Unwrapped

We unwrapped the 2013 Christmas season with some wonderful people and festivities.

Here's a peak

A fun evening with our small group.  We surprised them with Christmas breakfast

(Gingersnap Rudolph pancakes), followed by a few rounds of Christmas Speed Scrabble and Christmas Pictionary.  Clearly, I am a better artist than "The First Joel."  Right?!

This is a shout out to Great Gram (who regularly sneaks a peak at mine and Lindsey's blogs), I love that I inherited your Christmas place-mats, napkins, and napkin holders.  They are adorable and liven up the table. Thank you!  

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This Christmas season I checked something off of my bucket list... well, halfway checked it off.  For years I've wanted to go to the Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Valley. 

It's a fancy shmancy event, dress is formal, and so are the prices!  Around $400 dollars for the dinner.  For one person. And no one wants to go for just dinner.  No.  If you go, you stay at the beautiful Ahwahnee Hotel.  Dinner and stay package prices begin at $1,100.  Soooo you can see why THAT'S not going to happen.  

But then I was invited to the Bracebridge Rehearsal Lunch for just the price of my lovely Ahwahnee Hotel lunch!  I had the Bracebridge experience for just $27!  Woot woot! And it was FANTASTIC!
(I can also see why it costs an arm and a leg- and a few other appendages- to go to the real deal).

Maxine and Traci were a hoot!  Yosemite in winter, you take my breath away. Bracebridge Rehearsal Lunch, plan on seeing my face (and anyone else I can round up to go with me)  next year!

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In December I had the privilege of speaking at MOPS.  Mommyhood puts most mamas through the ringer.  I want to be someone who comes alongside other mothers with compassion and encouragement.

This cute little guy was flirting with me.  Had his sweet mama not had a tight hold on him I would've have taken him up on that "No mistletoe required" offer! 

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 Much of our holiday season was spent with Michael's family in Bass Lake. All his sibs were together, visiting from Maui, Australia, and "the happiest place in America to live"- San Luis Obispo (didn't want you to feel left out Linds).

 Ice skating and Smore's at the Tenaya Lodge.

Thanks Gramps for making a box drum with Noah for his Christmas gift.  Josie really loved that you planned a pasta making night with her and Lily.

 Nana shared her time and recipes making cookies with all the girls. The yummy cookies were gobbled up before I could snap a pic of them. 

  Christmas eve service followed by the tradition of Nana reading a Christmas story to the grand-kids. 

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We ditched the Jones family for Christmas day and headed to Joseph & Mary's house to spend the day with my Portuguese family (38 of us, not including the two girly buns in their mama's ovens). My kids always comment on how they "love being with my Teodosio family."  Have you seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding?  We Portuguese could take the Greeks down in volume level and entertainment.

L-R; Joseph & Mary with fruitcake (ick!). My cousin Aaron, who made the Sweet bread this year (if I said it was better than my grandmother's the entire family would disown me). Favorite Tia Violet and Noah.  Some of the great-grands with Vava.  F.A.V. crocheted a dolly for Ava. Uncle Nelson, who's from Chili, treated us with an animated reading of T'was the Night Before Christmas in Chiliean.  

Family is a gift.  Like all families, we're a messy and beautiful bunch of people.  I'm pretty sure I am the messiest of them all.  But God.  He came down at Christmas time to be Savior.  And as if that wasn't enough, He also came to Restore.  I rejoice in the Love that came down at Christmas time, and pray that it will reign in my heart and yours every day of 2014. 

 Live in Peace,