Christmas Time

 I thought this Christmas Season was lovely. 

 I loved the feeling of our Sacrament meeting the Sunday before. . . 

and the fact the Bishopric members all wore coordinating bow-ties I made :)

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Friends of our started this tradition for us a few years back, and it just felt like it was time to bring it back, so we did with  gusto. I believe I made 33 houses, and am not ashamed to say they were held together with hot glue before I covered it over with royal icing. . . and I don't have a problem with it at all.

This was the first time we had invited multiple families to join us at the same time, as in with all of their kiddos.

 

I have to say, I thought it was a ton of fun, and very nice of everyone to bring goodies to decorate with. It just felt like home.

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December 23rd came around again this year, making it a full year since Bestemor passed away.

The day was spent in remembering, and celebrating her life with family.

Our Livi has asked about her Bestemor a lot around Christmas time.

-where is Bestemoin?

-when is Bestemoin coming back?

She found her picture on the marker and definitely knew who she was. Such a tender day.

We let off paper lanterns in the chilly night air.

Then we enjoyed Kentucky Fried chicken with all the fixings, and watched a DVD that Troy had put together of her and her children and grandchildren.  There were pictures and videos, but what I enjoyed most was hearing her voice again.  I hadn't realized how much I had missed hearing her voice.

Bestefar also sang, "Somewhere My Love"  I don't think I've ever heard him sing before, definitely the first time I have heard him sing a solo.  We were all in tears, but it was beautiful.

Jeff posted this on that day:

366 days. 366 days since I last spoke with my mother. Today I remember her death and passing from this life. I will spend the day in the temple, in my laboratory where I first heard she was in the hospital and with my father, wife, children, siblings and their families at her grave side. This has been a difficult, blessed, stretching, growing, tearing, healing year. What have I learned/relearned/remembered? 1) God is our kind and loving Father. 2) He desires each of us to grow to be as He is, and has a personalized curriculum for us. 3) Christ is as much a Comforter as He is a Savior. 4) The atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and through it wounds are mended. He is the master healer. 5) Families have the potential of being eternal through the sealing power of the priesthood AND the atonement of Christ. 6) I will see my mother again.

I miss you and love you mama.

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Christmas Eve arrived to find us preparing to host the Tessem crew.

This included making the meatballs, of course.  Lily sure loves to help her Daddy cook.

We also made the almond cake (kransekake).  One of these days we might just buy a mold to make the rings more even, but that just  might make things too easy . . . 

It was sure fun to have all the cousins together, and Gyrid and Bjørnar with their kids, too!  They just happened to be in town from Norway, and we realized it has been at least 9 years since the kids and I have seen them.  So fun to catch up!

Tiffany also made a lovely traditional Norwegian cake (blotekake).  

I absolutely LOVED when all the cousins put on a live nativity, complete with farm animal costumes.

Most of which were traditional-ish.

 

I kept forgetting the little Duck was mine, she looks so different in that costume, and absolutely loves it!

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After all the festivities it was time to slow things down and get to bed so Santa could come . . .

The morning brought lovely gifts, including fresh snow!  We haven't really had any snow all fall/winter up until Christmas morning.  Don't get me wrong, I have thoroughly enjoyed this mild fall, but it was extra magical to awaken to a blanket of white.

 I loved the laid-back-nature of Christmas day.  

We did make a stop at Bestefar's to say hello, but my favorite was when we got home, into our Christmas Jammies, and just relaxed as a family.

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The snow has fallen a few more times, and made it possible to get some great play time in.

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 On their last day full day here, Astrid and Gyrid joined me for Zumba, and then we had to get some Hot Lava at Sodalicious of course.  They were sure a lot of fun!

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I love when we can just be home together as a family, with  minimal outside distractions.

During this time, we were able to finish a great puzzle, read some books, and have genuine family time: my favorite.

 New Year's Eve, we had Norwegian rice pudding (risengrynsgrot) with a little bit of a marzipan gris on the bottom of each bowl.  Traditionally, only the person who finds a whole almond at the bottom of their bowl gets the whole pig, but we like to just divide it up between everyone so we all get a little almond yumminess in our bowls.

The big kids invited friends over to ring in the new year, and Jared and Rebecca joined us after work.  I put out so much food, and was able to get rid of almost all of the left over Christmas goodies.  But I finally decided I wasn't going to put out any more.  I think teenage boys have hollow legs, but it was fun to have our kids celebrating with friends.

Hope your Christmas and New Years were lovely!