January

 Our January was fairly calm, which is always nice. We have gotten some snow, but not an abundance.

Happily playing Legos on a Sunday afternoon.

Celebrating Rebecah's birthday!  She's fifteen!!  She is a good help and a good student.  She loves shopping and earning money.  

As part of Kimball's exchange he stays with three different host families.  He will really miss living with the Smits; they gave him such a warm welcome when he first arrived.  He is now living with Jen and Yvonne's family.  Their youngest son, Sjoerd, is a year older than Kimball and they get along well.  It was a big transition to get used to a new family's way of doing things, but Kimball has settled in and is enjoying living with Jen and Yvonne.  Kimball also finalized his flight home this month.  He flies home on July 2, and will fly straight to St. Louis where we will be having a Coffey family reunion.  It's exciting to have a return date!

Annika had a chorus concert...

with a speaking part.

We have had some great sunrises this month.

The kids had a few days off from school this month for snow, Martin Luther King, Jr. day, and for the first time for the Lunar New Year.  They always enjoy their days off, but they don't mind going to school, either.

Ice skating on Lunar New Year

I forgot to take a picture until we were leaving!  (Lincoln was busy watching the Zamboni, so he's not pictured.)

We went to the varsity basketball game.  During half time there was an elementary school shoot out where the different elementary schools in our district shot baskets and the school with the highest number of baskets won.  Lincoln was on the team so we went to cheer him on.  He made some great shots and he had fun.  We all had more fun than excepted, so we stayed for the whole game.

December

 December is one of my favorite months!  It's full of beautiful decorations and the Spirit of Christmas!

Our first snow fall of the season.  We had about 4 inches of snow.  It's hard to keep Lincoln out of the snow.

To connect with Kimball and his festive season we celebrated Sinterklaas on December 6.  I gave the kids small presents.  The three youngest wanted pajama pants so Lincoln and Eden are posing in their new pants.

Our annual nativity for our church Christmas dinner.

We attended Rebecah's Christmas band concert. As first chair clarinet she gets the privilege to tune the band.

Lincoln and Annika both practicing their instruments.

I went to Eden's class twice this month to help with Christmas activities.  One day I helped the kids make gingerbread houses.  There were three of us helping and it was a little chaotic.  The kids had fun though.

The second day I went to help with the Christmas breakfast for the parents.  There were elfie selfies, breakfast, a craft and judging the gingerbread houses.  It was a lot of fun.

Eden, Annika and I went to Joseph's community orchestra concert.

We went as a family to see Wicked.  I had no idea until the movie started that this was only part 1.  I was so disappointed not to see the entire thing. I guess I will exercise patience and wait until part 2 comes out in November.  The kids really enjoyed the movie because I have the soundtrack and they have listened to the music for years.

Christmas Eve gingerbread houses.

We did our usual Christmas Eve traditions.  We attended the Lutheran church service where Joseph played his violin.  The service was about an hour and it was very nice. 

Reading 'Twas the Night before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

All is calm, all is bright.

Rebecah was Santa's helper.  The two of us stayed up late putting this cube shelf together for Lincoln.

Christmas Morning!

Eden LOVES chameleons.  My mom gave her a stuffed chameleon when she was born.  You've probably seen "Meme" over the years.  A few years ago we got Meme's twin—Mimi—so Eden has two that look alike.  Well, things have started to expand.  A year ago she got a "squishy" chameleon.  This year from Santa she REALLY wanted a "mommy chameleon with four babies."  She saw it on Amazon and she said it was what she wanted most for Christmas. Here is Eden with Meme and her new chameleon family.

All of Eden's chameleons.  Who would have thought 8 1/2 years ago a cute little stuffed chameleon would lead to an entire family?!

I just love how colorful our Christmas dinner was!  

We got together with friends at Get Air.  It was fun for the kids and it was fun for me to visit with friends... a double win!

We said goodbye to 2024 with fun food and reading Harry Potter #4.

Kimball had a great month.  He told me that December has been his most fun month since arriving in the Netherlands and also his most expensive month.  He spent more money on transportation meeting up with friends in Amsterdam and Groningen.  He attended Rotary activities in Enschede and went with his host family to Madurodam in The Hague.

November

 November was rather calm. I like that after the busyness of October and before the celebrations in December.  The kids were off school on election day (our schools are polling places), Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.  The kids enjoyed their days off. 

We had a nice Thanksgiving.  We invited a single friend to join us for dinner.  He was very appreciative of the food.  We also saw the first snowflakes of the season on Thanksgiving.  That is MUCH later than we usually see our first snowflakes.

On Black Friday, Rebecah and I braved the crowds and went shopping.  I rarely go Black Friday shopping, but I was willing to go with Rebecah, since she only wanted to go to Old Navy.  In the afternoon we went bowling as a family which is our Black Friday tradition.

We are all decorated for Christmas.  The kids wanted to start decorating early this year so we slowly started putting things out mid-November.  

Kimball continues to thrive in the Netherlands. This month he spent a weekend in The Hague and took a few day trips here and there.  He will be switching schools in January because of some difficulties in his current school.  At his new school he will be with two other Rotary exchange students and his host brother. 

Kimball with Chris and Gea, his host parents.