Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve, we had three families join us for fondue. There were 17 of us in all. We started this fondue tradition the first Christmas after we came to Ulan-Ude with Shannon and have kept it ever since. It was pretty funny, as Kandid and Daniella are from the country where fondue originated (Switzerland) and traditionally it just bread and cheese sauce. We had meatballs, chicken, kolbasa, bread, homeade pretzels, veggies, etc... in cheese and barbeque sauce as well as chocolate and peanut butter sauces for fruits, cookies, and fudge. Of course Americans would take something and blow it out of proportion. =)



I didn't take many pictures that evening. My friend, Gina, sent us a baby carrier that arrived that day, and it was PERFECT for getting things done with a baby on my back and not hurting my back. I was so thankful!!



You can't see it very well, but Ella is holding the dog that little Matty got her for Christmas. He has a special dog that he's had since he was a baby, and he wanted her to have one, too! The sweet thing is that we can tell she really likes it! Ella wore the Christmas dress that Anneka wore when she was 14 months old... 8 months older than she is now!



It's been so nice having Heather Ann and Matthew here with us for their college break. We all played a game that's kind of like charades (but more fun). And we sang carols together, lit the advent candles, and read the Christmas story. Then that night, Leif, Anneka, Ella, and I all slept in the living room underneath the Christmas tree. We all slept until 8:30 the next morning (this NEVER happens). Before we went to bed Mary and Joseph had arrived in Bethlehem. As Leif put out baby Jesus for Anneka to find the next morning, I was in awe about how miraculous it truly is that God sent His son to earth- as a tiny baby!