December 31, 2011 - Another year comes to a close

We got up at 11:00  PM on December 23rd and went to the airport to start our trip to Idaho.  The plane left Fairbanks early as occasionally happens up here and we got into Seattle 20  minutes early.  Our layover there was just long enough for us to get some breakfast and walk around a bit.  We then boarded the plane to Boise and by 10:45, we were in a rental car headed to Burley, ID to see the kids.

We hadn't told the older grandkids we were coming - only that I was sending a package that would arrive on Christmas eve with a special surprise in.  We parked in front of their house and Tata went up to the door carrying a package and wearing a Santa hat  I stayed back behind the garage.  He rang the doorbell and when the girls came to the door, he said "Package for the Van Harens".  JM took the package, looked down at it, then back up and said "Tata?"  Then yelled at her family, "Tata is here".

We had a quiet Christmas eve - visiting with the kids.

ST posed by the tree with MS's cat

Little JW enjoyed climbing on the bench

Stockings were hung by the chimney

ST was happy to just sit and play games on my phone

MS was responsible to write the letter to Santa this year.

An allergy free banana muffin and chocolate cherry for Santa.

Then it was time to open the annual Christmas present of new pajamas for the kids.

All the grandkids in their new jammies - ready to head to bed.  

JM left her sleep mask on the tree so Santa would see it and hopefully wake her up.

ST put out some reindeer food.

JM put the special key out for Santa so he could get into the house.  They have a fireplace but wanted to make double sure Santa could get in.

Then it was time to go to bed.  Nana and the two older girls "slept" in MS's bedroom.  And I use that term very loosely because sleeping was definitely not on the girls mind.  They both wanted to stay up to  see Santa.  Nana was very tired as it had been a long 24 hours with little sleep but before we knew it, it was time to get up.

Santa had been there.  Boots for MS, a soccer ball and chest of drawers for ST and wrapped packages for JM and JW.   When the kids came out, the older girls headed right over to take down their stockings and see what Santa had left them.  Of course ST couldn't reach her stocking but she rushed over exclaiming "I want my Merry Christmas".

Merry Christmas. 

JW got lots of trucks.

MS got a table and chairs for her American girl doll.  But she only saw the chairs in the box so she took the chairs out and a piece of Styrofoam to make her own table.  Fortunately we realized she hadn't taken the table out of the box so were able to retrieve it before the box was thrown out.  Tata and Daddy put the table together.

Tata helped ST lace up one of her animals.

JM and MS went upstairs to play with their dolls for a while since they got new furniture and new clothes.

Then after eating  breakfast, the girls headed outside to play on the trampoline and Daddy joined them for a little jumping.

What a great change from last year.

The rest of the day was quiet.  That night, everyone slept in their own bed so we could get some sleep.  On Monday morning, we decided to rearrange the bedrooms and put all of the girls in the upstairs area which had been the guest room.  Since we were there to help move furniture, we could easily do that in a couple of hours.

As soon as ST moves out of her crib, she will go upstairs to sleep with the older girls.  That afternoon, Daddy and Tata took the older two girls to see if they could find some snow to go sledding but they didn't have any success.

That night, Nana slept upstairs in the new room with the girls.

On Tuesday, December 27, Jill took JW to the doctor for allergy tests so Nana and Tata stayed with the 3 girls and played a few games.  Tata and  JM helped MS with her atomically correct shark - it was really cool.

That afternoon, we had to head back to Boise as our flight on Wednesday morning was very early.  We ate dinner at Jaker's then early to bed.  Wednesday, we left Boise and arrived in Seattle by a quarter after 7.  This time around we had a 6 hour layover.

We ate a leisurely breakfast at Wolfgang Puck then we walked every inch of the airport - that took a whopping hour and 15 minutes.   We bought a couple of magazines and read for a while.  Then we decided to go back to Wolfgang Puck and share a small pizza before time to board the plane.

Once on the plane, we settled in for the long ride home.  We had upgraded to 1st class for a very low fee which was nice but not something I would want to pay for very often.  We left Seattle on time but arrived in Fairbanks 20 minutes early - I don't know whether the fact that most of our flight crew lives up here had anything to do with that or if it was just coincidence.  

Temperatures in Fairbanks had dropped back below -30 so it was definitely cold here.  Thursday and Friday we were back at work.  By Saturday, I was feeling the affects of a cold so it was pretty much a wasted day.  The cat and I slept most of the afternoon.

As per our normal New Years Eve ritual - it is off to bed by 8:00 - or shortly there after. It has been a very busy year.  I am grateful for the many adventures we've had and am grateful for the new grandson that has joined our family.  We have been truly blessed in 2011 - can't wait to see what lays in store for 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.