Yesterday we picked up our two little bundles of energy. The fear that they showed at first soon diminished and before we left Porterville, they were nestled in my lap, relaxed, and content. By Bakersfield they were sleeping and by the time we made the turn into Ridgecrest they were wide-awake and ready to play.

How to describe them? Well, they resemble a pair of furry bunny slippers. However, their level of activity is close to the Energizer Bunny. Lucky is at the moment the most outgoing and adventurous and LuAnn is the lover. I say at the moment, because their personalities change as they become more use to our home and our routines.

I was afraid Sammi, our eleven year old Doxie might be upset with the invasion of her home by young puppies. On the contrary, (and something I should have realized knowing her easy nature and love of canine companions) she has taken the babies in stride. She was very curious at first and whined a great deal. We thought she was upset with our bringing them home, but it turns out she wanted them out of the pen where she could sniff at them with ease. Once this was accomplished, she relaxed, found her favorite chair, and went back to afternoon napping.

We followed all of Tomas (Breeder) directions. Fed on time. Pottied them on time. Gave them a special exercise hour and then at 8PM put them into their carrier for bedtime. The carrier was on a night table next to our bed. We expected to be woken by puppy cries through this first night. Not so. Our babies went right off to sleep and I woke them at 6:30 in the morning.

The decision to expand our animal family is proving to be the right one. Bob is overjoyed with the puppies and the smile on his face when he watches them play is priceless. As for me, I am simply besotted and these little fluff balls are well-loved.

To see photos of them click on the latest album. It is on the right hand side of my blog. Then click on the first photo to enlarge it and then on next etc. You can also do a slide show by going to the left hand side and clicking on slide show. Either way enjoy the photos. I am certain there will be many more to follow.

Do all Grandmothers grin from ear to ear all the way through the package opening? Do all Grandfathers say over and over that their grandchildren are so clever…. so bright…..so inquisitive. I think maybe so. Perhaps this is part of the secret or not so secret legacy of grand parenting.

Our Christmas with the twins came on the 23rd. We arranged it this way so that they could be here while their Auntie Kymmie and Uncle John were visiting.

How different the holidays have become since our grand babies arrived. Before they came Christmas was quiet, adult-like, and civilized. Now it is hectic, energetic, and challenging. I for one, am ecstatic with the change and I wish my mother were still alive because looking back in memory, I can see the happy grandma smile on her face as she watched her grandchildren open gifts. It was, I am quite certain, equal to my silly grins as we opened gifts and watched the antics of Danica and Eric.

Today is a day filled with love and gratefulness for I have been blessed with a loving husband, healthy, happy, and prospering children and lively grand babies.

The 26th we head to Lancaster to celebrate the holiday with Bob’s family and then just two days until we pick up our puppies.

I have all my gifts wrapped and those that go out of the state are in the mail. It is a good feeling to be almost ready for the holidays.

While wrapping gifts I came up with this idea for presents that go to small children and I just had to share it with all of you. I made 8×10 photos of each child and put the photos on the front of their present. The tag above reads “Guess Who This Gift is For?”

So now it is time for a quick house cleaning and grocery shopping before the first of my family arrive on Saturday.

I promise to keep reading blogs because it is fun to look in on web-friends at this busy time before the holidays.

One of the best things about grand babies is the way they mold the old holiday traditions into something new and exciting. I am always amazed by the way family traditions flux,change, and yet in many ways remain the same as we welcome new members and mourn the loss of others, It was certainly the case this year, as many of our family members rendezvoused in Solvang for a pre-Christmas celebration and hopefully the blossoming of a new tradition.

Solvang, which I have always enjoyed visiting took on a special meaning as our daughter Kristi introduced the twins to their Danish heritage. I am sure neither will remember the taste of Danish pastries or the brightly lit shops, but the visit to this charming little village laid the foundation for a new family custom. Next year, it is my hope that more of our family will be able to join us in this new annual celebration of family Christmas.

Growing up Irish Catholic in the predominately Scandinavian-Lutheran city of Minneapolis gave me a window into Nordic customs and foods so at this time of the year, I suffer a little nostalgia for good old Minnesota Smorgasbord and holiday grog and I found it all in Solvang. It was a wonderful family gathering and the twins, as the center of attraction, had a great time.

For our son John and his wife Rhea, it was a first visit with their niece and nephew and they were quickly enchanted by the toddlers. Cold weather kept us inside for most of the time and our accommodations which included a living room downstairs and a loft bedroom upstairs soon became a cozy and inviting place to relax and enjoy each others company.

So with sugarplums and Christmas stars in my eyes, I dream of the day our little Danica dressed in white with a red sash, plays the role of Saint Lucy or Santka Lucia, and with the help of her brother, Eric brings the morning coffee and Danish pastries to our rooms at the Royal Copenhagen. Perhaps Aunt Rhea will play her guitar and sing the traditional Santa Lucia song. I imagine with a little help from google she can find the Danish words and the way to translate them to English.

Here is to finding new traditions that mix well with the old and proven ones and here’s to more pre-holiday gatherings in a fairy-tale Danish village in California called Solvang..