Christmas: Part 2

29 December 2024: Hosted Erin and company, Tara and the boys, and my parents today for Christmas: Part 2. Pretty great time!

(this last one taken--obviously--shortly after everyone left)

Williamsburg with Mike and Allison

28 December 2024: On our way back home, Jane and I stopped in Colonial Williamsburg and met up with Mike and Allison. It was really nice to spend time with them, walking around the decorated town, having lunch, and catching up.  

(Bummed that I didn't get any pictures!)

Winterfest on the Wisconsin

27 December 2024:

[Catch-up post...]

Ducked away on a quick road trip with Jane down to Norfolk to go to Winterfest on the Wisconsin. Really charming, whimsical, and magical!

Christmas 2024

25 December 2024: Blessed to spend the day with Erin, Eric, and the girls (and the dogs, one of whom was insistent on some face-licking...).

Quiet and cozy...

24 December 2024: Last minute (impending weather that turned out to not be that bad) change of plans means no trip to NY this year. (It's okay because most of the family will be down here later this week.) 

So today has been quiet and cozy, just me and the girls. (BabyCat, who also lives here, is not pictured.)

Now it's Christmas...

22 December 2024: Realized I hadn't yet watched one important film in my personal Christmas canon. Remedying that now as I finish a letter of recommendation.

That's how you know...

16 December 2024: "'Hoe' is the antecendent."

That sentence, uttered by students explaining the lyrics of a song to me, is exactly how you know you are at a Sigma Tau Delta holiday party.

It was--for the first time since 2019--terrific to host them back here at the house. 

Fall 2024 Grading: DONE!

12 December 2024: Just hit "submit" on the final set of grades, always a good feeling, but it's even more special when I think about how it started (COVID), what came in the middle (the election, a student's death), and the aftermath of all of that. 

Unfortunately, there's still non-grade-related stuff I need to get done in the next couple of weeks. And the new semester starts pretty soon. So there's that.

But for now? Chair-dancing, of course!  

  

One day early...

30 November 2024: I usually wait until December 1, but figured I could use the light and joy a bit earlier this year, so all the Christmas decor (inside and out) went up today.

Here comes Christmas...

29 November 2024: After spending last night at the McNetts', it was quite nice to wake up and spend some time with them, including helping them decorate the tree. I think I'll put mine up tomorrow, a bit earlier than usual, but not much. Feels like we need all the light and joy we can muster.

Gifts with Jane

29 December 2023: One of the highlights of every holiday season is getting together with Jane to exchange gifts and just hang out for awhile. We talk about big ideas and all the serious stuff, but laugh our heads off, too. Never fails to hit the spot.

Christmas Eve 2023

24 December 2023: 

[Catch-up post...]

A couple of pictures from the nicest parts of the day...

"The Bleakening"

23 December 2023:

[Catch-up post]

Made to NY in pretty good time on Saturday. That evening, I was thrilled to introduce Krista and Isla to Bob's Burgers, specifically to "The Bleakening." 

Sunday things...

17 December 2023: I know I just did this kind of post on Friday, but today had a lot of good things worth remembering:

1) On our way to Winchester (more about that in a bit), Amy and I stopped at the new Tudor's Biscuit World in Inwood. It was packed but the line moved quick enough considering and the food was delicious, of course.

2) We saw Waitress (the filmed stage version with Sara Bareilles), which was so lovely. I had seen a stage version at the National Theater with Jane and it was great, but hearing Sara sing the song--and getting a close up view of the actors--was terrific. 

3) After, we did some Christmas shopping and I crossed a few more things off my list.

4) At one store, a young woman sort of did a double-take and said, "You were my teacher, I think?" She looked familiar and when she said her name, I absolutely remembered her. I won't put in writing here the really kind thing she told me about my class, but after we talked and I walked away, I felt myself get teared up over how amazingly lucky I am to get to do what I do and get to hear things like that. She's a Spanish teacher now, which also makes me happy. 

Came home, wrapped some gifts, and am chilling for a bit with Jo and Veronica. New Christmas Bob's Burgers tonight and then probably and then probably an early bedtime. For a very dark, foggy, and rainy day, there was a lot of metaphorical sunlight shining through. 

Big sister, little sister...

16 December 2023: Kind of cheat post, since I took the pictures last night, but they have been making me smile all day today.

Anyway, last night I wanted to snap a cute picture of Veronica's habit (year after year) of sitting and looking at the tree. Got it, along with a pretty spot-on depiction of what it's like to live with a little sister. Veronica's face in that second photo kills me. 

Chugging along...

9 December 2023: Kind of pleased with myself for finishing my Zitkala-Ša entry today (one day ahead of schedule) and staying right on track to complete twelve entries this semester. Also making the day sweet, I managed to finish it after a lovely mid-day break to have brunch with friends and do a bit of Christmas shopping on German Street. 

New tree...

3 December 2023: I didn't put up a tree last year because I thought I might have Wesley through the holiday season and a tree wouldn't have been practical (for complicated reasons). And then he died just a couple of days after I made that decision and it was just too sad to think about putting it up. 

This year, I wanted to get back to normal, but also remembered that the old tree's lights were acting up and making me a bit nervous. So I got a new one. It's not as full or nice as the old one and I miss the LED lights, but it's good enough and looks pretty. So far, Jo has been Level 4 of "naughty," but I imagine there will be some escalation. 

Holiday spirit settling in...

2 December 2023: Festive and busy day today. Started off with a bit of grading and then the Shepherdstown Christmas Parade--always so much fun. Then we help a great NWP event for the community ("How to Write a Christmas Movie" with Brian Ruberry). Then home for chores, putting up the Christmas lights, and a good walk. I am wiped out, but in a pretty good way. 

Jo's First Advent Calendar...

1 December 2023: On Thanksgiving, Erin, Eric, and the girls gave Jo and Veronica a Trader Joe's advent calendar. I give the girls a Lego calendar every year and today Erin sent me a picture of Isla opening the first door. I felt it was only right to reciprocate. (I did save a treat for Veronica, who had gone upstairs.)

Christmas, part two...

14 January 2023: My parents are in town and came by this afternoon. We finally exchanged gifts, which was nice. (They were, as always, too generous.) They also got to meet Jo, who was quite charming. We got Chinese take-out and had a nice visit. Grateful to see them and so grateful that they are okay post-COVID.