Holiday

I think I have to approach it chronologically as it was long and multi- faceted. We rolled out of the mountains on 460 on the 23rd, passing Santa Claus on his motorcycle. We stopped at Jumbo's Home Cookin so that I could nurse the baby. Ella and John had pie, and I took my favorite picture of the holiday season in the ladies room.

On Christmas Eve we drank a lot of coffee. Ella danced the Nutcracker, and went on a hike to find my special rock on the other side of the creek. It is a huge rock big enough for two people to sit on where I used to read as a child. She and John hiked around until it was almost completely dark. She then decorated the Christmas tree and put out our collection of porcelain angels, something that I used to do every year. She, however, did it in her underwear. She put out cookies and milk for Santa and went to bed pretty early. On Christmas morning we gave and opened gifts. We were still in pajamas when my brother arrived around eleven. We had oysters and champagne for lunch.

The next day my aunt and uncle were over for lunch and then we were off to a Boxing Day party in Petersburg. I had so much fun that I didn't want to leave and neither did Ella.I talked to a lot of people who read this weblog, and now I feel that I should do a better job. I had no idea. I met Krislyn, Rory and Nora K's mama, and I'd love to see her again.

On wednesday we headed north to Fredricksburg for Christmas with John's parents. Ella was ready to open presents the minute she got there as she had heard that Santa had left her a box. It was the pogo stick that she has been talking about for a year, and it has a pony head--sort of like a hobby horse with a pogo bottom. For John's first christmas he got a Radio Flyer walker/wagon. I can't wait to take pictures of him in it. Ella opened presents for a long time, and gave Granny and Grampy the gifts that she had painted in Roanoke. There are lots of pictures on Flickr of her with the packages. Click on any picture here to get to Flickr.

Over the next few days Granny and Ella were a veritable vaudeville act of costumes, song, and dance. Ella loved the pancakes and cooking opportunities. They read lots of books and played a new game called "Granny's House". Ella also learned to play checkers. There were secret art projects in the basement and lots of staying up late and eating chocolates. Baby John held his own, bouncing away in his seat grinning at everyone who spoke to him.

John and I went out for New Year's Eve, perhaps for the first time. We did the whole Fredricksburg First Night thing. For us, it is always strange just to be alone these days. We had coffee and strolled around and saw Anousheh Kahlili play in a store window. My favorite quote of the night was from a guy who walked up and said, "That has got to be awkward!" The teenage girls were all dumbstruck. "Look. It is her!" http://www.myspace.com/anoushehkhalili. We walked a labyrinth and had dinner in an italian place. We saw Saffire play at the library. Great show, strange venue. We walked down to the main street to see The PEAR drop at midnight. It didn't drop, and we headed home wondering how Granny and Grampy had fared with the kids. Ella was in bed, and John was drinking a bottle after a five hour nap. All seemed well in the new year.

We are excited to be moving into our new house this month. John seems very positive about his work, and are happy that baby John joined our family this year. He is amazing. Ella started school this year and completed her first full year of ballet classes. She seems happy and well adjusted to life here. We have enjoyed living near our families and friends this year, and have high hopes for 2006.