Christmas 2021

 

After returning from the desert, we had family Christmas dinner at Kenn &  Lisa's house on Christmas Eve. Despite the concerns about the infectiousness of the newest COVID variant of concern, Omicron, spending the time with vaccinated/boosted (for those eligible) family felt about as safe as it could be, all things considering, and far different from our quiet at-home "quarantine Christmas" of 2020 (we are  hoping that no one contracted COVID during our travels this year although the Christmas week celebrations were likely still worth it given our low-largely low-risk group and I personally feel that it's time to do away with isolating/quarantining minimally or asymptomatic people, especially vaccinated ones, going forward in this country).

We joked about the "virtual" background roast and yule log

Katherine and August (and photobomber)

The hosts

These guys are buds!

Foot and photos first, then presents.

We joked this might be one of Pep's last Christmases (but who knows!).

The OG three

Siblings

Beloved aunties

The kids were sooo excited to tear into the gifts.

 More matching Pikachu gear, along with Paw Patrol items and trucks! 

Iver expressed some skepticism about the existence of Santa but he delivered on Christmas morning to K's parents' house.

The kids hadn't really been to church since before the pandemic but we braved Mass on Christmas morning in Garden Grove and they didn't have the best attention spans but I'm glad we went. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!