January 2015: Gigi's Birthday, Church Activities

We celebrated Gigi's birthday in Tivoli:

We also participated in a day of service for Martin Luther King Day at Morrow Church, where Fer and Wendy are part of the youth group.

We also enjoyed fun times in Sunday School at our church, First and Trinity!

Festivus for the Rest of Us!

We had a great time seeing the extended Weeks/Gosa family at the Holiday for the Rest of Us! With great good cheer we completed the Feats of Strength (bowling), avoided Airing our Grievances, had our holiday gift exchange, and shared the Cupcakes of Festivus, complete with the Finding of the Bean.

Christmas and New Year's

We had a lovely time opening presents but during our ceremony we got the sad news that Gigi wasn't well and couldn't have us all for Christmas dinner. So Tia B and Uncle El went back to NYC later in the day, and instead of our usual large family gathering, we headed for a bit of low-key holiday time with Aunt Christine and family, and met up with Gigi and Grandad the next day.

Present opening in South Orange:

Belated Christmas dinner at Gigi and Grandad's house:

After a few days in Tivoli, we went back to South Orange and had our usual New Year's dinner with our good friends the Cardiellos. Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve

Aunty Barbara and Uncle Larry (our beloved Tia B and Uncle El) came for Christmas Eve. We met them in the NYC for a rainy visit to the holiday windows and tree in Rockefeller Center, and then went to see the Rockettes in the Radio City Holiday Show!

Back at home, we enjoyed time together and a festive holiday dinner before we headed out to church for Christmas Eve.

Christmas Pageant, Holiday Cookie Baking

The girls participated in the pageant at our church:

And we did our annual holiday cookie baking party:

Winter Concerts

We had the pleasure of a winter concert marathon between Fer's 7th grade orchestra concert, both girls performing in the choirs for their grade at the all-district choral concert, and then Wendy's 6th grade band concert. They did wonderfully and we were so proud. A few pics below:

After Fer's orchestra concert:

Wendy on stage at the choral and band concerts:

(far right in the second row)

(first one in the middle row, playing clarinet)

Holiday Visit

The girls' good friends Apple and Milli came to visit from NYC for a holiday sleepover in what is becoming a December tradition. On Saturday the four girls put up one of our trees, helped wrap presents, watched a holiday video while I baked cookies and made peppermint bark and finally all of us went to see Elf at the nearby Paper Mill Playhouse, which was a great production and full of cheer and pep. On Sunday, we all went to church for the service and pageant rehearsal, and then in the afternoon went caroling at a nearby nursing home and the home of one of our parishioners, finishing up with an open house for cider and cookies at our place. Truly a weekend to get into the spirit.

Fun on Saturday:

Caroling on Sunday: