hands didn’t understand that it was for stringing and not eating.

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Look at the concentration it takes to decorate the tree. Using chocolate ornaments went well with the popcorn and cranberries, but all of the lower ones were finished off by Niki as soon as he found out what was under the shiny foil.

Christmas Eve in front of the tree with their new pajamas on. The anticipation to bed was so much that it made them stay up late, which made them sleep late in the morning!

Here we all are with our friend the snowman. It is special to have a white Christmas, the last time there was one in this area was 83 years ago; my Grandma was 1 year old!

Texas Christmas Tree

In Graham, you have to go to the gas station to get a Christmas tree. Can you believe that! The Kiwana Club used to sale trees as a fundraiser but the expense of getting the trees here and the amount they had to charge to compensate for the trees they didn’t sale ended up being about $150 for each tree so they stopped that fundraiser a few years ago. A Lowes opened for business about an hour and a half drive from here—they sale trees for $60 each so most people just stop by Lowes on their way home from Christmas shopping in Ft. Worth.

Luckily, after 10 years of adjustment, my parents/family are used to our hippie ways and are even becoming a little hippie themselves. (I, by the way, do not classify us as hippie—but have been called as much by people who will remain unnamed who have joined our family recently. Did I mention that my sister just got married? That is her husband there, he just joined our family recently. More about that later.)

Anyhoo, where was I? Oh, hippies, buy local, organic—do it yourself rather than rely on the system and the chain stores to provide, that’s right. Douglas firs don’t grow in Texas. We have cedar trees here. They grow without effort or Monsanto. So, take a look at the beauty we drove out into the country to cut down…It’s wild and Texan, so no, it isn’t triangle but trees don’t really grow as triangles anyway (except in Estonia, according to Roman – but everything is perfect in that country, so it doesn't represent the whole world). We all love the tree, it is beautiful.The snakes and scorpions are very slow in winter here, so Roma was happy to get down and cut the tree. We might think 70 is warm and perfect, but here it is so cold that reptiles have to hibernate. Grandpa is directing the action here. It should always be a whole family effort to bring home the Christmas Yule. It represents life and spirit and tradition. I’m glad we didn’t get it at the gas station. I’m also thankful my parents have friends who are gracious enough to let us come to their property and cut a tree down! If not that, we would be having a Circle K Christmas—our back up plan. It is a beautiful tree and it will be perfect to liven up our Christmas spirit. Decorated pictures to come. That doesn’t happen until Christmas Eve!

Official

Official Class photo. They don’t do it the old fashioned way anymore—a group picture. Instead they just do a composite to make sure each kid is picture perfect. It is cute, and you can see each face, but I kind of like the group picture because you get to see a little character.

Official temperature. LOOK at the temp here in Portland!! AAHH! The temp in Texas too!! But I saw the temperature for next week when we are supposed to be there: 71 and sunny. I know it can be 30 and Snowy the next day, but I saw 70 and sunny. (for our European family 13F is –10C, that just translates to freaking cold!)

Official Santa picture. The first one ever. Niki wasn’t in to it, but these two brothers are sweet.

Official love carrots. I just like this pic.

It will be a Texas Christmas

A couple of weeks ago we told Alyosha that we are going to Texas for Christmas. He is very excited about that, but I have to share the very first question and the resulting thought process he had after realizing that we are going to be away from home on Christmas morn. The obvious question is how will Santa Claus know where we are. That is easy, just write a letter, right? But, think about it, if we don’t write a letter and Santa leaves our Christmas wished presents at our home in Portland, then he sees some extra kids in Texas, he will have to leave presents there too—as long as there are cookies and milk set out— we will all get double presents! So, Alyosha asked if we could make cookies before we leave for Texas and put them in the window.

Although, he informed me today that he has way too many toys and he does not want any for Christmas. He only wants real science equipment-like a tele-microscope to look at fossils and he wants a dinosaur claw and/or tooth (real). Alyosha made sure that we know that LUKA wants a racecar with a track and extra train tracks. But, no toys for Alyosha. In fact he wants to go ask the homeless people who have built a camp a couple of blocks away if they have any kids so he can give his extra toys to them. (We ride our bikes by the camp every day-no kids though)

Other than just scheming for Christmas presents we have been busy little bees. Luka and Niki and I did the fall Polish the Pearl, picking up what little trash there was laying around our Tanner Springs and Jamison Parks. Roma and Alyosha were at Emanuel donating blood-we get the good citizen of the day award for that Saturday. (Alyosha doesn’t donate blood, by the way. He just goes with Roman once a month as support.)

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We also attended the Portland Art Museum’s free Family day that showcased the China Design Now exhibition. There was Chinese dance, music, food, art-making, and cultural activities. The kids really did have a good time, despite the looks on their face in the picture!

Luka and Claudia enjoying a walk on a beautiful Saturday morning. This was how we chose to wear the kids out before going to the Symphony in the evening. It worked for Luka, but Alyosha is too old for resting and naps now.

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Here we are walking to the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Yes, we walked all the way to the Schnitzer (basically across downtown) pushing the kids in strollers. Classy! I love living downtown! The kids earned the tickets from the library during summer reading—No parking, no problem! But, speaking of Luka’s nap earlier-he fell asleep during the performance. The sleeping part would have been ok, but he snores. Not just a cute baby snore; Luka snores a full blown hipposnore. Alyosha always tries to fall asleep first so he isn’t bothered by our little hippo. When Roma stepped out with Luka so we didn’t disturb the adagio, Alyosha said that it was ok because it was boring anyway. “Not the whole thing, just the music part” We thought about our time leading up to the symphony: reading this summer and talking the kids into taking symphony tickets rather than another water squirt gun as a prize; waking early for a full breakfast so we could hike just enough to wear them out for a good nap; cleaning up and dressing up for a fancy night out; walk across the whole town (in heels); patience waiting for the thing to start; snoring during the performance; the kids waiting in lines during intermission to try out each instrument (Alyosha has perfect ‘mouth pucker’ for the French horn and Luka rocks on the harp); 10 pm pizza because everyone is starving; bed at 11 only to still wake up at 7am the next day….is this cultural experience worth it? 110 percent.

We had a pre-visit from Cheryl. She is coming to have Thanksgiving with us next week, fun! She doesn’t give small kisses—only really, really big ones.

P.S. on this post….Roma has an interview! Yeah! I don’t believe in bad luck sharing this before it happens. In fact I believe in good luck because now all of you will pray and think positive things for Roma and if he is meant to get this job he will and if not, we will wait for the right one to come along! (Don’t bother him with questions though-it is an interview for a job he will like and that is enough for you nosey people. We will share more at the right time- patience is a virtue :-))

Lots of stuff...no time to speak!

Well, the end of 2007 is here. And it seems like the end of the year goes by faster than any other time--not that time is ever slow. I am trying to get pictures backed up and printed out and want to share some I found.

The snow pics are from Dec 26th--we braved Mt. Hood and it was beautiful.


Roma putting the chains on the tires so we don't fall off the mountain!

The attempt at skiing while sledding--didn't quite work.

But we all enjoyed the snow!
Stark contrast--hiking from last month--pictures I found.


AND--a couple more Christmas morning pictures

Aleks with his camera (he is a photographer) and Luka with the red tunnel
Men at work
It snowed on Christmas Day!

Just two handsome boys