A Colorado Christmas

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas (just a tad late)! It was a very fun and joyous month for our family. Liesl loved all the lights and spending time with family, almost as much as Andrew and I did! Like we do every year, we went up into the beautiful Rocky Mountains to cut down our Christmas tree through a fun program run by the U.S. Forest Service. $10 for a gorgeous fresh tree? Yes, thank you! We were nervous that it would be frigid like it was last year but it was sunny and warm!

We had fun like we always do but it was even more enjoyable seeing the excitement and interest in Liesl's face. It was the first time she had ever really been in the mountains able to look around and comprehend.

Andrew and I made Spritz cookies from his family recipe and apple Strudel for Christmas breakfast from my family recipe. Andrew also made his wassail and we drank it for days. Delicious! We also were able to go and see the Christmas lights at the Civic Center in Denver this year which is something Andrew has been wanting to do for the last four years. :D

Liesl got to meet all of her cousins this year too which was an extra special treat. She was fascinated watching them play and we could tell how badly she wanted to get down and run around with them! Soon, little girl, very soon! We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas afternoon with Andrew's family. There was tons of food, laughter, and wonderful memories created. Here are some of my favorite pictures from it all.



I made Liesl a stocking the day before Christmas Eve. All I had time to do was to put a "1" on it. In the future, it will say "Baby's First Christmas" and be used for all of our baby's first Christmases.

 We have had a very blessed year and a wonderful Christmas. We know from experience how this can be a very difficult time of year and how precious times of refreshment and joy are to our souls. I pray that your Christmas was filled with joy, refreshment, and peace in celebrating all that Christ did for us in coming to earth as a little baby. I hope that 2015 will be a year of growth and redemption for all of us. Happy New Year!