mike, caroline, cooper, greyson, ela & lukasz: visiting babcia and dziadziu

cooper absolutely loved going to the park with dziadziu everyday......he would just stand by the door and ask to go outside

on this day, mike joined them and as you can tell cooper is having the time of his life!!!

doesn't he look like such a big boy?

here is our traditional "wigilia" (polish christmas eve). we always dress up a little, and start dinner by finding the first star out that evening (signifying the star of bethlehem) as kids this was really fun...now we kind of eat when everything is ready. next my dad read's the story of Jesus birth from the Bible and we give thanks for the one gift that truly matters.

as you will notice, there is always an extra place set at the table just in case someone should knock on the door and not have a place to go for christmas eve (signifying knocking at the inn)

my mom then serves the first course "barszcz" polish beet soup with "uszka" dumplings stuffed with wild mushrooms...this soup is a huge favorite

cooper's cheesing it up and ready to eat

and yes.....he loves beet soup...my little polish baby!

the whole family minus phill who was not able to join us this year

michael....cutting up the ham

and the turkey of course....our American part of Christmas

some other traditional polish foods include herring, some kind of fish, and "salatka" polish potato salad...of course we also have mashed potatoes, bread, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole etc. it's tradition to have at least 12 different foods on the table (for the 12 days of christmas...i guess)

after everyones eaten their 12 different fods...and my dad is finally finished...everyone anxiously awaits to be dismissed from the table by the sound of a ringing bell. my dad rings the bell and then it's time to open presents!!!!! in our home we always opened all our presents on christmas eve...now we save one for christmas morning too!!!