Christmas 2008

This was our first Christmas in .....Maryland (I never get used to saying that....). The holidays were quiet and peaceful. Sven's mom flew in from Atlanta. She went crazy baking cookies and traditional German food. Everything was delicious and I'll have to walk my way through January to get back to my original size. =) So let the photos begin......

"And the stockings were hung on the .....bookcase.... with care in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there...." Between the spelling and indecisiveness, that's one heck of a Santa letter. =)

Nikolas was one very excited little boy Christmas morning.....

Santa downsized this year..... it's not just about the gifts, right?

Go Griz!! Thanks for the shirt, Darryl and Jackie!

Nikolas' big gift this year (from us) was a Wii. Oh does that keep him busy!

So as you'll see below, I got a new, little camera. Sorry I didn't know I couldn't change the orientation of videos! This is too funny not to post-- sorry y0u have to watch it sideways. =)

Sven's mom loved our gift to her (aside from the plane ticket to come spend Christmas with us), Kelly's book "Soup in the City". I was very excited to receive a new Olypmus "point and shoot".

Heartwarming moments of special times spent with familiies. Sweet Nikolas bought Grandma a locket he chose all by himself.

We didn't leave Sven out! He'll soon be hitting the slopes on his new skiis. And, it looks like his days will no longer be so tiring with that ginormous mug Nikolas got for him (coffee, anyone?). =)

Even Rascal took it easy for the holidays!

Last Christmas we were able to have Thad visit us-- we really missed that this year. And when it comes to mom and dad, it's been WAY TOO MANY years since we've spent the holidays together. This year we were able to be together....at least over the phone lines. I was talking to mom and dad on one phone when Thad called in on another. Through some tactical phone placement, we were all able to have a conversation together. We laughed at ourselves realizing how much easier a 3-way call would be but that none of us knew how to do that. =)

What do you think they are thinking? "How are we going to eat all of this?" "Boy, this looks good!" or "Man, I miss Germany!!" We had an authentic German Christmas Day meal: brautwurst and blaukraut. It was untraditional for me, traditional for them, and VERY NUMMY!

Well, I guess that wraps up... or unwraps!.... our first Christmas in....Maryland. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, too!