Conservatory Lights and the Live Nativity! Awesome!

We joined the Lund family tonight for a couple of really fun Spokane Christmas traditions -- the first being the Conservatory of Lights up at Manito Park. I don't know how many thousands of lights that they put up, but it is just amazing. It is so cold outside, but once you step inside the Conservatory, you are transformed into a warm and tropical oasis -- all in lights. They do this every year and it is always free for all to walk through and enjoy the beauty of the plants and poinsetta's. This time, they were giving out free banana splits just outside the door -- seems kinda funny, but it was actually pretty good (especially once you got inside and warmed up!).
Here are the kids eating the banana splits....Sofia, Audriana, Everette, Kendra and Addy. They loved walking through the Conservatory and looking at all the lights together.

After the Conservatory, we headed back down Hatch hill to 195 and stopped at the Live Nativity. It was so beautiful and we all enjoyed being there to witness the "reason for the season". A great teachable moment for our girls -- to move out of the circle of Christmas commercialism, and to bring us to the moment of Jesus' birth. Awesome.

The church that put this on, had hot coco and goodies for everyone to enjoy -- so of course we all accepted with gratitude. : )

Sofia helping make Nicaraguan Chicken!

It wouldn't be the Christmas season if we didn't have Martin's Nicaraguan Chicken dinner a few times during the month of December! This time Sofia is watching and helping her dad. Who knows....maybe someday she will be carrying on this tradition. It is Martin's mom's recipe and one that he grew up eating each Christmas Eve at midnight. It's a wonderful ritual and one that I hope lasts forever!

Stuffing the bird with the vegetable stuffing.....then wrapping it up in banana leaves and steaming the whole bird for approximately 3 hours!

Un-tying the banana leaves....

Yum.....cut up and ready to eat! We love it!

The Farrar Christmas Get-Together 2010!

We are always so happy to be included and invited to the Farrar Christmas get together. Thank goodness Johan and LaNae's house is big enough for all of us: Mom and Jay, John & LaNae, Scott & Lisa, Ryan, Noah and Micah, Levi & Lauren, Elizabeth & Steven, Christine & Jeff and little Jack (1 yr), Kristi, Martin & I and the girls! Whew! It's such a great celebration and it is especially fun to watch the kids play together. They love each other so much and always have such a good time. We are truly blessed to have been brought into this wonderful family through Jay (who we think the world of). All of each brought appetizers and we made a meal of munching and snacking throughout the night. Kristi, me, Lisa and LaNae

The kids getting their plates filled with yummies!

Sweet Micah....our big 3 year old!

Sofia and Noah (5 and 5 1/2)

Best friends and cousins....Ryan (10) and Audriana (8)

More filling of the plates....

Grandma and Grandpa with the younger grandkids.

I don't know why I didn't think of getting Jay with all the grandkids (Levi, Christine and Elizabeth, baby Jack, too!)

Sisters....Lisa and LaNae. I am so happy to know both of these ladies, and to call them friends. They are both such great women whom I love and respect very much. Lisa and I have really become close throughout the last 8 years (I guess mainly because of our kids...but I think she and I would have been close even without the kids!).

Jay and his daughters...

Scott & Lisa and their beautiful family...

I guess daddy was taking this picture.....it's a sweet picture of a proud mom (me!) and her angel girls.

Santa arrived and surprised the kids! Grandpa Jay missed all the excitement though because he had just left for a walk in the snow. But the kids told him all about it when he returned back to the house.

Each child got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him that they had been very good. Then he gave them each a little bag of goodies and toys! : )

Audriana loved her StarWars set that John and LaNae gave her...she also loved the Rocket thingy from the Sandbergs, and an awesome green and black flannel shirt from grandma! Wow!

Opening gifts...this one was a cute frame of the cousins for the girls from the boys. : ) It will go perfect in the bedroom.

Sofia loved her Hello Kitty lighted mirror from John and LaNae. Plus her Baby Alive from Grandma, and her big set of Littlest Pet Shoppe miniature pets from the Sandbergs! What a night to remember!

Sofia's Montessori Christmas Program 2010

Sofia sang her heart out today during the annual Montessori Central Holiday concert. They sang many holiday songs and did great! Unfortunately, the kids were not on risers, and Sofia was in one of the back rows, so I couldn't see her very well -- and didn't get a good picture of the group on stage. But, I did get some other really good pictures...see below! Nice job, Sofia. We are always so proud of you!

Grandma and Grandpa came, too!
Dawn Pipela is at the head of the table serving the punch -- look at all the goodies! The kids sure had fun choosing what they wanted! : )

Here is Sofia with friends, Gwenyth and Addy.

Here is Sofia with Sophia Thompson.

Merry Keeney Christmas 2010!

The Keeney's!

Barbara Keeney-Schurra, Tom Keeney, and Dave Keeney. We miss and remember LaVonne Keeney (Aunt Tonn!), and Grandma and Grandpa Keeney (Heidi and Gerald). They have kept this tradition of all of us getting together for over 35 years. This year, our celebration was hosted by Tom and Bonnie at their beautiful home in Bellevue. I think there was 27 of us (only missing Todd, Pam and the girls, and cousin Davey Keeney). Good memories and wonderful traditions grace our family......
Here is mom, me and Kristi

Martin and Linda (who is 20 weeks pregnant! Congrats Jeff and Linda!) We found out they are having a girl, who is due April 23rd....they will name her Jocelyn Lucille Thi Keeney.

Audriana and her Godmother, Aunt Kathleen, with baby Clara (who will become a big sister sometime around March 9th 2011). Congrats to Neil and Shannon! They are having a boy who they will name Ethan David DuCharme!

My sweet family in front of the beautiful tree!

Cousins Clara and Sofia....

Here is Uncle Tom stirring his famous chili (it's the fillet that makes it "his"!). So good! Lots of snacks, appetizers,Keeny Corn, salads, bread and good wine make the meal complete!

Congrats Jeff and Linda -- waiting for baby Jocelyn to be joining us at the next Keeney Christmas!

Clara opening up a big coloring book!

"Cousins" -- Marc, Jenny and baby Hannah (8 months), Conor and Emily, Tim and Sabrina, and Neil and Shannon (where is Shannon? On the floor with Clara opening presents!).

Audriana and grandma Teckla (Bonnie's mom, 90-something years old!)

Uncle Mike and his nieces!

Conor's wife, Emily, holding Marc and Jenny's baby Hannah. They live in North Carolina and came all the way for our celebration. We are hoping that they will consider moving "back home" soon! We just found out that Davey will be moving back from Boston in a few weeks! Now if we could just get Todd, Pam and the girls back home we would really be complete!

Uncle Tom, Linda, Teckla, Aunt Bonnie, and Jeff Keeney!

Cousins

Oh my......so sweet....so dang cute!

Aunt Bonnie and Pam

Mom and Jay -- isn't this a great picture! These next few photos were shot in the lobby of the hotel (Redmond Residence Inn by Marriott) the next morning.

Aunt Kristi and Uncle Mike with my angels.....they love their nieces so much! Believe me, the feeling is mutual!

Our sweet little family!