Christmas

 On Christmas Eve, Josh was a shepherd at our friends' house.

 On Christmas morning, Rachel spent a while with pliers trying to open this box wrapped in wire.

 She was thrilled to find an open-hole flute!  She can finally move up from her student flute that has served her well for 4 years.

 Madi wanted some classics for her collection, such as Les Miserables

 Josh loves his Hobo Tool from the Legges (though they prefer to call it a Scout Tool) and he uses it at every meal.

 Josh loves his 3-D maze ball

 The highlight of our day was skyping with Isaac in Ukraine at 11 a.m.!

 He showed us his nametag and spoke in Russian for us

 A Ukrainian policeman in the internet cafe

 Eliza and Madi wanted to go see "Les Miserables" for their 18th birthday.  We loved it!

 Haven't seen the "Hobbit" yet, but Lyrad and Josh are reading it together

Happy birthday to my wonderful twins!

Josh the future pilot

 One of Josh's Christmas presents was a 30-minute flight in this little tuna can (Cessna 171) from the Aero  Club on base.  Lyrad went with him, while I waited nervously.  Josh loved it and is counting down until he can get his own pilot's license.

 My fears were not put to rest when I saw that the pilot was YOUNGER than me.  But Lyrad assured me that he's probably flown for the Air Force for years.  (After the flight, I found out that he only flies for fun.  At least I didn't know that until afterwards.)

Working out -- in rain, in cold, or even in MUD

 Madi and Eliza were part of Invictus, a free workout class after school, run by friends of theirs from cross country.  It was like a military fitness training class.  They toughed it out, even freezing cold beach workouts (in the water!).

Josh's Christmas concerts

Josh felt kinda short between these 2 tall guys...

 

 Josh loves his tux and wants to wear it to church

 Josh is 6th from the left

 Josh's school has quite a large chorus program!

Christmas parade

 Our ward did a "Polar Express" float in the city Christmas parade

 Josh was the coal shoveler

                                    
 Rachel played flute in the leopard-print Santa hat

Eliza running strong

 Eliza finished up a fabulous cross country season

 She loves fun beach outings

 & enjoyed the regional cross country meet at a peanut farm in Tallahassee

 Here she is with the top 2 cross country runners in her school and also in the whole STATE...  they are juniors and both run the 5K in about 15:30.  Wow.

 Off to another cross country overnight meet!

 On Nerd Day

Ugly Sweater Day (unofficially) at school

New York City

 Rachel marched in the Macy's Thankgsiving Day Parade, in New York City.  Here she is at the 4 a.m
parade run-through.
 

 These pics are from the actual parade.  Rachel's band marched behind Carly Rae Jeppson and the inflatable Kermit.

 Here are a sampling of Rachel's 400+ shots taken of her week in New York...

 She spotted the Manhatten Temple from the bus window

 They ate dinner in Chinatown one night.  New York's Chinatown is NOTHING like San Francisco's wonderful Chinatown.  In New York, all the workers are from India, and Rachel ate Italian food in Chinatown.

 In the hotel room

 Photos from Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center)

 Rachel with her best bud Vanessa

 The Hulk is made of Legos

 The Rockettes Christmas show...

 ...it even had a nativity scene!

Thanksgiving dinner, followed by a dance