tales from a far-land

Our year ended pretty quiet.  No big New Year's Eve gathering or party!  No trip to Mexico as we have done in years past.  But it was still meaningful and special.  We hosted my parents for New Year's Eve.  We constructed and ate individual pizzas with buffalo wings on the side.  We drank champagne.  We introduced my dad to virtual reality and played some Pinochle.  And after my parents left, we watched the ball drop in an eerily desolate Times Square, toasted to the New Year, and ignited some sparklers before heading to bed.  It may not have been our normal New Year's Eve, but it was perfect for me -- time with family, lots of laughs and a little bit of kid drama.   Here's hoping 2021 brings just as much family and togetherness!

After a very busy 2019, we wanted to ring in 2020 in a more low-key manner.  We celebrate New Year's Eve with our good friends, the Raetzes.  They came over to spend the evening with us.   We ate cheese fondue and grilled stuffed-flank steak.  We played pinochle.  We told stories.  We drank.  We laughed and laughed.  We shared hopes and dreams for the new year.  We commiserated  about the unhappy times of 2019.  We watched our kids play so nicely together.  And we toasted the New Year.  It was a such a great evening!   Such a good time, that we could wait to see each other on New Year's Day.  This time we went to their home for dinner, drinks, pinochle and play-time.  Here hoping 2020 is as full of laughter, love and happiness as we experienced starting the new year with our cherished friends! New Year's Eve Paige and I The Adults The Kids Cheers to 2020! New Year's Day ...

New Years Day was a quiet one for our normally rambunctious group.  Sadly, when the clock struck midnight, it delivered a major stomach bug to La Casa del Milagro.  Five out of the six adults and one out of the four kids developed this nasty virus. The kids (as Keaton didn't develop the virus until after dinner) spent the day playing on the beach.  They must have known that a majority of the household was on bed rest as they played all day outside.  No fighting.  No crying.  They entertained themselves all day.  It was pretty amazing. Paige and I mostly read, sunbathed and chatted until she finally succumbed to the stomach bug late in the afternoon.  Then, there was one adult standing.  That evening, I spent the night on the couch for two main reasons:  1) to avoid Josh and our contaminated room and 2) to be close enough to the kids in case they fell ill and needed some assistance in the middle of the night.  Luckily, I was not ...

We enjoyed a pretty quiet New Year's eve and day this year.  We rang in the New Year at home snuggled under blankets on the couch watching  Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with the kids after enjoying one of our family's favorite meals -- tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Our heads probably hit our pillows just in time to kiss each other goodnight Eastern Standard Time. New Year's day included more Star Wars .  Josh and I treated my dad, my Uncle Terry and Aunt Rhonda to the first showing of the day of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.   It was the first time my dad had ever seen a movie in 3D.  After the movie, he said he will never want to watch a movie any other way.  After the movie, we joined my mom and the kids for lunch at In and Out Burger.  My aunt and uncle had never visited an In and Out Burger and wanted to know all about the craze.   After lunch we returned home to show my relatives the progress o...

Happy New Year!  The Farrell-Landers clan had the most idyllic start to our new year.  After breakfast, we all cuddled on the couch with blankets to watch the Rose Bowl Parade on television.  Aiden was so mesmerized with all of the floats and marching bands.  He sat on my lap watching the parade for at least an hour before he wanted down to play.  What a shock!  After the parade, we decided to head downtown to visit a park from Josh's and my childhood -- Encanto Park.  Encanto Park is a municpal park established in 1934 and consists of picnic areas, a lagoon, a boat house, swimming pool, nature trail, amusement park, fishing and two golf courses.  It was a beautiful day to go to the park.  Sunny and not too chilly.  We all had a great time.  The first thing the kids wanted to do was feed the ducks. As soon as we opened the bread bag, the ducks and geese started swimming over....