Christmas 2013

Even in the best of years, it’s hard to be far away from family for the holidays, but, as we know, this was certainly not the best of years, so this year was tougher than most.  We made the best of it though and hosted a Christmas Eve dinner for 27.  Everyone pitched in and we enjoyed some good times surrounded by friends around the fire. 

  

 

 

Then on to whiskey and poker

 

The kids must have behaved this year because Santa came and brought lots of great presents. 

One more Christmas party this afternoon and then it’s off to Kenya in a couple of days to meet up with Webb and Jeff for safari and visit.  We’re really looking forward to seeing them. 

I hope all of your Christmas wishes come true.

Merry Christmas

This Christmas season may you…

Count your blessings,

 

Love more,

 

Laugh often,

 

Live well,

 

Make memories, 

 

And, of course, “Have Fun and Go Hard” 

 

 

Wishing a very

Merry Christmas

and a

Blessed New Year

to all those near and far.

 

With so much love,

Lisa, Matt, Tierney (9), Ashlyn (8), and Anderson (5)

Heri ya Krismas na Mwaka Mpya!

‘Tis the Season

Kids are literally bouncing off the walls because Christmas is only two days away.  So, what do I do?  Add sugar.  Will I never learn?

 

 

(I actually think very little candy was consumed during creation because they wanted to maximize the amount of candy on the houses.  Now to convince them to share when we have guests over).

Midweek excitement

Normally these are one of the *good* snakes…eats mice and is harmless.  Unfortunately for this guy, our gardener found him inside the bunny hutch with the baby bunnies.  Made for some fun neighborhood excitement yesterday afternoon though. 

 

4th Annual Tanzgiving

Thanks, once again, to the Foleys for hosting what might be the best Tanzgiving yet. 

 

    

Markers and paper covered the kids’ table.  Lots of kids drew silly faces….Tierney made a bar chart.  Love it.

Peanuts and Frosty on the “big screen”.  What could be better?

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

Honey!!

Yesterday we were lucky enough to join our good friend while she harvested honey from her stingless bees.  This is similar to what we’ve done when we’ve camped with the Hadzabe when they harvest honey. 

It started with a plain looking wooden box with a small hole for the bees to enter and exit

Anderson helped pry off the top (sealed with wax by the bees)

Then the kids found the “honey pots” and popped them to let the honey ooze out while trying not to disturb the main comb, so that the ‘bees’ could do it all over again. 

 

 

Honey mixed with pollen

The eerily beautiful wax formations on the inside of the lid

 

After we let the honey drip to the bottom, we poured it into a bowl.

 

Then warmed and strained out the bits and pieces until we were left with a jar of very yummy, slightly citrus tasting honey.

Thanks, Chelsea, for teaching us a bit about harvesting honey and also getting us more curious about the whole process of how the bees make honey.

Not only did we collect honey this weekend, “we” learned to finger knit (Tierney really did it all by herself), started a piñata including making our own paper mache glue (we’re waiting for our glue to dry), made bouncy balls, baked raspberry muffins, and went to a bonfire party.  Not a bad way to spend a weekend while Matt’s out of town.