4th Advent Sunday

As you can see here, "Father Christmas" -- he still likes to "be" someone and that's who he was right then --  poses in front of the lit advent candle holder.  It's the 4th Sunday before Christmas so all 4 candles can be lit.  The basket was made with love by Mr. Bengts arthritic hands years ago.  We look forward to this tradition each year.  Even Elder Uchtdorf mentioned it in his Christmas Devotional address this year. 

Our boys are making their pulla boys for Christmas morning.  They're also making ones to take to Mummo and Papa, since they started the tradition. 

We'll eat them with "Polar Express" hot chocolate, the orange from the toe of our stocking, some quiche and leftover ham for protein and stocking candy:)

Andrew is burning one of the two candles he made in 5th grade

 for Christmas. He had to make his own candle holder too as all of ours were too big. David also made a set for Mom and Dad.

Katriina stirs the pretend "riisi puuro" rice porridge looking for the lone almond with the Finnish elves. At Mummo and Papa's tonight we had our traditional rice porridge instead of waiting until Christmas. First Andrew and then Matthew got that lucky almond -- oops pecan -- since I couldn't find an almond to put in. First Andrew scooped it up in the first scoop, but put it back since he'd scooped so deeply. Then it came up in Matthew's scoop. So it's extra good luck for both of them all year!

Matthew played some Christmas songs he taught himself (plays by ear like his Dad)  for Mummo and Papa.

David shovels the driveway upon our return.  Notice the figure 8 he is making?  

We all helped shovel at different times today -- before church, after church, on the way to Mummo and Papa's, when we got back, when we left for caroling, when we came back from caroling -- it just kept snowing and snowing!

We joined the  Thomas's and Johnson's caroling again this year going from house to house in the neighborhood.  It was snowing the whole time! 

Maria treated us to several varieties of her Swedish Christmas cookies with hot chocolate to warm us up. Yummy!