New Year's Eve 2012

New Year's Eve Dinner

Juan Diego and Victoria

Then dancing and waiting for the fireworks at midnight.  This is Isela.

Estrella

Poor Juan Diego had a hard time staying up that late.  He needed a nap.

Lizbeth posing next to the nativity scene.

Margot and Manuel having a good time dancing.

Diego Armando checks out the party favors.

Tamara and Isela

Victoria is always smiling.

Wilber

Yasmin

Some of the kids passed the time playing Angry Birds.

left to right: Wilber, Diego Armando, Padre Daniel, Juan Diego

Dancing

And more dancing

Susana and Manuel had a lot of fun

Some of the girls dancing

I guess they're trying to decide what dance to do next.

left to right: Lizbeth, Katiuska, Arelis, Yasmin

Christmas

Christmas with the Kids

In Peru, Christmas is mostly celebrated on Christmas Eve night.  All of the pictures below occurred between 6pm and 1am the night before Christmas. It's kind of like New Year's Eve.  At midnight, everyone wishes each other a Merry Christmas and then fireworks go off all over the city.  It was better than any fireworks show I've ever seen.  I posted a short video at the bottom of this post but, of course, it doesn't do it justice.  It was pretty amazing.  I also posted a video of the kids with their presents.

First we went to church where the children received a gift at the end of the service.  Isela got a Barbie doll.

Wilber and Juan Diego got toy trucks.

After that we went to a chicken place for dinner.  This is Lizbeth and Arelis

Susana enjoying her papas fritas.

Group picture

Me

I think Jimena finished hers faster than anybody!

Pamela is enjoying her chicken.

Sister talk.

After dinner we went back to the orphanage where we waited (and waited) until midnight.  Finally, about 11:45 Padre Daniel leads the kids in a song of praise before the fireworks begin.

  All the kids got to play with sparklers.  Pamela is unsure about this.

Juan Diego likes his though.

Margot and Susana

Rosa Maria

Susana

More sparkler fun

After the fireworks, it's time for presents!

Pamela with her cool shades.

Hermelinda

Tamara and Katiuska

Margot and Diego Armando

Martha

Pamela and Jimena

Rosa Maria

Victoria and Juan Diego

Waldir

Yasmin with Estrella in the background.

Wilber

 After the presents, everyone was exhausted but we had a lot of fun!

Just a few random pictures

Estrella reading her library book.

Isela being...well, Isela!

Yasmin and Victoria NOT reading a book!