DECEMBER in PICTURES (part 2)

Making Christmas cookies.

 CHRISTMAS EVE!

We hung out as a family in the morning and early afternoon.    At 5:00 the Joneses and Grace came over.  The boys played football.  We ate a treat of queso (Velveeta and rotel) and chips (thanks to Ryan “smuggling” the cheese across the border).

And then Jeff began his firecracker show.  Jeff LOVES to blow up fruit.  The bigger and louder the firecracker is, the better.

Everyone was on their device recording the exploding fruit.  An instant replay was almost as fun as the actual event.

Ginny and Micah made dinner for us – BBQ and honey chicken wrapped in bacon.  It was delicious.

 We sang Christmas carols and introduced the Joneses to a family favorite movie.  Then the little ones did sparklers and Jeff let off some nice big and colorful fireworks.

CHRISTMAS DAY!

We ate a pancake breakfast and then opened our stockings.

 Zoe was definitely ready for Christmas.  She had arranged and rearranged the Christmas tree till it was just to her liking.  She ate (stole) her fill of Christmas candy.  And she even had a litle stocking hanging up with a banana in it.

 At noon we went to our landlord's and ate lunch with her family.

 

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY, RYAN!

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 31, 2017

I love having Ryan here not only to celebrate the holidays with us but also because he gets to celebrate his EIGHTEENTH birthday here in Paraguay with us.  Ryan wanted French toast for breakfast and pizza for lunch.  

 Hanging out with friends.

 For the evening, we had several missionary families over for a big celebration.  It was a lot of fun. 

 Grilled a lot of meat.

We sang Happy Birthday to Ryan and watched a spectacular fireworks display put on by Jeff.

 TIME TO SAY GOODBYE to RYAN
January 1, 2018, we drove to Asuncion and the following day Ryan flew out.