Topeka Zoo

Eden hugging "Aslan" in the gift shop.

The next generation of forest rangers.

Z and the hippo.

That's an orangutan with a sack on its head in the background.

Generations

Caleb, Grammy, and me (Fall 1974)

Caleb, Mom, and me (same day)

Z, Yaya, and Eden (2016)

A Walk In the Woods on Christmas Eve

Z found the Deathly Hallows sign.  He's pointing to it.

Here's a close up.

A Glimpse into the Future

Yesterday Eden and I (Christina) had this conversation:

Eden:  I love you.  I don't love you.
Me:  What?
Eden:  I love you.  I don't love you.
Me: What does that mean?
Eden: You know what it means.
Me: Ummm . . . no, I don't.  What does it mean?
Eden: It means I'm a teenager.

This is an old picture, but once I saw it, I couldn't resist posting it.  Is she not the cutest thing EVER?

Christmas Gifts from Oregon!

We got a Christmas package from Oregon today and opened it right away because it was marked "perishable."  My goodness, it was a feast of fat things -- truffles, smoked salmon, caramel popcorn, baclava, chocolate covered cherries, and pears!  Thank you Jeremy, Ann, Evie, Libby, and Gideon!  We each had a chocolate covered cherry after supper tonight and they were scrumptious!  The boxes came wrapped in a beautiful gold ribbon which Eden is enjoying as much as the food!

Eden Does the Cha-Cha

Z's First Concert

Z has been taking part in orchestra this year in school.  He's playing the cello and seems to be enjoying it very much.  Last Thursday he had his first concert at school.  He and all the other kids did a great job and clearly liked playing and loved their teacher!

The last song was "We Will Rock You" so they all wore cool sunglasses!

The Sugar Plum Tree by Eugene Field

Santa Came to the Soto Pancake Feed Today

These two pictures basically sum up the Hitchcock relationship with Santa Claus.

Nathan just wants to talk metaphysics.

Eden is two parts unbeliever, one part terrified acolyte.

Joy to the World (including you suckers)

Last month Nathan led worship at our church and, before leading "Joy to the World," explained how Isaac Watts wrote the song as a political proclamation of Christ's kingship over the world, not as a Christmas song per se.

Clearly some people were listening.  A friend texted us this today:

Last Sunday at family dinner my mom asked the kids if we sang any Christmas songs as church, adding that she had sang "Joy to the World" at her church.  In near unison my kids [ages 4 and 6] said, "That isn't really a Christmas song."  My mom looked at them in confusion and my son said in complete confidence, "Listen to the words, Grandma.  Not a real Christmas song."