All the men received black sweaters which was sufficient reason for an all too rare father and sons portrait.

On a more serious note, Kyle received a bass to add to his collection of musical instruments.

Kyle received a pair of used, smelly indoor soccer shoes from his father. Kyle now wears the same size shoe as I do and has frequently absconded with my shoes (he even wanted to lend them to his friend after one of his games). Kyle appreciated the humor of this gift and I bought myself a new pair which will remain under lock and key.

Nicolai’s big present was a Shiatsu back massaging bed pillow complete with built in reading lamp, arm rests, and cup holder. Naturally, all members of the family had to test the therapeutic effectiveness of the massage and I think it is safe to say that Nicolai received the most relaxing gift of the season.

Jeanine could not have picked a more perfect present for Maya this year. It was hard to tell who was more excited with the American Girl doll horse.

Nicolai flashes Kyle a look of approval for the soccer jersey he has just received. It is rare for me to get a photo of these guys together when one does not have the other in a headlock.

Jeanine received a home made wooden bird shelter and bird feeder from Maya who looks on wearing her new pajamas (please notice the matching set for Elizabeth, her doll).

Maya made me a wonderfully illustrated Christmas card which we read together.

Tomorrow we leave for Indianapolis to visit with family and friends. This evening, we got a headstart on present opening after attending church and dining out at our favorite Chinese restaurant (another Christmas tradition).

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, the kids were cooking Zeppole Balls supervised by my spouse. These fried dough balls covered in honey and sprinkles are a Christmas tradition with the Calabrias. Maya was in charge of rolling and cutting the dough. Nicolai and Kyle took turns frying them and Jeanine is shown here, drizzling them with honey.

Kyle drives to the hoop in a match against Sudbury. The team won by a nice margin and Kyle finished with 6 points.

I have been so busy with work (and photography) since we moved to Massachusetts that I have had little time to work in my shop. Today, I was able to find a couple of hours to organize some of my tools. Once I get everything the way I like it, I find the shop much more inviting and am more inclined to jump into new projects.

Jeanine and I joined Maya, her classmates, and their parents at school this morning to hear the stories they have written this year. Maya captivated us with When the Water Splashes, the story of how she learned to dive. Her writing style is creative, humorous, and in a certain way sophisticated. I am going to credit her mother and grandfather for these particular gifts.

Walls for the new shed were poured today. We plan to store the tractor, snow blower and collection of bikes here during the seasons they are not in use. This will free up enough space in the third bay of the garage to add other junk that will make it impossible to walk through.