A very Gieser Christmas, part 1

What an amazing Christmas we had with our family in Wheaton!! Granddad and Nonna, all three Gieser siblings and all four granddaughters together in the same house! Added to that delight were the beautiful Christmas decorations Mom had put up - Gemma quickly made a habit of going to Nonna to ask to be picked up to go look at the Christmas tree. We also enjoyed a chance for the siblings to go out Christmas shopping with Dad, a tradition since the Giesers kids were young (men one day, ladies the next); Granddad's train (finally resurrected again after a 20 year haitus...); and many hours of cousin time playing together with the play kitchen and dolls.

Just look at this beautiful gingerbread house that Mom made!


Elsie and Gemma share story time with Nonna one morning.

Beautiful, happy-go-lucky Elsie (9 months old now!).



Bella and Avery are two years old (27 months) and are particularly impressive with their potty training skills. They both love baby dolls and taught Gemma a few tricks on taking care of babies, wrapping them in blankets, putting them in the high chair to eat, setting them on the potty seats, and pushing them around in the doll stroller.

...or pushing Gemma around...

On the day that the dads went shoppping, we ladies ventured the cold and visited Cosley Zoo! Of course the ducks received the most attention, but we also liked the goats and sheep and wolf and chickens and owls. After our visit Gemma has started saying more animal noises, especially "Baa!" It was very neat to introduce Gemma to this small zoo, as both of us went there many times as kids (Jim from growing up there, and me from summer visits to Grandma).


Each married pair were assigned a dinner meal - Jim and I made chicken curry with rice, with malva pudding for dessert. Indian and South African. How can you go wrong with that?