Christmas this year felt like it could fall apart at any minute, given the rising threat of omicron.  We were hoping to travel to PA and do the usual gatherings with the Mahoneys, so we took all possible precautions: the kids reached full vaccination status on Dec 17, Andrew and I were boosted, as were all the Mahoneys ages 5 and over.  We all ordered a bunch of rapid antigen tests with the plan to test daily before each gathering.  Still, I figured there was a very low chance we made it through the weekend without someone testing positive.

On the 22nd I finished wrapping presents and made a batch of the chocolate ginger cookies and the salted chocolate chip shortbread.  I figured even if we got a positive and had to stay in NY we could at least have our favorite Christmas cookies!

On Thursday the 23rd we took our first of the rapid antigen tests and they all came back negative!  So we packed up the car and headed to PA.

On Christmas Eve we started the day with more rapid covid tests!  Then it was off to bowling at Wynnewood lanes.

Next came the traditional Mahoney luncheon with filet mignon and mushroom risotto, roasted carrots and salad, followed by Tim’s bread pudding for dessert.  Yum!

We even had the Mahoney Gift Grab!

That evening we went for a walk to enjoy some fresh air before getting ready for Santa.

Christmas morning brought lots of presents!  The kids tore through their gifts this year, no delays.

Christmas morning also brought our third day of negative covid tests!  Hooray!

On Christmas afternoon we went for a walk across this old railroad bridge in Manayunk with Uncle Jim, Aunt Denise, Annie, Aunt Jane, Uncle Fran, and Mom-Mom.

Back at Ingeborg Road, we enjoyed multiple rounds of Candyland and Trouble with Josie, mixed in with Hot Wheels with Nate.

Aunt Jean and Uncle Hank hosted the Mahoneys on Christmas Day for a dinner of delicious lasagna.

The day after Christmas we met up with the Mahoney cousins at a nearby park for some playground time and to try out this rainbow parachute the kids got for Christmas.

Then more board games and hanging out!  The day after Christmas is always so relaxing.

I did not think it was possible we’d make it through the weekend without any positive tests, but we somehow were able to celebrate the holiday without getting or spreading covid.  And we managed to see all the Mahoneys, in person!  It was too bad we weren’t able to see any of the Forsyths for this holiday, hopefully next year.  Thanks to Mom, Tim and Liz for hosting us!

Here are the finished solar panels!

On 12/3 the kids got their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine, this time at a Rite-Aid in Mt Vernon.  I forgot to take a celebratory picture!  For our second “vaccine party” we got takeout from the Shake Shack in Yonkers and brought it home.  Here we are taking in the Christmas decor at the Cross County Mall while we waited for our food.

The kids asked if the next day could be a pajama day!  Blaine was pretty tired and had a slight temp after his second shot, and spent most of the day reading on the couch.

Sarah was in better shape and helped decorate the Christmas tree.

Later that week we went by our local chocolate shop, cocoa, and picked up our teacher gifts for the holidays.  We also enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa (really Belgian drinking chocolate) that we’d always had in the past during the tree lighting ceremony in town.  We skipped the event this year since it was the day the kids were on the couch resting from their shots.

Sarah was really into building with Keva blocks this month!  Here are some of her creations.

In this pic she is demonstrating how one of the support columns can be removed without causing the structure to topple.

We were so happy to have Aunt Jody and Uncle John visit us for a weekend in December!  Here is an impromptu musical performance with Sarah and Jody on the piano and vocals, John on the ukulele, and Andrew on the p-bone.  They played “This Land is Your Land,” which Sarah was learning on the piano.

On Sunday we attempted to assemble the gingerbread houses that Gram sent us!  Here’s Blaine mixing up the frosting.

We were very lucky to have Aunt Jody and Uncle John there to help us!  One house that Blaine and I were working on collapsed in on itself and did not make it.  🙂  The second one, which J&J worked on with Sarah, was a success!

Check it out!  I was very impressed with Jody’s decoration techniques, particularly the sliced gumdrops for roof shingles.

There was a small hole near the roof on one side, and Sarah suggested that it needed a ladder to access it, so Aunt Jody made it out of candy canes.

We were so happy to see Jody and John in person after more than two years since our visit to CA!  We were finally able to congratulate them in person on their wedding and new house.