annual traditions

the tree decorating pictures are lost to me, and it is not a wonder. my brain is not functioning properly. a nasty cold has taken over since returning from disney. and so i stayed home the night everyone gathered at deacon dave's for the annual tradition of walking through deacon dave's. 

beginning in october, his helpers cover his front yard with several hundred thousand lights. he opens it to all, and many many people attend. 

thanks to sarah and nico for the pictures. merry everything :)

 photos below: nico

season's spirit

the season started slowly, and really, despite me. with the help of good friends, meeting in lovely places and doing good things, the spirit arrived quietly but with purpose. my need to avoid the commercial expectations is overridden and, i must say...the spirit has arrived. friends and family help!

 with martha, for a chai at my favorite cafe: cafe 4 @ neighborhood church 

 a 2 story Christmas tree adorned in jute, nests, and succulents. so beautiful.

 with my mom, decorating the naval museum :)

 and the drive to and from, because *someone* wasn't comfortable driving that far. good thing i can drive a 6-speed! haha

then our girl and her studio had their dress rehearsal for the d*sney parade in the local downtown parade. so fun (but cold!)

 

it took me a while just to take in this gorgeous tree in the lobby of our stay at the CAGrand in D*sney. so so lovely in this inspired environment. photo credit: sarah h.

 next stop: backstage for dress rehearsal. no costumes allowed in the park! thank goodness for starbucks on main street now.

 what i had made for the jazz director...(her first ears!)

 the view (with thumper) while waiting. no pictures allowed backstage...

after 3 hours of waiting among throngs of people...

 our dancers fly by within seconds.

780 dancers participated in this year's parade.

only 66 attended the next day's d*sney dance class.

16 were from our studio.

? 

pictures: stills from ipad video

 

 

 we forgot to get a family picture. oh. my. but we did get one of my cousin and i. so fun to be with her on this trip. 

i would not be who i am today without her.

a few last views of the magic kingd*m...

fantasmic from the pier

photo: sarah h.

 view from the train of small world. photo: sarah h.

and home again.  photos: sarah h.

 

to the gutting of a bathroom and the slow rebuilding. 

we are fortunate to have an alternate during this process.

nothing puts us into the spirit as a bathroom rebuild. :)