December Happenings 2

Each year we make plates of homemade Christmas cookies to share with our neighbors. Joel helped to mix them.

Then we decorated them and put them on the cookie sheets.

Into the oven for baking!

We assembled the plates.

Then out the door on Christmas Eve for delivery.

We went to Marisol's family's house for Christmas Eve, the day of the BIG celebration in Latin America. I played with our niece Cloe, who was born in May.

Marisol held Cloe as Cloe's mom fed her.

Speaking of eating, we had the most wonderful food prepared by Marisol's mom and her siblings: chicken breast stuffed with ground beef and vegetables, a special Christmas rice, cucumber salad, and pea and corn salad.

Joel was so excited to eat his Ecuadorian grandmother's food. We all were!

For dessert we ate apple pie, ice cream and watermelon. Fun!

Marisol's dad Wilson kept us all in suspense as he opened his first gift.

Marisol played tricks on me at picture time.

My honey and I

Joel and his grandmother embrace.

Joel and his cousin Zoe

Marisol's brother Wilo, Cloe and Amelia admire Cloe's new frog toy.

Joel tries out his new Pooh blanket as Marisol's sister Miryan looks on.

Marisol's other brother Hugo entertains Cloe.

But Cloe ran out of energy and fell asleep. It was time for all to head to bed. We had a wonderful time with Marisol's family at Christmas after a seven year absence. Our last Ecuadorian Christmas took place in 2003.

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