my wish for your 2015

May your new auntie bring you pillows full of catnip...

and peacock tails for you to chase,

and fresh tuna with a lovely china plate upon which to enjoy it.

Happy New Year all y'all!!

small joys

That is, after all, the focus of this blog.  It was a relief to end the travel day from HELL and arrive back home.  Nice to run mundane errands and do laundry and pick up some holds at the library.  And find cents!  Bizarre to arrive in a Texas colder than Virginia, but there you have it.

And.  Was delighted to find an entire shelf of this new Trader's product (it vanished a couple of weeks ago when they introduced it.)  A bonus was the noise maker one clerk was dashing about and handing out.

technology

Got to accompany everyone to a doctor's visit to see how lil' sister is doing.

My job consisted of hanging out and watching movies and having cookies.  Tough gig, I know.

 

Cannot tell you how many choruses we sang of:

"the most wonderful things about Tiggers is...mime da monly one"

Bouchon debut

 While I didn't get all precious with the water misting, I did delve into my new cookbook and created some eclairs for the very pregnant doyenne of the household.

Ummmm, custard.  We won't be divulging exactly how many eggs went into this recipe.

Loved these USA pans~one of my sis's bday gifts.  (She's lucky they wouldn't fit in my suitcase.)

What?  You thought there'd be a Virginia posting without gratuitous cuteness??

"going to the gym"

Mission Impossible pose!

I have now been inducted into the world of kiddie gyms.  And, on some levels~they're brilliant. (and on other levels?  They're a hideous incubator for typhoid.)  Had a truly fun time chasing the 'phew and his bff/neighbor for an afternoon.

Had a delightful walk around the lake.  I'll spare you the listing of everything we saw and talked about, but it's an afternoon of holding a sweet little hand and hearing jabbering conversations that I'll hold dear forever.

Pausing for reflection.

Painting ornaments~we fully embrace the 12 days of Christmas.

sunshine on my waffles

He may be only 2, but he's a great help in the kitchen.  Made me a cup o' joe every morning (well, most.  Unless he was distracted by all his fabulous new toys).

 Whisking away~with a little guidance from Mama.

Delish!  You cannot see, but this was FULL of chocolate chips.   A most auspicious start to the day.

so, this is Christmas

My Merry Christmas socks~purchased in England in 1989 and worn every subsequent Christmas since.  (and from all reports, have annoyed everyone around since then, as well.)

Little Narcissus~admiring his gift to me. But then, to be fair, if I looked like him, I'd probably stare at myself quite a bit.

 Ooooo!  Time to step up my baking game~love this gift!!

My gift of Molly Katzen's cookbook for children.

"Helpa Mama open Boppa's gift".

The truck/tractor were a big hit~cannot tell you how many times I stepped on them while cooking.

Sitting in a big boy chair for Christmas dinner.

Perusing our gifts.

There's no joy like looking into a child's eyes.

"Aurie open it."

the eve of Christmas

Yes.  I'm smitten.  But who could resist that grin?

A gift, meted out.

I am presuming these were hung with care.

cosy evening

After the excitement of having the pilot announce that we might be rerouted due to fog (and the mind asks:  doesn't modern aviation have like~COMPUTERS that can fly through fog?), we landed calmly and I got to reconnect with my darling little nephew.

may your days be merry

Am off to fly the friendly skies~hoping for a Santa sighting.  May all y'all have a lovely holiday~however and with whomever you celebrate!

if you're gonna sing the blues

Even the library ivy is in the holiday spirit.

Sing them like Mike Milligan and the Texiana Bluez.

A mug that I had eyed earlier in the year, but walked past to get a Christmas ornament instead arrived for me this morning!

snowman poops

The Grinch was lit the second visit to the fabulous Trail of Lights.

Some of my stash o' loot collected yesterday.

And yes, my vocabulary is regressing teaching middle school, but this got dubbed the snowman poops sweater yesterday.  I fully participated in the Ugly Sweater Day~picking up this gem at a used clothing store.  As I walked into the main building one of the LS (Lower School) teachers (whom I do not really know) said, "Oh, I thought it was tacky sweater day!"

I just smiled because I wasn't sure if she thought this was elegance and didn't want to offend her clothing sense.

Anyway, I am three Christmas movies and a couple of cookies into my beloved vacation!!!