2026 January: Best Christmas Surprise Ever

What a Christmas to remember. The days leading up to our wonderful Christmas were filled with chores and good times! Preparations began with a perging of my sister’s fridge in Brookings, Oregon!

The results were amazing!

I got to spend time with Mom in her assisted living home—one of my favorite things to do at this time of the year. We made bookmakers and other seasonal decorations.

Finally, we were ready for one of our great Christmas surprises. After living in Germany for 25 years and being with Lutz for 21 of those, my children and family were going to meet one of Lutz’s sons, Dominik. We picked him up in Arcata, CA, about 2 hours away from Brookings. We hit a little traffic jam on the way to get him.

He spent the next 3 days with my sister, Melissa, her husband, Steve, and my mom, Peggy, whom he had met when she visited me in Germany both times. 

We shared the Oregon coast with Dominik and visited local spots in Brookings.

One evening, we had fresh fish that Steve caught. Plus Hamburgers with fresh corn that’s not in Germany. Melissa is an amazing cook.

We played games!

Sat on the balcony in the sun and…

Watched amazing sunsets,

Broo

And made it to the spectacular Brookings Christmas Light Extravaganza!

Mom had a blast, and it certainly impressed Dominik.

After 3 days with my Oregon family, we were off to San Diego. Our long drive to San Diego was a tour of its own. First stop, Gaberville, to see the tall sequoia.

Even though we live in the Black Forest, there is something spectacular about the northwestern coast of California and Oregon. Dominik was impressed for sure.

We made it to Gaberville for the night and thought it was a good time to introduce Dominik to real Mexican food. This place was right behind our Best Western Hotel.

Hmm, I think he liked it!

Next stop, we showed Dominik downtown old Santa Rosa and stayed at our favorite spot, Hotel La Rosa. Walking distance to some amazing restaurants in the old part of Santa Rosa.

Dominik’s favorite dish…

Our favorite dish! If you’ve been following me for some time, you know which one is mine. The other is seagull food, as my dad always said.

Next stop, Santa Barbara, CA. Hotel right on the beach. 

Perfect walking distance to some great restaurants. Or eating leftovers on the balcony in the sun

Of course, a visit to the Mission was on the agenda.

Since Dominik is a Landscape architect in downtown Vienna (Schulte & Schönes), we needed to check out the botanical gardens as well. 

We even made it to the open market.

After a couple of nights resting in Santa Barbara, we headed south but couldn’t pass up a short visit with my brother, Boe, in Camarillo, CA. 

We arrived in San Diego just in time to celebrate my son, Jarrod’s, 50th birthday, starting his evening off with a backyard celebration at our gorgeous Airbnb. A surprise party was in the making, but Jarrod does not like surprises and knew we were up to something.

He ended up planning his own party at his favorite spot, where he and his motorcycle friends enjoy a beer after a Sunday ride. He figured this way, he wouldn’t have to face the anxiety of being surprised. It was so much fun to meet all his new biker friends and his old friends that we’ve known for years.

We got to attend the German Celebration of Saint Martin with Eva and Ruby, since Eva is still attending, and Ruby graduated from the Einstein Academy, the Immersion German-English school.

Dominik really got an introduction to our family. One evening, Lutz and I went to my High School dinner, leaving Dominik to attend a Lopez family gathering.

They had tickets for the Christmas Trolley tour of San Diego’s Christmas Lights!

For 3 days, Lutz and Dominik headed to Borrego.

They took a hike on The Slot, one of my favorite hikes in Borrego.

Dominik got to meet two of our good camping friends, Dan and Gay, while in Borrego.

I had a slumber party at our Airbnb with my grandkids, watching Christmas movies!

I also spent a day with my two favorite people: my daughter, Jericho, and my son, Jarrod.

This place is a must. The Hash House of Go Go is ridiculous. The servings feed three of us, and the biscuits are huge. Plus, everything is made with their special fried chicken. Check out this Eggs Benedict with chicken on mashed potatoes. Insane!

My son had the most incredible meal. Check this out. We needed doggie bags and ate for days.

What would Christmas be without making Gingerhouses?

Never too young!

And a baking session was of the utmost importance. Making Lutz’s grandmother’s chocolate cookies.

When the sun was out, Albert, Jarrod, and Lutz hit the course.

We had the best Christmas Eve gathering with Albert’s side of the family. PJ’s wear the required attire!

I handpicked Dominik’s!

As for Lutz, well, he picked his own!

The best Mexican food this side of the planet! Enrique is an excellent cook and brought Passole, tamales, beans, and tons of sauces. Marci, Albert’s brother’s wife, made the best Cocoflan cake in the world. My dream is to create it gluten-free.

A new one for us, Christmas Games! Never laugh so hard. What a hoot.

Then, on Christmas Day, we enjoyed the company of Jericho’s friends, cousins, and family. Tri Tips by Albert and smoked chicken wings by Jarrod.

What a feast. Albert made his famous Margaritas.

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Once again, we were caught up in a tournament of games – the tortilla slapping game. Partners filled their mouths with water, then were slapped back and forth until they spat it out! Here, Autumn and Levi, brother and sister, have at it.

Tearing open a box with a gift card, which was covered in tons of clear tape. You had to roll a certain number with the dice to keep the package rotating. Lutz won!

One of the great surprise games Albert and Eva created was the Price is Right Show. Two teams competed to guess the prices of Secondhand gifts. It was a hoot, and we had sound effects and the works.

There is something to be said about gifting a gift you’d like (thank you, Albert). Eva got one of the best gifts, and I certainly took advantage of it. My toes were done by a professional!

One more walk on the beach for Dad and son.

The time flew by with Dominik. He got to see my whole family and wants to come back! Imagine that. A goodbye family dinner was arranged for Dominik. It was at our favorite place, the Blue Water Seafood Restaurant in San Diego.

The next morning, he woke up sick! His plane was an evening flight, so we packed him full of meds, soup, and rest, then took him on his way!

The good news: he made it home and is now safe in Vienna, under doctors’ care, with bronchitis. Poor guy. But he has New Year’s plans, and I know he will make them, as for this side of the pond, we prepared for Ruby’s 14th birthday by getting decked out and ready for another delish dinner with family.

Sometimes the professionals like to be pampered.

Another reason to celebrate. The birthday girl loves sushi! She looks so happy here, but truly, she was feeling sick. The next day, she was in bed all day.

We got to see Eva in her advanced Jiu-Jitsu class one more time. The next morning, Eva was down for the count, shivering with a high fever and in bed with the cold.

All in all, it was a Christmas to remember, especially due to the great surprises, Dominik coming, playing games, sharing Christmas memories, and coming together to eat and experience new tastes, sounds, feelings, activities, and lots of love. Just incredible. My New Year’s Day was spent in bed with Dominik’s gift, a cold, and Lutz serving me soup.

I hope your holiday season was as wonderful as ours. Aside from getting sick, it was the best Christmas ever! I want to wish you all the best year ever and hope it brings peace and closer communities around the world. Not much time to cook, but plenty of time to eat this season. One of my favorite German recipes is Roladen.

Fave Recipe: German Rouladen

I’m going to make these when we get back to Germany to feel the coziness of this delicious meal. Simple and tasty, yet it brings the warmth of the season into your tummy!

Fave Resource: The Ultimate 2026 Bucket List for a Year of Fun and Growth!

I had plenty of time to read articles and found this unique “bucketlist” for 2026. It’s worth the read, since the suggestions aren’t your everyday travel list or diet plan! Number one got me right away: “learn a skill that scares you a little.”

See you all next year, and thanks for following along.