The day after Thanksgiving, we moved the trailer to an RV park in Salem and spent a week with the Salem Dixons.  It was excellent to spend so much time with them!  We went for walks at Ankeny Park, Minto Brown and Basket Slough, had relaxing times without having to hurry off and Emily invited us to her place for dinner one night.  That is so weird to have your grand-daughter cooking for you!  What a reversal!!!

John and Rachel showed us their spot to see owls!

Silver Falls

We celebrated Lina's 6th birthday.  My youngest grandchild is 6!

We took Lina birthday shopping. For her birthday, there was a drive-by for everyone to wish her a Happy Birthday.

The day after the birthday, I suddenly felt awful, headache, swollen glands and tired.  I was thinking it might be the starting of COVID, so I did an online assesment and was asked to get tested. I didn't want to spread it around if it was.  Results came back the next day and it was negative.

This was my decorating for the year.

Daniel had to get his tonsils and adnoids removed.  What a great way to feel for the holidays.  Oh well, since it had to be done, why not this year when nothing else is going on.

I took all the ingredients to Salem and we had a candy making day.  There is just no way I could have done my candy in the trailer and it was really fun to make it with the girls.

I took the ingredients to Jessi's house and we made my cookies there.

Josiah helped while on his hoverboard.

Lindy went to Colorado to see her kids there, so I got dog duty.  Jimmy sure loved me bringing Maggie in for a visit.

Because of the virus, we decided to heed the warnings and we split up our celebrations.  It wasn't the way I always want to celebrate, but it worked.  It was going to be a weird one for me anyway, since I don't have a house this year, so we all made it be a fun time.

First was the Salem Dixons. Dinner, gifts, boardgames, and an arm wrestle...Grandpa vs. Josh.

Then came the California Dixons.

We watched Gabe lead the Christmas worship service online and also watched the boys open their gifts via FaceTime.

Next came the Veras celebration. It was super windy at the trailer, so I spent the night with the Veras' on Christmas Eve.  I arrived late and had these sweet notes left for me on my bed (Josiah's bed that is).

I had a little fun with my crystal ball and their tree.

And a little birthday cake for JESUS.

Another shot of my crystal ball and my Mom's tree.

McCool Christmas was out on the covered back porch.  My Mom cooked the usual meal, but only about a tenth of the amount of food.  My Dad wheeled it out on the teacart and we ate all spaced apart. It is going to be so weird to go back to normal!!!  At the moment, we have not been inside my parents house since last March.  Only a little bit longer and we will all have the vaccine and we can begin to adapt back to our old customs.