Well, it's Christmas Eve and I'm feeling rather nostalgic thinking about the 10 Christmases our little family has shared. Finding pictures pre-2004 (when we finally went digital) was a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, Chris has turned some of our 35mm pics digital, so I was able to find a few from the holidays.
Christmas 2000
I thought I was just going to spend Christmas in Italy with my boyfriend, but I had the best early Christmas gift-EVER!
On Christmas Day we went to "Relationship Beach"
Christmas 2001
This is when I wished we had a scanner...No digital pictures of our second Christmas. I had just finished student teaching in San Antonio and was living back in Winterset. Chris was still in Italy, but did make it back to Iowa the week after Christmas.
Christmas 2002
We celebrated our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. Kasparek at our little duplex on David Street in Lisbon Falls, Maine. The other member of our family was the one and only, Reggie!
Our Christmas Eve Feast
Christmas 2003
We celebrated Christmas half way around the world from each other in '03. Chris flew back to Iowa when Grandpa Kasparek passed away and I stayed in Japan.
Here's the Kasparek family Christmas dinner
Our dear friends, Renee and Geoff adopted me for the holidays!
Christmas 2004
There's nothing like the friends you meet when living overseas. They become your family and we loved spending the holidays with our family in Japan. My mouth waters every time I think of Renee's out-of-this-world Christmas Eve dinner.
We were also VERY excited about a little girl who would change our lives in 17 days...
Christmas 2005
Emma's First Christmas! She was not too sure about Santa Claus (Chris!), but loved all the excitement as we spent time with friends.
Christmas 2006
One last Christmas in Japan...Emma was even more excited this year and warmed up to Santa a little bit.
Our special blessing this Christmas was growing away in my tummy!
Christmas 2007
There was a new addition and a new home for us in '07. We started many new traditions as our little family of 4.
Camden had just stared crawling right before Christmas and everything he could get his hands on went in his mouth!
Our little chef was in love with Santa's gift.
Christmas 2008
It was a SNOWY Christmas in '08. Emma really started to get into Christmas this year and Camden followed right along with her. :) They both loved opening presents and played the day away!
Christmas 2009
This year Emma remembered many of our holiday traditions and helped remind us (just in case we forgot). She made sure I lit the Advent Candles each night and Chris always knew where our copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas was at all times. :) The joy of having 2 excited kids in the house at Christmas time is indescribable!
Christmas 2010
Well, here we are 10 years after it all began. We're enjoying this last Christmas in Washington and look forward to a new chapter in our life in Italy next year!
