Merry Christmas!

Okay, so this post is late.  But this past Sunday was not just any Sunday, it was Christmas!  So in the light of the fact that this is late and that it is that special time of the year, we present to you The Misra Family Hebdomadal Christmas Special!

Special Christmas Edition

Okay, its not actually special.  But just imagine us telling you this in claymation.  Are you ready?  Are you visualizing us as 3 inch tall clay figurines?  Good.  'Twas six nights after Christmas...

We're reporting in from sunny Scotts Valley, CA this week!  Marinda's parents have been great hosts for week 1 of the Misra Family Christmas Vacation, a 365-madal event.  This past week has actually been fairly relaxing (re: boring) which is exactly what we were hoping for (and also part of the reason this is nearly a week late!).

Amit and Marinda helped decorate a bit, but honestly everything was pretty much done when they showed up and all they had to do was enjoy it.  "You can't really get into the Christmas Spirit until you're surrounded by 50 miniature ceramic houses," Marinda says.

Christmas at the Court, 2011

A small fraction of the houses - these feature scenes from Charles Dicken's works

Nutcrackers and Nativities

The weather this week has been gorgeous.  Marinda thought they were going to need coats.  Amit packed sweaters.  But its been 50-60 degrees and sunny all week long.  Basically, its been Seattle summer.  A nice change from the rainy and dreary wasteland that is Seattle winter!

Amit and Marinda have been enjoying time with family, especially their niece and nephew, J & M.  They are 19 mo and 5 mo old.  Amit and Ben are having a battle over M's love, only equaled by the rivalry of Edward and Jacob in the Twilight series.  "M will be mine!!!!!!!!"  Ben said.  "No!  She will be mine forever!!!" Amit replied.  M has not made her choice, but current polls coming out of Iowa indicate that Ron Paul may pull an upset.

Amit has enjoyed playing the Mitchell baby grand piano when time permits, you know, in between his playing with his niece and nephew, reading, and sleeping in.  He has a very busy schedule nowadays.  By the way, there should be a word that can encompass 'niece and nephew'.  Like I can say "I played with my kids" rather than "I played with my son and daughter."  Where is the analogous word for nieces and nephews?  Same for 'Uncles and Aunts'.   Just sayin'.

Christmas at the Mitchell home is a very big deal.  On Christmas Eve, we all got together to listen to the Christmas story and sing hymns together and to read a Christmas story 'The Shiniest Star'.  It's always a very peaceful and spiritual experience.  Christmas day was obviously filled with presents.  We could get into specific presents, but let's just say that everyone had more than enough and we were all happy with the gifts we had given and received.

Merry Christmas and stay tuned for our 2012 edition next week!

Christmas Eve

Stockings filled with goodies!

Us opening our stockings

Santa came!

Goodbye 2011!