Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from sunny California.  The boys woke up to Christmas in our home for the first time in a long time so it was definitely different.  They opened their presents, had cinnamon rolls, and then we went out for a 2 mile walk.  It was warm and sunny and we were thankful that there were not a lot of people outside this morning.  Another holiday has come and gone and we are really looking forward to the day where we can be with friends and family... when will that be???

Drive by Santa

Micah and I drove to Ontario to drop off presents for the family.  It was definitely sad to not go in the house or see family.  We literally left the box of presents at the front door and then as we drove off Micah called Liam to tell him to retrieve the presents.  Liam wanted to see us but we drove back to LA.  Micah was really sad but we know that this is the right thing to do, especially because of COVID.  Anyway, this is a different year and we will get through it.  When will we see our family again???

 

Harry Potter 3D

We have been on a Harry Potter kick these past few months.  Micah read the entire Harry Potter series in a matter of weeks for the first time.  Then we watched the films and allowed the kids to finally watch the last few movies.  For Chanukah, we bought Micah the Harry Potter 3D puzzle set so the boys have been steadily working on constructing the wizarding world. Micah also received the Harry Potter Advent calendar (see Lego on the map) and he was happy to get the Durmstrang ship.  When will they finish this puzzle???

Holiday lights

Tonight we drove through Westchester looking at the holiday lights while listening to Mariah Carey's Christmas album and drinking hot cocoa and eating candy canes.  It was fun to drive around the streets with different themes like the gingerbread street, snowman street, and candles.  This was one of our favorite houses...  gingerbread sporting UCLA and Caltech gear.  Who knows... will Noah be wearing these sweaters in a few years???

Happy Chanukah

 

Happy Hanukkah!  Noah received his own menorah from Bubbe so we had two beautiful Hanukkiahs at the table.  It was a quiet celebration this year but we were grateful to Zoom with family and wish them a Happy Hanukkah...  will we be able to celebrate together next year???

Treats

Gluten and dairy free banana muffins and a cold press helps Jawsh get through the work day.  We miss the days when we could walk to Blue Bottle for a mid-morning drink but grateful that we can enjoy it at home.  What can I bake next for him???

Chocolate Tasting

Cool Shul had a chocolate tasting as part of their Hanukkah celebration over Zoom.  It was very interesting and we learned a lot about chocolate and how it is grown and cultivated.  It's a pretty long process from bean to sweet treat and now we have more of an appreciation for chocolate and chocolate makers.  Will this inspire us to try different chocolates???

Sip and Paint

This evening I participated in a Sip and Paint class with my co-workers for our holiday party.  It was not as relaxing as I would have liked but I came away from the evening with a deeper appreciation for artists.  I can't even remember the last time I painted... when will I paint again???