Over the river and through the woods...

To grandmother's house we go! Is Christmas really over already? It seems like we were just getting started! We had an enjoyable break from school which started off with a Beck party in Sioux Falls at Dave and Dixie's house. We had great food and then were able to play a game of phase 10 that was full of laughter and fun.
Then we headed off to Michigan for the rest of the time.  We arrived in time for all the family get-togethers and had a blast celebrating Christmas.  All of my (Andrew's) cousins were back on the Boersma side and we got together with them on Christmas Eve.  Then we attended a beautiful Christmas Eve service at Calvary Church that night.  The place was packed (around 3,000 people) and we ended the night with a candle-light singing of "Silent Night". 
Christmas Day we hung out with the Boersma clan at my parents house and had a laid back day of church, a big lunch (with all the fixings!), presents and (perhaps most importantly) the Boersma family Gingerbread House Contest!  The above picture is Daraby with her new cousin, Eli (Susan and Michael's).
Later that week we had a VanDuinen family Christmas and had fun with a $5 gift exchange which got pretty exciting.  There are lots of kids on that side of the family and the girls kept busy keeping up with all the activities-presents, baby dolls and playing with the other kids.

Every year, we step up the competition a little bit more in building the Ginger Bread Houses.  I'm proud to report that Daraby and Dakota jumped right in and decorated their own houses!  They spend lots of time with Darcy doing craft projects around the house and I think that is paying off!  I'm also a little nervous of the up and coming competition!

The above picture is our family's gingerbread houses from left to right-Dakota, Andrew, Darcy and Daraby.  I created a chapel this year and Darcy created a traditional house.  Dakota is proud of her work!

The day after Christmas we had a little snow and were able to go out sledding.  Both the girls and us adults had fun taking trips down the hill.  Rachael and Daron stayed with us through the end of the week of Christmas and Susan and Michael spent a couple of afternoons with us while we camped out at mom and dad's.

We were also able to catch up with some friends while back, although the flu bug hit Darcy and the girls a couple of days after Christmas.  Darcy didn't fully recover until we got back to SD.

It is a blessing for us to be able to make these trips and we praise God for the relationships that he has given us with family and friends all over the country!  We have a busy couple of months ahead of us with school and in keeping up on our adoption journey.  It's always interesting around here-never a dull moment!  Thanks for tuning in!