Alright. So, Christmas is over now, but I'm not quite ready to let it go. So, I'll devote this one to reliving the memories and afterward will go watch a Muppet Christmas Carol. This year we spent Christmas at my aunt's house in Prescott, Arizona. I haven't been up there since I was twelve, so it was fun to go back :) This year was full of whimsy as we were introduced to the Christmas Cracker 
We had ordered some from London, so they were legit. They had little whistles inside of them and little paper crowns, so we had a smashing time playing such classics as 'Hot Cross Buns' and 'Happy Birthday'.
We'll be releasing a CD shortly which I'm sure that you'll all enjoy (and I can actually talk to readers now of which I can boast a large percentage increase in readership). We also went to the famous Prescott Zoo, of which I am sure you are all familiar (but seriously it was fantastic). We had a bunch of amazing pictures, but they're all on my aunt's camera. If I discover that you can edit blog posts I might add them once they're sent. On an educational note, I have learned that once should never run from a Bengal Tiger, but should instead make a buzzing noise with one's lips in order to assure them that you are friendly. If you're lucky not only will they not kill you, but they might share their food with you as well.
We also did other family things, such as climbing around in the 30 degree weather with no coats or hats on the mountain in order to take pictures of our family together for posterity's sake. I would post those, but I'm not sure if it's allowed. I'll check the copy right laws on that (not really, that would be a waste of time :/ ). Then, of course, there was Christmas eve with all of those traditions, such as eating pizza and watching a Christmas special of a talented singing family (I'm quite sure that one has to audition to become a member, spouse, child, or otherwise). Then everyone went to bed in order to wake up the next morning to explore the plethora of consumables that would surely liter the ground. We were not disappointed. The highlight for me, of course was the present of Redvines. There surely isn't a better gift that one human can give to another.
(Redvines. What the heck CAN'T they do?)
And, of course, what is Christmas with out the gift of socks, in every color of the rainbow (except for Purple for some odd reason).
Then there was Kinect playing, of which I have no pictures but many amusing memories, and we made a gingerbread hose. Once again I was removed from the design team because, apparently, it is wholly impractical to try and copy the designs on the box. I disagree, but my power is limited in this family. In the end, however, I believe that my influence won over a bit and the end result was fairly decent.
I think the sun shining down in the picture was a rather magical effect. It really was rather lovely. (I did everything pretty). So, we stayed for five days, but then had to make the journey back home, with all of our luggage and three amazon children stuffed into the back of this:
That was slightly less magical. But, we made it home safely and in relativity good physical condition after having gone through two Y/A audio novels, most of the Hound of the Baskervilles, and Several short stories by Mark Twain. Now it's the last day of 2011, which was a remarkably full and good year and I sign off wishing you a blessed new year.
"New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions."
-- Mark Twain
