Home is the nicest word there is. Holidays at home with Oma and Opa.

On the last afternoon of 2022, Opa, Paul, and Nate are watching Michigan Football play in the Fiesta Bowl, Elise is watching SNL (Saturday Night Live) skit medleys on You Tube and hanging with Oma.  Lily is enjoying a lazy day rereading the Keeper of the Lost Cities series in preparation for book 9 which she got for Christmas.   I'm enjoying my chai, listening to my 2022 favorites playlist, and writing this final blog of the year.

These past 2 weeks have been low key, lovely, and lazy at home while the Portland weather was very much the opposite.   We saw a few friends and adventured some around town but we mostly reveled in our family time at home with Oma and Opa.  Lots of movies (Strange World was a bust, Oceans 11 was a hit, Groundhog Day was in the middle), cooking, baking, table tennis (Elise is really into it now), city walks, the game Telestrations, LEGO building, and playing tennis & volleyball filled our time.

Love this view and smell all December long

Family cookie decorating.  Even Opa joined in decorating one single cookie.  He decorated it like he Dr. Opa performing open heart surgery. It's resting on top of a frame in their dining room because Opa can't bear to see his masterpiece eaten.

The wild weather over the Holidays started with an ice and snow storm....enough for some sledding all around the neighborhood.  Paul and I were even able to sled from the top of Irving all the way to 23rd.

Family Zoom Christmas Eve concert with Uncle Eric and Aunt Lolo.  Zoom is not the platform to use to enjoy live music, fyi.

As usual, Opa did not disappoint with his traditional Christmas Eve filets. Gotta coat them in mayo is his preferred way.

Everyone loves Oma's Holiday cookies (Plaetzchen)

Obligatory kid photo Christmas morning before presents can be opened.  They woke up the latest yet this year.  Didn't get started until well after 8am.

 Paul's cards to me always crack me up and choke me up.

On our traditional Christmas day hike. 

We took all the Barbies and the dollhouse to the basement and moved ALL the LEGOS back up.  Great to see Elise building from scratch vs from a set for a change.

Paul is our puzzle lover.  This is the Michigan Football stadium puzzle.

Lily loves her chill time in her bedroom with Mochi. Mochi will only sleep with Lily.

Nate's bday hike on Wildwood trail.  He finally made it to the new-ish pedestrian bridge over Burnside.

Kids are forgetting how to smile.  They prefer silly.  So glad Nate had a really good Birthday.  He works so hard for these goofballs (and dealing with me).

       Paul played in his first USTA sanctioned 12U yellow ball tournament. He won his first match and lost the 2nd.  We are super proud of him.  You'll notice he still loves wearing holiday socks for good luck.

We treated Oma and Opa to dinner at 1891 which is the REALLY nice restaurant at the Mac.  The service and food did not disappoint.  

As for looking ahead at 2023, I hope the adventures and challenges we will face teach us more about ourselves and helps us articulate and understand the type of person we each are and want to be; it's challenging but also amazing how different we each are.  I personally hope the kindness and compassion Nate and I try to teach our kids to show to others is a bit more present at home.  

 "Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself.  Recreate and repeat." 

Will end this post by sharing our favorite songs from 2022.  Music definitely played a stronger role in our lives this past year.   We had made a resolution to listen to more music and we did just that.  

Nicole's 2022 favorites playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/b20cf14895e64cbd8597df0ab1e796b7sune?ref=dm_sh_hSgEpjsnHTnPN86D75PcBm6AW

Nate's 2022 favorites playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/42ea7b6290d84ebc81855df3d824f23bsune?ref=dm_sh_2svlOTpxjephw1tkwKcW53hSO

ReplyForward