You know that when we start the holiday concerts at school that it means we are getting on an airplane soon!!  Maddie’s class practiced months for this show as every child had their own unique part.  Now I have to mention here that I actually forgot that it was concert day.  I was so proud of the fact that I remembered it was a PE day, had Maddie in tennis shoes and a school shirt.  Boy were we surprised when we walked in the school door and saw everybody in their finest!  Thankfully we managed to run home and put on our Xmas clothes for the concert!

and everybody survived to talk about it!!!

At my young age of 37, I have finally stepped into true motherhood and made my very first turkey… with stuffing.  Not just any stuffing.  Italian sausage and fresh sage stuffing.  And I made pumpkin pies.  And I made my sister’s jello salad.  Of course, Ms. Zhou was laughing the entire day as I studied the turkey trying to decide which end was up.  I was laughing the entire day because she actually threaded dental floss into a proper needle so that she could actually sew the turkey together after it was stuffed.  A needle… seriously!

Success!

As with every Turkey Day overseas, we were lucky to spend it with Todd and Tonya, Cooper and Bauer.  Our families have grown together while overseas...

Once we made it to Portland there were two things that were on the top of our list!  A Christmas Tree and a visit to Santa.  Maddie just knew that the Santa she saw in Shanghai that showed up on a motorcycle was not the REAL Santa.  The real Santa is at home in Portland!  Maddie was into the whole thing… Amelia… not so much!  Excellent traditions though!!!!

Enjoy the pics!

Maddie Lovin

Happy to be Free!

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Somehow, someway, we made it back to Portland for Christmas this year.  Just when it seemed doubtful, Maddie and Amelia’s jetlagging parents rented an SUV in San Francisco for the trek to Portland after the airport was closed.  Sheesh -  a bit of snow and the Northwest comes to a stand still!  As we slowly passed emply shopping center after empty shopping center, the girls slept… and we drove!

Once we made it the roads out to the tree farms were blocked off but we were able to make it to a lot and yell TIMBER at the top of our lungs anyway!  Got the tree decorated

Crashed in the Car!

Merry Christmas Maddie Anna and Amelia Mabel!

Amelia and Maddie rest in style!

I’ve been talking for a long time about how Maddie’s got STATUS!  I tell ya, now both of my girls are growing up lucky.  The flight across the ocean was as delightful as can be mostly because they got a good night sleep!  Gotta love those business class seats that fully recline.  I do want you to notice however WHO is sleeping in those seats.  Let’s do the math on this…. 1 father, 1 mother, 2 little girls and there are THREE seats.  Hmf!  Meelie and I shared part of the time and then Andy and Meelie shared part of the time.

Gosh, it still seems to me that our dear Maddie is STILL getting the sweet end of the deal!

Welcome Home Girls!

The last full day of school meant that all of the holiday makings were sent home! Maddie made a gingerbread house this week AND gingerbread cookies at school. She was so proud to bring them home and show me, but she couldn’t hold off long enough

to show dad because she had to eat it. The marshmallow tower was just too tempting! We got our first school ornament this year with Maddie’s picture in it surrounded by colored pasta. These are priceless as they are always fun to get out when the kids are 18 and beyond! I think we’ll take this one home in a few days to put on our “America tree” as Maddie says! Two more sleeps Maddie Anna!!!