Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve this year was lame, let's be honest. It wasn't lame because we didn't do anything fun...plenty of people stay home on New Year's, go to bed early, and get a refreshing start on the new year. Or they plan to stay home enjoying a quiet evening...maybe watch the ball drop at Midnight. All of those options are more fun, restful, and organized than our evening was this year.

Here is how our New Year's Eve went: Rudi worked 7a-7p that day and I did my usual (watched Samuel, ran errands, etc). I thought enough to go to the grocery and pick up some food to make a nice dinner at home in the evening. Rudi and I also thought enough to mention to one of our friends that maybe we could get together and that I would call her later. However, when evening came and Rudi got home, neither of us was in the mood for making or eating a big dinner. I also kept thinking that I should call our friend, but I refrained because the atmosphere was just so lame at our house. Besides, she could have called us if she really wanted to get together. Samuel went to bed. Rudi and I had generic Captain Crunch for dinner.

Rudi actually went down to a neighbor's for a while (they were having a real get-together), while I stayed home and Skyped my brother, sister-in-law, and my two neices (which is always genuinely nice). Rudi then came back home at 10:30, and we sat around trying not to give in to Samuel, who was crying in his bed (we've been trying to get him out of some bad sleep habits recently). I then finally took a shower at 11:45, then found Rudi sleeping on the couch just after midnight. We then got ready for bed and I insisted that we take a picture of ourselves to 

compare it to one of our most fun New Year's Eve experiences...the one on our honeymoon 5 year ago. (Rudi's parents purchased us tickets to a New Year's party at the resort where we were honeymooning--complete with a 5 course meal, a band, and open bar). So here are pictures of us on New Year's Eve 5 years ago, and this year!

New Year's Eve (after midnight) 2009

New Year's Eve 2003

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have been wonderful so far, though we do miss being with our families. On Christmas Eve, Samuel got a couple packages in the mail. One was a Santa outfit from Rudi's mom (his GrossMama), which he tried on (see pictures). The second was a gift from his MiMi and Grandpa, which he had to wait for Christmas Day to open.

Christmas Eve was eventful. In the morning we went to a tire store to replace our spare tire...Did I mention that I shredded one of our tires by "grazing" a fire hydrant on Dec. 22nd?

Rudi then did some last-minute shopping and I did some last-minute baking, and then we headed off to church. Our church service was nice.  The people are so wonderful to us as usual--we got cards from several families, and a couple families even got Samuel presents!! After the church service, we hung out for a while (eating refreshments), then went over to a friends' house for a dinner, which was fabulous. We stayed too late (9 pm, 2 hours past Samuel's bedtime), and paid the consequences with about 30 minutes of crying from Samuel before went to sleep. Rudi and I both then collapsed in bed and that was that (we are pretty lame now, at least more often than usual).

Christmas morning was, I believe, more exciting for Rudi and I since we had the joy of watching Samuel "open" his presents. Besides loving the wrapping paper (which we expected), Samuel also seemed to enjoy playing with the toys inside (which we had not expected). After

presents, Samuel took a great nap while Rudi and I enjoyed coffee, opening our presents to each other, and eating gingerbread muffins. We then did Advent as a family, which brings us to the present. This afternoon we have dinner with neighbors, and then Rudi has to go to work this evening.

We do praise God for coming to be with us as Jesus, thus allowing us to have eternal life with him!

Rudi with his new golf shirt

Samuel tired after opening gifts

Rachel with her new picture frames from Tropical Living, our favorite local home store

Like father, like son

Rachel with her childhood stocking, made by her Grammy Coe

Rudi with his childhood stocking, made by his Memo

Samuel waiting to open his big present from MiMi and Grandpa

Samuel in his Santa outfit, given to him by GrossMaMa

Samuel trying to open a present on Christmas Day

Chamorro Santa and my thoughts

Samuel had his first picture with Santa this year, appropriately so since it is his first Christmas. As you can see, it is not your typical Santa picture, since this Santa is Chamorro, and also dressed in tropical garb.

Anyway, it made me think a little bit. At best, the Chamorro Santa picture is fun, an entertaining reminder of our first child's first Christmas. At worst, though, it represents the invasion of Western culture throughout the world, often at cost of other cultures. Also it could represent how this Christmas icon often replaces the celebration of the birth of Christ, even in the far reaches of the Pacific.

Anyway, I didn't perseverate on this too much because I know the event was harmless in itself. However, I did feel the picture deserved at least a little reflection rather than simply posting it saying, "here is Samuel with Chamorro Santa!" The picture is pretty cute, though, don't you think :)