Christmas Day - Rockin Around (heh)

Here are some highlights from Christmas morning -- hope you enjoy them!



And here are the kids opening the presents from Baghdad . . .



Finally, wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas . . .

Back from Church and back from the dead

Well, we just got back from church -- the Episcopal church -- I have to confess that I think I've finally become a Presbyterian -- I was chafing about the incense and bells. You should rejoice that you've finally converted me after 21+ years. :)

Plus, Santa is back from the dead. John is not giving up the ghost -- he wants to believe, and so he will. He's parked in front of the fireplace waiting for Santa.

Trinity's Living Nativity

Here's this year's Living Nativity -- Daniel was a star, getting lots of laughs. :)

Santa in Baghdad

While I speak to the staff at work, Santa Claus himself lends his support for national capacity building in Iraq. You never know who will show up in the Green Zone. At least no one threw a shoe at me!

John's Winter Concert -- Have yourself a LOUD Christmas

Wow, well we got to the concert well before it started and were able to sit in the 3rd row -- quite an accomplishment for Tuckahoe. The concert was very good for a school like Tuckahoe -- I was pleasantly surprised. However, we were all very awake after John's band was done playing as you can see below . . .

Dark energy -- is it in my house?

I think Dark Energy lives in my three kids . . .

At the human scale, dark energy is imperceptibly weak. But even the weakest of forces can add up to something powerful when the scale becomes cosmic, and all that vast, empty space between the galaxies is thrown into the mix.

For example, when I ask them to do their chores, they say, they can't, they're "too tired," "too exhausted from the day." Weak excuses -- which lead to the powerfully bad mess in my house.

Dark energy is something you and Dan can discuss too -- I predict the discussion will go as follows, "Well, Dad, as everyone knows . . . " Ha.

Double Bomb, not cool.

Hi -- just read on the BBC that there was a double bomb right across the river from you -- I know you're ok, but still.

Here's the story. At least let us know you're ok when we hear things like this, ok?

Winter Concert and Small Favors

Well, tonight was the winter concert for Daniel -- he needed to have a clean undershirt (check), a clean white shirt (check), black dress shoes (had to buy some), and eat before we went to Wakefield at 6 pm. John got home at 4 and we piled into the car, went straight to the shoe warehouse and bought him his shoes, then drove to Moe's (a Tex-Mex place near the school), ate, and then got to the school before 6! Whoo whoo! So Dan took off for the band room and Susie, John and I waited for the concert to begin at 7 (of course Band was last to play, after the chorus and orchestra). About 10 minutes of sitting in the auditorium, Dan calls me on my cell, "Mom, I grabbed my socks, but I thought I grabbed 2, but I only have 1. Can you drive back home and get me the other one?" Ha. No way. So I pulled off my socks and gave them to him -- I know, it's weird, gross, and just gross. But, it was 30 minutes to and fro -- so there was no way I was going to get there in time. So while you listen to the lovely tune I taped for you, think of what Dan is wearing on his feet. At least my socks were black. Thank God for small favors.

Bored

Steve always complains that our teenagers don't talk to him enough -- so, Steve, here are your teenage kids talking about their lives . . .



Very edifying, huh?

And here's another classic:



and then, you see that the evil glow has captured their minds -- see how they flail their arms to and fro . . .

Second time and blah blah blah

Ok, here's one from me -- I'm clearly annoyed because I just finished writing 2 long papers and Daniel was not being a cooperative camera man. Second times the charm . . but I'm also wiped out -- so with those qualifications, here goes:

Your face is my delight

Monday morning . . . . John has his day all planned out:

All the king's horses . . .

Steve has been able to walk around the IZ (international zone) a bit and take a few pictures -- some statues of Saddam just lying around:

Ancient history (law school and otherwise) . . .

When you're in law school (as Steve and I both were) and the name Hammurabi comes up (definition courtesy of Wikipedia):

The Code of Hammurabi (Codex Hammurabi ) is the best-preserved ancient law code, created ca. 1760 BC (middle chronology) in ancient Babylon. It was enacted by the sixth Babylonian king, Hammurabi. Only one example of the Code survives today, inscribed on a seven foot, four inch tall basalt stone slab or stele. The code is often pointed to be a primary example of even a king not being able to change fundamental laws concerning the governing of a country which was the primitive form of what is now known as a constitution.

You never think you will actually stand next to the guy, in Baghdad! (well, ok, it's a statue of the guy, but still . . . )

Here's Steve standing next to Hammurabi (the statue):

Magnificat

The kids all sang in our church's big production of the Magnificat today -- all of our church's choirs sang: the adult choir, the teen choir (Daniel and Susie are in that one) and the children's choir (John was in that) and the bell ringers rang --

Usually Steve is able to listen to our church's service via "The Bridge" - a phone-in service for the sick and shut-in. (I guess Steve qualifies for a shut-in because he's shut-in in Baghdad). Unfortunately Steve wasn't able to listen in to The Bridge today because President Bush's motorcade in Baghdad prevented him from getting home in time, and so missed the great performance -- here are some highlights:


Here John is singing at the end of the row of kids and clearly does not want to look at me filming him. Nor does he want to smile.

Here's a glimpse of the rest -- and it's just a glimpse -- I think the whole production was at least 15 minutes - but don't worry, this is just a couple minutes . . .

I love you the most

Okay, we got this wonderful gift from my mother-in-law Bev and her husband Jerry -- it's a Flip video camera -- I've put it to wonderful use already -- you can see the products below. ;) Enjoy.

First this:



(note Susie says only "wow" during the whole segment, hahahaha - welcome to my family!)

Then this:


Priceless!