Our COVID Christmas

We had a very blessed Christmas break this year!

Since moving to Gaming, it was our first time not celebrating Christmas here. Instead we got to fly to Steubenville and spend time with Brian’s family!

Our flight (Jack’s first!) was from Vienna to Toronto. That flight went well. Unfortunately our next flight from Toronto to Pittsburgh was cancelled. So we had to spend the night in Canada. And Canada is serious about its Covid rules. So despite being fully vaccinated and having negative antigen tests, we couldn’t leave the airport to go to our hotel (paid for by the airline) without a PCR test. So we had to spend hours sorting that out, getting tested (even though we wouldn’t get the results for three days), and making our way to the hotel after purchasing incredibly expensive diapers - all with five jet lagged kids! But thankfully Mother Della Marie, TOR, was traveling with us - she was such a gift and kept us all relatively calm :)

Our flight the next day was delayed, but eventually took off and got us to Pittsburgh!  I was very happy to say, "See ya, Canada!"

Staying with Brian's parents was wonderful!  

The kids got to deck the tree with Grandma and Grandpa:

Build a gingerbread house:

Christmas Eve we all went to Holy Family Church for 6pm Mass and then over to Brian's sisters house for food, dessert and the White Elephant Exchange!  It was so fun to be there, especially since the last time we were there was when Ellie was 1 year old.

Unfortunately, gifts were not the only things exchanged....apparently Omicron is VERY contagious and we all brought those germs home!  Thankfully Brian's parents had recently recovered from it - they were the only one spared as we all began testing positive three days later.  Fortunately we all had relatively mild cases and quickly recovered.  It was also great that we all had it - so getting together for NYE was still possible :)

The theme of the gifts was Harry Potter!!

Pre-covid and post-covid isolation days we were able to visit the Nutcrackers in downtown Steubenville.  They also have an Advent Market modeled after the ones here in Austria - we didn't get to visit it this year, but look forward to going next Christmas!

Francis had the idea of posing as their own Nutcrackers - which the kids all loved!!

We had planned to baptize Jack while in Steubenville but because of Covid we had to postpone his baptism (he'll be baptized in Gaming).  

He was very happy in the arms of Grandma, Grandpa, and his godmother Aunt Maureen!

Nearly three weeks later, we headed back to Pittsburgh airport and flew to Toronto and then onto Vienna - this time everything went smoothly!!

Crazy that this was likely our kids last international flight from the USA to Europe for a looooong time - and I'm not complaining, jet leg is rough!  They are pretty awesome at travelling though!

We're looking forward to an awesome semester ahead - our last one!!  We'll be joined by two nephews, which we're super excited about!