Big Family

Big Family Christmas, 199?

1621 W. University

1621 W. University, Stillwater, Oklahoma: 2000

We were heading out the door for Graham's Stillwater Boys Choir Concert...

Ho Ho Ho

Yesterday's post was a scathing criticism of Sarah Palin in not nice words,
and that Spouse o' Mine recommended that I take it down.

So I did.

So for the rest of the holidays, through 12th Night,
I will post photos of Christmas Past.

1993, East Lansing:

Gillian, Claire, and Graham

Wordless Wednesday:Holiday Chapter:

So...the holidays are coming up! Big Family Christmas for us is in three short short days! Am I excited? YES! Am I worried? NO! Should I be? Perhaps!

Backtrack a bit: Big Family Christmas Expectations #1

And soon after the email from my SIL, I received this, from a big brother:

The first annual “Short Story Writing Contest” starts now!

You have two ways to participate.

One, write a story (or dig one up you already wrote).

Or, two, read, enjoy and rate the entries.

Well! We are a tribe of competitors, and so I am competing. I was up late last night, conjuring up a great (so I thought) short story. When I reread it this afternoon, I began harboring doubts: Long Island, a Jewish family, what? I think it is good writing, but not up to snuff for the judges who will be judging.

And so here I am, on Wordless Wednesday...wordless.

Burning the midnight oil...

Oh - and the Big Family Christmas Expectation #1? Under control, in a maniacal way. Who am I to fret with homemade Dirty Santa gifts? I tell you: the creative Armstrongs are coming, girded with gifts unimagined.

Heliotrope

There's this:

heliotrope

And this:

Heliotrope, Freiburg, Germany

And my birthstone, the heliotrope, aka bloodstone:

And we can enjoy this:

Heliotrope Bouquet by Scott Joplin

And how about this, blooming in my home in mid-December?