Alphabet Musings 2024

A Anders, Anna, APUSH, Agatha, Airbenders, Alien, Acadia National Park, Ariana Grande

B Christmas in Buffalo, Bug lab, Blood on the Clock Tower, The Boys, Bye Bye Biden, BHS,          Biking to School, first Breakups

C  I read a Controversial article, John Canning

D Disc golf, Diva, Drama Club 

E  Elli, Eli, solar Eclipse, EMS, Electric bikes

F Fireplace mantel project, our Flower boxes 

G Glynnis, our Gardens, so many Games, homemade Granola 

H Hadestown, Handmaid's Tale, painting the Heart on the barn 

I Into the woods, Insulating the basement

J Judy, Juliana, Jeremy and Jessica, Jamie’s book, Junior year  

K Kuba, Keats, Kamala, Keyboard, Korra

L Lance, Lake Champlain 

M Morgan, Matilda, Mean Girls, Mikayla, Margaret, Mor Mor, Musicals, Marriage

N Nadya, Nineteen years old 

O  

P PreCalc, Pajama game, Piano 

Q Quite the election year

R Rowan, Road trip with Isaac, to Retire or not to Retire? 

S Sophomore year, Sylvan,  Siena, Set design lab, Sailboat, Sylvan, Susan, Seventeen years old, Singing, Smart kids  

T  The Trunchbull, Trump won, Thea, Tiger, the Thanksgiving play, making Terrariums, Tophouse, third times a charm

U UVM, Kuba on JV Ultimate team 

V Very Merry, Vampire, Valerie, Volvo 160k 

W one night Werewolf, our Wedding (for the 3rd time), Watermelon game, Wicked, Wellerman 

X MMXXIV

Y Yogurt, our backYard

Z Zoe 

Christmas Time at Home

It’s such a beautiful and magical time of year, filled with anticipation and joy. Candles, holiday greens, and twinkling lights all combine to make our house so cozy.This year we were away for the holiday but came back home for the new year.  Out trip to Buffalo did not dim our holiday experience here in Vermont.  

The Many Days and Many Ways of Christmas 2024

Let's start at the very beginning - making Ushki noodles for our Christmas Eve cream of mushroom soup. We made them at Sandy's this year, Jamie, Zoe, Sandy and I.  Anders and Kuba came for a little bit of it.  They look like little crowns or ears.  They are stuffed with mushrooms and are delicious.  

Next, we shuffled off to Buffalo and rented an Airbnb with Sandy, Jamie, Aj, and Zoe. Luckily, no snowstorm so the driving conditions were fine.  Our place was right near Paul's house in Lakeview, literally about four minutes away from him.  Our house had four bedrooms, a gas fireplace,  and it really was perfect for us.  We did not have a Christmas tree, so we went out and cut some greens.  We put them into a vase, added lights, popcorn, and candy canes, and whala, Christmas magic! This is the first time we've all been together as a family in years and the first time we've gathered without mom and dad.

 

We had lots of fun at the Airbnb, playing cards and games, and even doing little holiday crafts.

We celebrated Christmas eve at Tim's.  There were 26 of us in all!  It was a traditional meal of Mushroom soup with ushki noodles, pierogi, fried fish, and coleslaw.  

  

  

  

There were many children of the next generation!  

Anders, Kuba, and Adalyn, Zoe, Brianna, and Manny were the youngest of all.   

 

 

After dinner we had a Pavlova that Sandy made for dessert....among many other cookies and sweets! 

We had a Yankee swap between the adults and it was a mob scene of gifts and people. 

Christmas morning we woke up early to a giant pile of gifts.  
We opened gifts and then had a delicious breakfast made by Sandy, Aj, and Anna.  

Uncle Paul joined us.
 

After breakfast we played more games like pinocle, and the new Ransom Notes, and Alien game.

 

On Christmas day we went to Mark and Sharon's for a delicious dinner. Once again, there were 26 of us, yet we managed to fit in the house. We ate, and then we played games, went caroling around the neighborhood, and did the oplatek. We also did a photo shoot with all the kids, trying to recreate an image of Jess, Kaitlyn and Jamie from 20 years ago.  The whole Christmas day was pretty spectacular.  The food, the family, the merriment and goodwill.