Christmas and the Start of the New Year

Why is it so hard to update a blog? Is it our on again off again computer/internet, 2 small children, lack of things to say, or too many things to keep updated? I guess all of them, and a little lazy.

Okay, let's back up to this past Christmas. We headed off to our homeland with 2 girls in tow. We left +30 weather and landed in "I can't believe people live in this country" weather. When we left the airport to run to the car, Terry was holding Hazel and she kept saying "owy, owy". Terry asked her what hurt, and she said, "this", pointing to her forehead, the only part of her not covered from the cold. Poor Dominican child.
We loved being home and relaxing with family and eating way too much food. We even found a few nice days to take Hazel tubing, skating and on an outdoor train ride.


Our friends John and Lisa-Joy thought that we had turned into wussy Dominicans and to that I would say, you are right! Only I think that I had always hated the cold, but now I really have a reason. Plus, getting 2 children bundled and buckled anytime you want to run somewhere is a pain in the butt! As soon as we got Hazel in the car, off came the mittens and boots. I don't know how she didn't freeze to death. Luckily Luna just slept through most of it. What a good kid!

We loved meeting our new niece, Boe, who is one month older than Luna, and nephew, Seth, who is one week older than Luna. Babies are so much fun.

Luna and Seth.

Luna and Boe

When we got back one of our friends asked us what our highlight of vacation was. We couldn't really come up with anything in particular I think because it was such a relaxing vacation and that's exactly what we wanted.

First time outside.

Luna all bundled up (in her first layer at least).

Making cookies with Grandma, something Hazel loved to do.

All the Meisner Grandkids.

Just before we left for vacation, we had to pack up our house (that we had only been living in for 4 months) and the school was going to move us into another house while we were away. I didn't think that the economic situation in the States would or could really reach us here but it has. We've had low student numbers for awhile and some drastic measures had to be taken to make sure that our school still existed a few months from now. So, there were some lay-offs and 3 families moved onto campus to save on rent. The best part of this is that because Terry was acting principal at the time, he was the one who had to fire me. Although he prefers the term "laid off". Anyway, I'm now 100% at home and love it! I also like our little house on the mountain. It's tiny but cute and has a great gazebo that we can hang out in. Also on campus are Bob and Carrie and our good friends John and Rachel who have 4 children that love to play with Hazel. Although I thought I'd hate living on campus it has turned out to be a huge blessing!

This is the view from the road where our house is.

Our gazebo.

Our tiny house.

2 weeks ago Terry's parents came down for their annual visit (we should really get t-shirts made for them). Because we are now very short staffed down here we all couldn't take time off together. So, Bob and Carrie and boys picked them up from the airport and spent a few rainy days at the beach and then brought them back to Jarabacoa until Terry and I and the girls dropped them off and spent a few more sunny days at the beach. It was a great time and so nice for the them to see how much Brodie, Drew and Ethan have grown and to also really get to know Hazel. She had them to herself all day while everyone else was either at school or work. All I heard all day was, "come Papa, come Gramma....read, (or sit, or play, or paint...). If they weren't doing this then they were holding Luna. I love grandparents!

Painting with Grandma and Grandpa.

Playing with her new rain boots.

Check out the size of that avocado!