The Holsten Family: Christmas 2014

I love Christmas arts and crafts made by my kids. Isabella made Christmas trees for each of us. They included stickers, glue, tattoos, and cut-outs.

Then she made luminaries.

Matthew made this luminary at his day care. The first thing I thought of when I saw it was: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine", which to me embodies Matthew. Sue, his day care provider, told me one day that he fits in so well in her little program. That made my heart soar because I recently watched a news report about a couple of teenage boys with Ds who made a Zombie movie. One wrote a letter in which he said he had always felt like he didn't fit in. I don't know what Matthew's school or social experience will be like as he goes through life, but I hope he will always feel a sense of belonging. He's off to a very good start. He participated with all the other kids singing and shaking jingle bells at Sue's Christmas dinner. It was the first time we were able to see him interact with his peers in that way. I'm so happy that he is so loved by those that care for him.

A few days before Christmas, NoCal experienced the storm of a decade. "Epic" they called it. Whatever. This is how I remember winters being as a kid: Wet. It wasn't "epic", it was "vintage"California weather. I loved it. Everything looked blue-gray. We were huddled inside watching movies and drinking hot chocolate. And my house was clean. Now THAT was epic.

Aunt Karen and Cousin Amanda visited us for the holidays. They got to come with us on the Polar Express this year on Christmas Eve, which almost didn't happen because Mark and Karen were stuck in horrible holiday traffic picking up Amanda at the airport. I made soup for Christmas Eve dinner and ate it myself.

Popcorn and hot chocolate were made. Tickets were passed out, and this bunch of ruffians boarded the Polar Express to look at Christmas lights around town, er, the North Pole. Isabella totally got into character and as the the Polar Express zoomed up and down the hills and around corners, she starts yelling, "I SUGGEST WE ALL HOLD ON-- TIGHTLY!!" (one of the lines from the movie). Never a dull moment with this one.

After the train ride, Amanda and Isabella tracked Santa's progress on Amanda's iPad. Isabella learned that Santa's nickname for her was "Cutie Pie" and that he loves ice cream. But Isabella had made him a gingerbread cookie, so she also left an apology letter.