Happy Holidays. 

      We hope this finds you all well, warm in your homes, and enjoying friends and family this holiday season.  We have been enjoying decorating the house and getting into the Christmas spirit.  Kai has been really enjoying this season and has been excited by all that it has to offer. Dec. 6th, St. Nicholas and Rupert came to visit his school, gifting the children with a tangerine and a golden walnut.  The day before the children set their school slippers out for St. Nicholas to fill.  On Dec. 13th the 2nd grade dressed up and the oldest girl wore a wreath of candles and was Santa Lucia.  The class went around to each of the other classes and sang a Santa Lucia song and handed out special buns to each child. That night while brushing his teeth, Kai said, "Papa, I really wish I could marry Santa Lucia.  She is so very beautiful."  I kid you not!  5min. later we were on the couch reading a story and we heard footsteps out front and then a knock on the door.  To our great surprise, the 8th grade, now dressed up as Santa Lucia and singing, was at our door. Kai was amazed and thrilled.  I had to sing him that song before bed and he was lit up like the Christmas tree.  

     Isaac is also really into the Christmas spirit.  Mainly because we all are and he truly wants to do whatever Kai is doing.  He LOVES Christmas cookies and eggnog.  His favorite instrument is the banjo and anytime he hears it in a song, he correctly names it.  We found a cd on Spotify called a Banjo Christmas and it is a favorite.  Isaac likes to eat the snow, chew on icicles and go sledding.  His two year old personality is full on and he is definitely giving us a run for our money.  

     Tomorrow, weather permitting, we drive to Denver to catch our flight to Dallas.  We hear it is in the 80's there. Huge difference.  

     Wherever this holiday season finds you, we hope it is filled with family, friends, love, laughter and light!

     With love, 

     The Jackson Gang

This is the Santa Lucia and her companions that showed up at our house and blew Kai's socks off.  Thank you 8th grade for such a magical evening!

 

 

Dr. Binky at your service.

 Unchi and the boys reading a bedtime story.

 Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.  Our first snow of the season came right before Thanksgiving. 

 We like to make a sled ramp off the deck.  Wahooo!!!

 Nothing like ginger bread cookies.  Yummmy!  Best of all you get to eat all the raisins and red hots before putting them on the cookies.

 Wintery view from the front door.

 One day last month Isaac asked me to put on Johnny Cash.  I did and then preceded to make some lunch.  It got very quiet and I didn't hear Isaac for a few minutes.  When I went to check on him, he had put himself down for a nap and I found him like this.  So cute!  Mind you, Johnny Cash was blaring in the background.

 First snow people of the season.  This is Snowy- fun -choo!

 Yeah, First hot chocolate and boy is it good stuff.

 My Turkey with my great grandma's apple sage dressing. So good.

 Every year we have a Pre-Thanksgiving Feast.  This was our 10th one.  It gets bigger and better every year.

 Shoes galore outside our door from the Pre-Thanksgiving Feast.

 Kai got a lego set from one of our friends last year.  It is for 9-14 year olds so we put it away until we thought it was appropriate.  Kai had it in his mind it was time.  We let him have it and he spent 3 days on it and completed it with very minimal help.  I may have contributed 15min. Since we don't have a television for the kids to zone out to, Jeff and I thought we would be willing to spend big bucks on legos if it meant this much quiet time. 

 Isaac riding his bike through a tunnel.  We took a driving break in Boulder Canyon on our way to Longmont for Thanksgiving.  The boys had a nice little bike ride near the river.
We spent Thanksgiving with my mom, sister Jessica and our friend Dr. Warren.  Warren restocked Kai's doctor kit with bandages, tongue depressors, patient stickers, masks, and gloves.  Kai was in heaven.  He is putting on a cast in this picture.

 Our Christmas tree went up a couple days after Thanksgiving and the Christmas music has been on ever since.  We love it! 

 These next few pics are of the items I made to sell at our school's Winterfaire.  I made felt watches, superhero masks and cuffs and bedtime bags.  The bags are great for our boys.  You put their pjs, slippers, and book they want for bedtime.  It is all ready to go!

 The week after Thanksgiving, I went to San Francisco to help my sister Becky and my brother in law Jason with their newborn baby Tula.  What a gift that was.  A week of baby bliss.  I also visited with old friends.  Above is a pic of me and my good friend Jeannie from college.  Below are some super old friends of mine who took care of me when I was 5 and 6.  Dennis and Mary Kercher.  My angels!

 This is Jason, my brother in law, sporting Tula in the Moby Wrap.  Go Baba Jason.

 Kisses for Tula.  Auntie Hannah loves you.

 Kisses for mama Becky while Oma Linda snugs with Tula.

 Sister Love  and below our Advent Wreath.

 Whaaa!  It's the whooping Crane!

 I went into the bathroom and saw this artistic rendition.  It is called, "Spiderman sleeping."

 Snowflakes and amaryllis.

 Making and decorating Christmas cookies.

 Ahh! What?  We're just destroying all the beds in the house to make a nest in Isaac's crib.

 First snow day in years!  I decided to give the boys one of their gifts early- a kid size snow shovel.  Kai got right to work!

 Unchi and Isaac out for a sled ride.

 Kai burying himself in the snow.

 Snow tunnel above and below Kai set up all our little figures in a line with this card.  I thought it was cute.  Left to right-Mary and baby Jesus, Joseph, Father Winter, Rupert, and St. Nick.  Happy Holidays. 

This is a video of Isaac.  The boy who loves speed and freaks his parents out.