So there was Christmas

Christmas was logistically interesting this year, for many reasons. We didn't have funding to go home to visit family, so we spent it in Chisinau. I wanted a tree, so we bought a fakey-fakerson one (that I liked a lot actually) from the central market and Niko and I made and painted salt dough ornaments to decorate it. I broazzught my colored circle garland from home and used that to decorate too, and I was really pleased with how homey and great it looked. 

The night before Christmas, we made and decorated sugar cookies and the kids got super sticky and sugar-high-y and it was wonderful. That tradition is a keeper!

Doing presents was tricky this year--we are well aware that anything we buy will either have to be squished into the 6 suitcases we bring back to America in August (suitcases which were completely full when we came here, mind you), or gotten rid of when we leave. So we tried to keep it small (something we'd have done regardless of this situation, but still) and tried to acquire presents that could be brought home pretty easily (i.e. Legos) or left behind without too many tears (a puzzle). 

I think we did pretty well--the kids had a good Christmas morning and we succeeded in our goal, more or less. 

I'd post more pictures of the kids, but they were basically in perpetual motion all day and all of my photos are blurry! So here's one of me wearing this superb sweatshirt that Jesse got for me: