Christmas...

Christmas Eve I spent the day cooking a modern-traditional version of the Ukrainian Christmas supper for mom, dad, Matthew, Amy, Bronson, myself and Varun and JK - friends from Caltech. I made Cabbage rolls, Nut loaf, potatoes, cranberry sauce, yams, green beans and brussel sprouts with butter tarts for dessert. It was a good meal - if I do say so myself. The night before I'd put together a gingerbread house, Amy and I decorated it on Christmas eve.

Christmas morning I awoke later than previous years - about 5:30am. I left for work at 6:45 and no one was up yet! I rode my new bike (Matt and I bought each other bikes for Christmas), what a joy! I love biking and I miss the good old days biking to class along the galloping goose to Camosun Interurban, then back downtown to work.

I only worked 4 hours - 7 to 11, then I sped home to find everyone up and waiting for me! We spent hours opening presents, there was so much loot! I will try to list everything that Bronson scored with - clothes, clothes, cute clothes! Diego backpack, stuffed dino, many many books, bike seat, bike helmet, wooden rainbow, zebra, pull dino, more books, a bike bell that sayd 'I love my mom', rainbow hightop converse sneakers, more cute clothes, toy cellphone that flips open and shut (this is key, the flipping), and on and on until, he rips open one gift, drops everything and starts trying to yank it out of the box - it's a farmer in a John Deere tractor, pulling two wagons, each wagon has two animals in it, cow, sheep, horse and pig, when you push the animal into their slot, they make their sound, pushing the farmer makes BINGO play - he ABSOLUTELY ADORES THIS TOY, one glance and he was so excited and wanted it out NOW! Good job Sabrina & Mike, he is just enamored with this one. Eventually Bronson got tired, so we helped him open the rest of his gifts then put him to bed.

As for Matthew and I, we're completely outfitted with a tent and sleeping bag for two (I'm sure it'll be for 2 and a half), and a bread machine and lots of gift certificates and books! I got a Southern California guidebook and California camping book and am so excited to get out there and explore this state - now that Bronson is interested in walking and exploring things, I think he'll love camping! We plan to camp at least one weekend a month, starting in February.

We were also given a year membership to Kidspace museum, which is great! This is a really fun interactive museum for kids aged 6 months to ~ 7 years. Bronson loves it, but we stopped going when he turned 1 because he was no longer free and it was just too expensive - but we are looking forward to using this membership ALOT in the coming year!

No, you're eyes are correct, we are wearing matching pj pants that I made for the 3 of us as our christmas pyjamas (family rule - every Christmas you get a new pair of pyjamas)