Hi. We're alive and well, and healthy for the time being. Not a lot going on in our lonely little winterland. We've hung out with our wonderful family quite a few times, which is always encouraging and refreshing. But we're still working on finding a church and making friends who are not obligated to spend time with us (wink wink). Just kidding. We actually visited a church today that we really enjoyed, and it is overflowing with children.

Renee is starting to understand more of what we say now. She claps, waves, gives kisses and signs "water" and MAYBE "all done". "Water" and "all done" both involve shaking your hands, so it's hard to say.... Today I said, "Renee can you take off Mommy's hat?" And she did!

Here are a few photos from this past week:

Happy Renee. She has been a big grump recently (she's going through a bit of attachment anxiety), but I was able to capture this rare photo right after lunch. I'm sure she'll snap out of her grumpiness soon, but it is really draining right now!





Another happy shot!





Marie posing.





Making Christmas cookies (on Friday night).





Me and Marizzle.





Joel is our resident cookie-making expert.





Joel's three siblings and our neices and nephew all came over on Saturday night for dinner and a little cookie decorating contest. Here are the kids having some fun.





Eating their hard work. Unfortunately, Marie put a few too many spicy cinnamon candies on her cookie, so she didn't enjoy it all that much.





The grown-ups trying their hands at decorating.










Here are the grown-ups' creations. Tim made the liberty bell. That black line is a crack. I thought it was pretty creative, but unfortunately he did not win top honors.





Kaylen's stocking won, and her prize was this "Sugar Deluxe" cookie. It's a Dan/Joel specialty that they used to make (and dreamed of marketing) during their childhood. It's basically two sugar cookies, stuffed with a TON of sugar, and then rolled in additional sugar. Joel will be happy to fill any of your holiday orders. They are SO nasty.





Renee and Kaylen. Kaylen is Dan's friend and we reeeeeally like her. She's really funny and sweet and adores children. Definitely a keeper.