December

The month of December is full of celebration for our family. Not only is it the month in which we celebrate Michael and Ezra's birthdays (as well as 5 other members of our family), but it's the time we put our shoes out for St. Nicholas on the night of the fifth and prepare for Christmas and all of its festivities. Here on the island, it is almost entirely up to the individual to create the Christmas spirit. There are no peppermint mochas to be had at your local Starbucks or Christmas music to be heard over the speakers at the mall complete with Santa, his house, elves and reindeer. And the weather is anything but frightful making it feel so delightful to sit by the fire and sip hot cocoa (I don't think anyone has a fireplace on St. Maarten). We live on an endless summer island where your main influences are the natural beauty around you and not the latest fall collection at your favorite stores at the mall. Your plans revolve around which beach you will visit next and not which mall or store you want to go to. My shopping only takes place at the grocery and hardware stores now (and sometimes the toy store for Ezra). So without Black Friday, the bedecked malls, and chilly weather, I have been feeling the absence of Christmases past. But, I'm enjoying that this year the holidays will revolve mostly around family, with my mom and Larry arriving tonight for a 3 week visit and the traditions and celebrations we are creating for our little family. We have had a memorable birthday celebration for Michael with 25 of our new friends on the island gathered at our home. Ezra celebrated his first Nikolaustag that I think he'll actually remember. He has been eating the chocolate eggs that he got from Saint Nick, the kind from my childhood visits to Germany, with a little toy inside the plastic yolk encased in the chocolate. We continue to go to the beach a few times a week and feel like it's the middle of July and not the middle of December. But, the warmth from the sun and the closeness of family and friends is all one really needs to make everyday feel like Christmas.

the birthday banner Ezra and I worked on for Michael

me and Michael at his birthday party

Ezzy's shoes filled with toys from St. Nicholas

our little Christmas tree

the Christmas tree in our lobby that Othello put up (the man in the picture)

we were just returning from bringing Ezra's friend Maddy to the airport

a little afternoon visit to our beach

trying to pull the rolls out of his pants

the sun setting at our beach