Two really important things had to happen before I left for my furlough in the US. First, Ruthie and I decorate a pink Christmas tree every year. On the years that I am gone for Christmas, we always do it right before I leave!
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Second, something usually has to be done to my hair. This year I went to Ioana to her salon and she got me all dolled up to fly the next day!
I had a really great time at home for my furlough! I traveled a lot, saw a lot of friends and spent a lot of good time with my family. Things kicked off with a family fun week of Thanksgiving!! But, before the family arrived, I cleaned out my storage area at my parent's house to get ready for a yard sale....where in the world did all this stuff come from AND I found some really precious memories!
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| Crafts with the kids!!! The best $8 I ever spent!! |
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| Crazy kids!! |
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| Cooking together is an important part of our family! |
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| The kid table |
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| The adult table!! |
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| Precious memories with these five make the 16-18 hour trip all worthwhile! |
I spent an awesome week at my sister's house after Thanksgiving. We picked out and decorated their Christmas tree, took a day trip to Monterey, played games, made cookies, went to a reptile museum, stopped at Starbuck's, shopped and spent a lot of time at the kids' and my sister's school. I attended the kids' awards assemblies. Micah received an award in almost every category and Lucy received a few awards, too! So proud of them!!
I went back to Bakersfield for a week where I had a yard sale, went to the dentist, visited with friends, spoke in church, pampered myself just a little and had many dear friends over for dinner! I always forget to take pictures of my dinners!
I visited San Francisco with my dear girl friends! We had a fun time hanging out, visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum, a big gingerbread house, Ghirardelli Square, and of course had to eat dinner at the Cheesecake Factory at Union Station Square!
From San Francisco, I went to Hume Lake to visit my brother's family. My friends dropped me off in Fresno and I met up with them there. We stopped at Riverpark and I took my niece Tanner to Claire's to get her ears pierced for her tenth birthday (which isn't until April, but, I won't be in the states in April). We made our way up to Hume and I had an amazing week spending time with them hanging out, visiting their schools, making cookies, ice skating and watching Jett and Tanner's performance in a musical!
After leaving Hume, Grammy, Grandpa and I went back to Bakersfield and brought Kinley with us for a visit and to tie up all the lose ends before returning to Romania.
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| She is sure one special little girl!!! |
On December 22-23, Mom, Dad, Kinley and I traveled to Fresno to celebrate Christmas with our family! I spent the night in the loft with the kids for one final hurrah!! The kids were, of course, awake very early to see what Santa brought for them!!
Christmas Day, Mom, Dad and I went to see The Greatest Showman and had dinner with Aunt Suzie!
And just like that it was over and was off to head HOME!!!
My fan club awaited me at the airport!!
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