Christmas 2007

The snow we ordered got here about 2 weeks before Christmas. This year it decided to stay. Unfortunately that means more work.

Erin & Matt came home and went with Sandy and me to cut a tree. While Matt & I played around on the guitars, Sandy & Erin decorated the tree. Note that the size is significantly smaller than last year's because we didn't have enought tall people here to properly place the star.

Kevin & Megan, Matt & Erin arrived home on the weekend, and Keren & Ben left Chicago at 1 p.m. on Sunday. They ran into a snow storm just north of the Michigan state line. Falling snow and blowing snow created "white-out" conditions, and they were forced to pull off the road several times along the way to wait for visibility to improve. A drive that normally takes 5 hours took over 8 1/2.

As we waited for them, several of us took an hour long night-time hike through the forest around our house, climbing hills and sliding back down on our backsides, and throwing sticks for the dogs. We took some pictures, and told the dogs we'd be sending them to our family in Israel. I'm pretty sure that's why there's a sparkle in the Yellow Dog's eye!

The celebration began after Ben & Keren arrived, and lasted until the wee hours.

We changed the process of gift buying/giving this year. Any gift either had to be hand-made, recycled(used), or an exceptional bargain. No one could spend over $25 on a gift! This meant that the last couple of days before Christmas were spent finishing and wrappping presents.

Then, according to tradition, Sandy baked, and the rest of us frosted cookies, all the while remembering how Odi decorates cookies with a multitool, Dahlia makes cookies that are too pretty to eat, and Ron just...............eats!

Following the decorating, and before dinner, some of us watched a slide show of Ben's trip to the Canary Island.

Sandy prepared the kind of meal you can't eat enough of, and after the clean-up, it was time to give gifts.

Matt & Erin gave Sandy a framed copy of the "Akko horse." Matt got a shirt that will allow him to properly display his "guns", and Erin was pretty happy with the hand knitted hatshe got from Keren.

Kevin modeled the top half of his pajamas for us.

And because Dahlia asked, I'm including some pictures of the things I made. Most everthing is made from walnut.

The first is a table for Kevin & Megan. Sitting on it are two of three serving trays I made for Sandy, Keren & Ben, and Erin & Matt.

Sandy had an astronomical chart from the 1800's that she framed for Keren & Ben. To the right of that are some new hammers for Sandy's dulcimer, made of walnut and maple.

I found an old piano stool at a garage sale last summer, and Sandy spent a lot of time refinishing it for Matt.

On Christmas morning Megan & Kevin went to the Schwarz's, and Erin & Matt went to the Schneider's. Sandy, Keren, Ben & I spent a relaxing day together. The high point of our day was a phone call, with Odi, Dahlia, and Ron singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". It was so nice of you to call......so good to hear your voices.

We miss you, and hope you will come to see us soon.