Christmas 2021 was perfect…from the time leading up to it all through Christmas Day.  The girls’ created their wish lists for Santa; many of the items on their lists truly warmed my heart….notably a baby brother, a fun Christmas, a snow globe of Simone Biles with Avery standing next to her holding a gold medal, and a visit from Larissa. 

With our new renovation, we decorated many of our open shelves with Hanukkah and Christmas décor and our new space felt cozy and inviting.  Our tree found a new home in the corner of our living room and it really felt like things were coming together.

Noah and Elias spent the night one Saturday and the kids wore their Christmas jammies.

The girls and Noah made gingerbread houses later in the weekend.  A mini house for each of them.

Lauren, Gabriel, Justin, and I had an adult dinner at Clarity.

The evening of the 23^rd, my parents treated us all to Meadowlark Winter Walks of Lights.  We hadn’t been since December 2013, when Avery and Emerson were two and Lauren and Gabriel were with us.

Christmas Eve Day the girls made snickerdoodle cookies for Santa.

We had intended to go to church finally for Christmas Eve; however, a spike in the COVID omicron variant had us being cautious and we decided to watch the church service at home as a family. 

There was a debate regarding where we should get take-out from for Christmas Eve dinner.  Should we give PF Changs a try again or go with Mama Tigre?  In the end, Mama Tigre was the winner with us realizing that traditions were more about being with family than the actual food we ate.  The food didn’t disappoint. Everyone chose what they wanted; our bellies and hearts were full. 

Christmas Eve Noah spent the night. The kids went to bed after 10:00 and eagerly awaited Santa’s arrival. 

A little before 8:00, all the kids were up and ready to see if Santa delivered!  And boy did Santa deliver!  The kids patiently took a few pictures at the top of the stairs.

Then they made the great escape down the stairs to the new area Santa placed the goodies.  Avery was ecstatic about her elephant, Emerson ecstatic about a new IPAD, as well as Harper.  Noah was fascinated with his transformers! 

Santa wrapped some presents while leaving some exposed.  The girls and Noah selected a few to unwrap before breakfast. 

Breakfast consisted of a sausage, mushroom, and spinach strata; orange scones; bacon; and fresh fruit. 

Santa present and stocking opening continued after breakfast.  Santa also got Avery a koala, a ton of pop-its and simple dimples, a book, and a mermaid blanket.  Santa also got Harper an ice cream parlor play-do set and play-do, pop-its, a simple dimple, and a book.  Santa also got Emerson a personally engraved jewelry box, earrings, weighted softballs, and a book. Noah’s gifts from Santa also included some pajamas, candy, and a few pop-its. Santa also got all three girls sour candy and cotton candy!

Stockings contained a mix of candy, dental related items, and toys.

After what felt like opening presents for hours, we took a break and went for a walk outside. Noah was on his scooter, which he rides so well.  The weather was unseasonably warm and beautiful! We picked up Lauren, Gabriel, and Elias from the bike path and they joined us for the afternoon.  We enjoyed some down time and yes, more opening of presents. We got the girls a Nintendo Switch, an item they had been asking for a long time, and one they probably did not think we would get…they were some happy screams opening it.  We talked to Ludmila and Karolin and played phone tag with Larissa!

My parents came over about 5:00 and the dinner preparations began.  For appetizer, we had a small charcuterie board and broiled feta with tomatoes.

Dinner was a joint effort with myself, Gabriel, and Justin as chefs. We feasted upon beef tenderloin, Maryland crab cakes, rosemary roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus, and a kale salad.  

Perhaps better than the amazingly delicious food was the people.  We toasted to what has been a heartful two weeks of family events and time together.  My heart signified pure happiness. 

After dinner we opened even more presents…presents to and from one another and at 9:00 pm, we had been opening presents for over 13 hours, which is crazy especially considering we didn’t feel like presents were all that excessive. 

Once Christmas was over, Noah spent the time several more times, totaling at least five or six.  Elias joined in one of the nights as well.  I had planned on having him again; however, the snow altered those plans. 

Christmas Day and Christmas season did not disappoint. We all felt truly blessed.

Avery was a week behind Emerson and Harper in receiving her COVID Vaccines.  Ironically, the day that Avery was fully vaccinated (two weeks post her second shot), we were all exposed!  Within days, Justin, Emerson, Harper and myself tested positive.  Avery was the only one that was spared.  We only tested with the at-home antigen tests and never did the PCR tests as not only was finding those appointments difficult, but also we didn’t feel we would do anything differently based on the results of those tests, which we anticipated would be positive.

Fortunately, besides Justin’s asthma and breathing (which were not great for a few days), our symptoms were pretty mild, mostly just a cough. Here is how it affected each of us.

• Justin: cough, hard time breathing, doubled up on his regular inhaler dosage, for 3 days pretty much sat on couch upstairs and watched TV as his breathing and heartrate would increase every time he stood up.  He enjoyed the delicious meals that I was cooking from the comfort of the couch.

• Stefanie – hoarse voice for first two days and then a little cough, slightly tired a few hours during the course of the 10 days and took 2 naps.  But overall, energy was high, even ran on treadmill one day, while walking on the treadmill other days. Spent days 3-5 cooking new recipes nonstop (beefstew, homemade crusty bread, pasta with ricotta pesto, and New York Strip Steak.

• Harper – persistent cough off and on for almost the full 10 days, other than that pretty normal.  Was extremely upset upon hearing the news she tested positive and thought it would be a good idea to tell her classmates that she went to Sweden as the reason for her school absence!

• Emerson – cough a few days, lower energy a few days, other than that pretty normal

• Avery – complained of a headache, similar to her somewhat daily complaints so wasn’t sure initially if it was a COVID symptom or not.  Being that she tested negative twice at various stages of the 8 days we isolated (5 days was the current CDC guidance with wearing a mask while going out on Days 6-10), we felt pretty she was the only one in the family who somehow escaped COVID.

The kids are finally able to return to in-person school tomorrow, though tomorrow is a holiday and it is snowing out currently, so virtual school is more likely this week than in-person.  If that is the case, that means this will be the 5^th week in a row of the girls being home with Justin and me.  I have been assigning workbooks like crazy roughly 5 out of the 7 days a week and not only do I assign, but I review, require understanding and correction, which is feeling very reminiscent of our early days of COVID.

All in all, I am glad our symptoms were mild.  I’m glad we were all vaccinated and boosted as I firmly believe our symptoms were mild because of such. 

The first snow of the season didn’t disappoint.  Eight inches fell in our area Sunday night cancelling school for not only Monday, but for the entire week. 

Anticipating a school closure and being stuck in the neighborhood, Noah spent the night Sunday evening so he could play in the snow with the girls. The girls took turns helping him get his snow clothes on!  Our neighborhood hills make for excellent sledding!  Even I took a few turns down the hill!

It was Noah’s first time in the snow and he loved it just as much as the girls!

For the second year in a row, we spent four days over New Years at Deep Creek Lake, MD vacationing with the Nidays and the Brophys. 

The girls have been talking about going snowtubing all year since missing out on last year’s snowtubing. The weather was warm, the kids all took turns rotating who went down with who, and a good time was had by all the kids and adults who went.  It was an expensive few hours but worth it!

The temperature this year at the lake was unseasonably warm all weekend long, so while there was no ice skating, there was plenty of fun being had. We took walks, baked brownies, went in the hot tub, watched movies, played board games, read books, played on IPAD’s and Nintendo switches, ate meals together, and more!  

We rang in the New Year and enjoyed four wonderful days together.

Jan 2, 2022 – The day that everyone in our household is finally two weeks post second vaccine (for girls) and two weeks post booster (Justin and me)!

Avery was also vaccinated; however, she was very nervous…so our goal was to get through the shot…taking a picture was the furthest thing from my mind!

December 30 – The last day my dad walked into his office and walked out.  In late summer my dad mentioned he was thinking about retiring.  We tried to get him to do it in a phased approach knowing he didn’t have any hobbies and truly we were worried about him being bored.  Work for him was not only work, but much of his social life; working with a friend, eating lunch out every day.

A few months after he initially mentioned it, he told us he had matter-of-factly made up his mind…the end of the year he would be retiring it.  He felt it was time; he no longer was enjoying the daily drive, and at 72 he felt it was time.

So while I think we all wished he would have gone to part time just to stay busy for a year or two, in the end it was his decision and I supported him and am happy for him. 

Sunday evening we threw him a surprise retirement party…theme was hoodies as my dad rotates between the same three hoodies during cold weather.

My mom made lasagna, which she rarely makes anymore, so my dad knew something was up when he heard she was cooking!  We got him a hoodie that said “The man, the legend, has retired”, a T-shirt that said “I worked my whole life for this” and some gag gift toilet paper that said “Leave that S**T behind” and “No job is finished until the paperwork is done”.  My sister gifted him with some of his favorite beer. 

We gave him cards and toasted.  We spend our whole lives working to provide for ourselves and our families, to create the life we want. He created a good life and should be proud.  

Congrats Dad!  Enjoy this next part of the journey!

Not sure how, but a few weeks ago, my mom turned 70!  She doesn’t seem 70….in my eyes, she is still in her 40’s which is technically impossible being that I am 42.  Nonetheless, with her blond hair, her wrinkle free face, and her pep in her step and her vibrant and busy daily schedule, she proves 70 is merely a number. 

Still, it is something to celebrate!  And so we did! My sister, Gabriel, Noah, and Elias came into town two days prior to her birthday.  That in itself was amazing since we hadn’t seen them since last December and I had never met my newest nephew! Mary and Russell came into town for the occasion and stayed with us – Harper gave up her room and we turned her room into a guest room oasis with freshly painted walls.

Saturday morning we enjoyed a girls mani/pedi experience followed by and afternoon playing with Noah and Elias.  Mary and Russell came into town Saturday evening.  Justin and I, and Lauren and Gabriel escaped separately for adult events leaving the kids to my parents and Mary and Russell.  Emerson spent the night at my parents helping to babysit for Noah and Elias.  She was a major help and even got paid for her services.

Sunday morning we hosted a brunch in our new kitchen.  Mary was a huge help in setting up especially since Harper woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and not feeling well, what we believe was a reaction to her COVID vaccine from two days prior, since her COVID test came back negative.

We enjoyed quiche, salad, bagels, lox, and fruit.  My mom was adamant we not have too much food so we wouldn’t spoil our appetite for dinner.  Hosting in our new space, being with our family truly felt amazing. 

We took lots of pictures with the B-I-G 7-0 balloons!

We surprised my mom with a 5 diamond pendant necklace representing her five grandchildren.  She wasn’t expecting it and she shed happy tears.

Sunday evening the party got even bigger at Bazins, where in addition to the brunch crew, Stewart, Lynn, Tony, and Shelia joined in the celebration.  There were 17 of us together…family and my mom’s closest friends joining her in celebrating 70 years around the sun. 

It was truly a great celebration.

Hannukah came very early this year starting the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Sticking with tradition, we celebrated the first night at my parents with brisket and latkes.  We said the blessing and lit the menorah each night, followed by presents daily, usually clothes and other practical gifts. 

We spent one Friday celebrating the sixth night with our neighbors, The Goldmans and The Rackisanys, eating great food, experiencing the Hannukah traditions, and enjoying each others company.  

This year Harper was brave enough to light the menorah a couple of the nights!  And in our new kitchen!

We spent the day with my parents.  A little morning walk followed by a little Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade watching and a lot of Thanksgiving skit planning.

We arrived at my parents around 2:00 and enjoyed charcuterie appetizers along with bacon wrapped goat cheese dates and brown sugar wrapped chicken bites.  All delicious.  Needing to digest, we watched the annual dog show and went for a leisurely walk in the neighborhood enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. 

Dinner consisted of a spiral ham, turkey, my mom’s amazing stuffing, and more!  Dessert featured two pies…one blackberry and one apple. 

My favorite part of the day was most definitely the girls skit.  The girls first put together a skit with Lari’s help three years ago and have continued the tradition even without her.  Harper was still the turkey struggling to fit into the paper bag without ripping it.  Emerson was the narrator graciously introducing Avery, who was the star of the show with her beautiful dance moves autobiography of her life especially as it related to her nystagmus.  The three days that the girls spent planning for the skit at home were equally as great; seeing them creatively work together truly makes me so happy.

Since 2015, we have been taking family pictures every other year.  This year was our 3^rd time in the row having Allison Kuykendall take our pictures.  We chose Leesburg, VA as our location and we settled on October 30 as mid-November was just too cold for outdoor pictures the last session two years prior. 

Selecting our family outfits always takes me weeks to do; buying and then returning lots of clothes and shoes.  I loved all their outfits this year…really felt like they grew up in their jeans, vans, and Dr. Martins. 

Weather could not have been better for end of October. We topped off the pictures with a delicious dinner at Tuscaora Mill. 

Girls’ cooperation was great.  Their love for one another, which I often question at home, is so evident in these pictures.  

I’ve only looked at them about 100 times!

Love my family!