December: Holly's 50th Birthday, Star Wars & Christmas
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Holly's 50th Birthday! (part 1)
Fancy brunch at Citrus Cafe
Then back home for a few presents
A card from Aunt Mary includes Sasha's Steampunk sleeping mask that she left in Seattle.
Card from the kids
And one from Alan
Professor Cupcake also wishes Holly a happy 50th!
A card from mom & dad
and a hand blender! The kids got mommy replacement headphones and earbuds for the ones that they steal from her at various times throughout the year.
Happy Birthday Mommy!
We had a few Christmas parties at work
This one had great catered snacks!
Sasha and Alan geared up for the first show premier of Star Wars: Rogue One
It was the coldest day of the year so far and we were not prepared to wait outside, but they eventually let us in after about 30 minutes in the Hoth-like cold.
A holiday potluck at work
Lots of yummy food!
Anya decided to build the Christmas tree this year. Here she reviews the blueprints.
Then assembles all but the top of the tree.
Sasha joins in (after the hard work is done) to add decorations. The kids did it all themselves this year!
Professor sits by her Charlie Brown tree. Sasha shows off the gingerbread house she made at a sleepover.
Driving up to Michigan for the holiday. Snow is encountered.
Anya loves the snow. Battle of the "Michigan Pops" Creme Soda edition
The weather report said we would lose the snow over the next day or so, so Anya and Lucy take advantage while the can.
The snow wasn't packing on this day, so they hand to shovel it into piles to play with
The next day it got more packable an the snowmen were born
Anya made this little chibi snowman
House of Snow
Performing our dark ritual
the night feeding of the creatures of the night
To ward off the evil of the holiday season
And to play on parking lot snow piles
Christmas Cookie Crew
Cutters poised
Christmas Even PJs. Twin Unicorns!
Decorating the cookies.
Great care and effort is employed under Mark's stern and forbidding supervision
final decor applied and Anya toasts a job well done
Stockings are hung from the banister with care...
...while entreaties to St. Nick are placed everywhere.
Christmas morning arrives
With the typical piles of riches
Each identified with a custom balloon
The Pile awaits. Looks like this man of the Nightswatch may have dozed off during Santa's incursion.
Dawn brings the children
Quickly finding their stashes
Ukulelin Lucy and Scootin Anya
Sasha sports her saddled shoes, Holly hugs an elephant.
A new infusion of old tinker toys!
Grandpa appreciates Anya's classic toys
A super stoked Sasha officially receives the first phone of her own
Anya and her elephant find new slippers
As we near the end of our family binge of Star Trek Next Generation, Anya gets a Locutus figure and Sasha a Lt. Barclay!
More openings
A cupcake and a CD from Anya to Sasha
A Totoro shirt from Sasha to Anya. Sylvia got a fully furnished new bedroom, like she won the showcase Showdown on The Price is Right!
Anya chills everybody out with her meditation bowl
Dad get's the entire Far Side comic collection (I want that!)
Anya puzzles over her puzzle bubble.
a lull in the frenzy
Grandpa finds a big one still unopened
A fancy new winter coat!
Locutus is impressed, and wants to assimilate the coat for himself.
Snacks in the stocking are discovered.
Playing with the gifts
Pick up sticks!
Later in the day. Christmas 2 begins.
The food begins rolling out
The next wave of presents begin to flood across the room
We hug each other one last time and eat a bit to gather our strength before the present opening commences
Lucy sings a sweet serenade while we gorge
By tradition, we all wait until Angela takes first choice of all the good stuff.
Smiles everyone!
Everyone gathers and is ready for the presents (except Holly who catches some zzzzzz's)
Anya is crowned, and the opening begins
Sasha finally gets the long awaited 3rd edition of her Madoka Magica manga
Sylvia and Anna get something too small to see in the photos
Sweaters and shelves!
Angela opens her Glass Footed Trifle Dessert Bowl
Alan get's a cool Deadpool Sweatshirt!
Holly gets a chocolate orange
Mark get's a coat just like Dad! Now they can be twinsies!
Jeff gets cool Kerbal Space Program swag!
Grandpa gets a book so he can finally learn about Michigan!
Anya was drawn by some type of force to this gift and Alan likes Pez.
A Wubble and an insiders Les MIs shirt
Present for Maddie from Sasha & Anya
Holly and several others get a similar shaped box.
Steps will be counted!
Mark gets something big from the Wisemans
A giant beer growler. Now he can carry a flagon of ale anywhere he goes!
The Kerbals continue for Jeff
Anya also gets a Wubble
And a shirt to go with her crown!
Sasha gets a Hamilton shirt
Earrings for Tess
Anya gets a box of Tsum Tsum gear
Lots more presents
Jeff with the whole Kerbal giftset!
Grandpa gets a cagefull of seashells
A Star Wars book and pics of the cousins
Alan get's a computer dot to talk to
Anya gets Miserable(s)
More presents for Tess
Anya somehow finds humor in the proceedings
Lucy gets a smart watch and Holly gets a mug
Anya's very own sewing kit and a nautical blanket for Sasha's weird nautical obsession
Lastly Dad opens his Bob Newhart CD collection.
The Extreme Theater features extreme comfort and a extremely huge screen
Breakfast in Grandma & Grandpa's room with Aunt Mary!
Anya mixes herself a cocktail
All the goodies of Christmas 3
The Family Wiseman
Everyone still likes to carry around Anya
Christmas 3 also features Holly's 50th Birthday!
And a spread of amazing Cajun food!
All the Christmas girls
The gentlemen of Christmas
Everybody checking their phones to see if there is someone somewhere is having more fun
Enjoying the Cajun Christmas
Cousin pile
Grandpa keeps an eye on Tess and Joe
Mark, ever concerned with Global Warming
Nolyn and his friend who I remember ate a lot of toasted bread for dinner
Holly gets a lapful of birthday presents
First an old-timey Apple peeler
And then a bunch of MSU gear!
And then Jeff stole it all and took a little nappy
All gathered to sing to the birthday girl
Luckily Sasha had her phone to capture the event!
Lucy towers over Aunt Mary
And with this forced perspective, Mark is the same size as everyone else.
Sasha can't wait until she get's home. She must scoot!
Her favorite trick
At the final gathering of the season
One last chance to eat all the Christmas foods
And of course the entire family, from 12-75, enjoy the fellowship of Cards Against Humanity
One more pic before innocence is lost
And then the debauchery begins.
Stopping at Grandma & Grandpa Wiseman's house on the last night in Michigan. Grandma get's a kitty apron!
Grandpa gets a book about never growing up
A superman birthday card
And his very own drone! (and a birthday cake!)
Blowing out the candles
Breakfast before we hit the road
Bye bye Grandma & Grandpa!
A crazy chance encounter with the Boll family on the Pennsylvania Turnpike!
Back in Virginia...
Anya sets up a house for her "Bobby" sock dolls.
Another great Christmas in the history books!
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