December is a great month to celebrate a birthday, and our family would surely know! We started off with Josiah's 5Th birthday! 
Phase 1 of the 2007 celebrations began with a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Zeigler. 
Ziah's special request was cheesecake and we went to an established bakery dedicated to cheesecakes to select choose his favorite. After much debate, and desire to try them all, we walked home with a White Chocolate Raspberry Cake baked on a Chocolate Cookie crust. Quite refined taste for someone so young, but I definitely enjoyed his selection. He also had an Indian themed birthday party, but those pictures will be presented another day, as I forgot my camera and relied on Mimi's photography.
If the stocking fits....
Phase 1 of the 2007 celebrations began with a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Zeigler. Ziah's special request was cheesecake and we went to an established bakery dedicated to cheesecakes to select choose his favorite. After much debate, and desire to try them all, we walked home with a White Chocolate Raspberry Cake baked on a Chocolate Cookie crust. Quite refined taste for someone so young, but I definitely enjoyed his selection. He also had an Indian themed birthday party, but those pictures will be presented another day, as I forgot my camera and relied on Mimi's photography.Next in the line-up of births was Mimi's. She and Papa traveled over hill and over dale to get to us, but once they arrived we had a wonderful time together. We made her choice of Fried Catfish and coleslaw for dinner and finished the meal with a "Hazelnut Angel" cake topped with a raspberry glaze and torn mint leaves. It was magnificent. Elise was delighted with the whipping cream. To complete the night, Michael rented the first 4 Episodes of 24, the 6Th season...a show that all of us watched snuggled in together on our one basement couch!
I just thought I would add this picture in there to show where some of Josiah's 'personality' stems from...
Tim's birthday was on the 21st of December, and mine follows on the 22nd. Sorry, no pictures for this either as my day was recorded by Mimi and I forgot to steal the fotos before they traveled back. A memorable time was having Dad make my choice dessert: Homemade Doughnuts! He used to make them a lot when we were kids and he enlisted Elise to help make them for my birthday, mmmmm......
And on to the most well known birthday of the month, CHRISTMAS! We found ourselves in Springfield this year having a great time with the paternal side of the family this year. Michael preached at our home church, and then we came home as a family and opened gifts. Stockings were the first to be investigated.
If the stocking fits....
Michael taught Elise how to power the train that Grandpa had gotten Josiah for his first Christmas oh so long ago.
Uncle Matt deciphered who the gifts were for, Josiah and Elise passed them out.
There was even something special for Biscuit under the Christmas Tree...what a treat! I think this is why she always greets Grandma first!
Lastly, we have reading time...Elise's new favorite book: Pinkalicous! For girls who love everything pink! Even Josiah enjoyed this one.
