Merry Christmas

Clint has been saving his pennies for a camera and with a little extra help, he was able to make the purchase earlier this month. He loves it and has been doing his best to learn how to make it take great pictures.

(sorry no photo, I have nothing recent of myself)
Clint surprised me at the beginning of the month with a huge extravagent day for Christmas. He took me to Houston where we shopped here, ate at La Madeleine's (chicken friand and tomato basil soup), attended the Houston Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker, and then ate at Fogo de Chao's which we will probably never be able to afford again. Good thing I have figured out the house lemonade recipe. It's delicious, you should all try it!

Fogo de Chao House Lemonade
2 limes, cut in quarters (do not peel)
1 lemon, cut in quarters (do not peel)
1/4 c. sugar
3 c. water
1 large handful ice

Place in blender, and pulse 10 times. Strain through a fine strainer. Rinse blender, and add juice mixture in blender with 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth and serve over ice with a straw.



Emery learned a valuable lesson this week. On Monday we visited Santa at the mall. Santa and Emery visited about what gift Emery would like. Then Santa asked Emery if his room was clean. Emery said no, and Santa told him to go home and clean it and that Santa would see what he could do. Clint and I asked Emery all week to clean his room. When he went to bed Christmas eve, the room was still a mess. When we awoke on Christmas morning, there was no stocking for Emery. Sitting where it should have been, was a note. The note explained that Emery had not kept his part of the bargain and Emery needed to clean his room before he could open a single present. He was fast, and the job was pretty well done. When he returned, he opened all his family gifts, but still there was no stocking or Santa gift. Upon wrapping paper clean up, Emery found his stocking and gift hidden under the couch near the wall. "That Santa's a tricky one." he responded. He was thrilled with the additional train tracks for his train set and green-blue rocketship jammies. I think next year he will listen when we ask him to clean his room.


Chani loved opening presents and thinks that Emery's gift was her favorite. He picked out a little plastic doll bathtub and she's bathed her Ella baby multiple times since yesterday. She also received a handmade cradle from Santa. Emery insists it's called a rocking crib, not a cradle. She also loves the Topsy Turtle game that Grandma and Grandpa sent.

The kids loved picking and giving gifts to each other. What a fun tradition to start as siblings. We got a tent as a family and Grammy and Papa gave us sleeping bags. Grandma and Grandpa (and Kim) gave us a lantern, so we hope to do some camping before Clint's Christmas break ends.

Merry Christmas to you all!