This was Jutta’s first-ever American Christmas, and she, too, had a present under the tree.

With gifts exchanged and breakfast finished, it was time to say bye to everyone who came together to share a Christmas with Tata and Woody who hadn’t had a proper Christmas get-together in years.

We are now on our way home back to Phoenix, Arizona. But what would Christmas Day be without a quick walk in the surf? Jutta and Caroline doff their shoes and socks, flittering about in the shallow, cold waters of the Pacific.

Like her daughter, Jutta was not about to lament things even if she thought the water was cold, I think she was surprised and delighted to be able to walk on the beach with Caroline in what is winter back home in Frankfurt, Germany.

This is the original photo accompanying this post, but it was inexplicably lost to the digital gods protecting bits and bytes. As the only version now remaining, I’ve included it as one can never have too many memories lying around that reflect happy days spent with people we love.