Claire and friend Ty enjoy an evening watching the "Nutcracker Ballet"Winter Greetings! We are finally seeing a little winter here in Alaska. May this new year be full of mercy, grace, joy, peace and service!
Beware!! This post has MANY photos. Luckily, most of you who read this are close friends and family. I just could not choose what to leave out. Since I only post 4-6 times per year, I am hoping you can endure the lenghty post! Alas, below you will find our Christmas memories that we would like to share with you. They are not actually in order since we use several different cameras, but you'll get the big picture.
The cousins at Mitchell Park (used to be Mitchell Elementary School where all 4 of us, my sisters and I went to school.) More on the cousins to come.
The cousins had WAY too much fun!!!!
Left to Right: Jackson, Karl, Megan, Signe, Melanie, Claire, Kirsten, Logan and Molly.
The Cromer Cousins came over from the L.A. area on Christmas evening and spent the next few days with us at mom and dad's house. Robert and Shelley brought the kids down from Flagstaff too and the cousins all had a grand time. The Cousins hanging out together was probably the most fun part of the whole vacation.
Pyramid making at Mitchell Park
We went to out in the desert for a 2 day quail hunt. Dad let us borrow his truck, camper and 4-wheeler. Kirsten and Claire loved riding the wheeler - in WARM weather. We were all so happy to have Karl back for 4 1/2 weeks! He is doing great at UAF (University of Alaska, Fairbanks) in the Engineering Honors program, but we sure miss him. 
We camped overnight near an old cattle corral. Claire and Lenore didn't have hunting liscenses so we just played, 4-wheeled and hung out.
Some of the awesome scenery that I took for granted as a child!
Claire and I discovered this stream on a 4-wheeler expedition.
And a VERY old and large tree near the creek.
Kirsten and her friend Alaine came and taught my 2nd grade science class a physics lesson (for their high school physics class). They made parachutes of different sizes and figured out which ones floated longer (safer) by experimenting. The final part of the class was playing games with a life size real parachute.
Getting ready to launch!
Upon returning to Homer, Morgan, Mariah and Claire finished their first cross-country ski race. Claire came in 9th of all the 7th graders from 3 different schools.
Upon returning to Homer, I bought a new car. I love my RAV4. It goes anywhere and busts through the snow like a true Alaskan. It also gets twice (at least) the gas mileage as the truck I've been driving for the past couple years. Although it is hard to part with the beloved truck, I am happy to fill my tank a lot less often (and everything on the car works!!!)
Our 8 hens first batch of 8 eggs. They usually lay 6-7 per day, but every now and then we get 100%. They make us laugh a lot and produce beautiful (and yummy) fresh eggs. I could tell you which chicken (by name) layed each color, but then you would agree with my family that I've gone a bit over the edge with my "girls". For the record though, I am the only one that Chanticlair (the rooster) does not attack!
We got more snow in Prescott, AZ in Decemeber than in Homer. We were visiting Uncle Bruce and Uncle John at their cabin when we had this snowfall. Grandpa and Grandma Swanson joined us there for a few days after Christmas.
We went to the Uncles favorite Mexican food place for lunch.
Dad entertained us with his interesting and amazing stories from his 81 years of life! Wow!
My cousin Karen and family made us Ethiopian food for dinner. It was very good. Her parents (my Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Fred) were missionaries in Ethiopia years ago.
Quail hunters. They had put in for deer but didn't get drawn so we decided to take advantage of AZ out-of-state hunting liscenses and quail hunt. We found quite a few, but didn't bring very many home.
Mom and Claire enjoying time together.
Claire has taken an interest in photography. This is one of her photos. These palm trees were very small when we were kids in Tempe.
We all enjoyed some fresh squeezed orange juice from the trees that dad planted when we were little girls. We even brought a box of fruit back to Alaska with us. What a treat.
Kirsten thought it was funny to pose by the tree with her juice. Can you spot her sarcasm in her smile?
I was lucky to be able to spend an afternoon with 3 of my best girlfriends...friends all the way back from Mitchell Elementary School. Lenore, Maria, Marie and Cathy. I also was able to spend an evening with my dear childhood friend Diana. What fun to catch up on everyone's lives.
Mom, Lurinda (my sis), Noel (nephew), Kirsten and I all got to see the Phoenix Ballet and Phoenix symphony perform the "Nutrcracker Ballet". Lurinda came over almost every night and we all stayed up and played games late into the night (or morning in some cases).
December is a very busy month for us in Homer. I directed our own "Snow Way Out" at McNeil. This photo is Claire's middle school choir concert.
These flowers came from the students after we did our winter musical at McNeil. This is another one of Claire's photography samples!
Not only does Kirsten sing in the big choir, she also is in Swing Choir. This 20 person ensemble sings many times during the holidays. We enjoyed the Desserts by Candlelight program they put on for the community. She is now in the thick of being one of the leads in a Broadway Musical put on by the high school.
Of course one of the highlights of the year for all of us is "Nutcracker" here in Homer. This year, Kirsten was the Sugar Plum Fairy. She danced beautifully as always. She had fun dancing on her toe shoes.
Kirsten as the Sugar Plum Fairy
Kirsten goofing around in the make-up room with Casey.
Adjusting a crown takes concentration!If you made it to the end of the photos in the blog, THANK YOU. I hope you have enjoyed a peek at the Swanson's December. Love and blessings to all of you.
Pete, Lenore, Karl, Kirsten, and Claire
