Merry Christmas! This year was so different from Christmas in the past because we are far from family and in a tropical place. I was afraid of Christmas coming because I knew it wouldn't have so many of the joys I loved in Idaho, such as family and snow. I knew I had to make an extra effort so that Christmas would be a time of joy and not sorrow for what I miss. It turned out better than I hoped. I am grateful for Michael and his support to make it special for our little family. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and this time of year to celebrate his birth and ministry. He is the reason for the season and the reason to make it special. I was glad we got to skype my family and make and eat all of the foods I love at Christmas time. I am grateful my mom taught me to cook so I could share what tastes I associate with Christmas with others around us. We enjoyed taking treats to new friends and neighbors and hosted our very first Christmas Eve dinner. During the weeks prior to Christmas we repeatedly watched and shared the short video put out by the church to remind us to look to the Savior at this time. I embedded the video below because I love it so much. Christmas morning we opened presents, ate Christmas breakfast, and watched movies. In the afternoon we went to the beach and over the next few days we enjoyed not having to work and eating yummy leftovers.
Celebrating the New Year was different too. Michael grew up celebrating Christmas on December 31 in Pohnpei. The party goes throughout the night and is the biggest celebration of the year. This Christmas Eve we had barbeque ribs and turkey tail with potato salad, green mangoes with vinegar, Martinelli's, and a tapioca desert called cassava cake - yum! We got to skype with Michael's family and see Trishia and Kiari sing Christmas songs. Afterwards we watched Maleficient and at midnight Michael went to party with cousins for a few hours. We are setting our New Year's resolutions and excited for what 2015 will bring. Happy New Year!
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| We got to go see the lights at the governor's house in Hagatna. It was quite the display. Carter's favorite was, of course, the train, which had a bell that he loved to ring. |
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| Largest real gingerbread house on Guam. |
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| Christmas tree with nutcrackers and Christmas trains. The boys really loved it. |
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| Caleb's first candy cane! He loved it. |
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| Grammie sent tons of goodies to make a gingerbread house!! Carter was so excited! |
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| Daddy seating Caleb before starting Christmas dinner. We loved using baskets that Michael made for our Christmas dinner. The Call family in our ward and Brother Bailey came over. We loved having company for Christmas Eve! |
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| Carter on Christmas morning. |
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| Carter and Caleb Christmas morning! It was so fun to see Carter get so much more excited for Christmas this year. |
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| I was quite proud of myself for baking orange rolls, Christmas breakfast casserole, and Christmas dinner. Although, it made me miss my mom and sisters so much because I usually do all of the fun Christmas food prep with them. I played Manheim Steamroller and the Carpenters Christmas music to make it feel like Christmas at home. |
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| We finally made our Gingerbread house a few days after Christmas! It was Irene's first time and she loved it. Her and Carter spent a long time making it perfect! |
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