Have a Merry Electronic Christmas

Holed up in our apartment with just a few bills left in our wallets we had to make some tough decisions. In order to most effectively spread the cheer we decided to transport some joy through the fiberoptic spider web that connects all of our lives. On Christmas day our friends and families woke up, rubbed the sleep out of their eyes and peaked in their inbox to find three gifts. Yes, we had sent a brightly colored PDF file, a yuletide soundbite and a youtube video flashing on the giant Google tree.

The project might seem a little self indulgent, but being able to share a little of our lives here in Boston made us feel connected across the distance. Even though we sent the message out, it somehow brought all of you near. So our little hole of an apartment was crowded with the memory and thought of all of you. If in our Christmas fervor and email fever we left someone out, please let us know and we will be happy to drop a surprise in your inbox. Merry Christmas. Let your hearts be light.

Christmas Eve Walk

Tonight I walked around downtown to the Christmas Eve service at Park Street while Tim closed his store. Then I walked along his street to visit him at work before heading home. Here are some scenes along the way of Boston on Christmas Eve:
It's not really that deep, people just dump the snow from sidewalks into empty spaces

Macy's tree

The star lights are everywhere

Red and green lights on the old weather tower

Old South Church near Tim's store

Newbury Street

You can't see anything, but you can sort of listen to the church choir and share in a little bit of Boston Christmas Eve caroling...sleep well!

Continental Winter Tour (and wedding!) 2008

It's been a serious whirlwind couple of weeks. I finished my 6 classes (REJOICE!) with finals last week, and I'm DONE. I also am hired for the 2 part-time jobs I was looking at (no full-time for next semester sadly). They add up to full-time, but hopefully one will turn into a FT job for the summer and beyond. I'll be working with a cancer prevention grant for Native Americans in New England for one job, and researching state drug and alcohol policies and writing policy 'briefs' for the other. Hopefully they fit together with my 2 classes as well! Just when I get used to one season, I go and switch it up again. Oh well.

Just as Tacoma was getting dumped with snow (we missed it!!) and a big Nor'easter storm headed toward Boston, we skipped town. We left Friday morning for Noah Chang and Anna Yoder's wedding in Clinton, Iowa. We got out before the storm hit and many were stranded in Boston, but we had our own troubles. Our route included Boston, Detroit, Moline IL, Clinton Iowa, Moline again, Memphis, Atlanta, and then Boston today. All of our flights were either delayed or canceled due to weather, and we spent at least a day and a half longer than planned in airports, including a night in Memphis last night since the last Boston flight was canceled. It's good to be home! (That's one way to grow fond of a new home quickly).

So, here are a few highlights from -
Detroit:

The tunnel of the future. We rode it several times. Tim really got into it. Maybe that was also the lack of sleep...

only Tim.

tram in the terminal?? I wanted a ride!
PS the line below stretches across the whole airport - that's the line to reschedule canceled flights. Yikes.

Clinton: THE WEDDING!!!!
The Church where Anna and Noah got married was gorgeous.

We sure got our taste of snow and cold! It was below zero!

The glowing atmosphere inside made it warm and cozyreflection of the church in the piano top

beautiful bride

Husband and wife!
Anna's 11 siblings were the wedding party, along with a sister-in-law and Noah's sister

prom shot! the chance we never had...

Memphis:

we were stranded in Memphis in a ghetto area of car dealerships, Wendy's and a weird chicken place. But it was worth it to have a bed to sleep in and some quiet before we had to get up again at 3:30 to catch the first flight out. I think we are going to bed early tonight!
There is plenty of cold and some snow/slush to keep us in the White Christmas mood. These icicles are on the rail outside our window, with the Medical Center in the background.

Keep your eyes open for a Christmas message by the 25th. We love and miss you all as we plan to spend Christmas just the two of us in Boston. Have a great week with your families! Congratulations Anna and Noah!

Part II: and SNOW!

Since post Part I was so, um, lengthy, Part II will be a summary of Sunday. Thank you for all who delivered your vote! The Red Star is resting nicely on the top of the tree in our little apartment. It dominates the tree and that is just the way it should be.

Sunday morning we woke to falling snow!!!

Finally! (Don't be deceived, the big flakes aren't real). Sadly it only lasted for a few hours, but it sure was nice sitting in church with the sanctuary choir projecting their a capella voices in wondrous praise, and snow falling softly outside the windows. A warm and cozy comfort that was much needed.

In the common next to church, people were out enjoying the FREEZING cold.

Even the frogs.

And the dogs.
Apparently there was a jingle bell dog walk for cancer, with all dogs (mostly greyhounds) decked out with bells and santa suits and antlers (look closely)!!Sunday night was the long anticipated Worcester Square Neighborhood Association Tree Lighting celebration. Santa came in a firetruck to give gifts to the kids, we drank hot drinks and ate Christmas cookies (and pizza?), and in the 20-degree chill of the night awaited the results of a raffle. Our friend Michelle won something, but the high def TV was out of our reach, dang. Actually what we really wanted was the wine!

I finished 2 classes today (out of 6) and face the ick of finals next week, but after that it is IOWA TIME! That's right, Clinton Iowa is our holiday destination. Noah Chang and Anna Yoder are getting hitched!! We can't wait. We will be SOOO celebrating!

Tomorrow a heat wave is coming but hopefully more snow Friday...I want a dump. Hope you all are enjoying your whatever-makes-life-happy's. Peace!

Blog of the Year Part 1: VOTE NOW!

Alright. The holiday-ness has definitely begun, especially this weekend. It comes in tandem with an odd sense of loneliness and despair. Usually festiveness is just festiveness - 100% excitement and joy. However, we feel pretty overwhelmed with challenges at work and school, hardships of friends and family, and the idea of basically facing our little hardships without the blessings and comforts of community and home. But there is comfort in sharing our holiday happenings with whoever is reading out there on the world wide web.

Friday: Nutcracker
The nutcracker last night was amazing! The opera house is gorgeous and the ballet was phenomenal. Tim hadn't seen it before, so I'm glad I took him.

While waiting for the bus, we walked around Boston Common to see the lights, or should I say the sloppy attempt at hanging lights?

This is typical of Boston apparently, and very popular. No me gusta.

The common is right next to our church, Park Street. It's celebrating it's 200th year in 2009!

Saturday (a.m.): Christmas Tree

This morning we made our way to find a cheap-ish Charlie Brown tree. No 8 foot trees for us, no sir. I don't think Boston likes Charlie Brown. All trees are perfectly cut (I miss the mountain-cutting days, pesticide-free!). The only problem is there aren't any farms or lots or anything in Boston that we've seen. There was always the grocery store....but we don't have a car or anything to transport it so we had to be strategic and think about walking distance and weight. The first advertisement at a nearby square had only big trees. Fortunately, along the brick sidewalk a couple streets down from us, there was a plant shop that had smaller trees laying outside on the porch. Bingo! And now we have a Balsam Fir from Nova Scotia.

The top is just sooo tall and bare, and we can't decide on the best topper. So I've arranged for a blog vote. The selections are listed below, and the topper with the most votes will gain its rightful place on the top of the Isaacson's Nova Scotia-Boston 2008 Christmas Tree. Vote on the upper right hand corner of our blog.

#1: Gold Star

#2: Red Starmuch larger, but home-made (decorated)

#3: Santa StarHa, Ha, Ha

#4: Personally-Made Glass-Blown Star

#5: Electric Guitar Angel

#6: Reindeer Ears
don't ask.

# H: Not Eligible Hippo - But Very Cute

(The hippo is just a happy encourager, thanks Kara!)

Hit the polls, people!

Saturday (p.m.): Santa etc.
After Tim headed to work, I decided to checkout another community tree-lighting ceremony. I was definitely shocked by what I saw.
These funny men were passing out candy canes to the kids. They look a little dangerous to me. Those hats could kill someone!! A band was dancing up a storm on stage and had invited kids to come jump on stage with them. It was a mix of tribal dancing, Top-gun themes, jingle bells, and a cute staring kid. THEN...the holiday trolley arrived with the mayor AND the Macy's singing Christmas TREE-O. I have never seen anything like this really. I felt silly being there but was smiling the whole time.

And of course Santa came out to start the tree lighting count down, and then he spent some time with the kids (how old am I?).

As I was walking home, I sadly encountered these characters. Even with no yards (I thought Boston would be safe!), blow-ups make their debut at Christmas here too.

The final turn toward our street is one of my favorites as there's a beautiful old church on the corner.
A nice reminder of the true value of this season - the warmth and hope of Christ's coming to our rescue. Thank you Jesus! I sure needed (and still need) it!

Holiday Treats

Maria has suddenly transformed the laundromat into holiday festivity. December 1 we came down to check mail and noticed a vast addition of stuffed Christmas animals and a couple of treats. There are many snowmen, like this Frosty guarding the Greek and American flags, and even a penguin in the back corner.
All the animals have new price tags still on them on top of all the machines. Teddy bear guarding Madonna.
First thing, Maria made me guess how much it cost to create such a beautiful environment. We battered back and forth until I reached $400!! For like 15 stuffed animals! Maria....

I didn't even ask how much the ultimate treat cost (or should I say trick and treat) -
This Santa guards the mail and he plays the sax when you push his button.

The skeleton next to him is a trick if you ask me.
He swings his skulls in his hand when you push his button, and his red eyes glow. Where did he come from? He wasn't around for Halloween.
He must have got a lot of money for Christmas - he looks rich.

Anyway we ventured tonight to Copley Square near Tim's store in search of another treat, free hot chocolate and carols and the second city tree lighting. We were too late for all of them, but the tree was still nice! Since we happend to be by Anthropologie, we stopped in and I spent Kate and Jesse's gift certificate:) Thanks guys! I'll show you what I got later.And a final surprise treat visit from our old friend Whitney, in town for a residency interview. (BMC! BMC!). We enjoyed a funky dinner and now it's back to work. Finals start after next week and the job search continues...no full-time luck with the last interview, although part-time possibilities exist. *sigh* The next treat will be having Tim home from work on Friday and getting a tree this weekend!