Christmas Season 2014/2015 - Joe and Dale

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - More Christmas Picture Books

Spent a little time today looking at some Christmas picture books I've encountered over the years. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1957), The Night Before Christmas (1949)and Santa Mouse (1966) were read to Sam, Pete, and me by Mom years ago. The Polar Express (1985) was a books I encountered in my early teaching years. It brought back a lot of nice memories to look through them today. It also helped ease me into accepting the end of a wonderful Christmas vacation. I start back to school tomorrow.

Top left: The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

Top right: Santa Mouse by Michael Brown, Illustrated by Elfrieda de Witt

Bottom left: The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard

Bottom Right: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - The Bishop's Wife

We watched The Bishop's Wife tonight. The scene where Dudley decorates the Christmas tree with the wave of his arms is quite impressive considering there were no computer generated special effects back in 1947. 

We had pumpkin pie for dessert tonight, probably the last time for the season. There were only two individual slices left in the dessert case at Kowalski's so we figured it was meant to be. Also, I finished up the last of the pumpkin pie cream liqueur. There was only a splash left.

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - Warren and Gary

Had Warren and Gary over tonight for cocktails and dinner. Warren brought a nice salad and Dale and I ordered over the pizza from Pizza Luce. They introduced us to a Comedy Central show called Drunk History. It was quite entertaining. 

Warren noticed our manger scene and told me that when he was a boy he would swipe the Baby Jesus from his family's manger scene and keep it in his room with him overnight so as to keep the Baby safe. I usually set up the our scene on Christmas Eve day but don't put the Baby in until after the Christmas Eve service.

Gary found the pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. He got the same shot glass Mike got a few nights ago for finding the pickle. Gary told me where he could see the pickle but I told him that wasnt it since it wasn't where I hid it. Upon closer inspection I realized that Gary had indeed found the pickle. Turns out Mike moved the pickle the other night from its original spot unbeknownst to me. Rascal.

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - New Year's Day 2015

Dale and I went to see the movie version of Into the Woods with Mom today. Mom and I saw the stage version with the traveling Broadway cast way back in 1991 or 1992 at the Ordway in St. Paul. 

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - New Year's Eve

Dale and I made it to midnight this year.

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - New Year's Eve

Dale and I went to Julie and Regina's for dinner last night. Phyllis joined us. The gathering was a low-key affair with appetizers and drinks as a start (Julie made me a martini) and chili, which was quite delicious, for dinner.  Jupiter was his usual neurotic self but not nearly as bad as on other visits we've made there. After dinner we watched This Is Where I Leave You starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, and Jane Fonda. Quite good. We had originally planned to watch Houseboat with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren but Julie had a very difficult time getting the movie to load. Dale and I were home by 11 pm and watched what was left of Anderson Cooper and Cathy Griffin on CNN. We actually stayed up until midnight to see the new year. It's been a few years since we've done that.