Holiday Cheer

Hello everyone!!  I know...it's been quite some time since our last post and my apologies if you have been checking only to find nothing new.  Since the last update, we have moved into winter in full swing.  We had our first snow on Halloween, and the temperature has steadily dropped into single digits.  The air here is really dry so it's quite tolerable...not the bitter wet cold that we are used to back home.  We just have to make sure fingers and toes stay warm!  The river across the street has snow around the edges and steaming.  We even saw a few people ice fishing today...literally walking on the river's shallow area and setting up their chairs.  The trees around the river are completely white and appears to be the beginnings of a winter wonderland.  We have been told that the peak of this "winter wonderland" will be here in a few weeks so can't wait to take pictures and share. 

So to back track a little...for Thanksgiving we had dinner at the Pauly's.  Angi made a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal to share with us.  Harris had fun watching Elf with Lane and Alayna.  It was nice to celebrate this holiday with special friends!

The last weekend in November, we had yet another invite to the Pauly's for a company holiday party for the locals (most of us being expats, but some permanent residents too).  Angi and Paula had arranged for a French chef to come to her home and cook a French cuisine with a little Finnish touch.  So the menu included...champagne for starter drink, pate' and a couple of salads, reindeer steak, sweet potato mix, fondue chocolate, and cognac drink for dessert.  We were amazed at how the chef, Jean Marc was so efficient and calm...he set the tables, cooked, served, and cleaned all the dishes within a 3-4 hour time frame.  It was a wonderful evening!  Some tables were even moved for a little after dinner dancing:)

The first week in December we had our first US visitor...Matt's mother Jan.  We had a great visit and know that she enjoyed seeing Harris and how much he has grown and changed.  After Jan caught up on some zz's, we introduced her to Imatra and Finnish customs/culture.  I introduced her to the other IP women and children at a Christmas cookie gathering Laura hosted.  Harris was able to get his sugar high on after eating about 10 cookies, and then had a dance off with the girls.  At the end of Jan's first week here, we jetted off to France and Belgium which will have to be another post. 

Tune in...I promise not to wait another 2 months for pending posts:)

Love to all,
Stacy