Wednesday, January 02, 2008






Holiday News and Pictures

Dear readers, friends, lurkers, etc. The following is a short summary of our holiday trip to Nathan's parents~ of course, these are just the highlights. Many fun memories were made, and Kleenexes used as we struggled with a family-wide cold.

*Got together with dear friends, Jonathan, Trisha, Timothy, and Arlette Makcen for Jonathan's birthday at a yummy restaurant called Buckhead. Enjoyed catching up with old friends.

*Kathryn infected us all one by one with an insidious cold and runny nose. Mom Brown was the first to succumb, taking to her bed for a few days to recover. We were thankful we were on vacation and had the time to lay around and take it easy.

*Christmas day was to start with a brunch hosted by yours truly. It was a disaster as the crescent roll dough had been frozen inadvertently, etc. making the nostalgic sticky buns impossible to make.

*Dad salvaged Christmas brunch with some of his expert egg cooking. After an enjoyable meal, we settled down to the business at hand~ that being, keeping children still during the Christmas story, watching kids open presents, watching kids open more presents, and yet more. I must have qualified as a kid this year, because I was quite spoiled. I got a lovely Battenberg tablecloth for my dining room table and most everything off my Amazon book wishlist. Marianne gifted me with a fabulous scented lotion from Bath and Body Works- the Japanese Cherry Blossom~ I'm loving it!!!



*Kathryn decided to make a break for it the day after Christmas. She had been playing downstairs in the 'clubhouse.' We were all upstairs and about, so we're not quite sure how or why she decided to go outside. (She has never done this before, thank God!) Panic ensued momentarily when we found she was missing. We found her covered in mud, asleep on top of the well-secured hot tub cover. Despite being out without a coat and infected with a cold, she was not even chilled. It took all of us several hours to begin breathing again! Thank God that He watches over us and our kids in ways that are amazing. It's easy to play the 'what-if?' game- but all was well in the end.

*Spent Friday, the 28th, with dear collegiate friend, Sylvia Decker nee Lucaschi. Her husband, sweet baby Alex, brother-in-law Mike and sister-in-law Rachel were along as well. We met at a mall in downtown Indianapolis. We had such a fun time! I think we'll be making this an annual excursion. This day was eventful for me personally. I set a new record for myself: lost in two major US cities in ONE DAY! Indianapolis going, and Cincinnati coming. Tom-Tom is being put on wish list for next year.




























*Missed out on spending New Year's Eve with dear friends, Tara & Derek thanks to yucky sickness and our heading home on a different day than originally planned. This was the saddest part of vacation.

*Two fun things that happened: Mom's orchids were in bloom and drop-dead gorgeous! AND Aunt Carol (that would be Mom's sister) was able to come for a few days after Christmas. She's always a welcome addition and as you can see, Chips enjoys her pampering. She's such a fun person to have around~ full of the zest of living. It must run in the family... :o)



*Came home to find back door blown open by wind. House is a balmy 48 degrees. Leaves and bird poop on kitchen floor. Thankfully, nothing was disturbed. Slept curled up around Alex to keep him warm as thermostat labored along. Toilet seats were colder than 48, just so you know!

*A tired mommy slept through the arrival of 2008! Those who plodded through this post~ Happy New Year's. Those who didn't~ oh, well. I wouldn't have either, most likely ;o)

5 comments:

Mary Ellen said...

I don't think I have EVER read one of your blogs and not laughed out loud!!!! Including this one.

Held my breath as you talked about not being able to find your daughter for a few moments and then to find her SLEEPING outside, on top of a hot tub of all things...I understand and know the feeling as I've had some similar experiences...and yet never feel any less panicky each time something like that happens. Soooo glad she is OK.

The picture of the two laughing baby boys is just priceless.

Matt and Silvia Decker said...

It was so wonderful to see you and little Alex in Indy - we definitely need to make this a yearly tradition! I'm stealing your photos for my blog :) Love ya lots!!

Tara said...

Loved all the pics, Charity. So sorry that we missed out being together on New Year's Eve. Such a bummer. Probably to your family's health benefit, though, that you weren't around us. We cannot seem to shake this thing. It's getting ridiculous!

Talk to you soon.

Erin said...

You are a hoot. I love the way you word your stories... you make me laugh! Wow, I haven't seen Silvie in forever! The little Alex's are cute!

Julia said...

Charity;

Happy New Year. I really enjoyed this post, no plodding here. :) I'm just slightly jealous that you all never get to be with us or us with you. Let me know next time you all are heady to Brown's perhaps we can redo our last get together.