This year we celebrated Christmas for the third time in England. And it looks like we'll be here next December as well, as Robert got his assignment extension for another year.
We decorated our tree at the beginning of December, sort of in a hurry, as Katya and I were busy with her little filming adventure. The kids put up all the Christmas decorations...and we didn't mind one bit. It's so fun now to watch our children be excited about every aspect of this holiday and live through their experiences together.
Robert was gone all week before Christmas. He had a chance to go to TX for an infection control training (not really by choice), and it turned out to be a great opportunity for him to visit his brother's and his sister's families. So it was great! And warm! He was eager to get home to chilly England to celebrate Christmas in our cozy house though. We managed to squeeze in his work party a few hours after he arrived from Heathrow. All was well until our babysitter called us to tell us that Alex was sick and was throwing up. Needless to say, we rushed home (it was at the end of the party anyway) and the babysitter got a bonus reward for a great job of cleaning everything up..sigh...
On Christmas Eve everyone was in great spirits although Robert had to work till 4 pm. Our friends organized a wonderful family/friends party at Abbots Ripton Village Hall. A few families came and brought yummy food. The kids had a ton of friends to play with and do their own version of the Nativity. After dinner, four of the families went out to three houses of people we knew from church and sang carols. It was brilliant! And super cold. At the end, on the way to our last house, we passed by our base's gate and decided that we should go carol to the guards on duty too. The kids loved it! And the guards did too. They were very grateful for us to cheer them up on a very cold Christmas Eve.
We came home, kids got into their pajamas (they ARE new pjs, and this is not really a tradition, and they are not matching, but it was still fun) and took a few pictures.
Our favorite kind of pictures-pictures on a timer!:)
Only when I posted this pictures on Facebook, I noticed that Mark still had his grape soda lips, not wiped or washed. Kind of looks like a clown.
As everyone went to sleep peacefully, no one suspected that at midnight Katya would wake up sick as well. I ended up sleeping in her room as she needed help almost every half hour, so needless to say, she and I were miserable in the morning. BUT, we still opened gifts and the kids ate their Fruit Loops.
Poor Katya...
I'd say the theme for Katya's gifts this year was "Owls and Duct Tape".
Alex got lots of books (as usual). The irony was that the two he requested were about Churchill and Hitler.
His big present this year came early-a new bike. So he had just a few gifts, but really good ones-like this new iPod (well, new for Alex, bought on eBay). He loves listening to music, dancing and doing his laundry at the same time.
Mark's big present was a new bike as well, which he received in October. I told him he'd need to remember that in December, but of course, it was hard.
He got a remote control car and a few Star Wars toys. He was happy.
We had a very relaxing Christmas afternoon. Katya was watching Pride and Prejudice (mostly because of Mr. Darcy) and we were cooking an easy British dinner of sausages and mash, so that our friends, the G family, could come over. Thank goodness, Katya was feeling better all day.
Merry Christmas!
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