Horvet Happenings: Welcome to 2009! Here's Your Bill...

Christmas came and went and what a Christmas it was! We started out on Christmas Eve heading to Rick's mom's house in Frazier Park. There was just enough snow there to have snowball fights without exhausting yourself trying to tramp through knee-high snow. Peter and Caroline had so much fun throwing snowballs at their Aunt MaryLue, Uncle Clay and cousins, Rebecca, Travis and Joel. Yumiko got a few snowballs in too and didn't seem bothered by the cold. Tokyo normally has snow this time of year, apparently.

Snow! Glorious Snow!

Yumiko, Caroline and Peter in the front yard of Grandma's house.

Cousins. Travis, Caroline, Joel

Dude! That thing is bigger than your head!

Dinner was a wonderful beef brisket and vegetables. Then we opened gifts. Peter was thrilled with Tukanuva Bionicle from Aunt MaryLue and Caroline couldn't stop hugging her Jumpstart Kindergarten computer program. Both of them were quick to point out these coveted items every time we went to Target for the last month. Every...single...time. Grandma made all the kids matching pj's and were they ever cute and snuggly! Caroline loved wearing them and Peter tolerated having his picture taken in them even after telling him that we were going to show said picture to his prom date.

Family Dinner

Travis gives his cousin a big hug!

Joel wants in on the action.

Travis, Caroline, Joel.

Caroline and Joel on the piano

The cousins in the pj's Grandma made. L-R Rebecca, Travis, Caroline, Joel, Peter

Peter, Grandma, Caroline, Rebecca, Joel, Travis

We went home late and Santa made his arrival after we went to bed. "Mrs. Claus" came down the stairs, loaded with gifts after the kids were asleep, looked at Yumiko and said, "Shhh. Santa is coming!" She giggled and watched her program on TV while Santa and Mrs. Claus arranged the gifts for the morning's festivities.

The morning came and naturally Peter was the first one up! While Daddy made coffee and got the camera ready, Peter and I went to wake up Yumiko and Caroline. Peter was thrilled with his videos and National Geographic telescope and Caroline was busying herself with her new dollhouse. Yumiko was quite surprised that she also received gifts from the Claus's and loved her food chopper and push-up measuring cup. She bought me a beautiful necklace and a nice sweater for Rick, a Beauty and the Beast Belle doll for Caroline and a Lego Star Wars set for Peter.

See? Santa came!

Star Wars and Belle!

Tukanuva Bionicle from Aunt MaryLue. Assembled in about an hour.

The lovely wooden dollhouse. And yes, the bathtub is on the balcony.

That night we went to Rick's brother and sister-in-law's house to visit. They live about 30 minutes from us and their boys are around Peter's age and they have a great time together and try to include Caroline as much as possible. No pictures from that one. Sorry.

The next day we went to my sister's house to celebrate with her family. Both of her sons had obligations on Christmas Day and opted to celebrate the day after Christmas. Worked out well for everyone. We played a "steal the gift" game and we made sure that there was a gift suitable for the only 4 year old girl in the room. She gave the "hairy eyeball" to anyone who dared suggest that they steal her new Sleeping Beauty DVD. Peter received Oregon Trail computer game from Aunt Dana and Uncle Bob and Caroline received a Swim Puppy from them that the morning TV shows have been peddling for weeks (it worked-she made sure I saw the commercial every time it came on and insisted that she needed one). Uncle Bob picked the bag that contained lottery tickets and won $10,000 - until he read the back and it said redeemable only in your dreams. Yes, it was a joke and I fell for it hook...line...sinker. My nephew laughed himself silly at my expense. He got a good hand-flicking from me for that one. Twerp.

Caroline and Aunt Dana with Stephen and girlfrend, Desiree in the background.

Opening up her Sleeping Beauty DVD.

Yumiko made some sushi for us and Stephen's girlfriend helped. Her mother is Japanese and she has helped her mom with sushi too. It was delicious and none was left after we all devoured it.

Then we put Sleeping Beauty on for Caroline so the adults could enjoy conversation in the kitchen and pretty soon most of us were watching the DVD instead of conversing. Go figure!