Happy New Year (from the hot tub)...

Diptic

Only in California, or maybe the Southern Hemisphere.

Jan 1st, after a nice birthday meal for Sarah, we decided to start the new year by jumping in the pool.

The girls both went to the normal pool but quickly came back to the safety of the 100°F of the hot tub. Our visist sadly had to get cut short after Loulou got sick both on Sarah and in the hot tub (muuuuuch better!!!)

01/10/12: This signed the beginning of a week of sickness for almost the entire family (Sarah, her both parents, Sophia and Thia!)

New Year's Eve across valleys and time zones!

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This year, once again, we enjoyed celebrating the arrival of the new year 3 times.

First, British Time, at 4:00pm at the Fox & Hounds in Studio City, with the usual suspects (Geoff, M and gang). As in any good English party, we then crossed the road, had a curry. I added my own twist by receiving a parking ticket as well! Bye bye 2011...

Then East Coast time, at 9:00, with most of the kids from our street! TV on, countdown, champagne, amazing food (including some Russian caviar) and good company.

Finally, proper midnight Pacific, still at our neighbors, in a way smaller committee, after most of the parents left to put their kids to bed!

Tomorrow will be another year!

Xmas Morning

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Finally, the time has come... 

No more expectations, no more counting the days to Xmas, no more threats to be put on Santa's bad list (yes, we used this a lot this year, even pushing to calling Santa on the phone a couple of times, asking him to potentially put one of the girls on the dreaded list).

The Christmas tree is surrounded by packets and boxes. Small ones and large ones. Red ones and silver ones. As if a wave of presents had reached the tree as it reaches a shore.

Despite being up late last night, the girls show up in our bedroom at the crack of dawn, standing right next to me and murmuring "Daddy, can we go downstairs and check if Santa has been?". 

Santa did definitely pay a visit to our house last night! He ate a couple of cookies, drunk his Brandy and gave carrots and peanuts to Rudolph and the other reindeers. 

There is no delaying it, no cuddle in bed this morning. The mild request turns to an urgent plea and so the best day of the year begins, part asleep, part excited.

Then, the fun begins! 

As it is now our habit, we connect our home with both grandparents homes for a live broadcast of the event, and the girls start their dance made of jumping, screaming, unwrapping boxes, opening presents then presenting them to both sets of grandparents, repeating ad-nauseum. 

Santa, this year again, seems to have known exactly what everybody wanted and delivered in large quantities. 

Next step, Sarah gets in the kitchen and starts preparing the English version of our Xmas Day dinner...

See you in few hours!  

Meeting with Santa Claus

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With Xmas only days away, it was definitely time for the girls to go and make sure that Santa had them on the good-kids list and discuss some last minute request that might not have been part of their initial letter.

No visit to The Grove or the Americana this year, due to family wide bout of cold. Luckily, Santa stopped briefly by the Valencia Mall, where we caught him between his 2 lunch breaks.

Last report from the girls: we're all on the nice list!

Xmas Party at Barbara & Brian

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Good wine, good food, good friends.

We braved our colds, drove over the mountain and down to the valley of Burbank. Saw some old friends, made some new friends, got merry by the end of the evening.

Sophia's Christmas Performance

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Annual traditions with both girls' preschools: the Christmas festival.

Think 15-20 preschoolers, singing (mainly lip singing actually) Holidays songs, eating tons of sugar and going through Holiday Gift Exchange.