Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Night Before Christmas







It's Christmas Eve!






...and the
highlight
of our season...















... has been
the weeklong visit
from my brother, Chris,
from California...







...with
his wife,
Norma,
the artist of the family....





....and their kids -







Sweet Isabella...
















Trouble Calvin...













...and
little Solana.





Tonight,
my doctor brother,
Nic,
joins us at Brixton...








...with his PhD
doctor wife, Marti...








...and their kids...


Cally
from Chicago...





...and David,
from Minnesota
with wife Lyndsey.







Of course,
Gramma Gene,
joins us all
at Brixton....






...and for a brief moment
we talk on Skype
to California brother,
Ed...






...and his family.








Our house
is utter chaos...






...but
at least
Stubby
finds a peaceful lap.






Tom and KC....
















fix
a marvelous
dinner...






Grown-ups
get
the dining room....






...kids eat
in the great room.








We exchange
presents....





Gramma Gene
gives
the Chris Steussys
their heirloom jewelry...





Calvin
thinks
it's treasure!








- Calvin,
let's put that away
for a few years...






Gramma Gene
gets a stand
for her IPad...
















...and TJ gets
an Origami gift.








Solana
helps him
open.






Now it's
Solana's turn...

Should she
open it?

or wear it?





Everyone
watches
her careful hands...





It's a book!

But not
just any book...





As she turns the pages
we hear
a soft
southern drawl....






- 'T'was
the night
before Christmas
and all
through the house....





...not a creature
was stirring.

Not even a mouse.





The voice
is Gramma Gene's!

The book has recorded
Gramma Gene reading!






So Solana
can hear her grandma
read this book
over and over...


...for years to come.






What a
wonderful gift!







...for all of us
to be together...







...laughing...







...loving...






...sharing
the gifts
of togetherness...




...and family.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Sledding in Noblesville







Let's go
sledding!





We bundle up
and grab the sleds.



Amelia
told us about
this great sledding hill
in Noblesville!





We get there...

...and we're daunted!






The steepest
sledding slope
we've ever seen!






We watch
for a moment
in awe...




...watching
people
speed down
on sleds...






...on rafts...






...on discs...




...and on bellies...






We watch them
crash....







...and crash...






...and crash!






Then there's
the trudge
back up
the frozen hill.






- Looks like fun!
says Nicky.









- Who goes first?








- I will!
says TJ.








Whoa!!!!!!






- loved it!








- Me next!
says Al.







Aaaaa...!






Let's give
Calvin a try!





- This is
pretty cool!





- Way cool!








Yaaaaaaa!








Nicky
is ready
to try...






Omigosh!







- I'm proud
of you, Sis!














- Now let's see
how fast
I can go!

- or if I can
do it spinning!






Al tries
going faster....






We are
having
great fun!


But what about
Cousin Isabella?






- Are you
sure this
is safe?






- Sure, 'Bella.

It's not even scary...





We did it!



But where's Calvin?





Here he comes!





- Man!

That was great!









Bella goes again....





..and Nicky...








Look out
below!!!!







TJ and Calvin
decide to race....






Calvin
takes
an early lead...





...but he
loses
a mitten...







...and
his sled!









- I win!






Al
comes
crashing down
close behind them...




...and takes a break
in the snow chair.






- Waddaya think, Nicky?

Ready to go home?






- I need
one more run.
says TJ.




Push off fast....






Straight
down the hill!






....going right
for Mom!




- LOOK OUT!!!






Hit the sign...

















TJ is down!









But look!
He's back up again!






That
was
awesome!





- Let's go
for
hot chocolate!

.....

...



...and a nap...