The last month has been filled with one Christmas/Holiday event after another. We started out with the Civil Engineering Squadron Holiday party on the 12th. The event included centerpieces designed by each shop, good food, door prizes and lots of silly games. The officers’ table centerpiece was a set of K’nex-themed carnival rides including a working Farris Wheel. Our friend Jordon even won the paper, rock scissors contest (and about $100 cash). The Holiday party was followed up with a Squadron bowling day on the 17th. Our team won a cool trophy for the highest overall score. Even our friend Pat’s girlfriend Laura got in on the fun too. She had been on the island for about 4 hours before she was recruited to our team! The next day brought the Kid’s Breakfast with Santa. All of us with no kids were recruited to help with crafts and games. Chris helped the kids make ornaments, and I helped them frost gingerbread cookies. Santa (our friend Rob) rode in on the fire truck and handed out presents to all the kids in attendance. We had Christmas with the immediate Larsen family that night via the magic of Skype. It was almost like being in the same room as everyone in South Dakota, except we missed out on the prime rib dinner and yummy dessert that Matthew and Jessica made.
In between events, we took advantage of some beautiful weather and explored the areas along the ocean near base. We also went to Angra one night to check out the light display put on in the downtown area. The lights really make the city sparkle!
Christmas Eve was spent taking the dogs for a walk along the ocean as it was in the mid-70’s! Ha, ha to all of you who were buried under snow and cold! We went to church and then opened gifts from each other and a couple odds and ends from family. I got a new lens for my camera and Chris got surfing lessons at a little town about an hour north of Lisbon. Guess that means I’ll be planning another vacation soon!
Christmas Day started out with brunch at our house for several of our friends. We had big pancakes (crepes), egg bake, caramel rolls, and fruit salad. It was way too much food, but it was still fantastic. After a short nap, we headed over to our friends Steve and Jill’s house. Jill’s family was here from Colorado, and her mom and grandma cooked us a wonderful Christmas dinner!
We rounded out the Christmas season by Skyping in to the Schriever family Christmas gathering at my Aunt Beth’s house. It was a little more difficult with 15 people on their end, but it still worked out well. We got to see and talk to everyone, and we got to watch everyone open their gifts. Chris was a little jealous because they were going sledding, but when I reminded him that it was 3 degrees there, he was less upset.
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