The note was successful: not only did Juma get all three things he asked for (though two of them from grandparents, not Santa), but he also got a note back in the mail from the North Pole (via the USPS), signed Santa.
On Winter Solstice, we lit a fire to mark the shortest day/longest night of the year, and made goals for the new year. And roast some marshmallows. 'Cause who can resist?
Our Christmas tree was up almost all month long. Justin cut the tree down himself at a tree farm (video is coming...). It crowded the apartment a little bit, but it was nice to have that pine smell and the festive decorations and lights for weeks.
We also made new stockings, since Juma's been surviving off an undecorated one all these years.
We spent Christmas day just the three of us, which was quiet, but lovely. We also got to video chat with our families, which was great.
We also had lots of snow this month, and went sledding. Juma spends hours and hours outside with his friends, bundled up against the cold and wet, conquering mountains of snow, chipping away at ice, or pretending they are prisoners whose job it is to shovel and carve away at the snow piles. Ah, to be six.
