Holidays

Long time no talk, let's get caught up on things. Currently it is January 1st, 2010 and I am finishing up a two week break back home in California. Tomorrow I fly back to Honduras until June to complete the school year.

I think I stopped blogging a couple weeks before our Christmas break and so let's pick up there........those weeks consisted of tests, projects, and getting progress reports turned in. In the final days before the break, however, we enjoyed pre-Christmas parties, a Secret Santa gift-exchange, good-byes to our short-term volunteer and my roommate, Danielle, and last but not least, a Christmas show.


The Christmas Show was a reinactment of the birth of Jesus, complete with a manger scence, student actors, the entire student body singing Christmas carols, and a live donkey.

We used a gym in town and decorated it for all the parents to sit, eat and enjoy. The kids did well in the reinactment and songs, and I think the parents enjoyed it as well.

They even let me accompany the student body with my guitar while they sang their songs.

So the time before the break was good, but all of us volunteers were more than ready to get back to the states to see family and friends (and enjoy the pleasures we had been missing since we came to Honduras like showers with hot water, home-cooked meals, etc.) This picture is of the day I arrived back in San Francisco. My folks, Michael and Kathy and her folks had lunch and chomped some chocolate.

Back in Santa Rosa, I spent my days doing things I consider "vacation"...running in Annadel State Park, sleeping in, seeing friends and family, and did I mention taking hot showers :-)

Christmas was great and New Years was as well. We had some close family friends come up to visit. Here's Elizabeth (long time family friend and now girlfriend of my older brother Kevin) making Bailtini's (Bailey's made into a martini)...too strong for my taste.

The ladies (my mom, Emily, Madeleine and Amy) having fun while cooking.

And boy did they cook!

And then on News Years Eve we hiked some more in Annadel State Park.

We discovered some redwoods along the way. Here's lumber jack Ben...

and the hiking crew trying to stay in frame.

Our time together wasn't without some minor gliches. Here is Elizabeth's car at Les Schwab's after the breaks went out....no accident luckily.

But that didn't keep our spirits down.

After the break incident, we grabbed some lunch...

up in beautiful wine country, Healdsburg,

and then went wine tasting!

(sorry about the format). I learned that when people swirl the wine in their glasses they are letting it "breath" instead of seeing who can make the coolest whirlpool effect :-)

Salud!

Later that night Emily and the rest of us enjoyed Ed's guitar playing....

food...

presents.... (my older brother Kevin)

(more presents)... (Steve and Amy - my god-parents and longtime family friends)

converstation....

and each other's company. (The Karbousky's, Duncan's and Gallagher's)

Actually it was a double celebration because it was Steve's birthday ... he was turning 25 :-)

We ended the first decade of the new millennium playing "The Game" (similar to the game telephone but only using written word and pictures).

And what better way to bring in the new year than Ed playing his bagpipes in his full Irish regalia.

-------------------------

Leaving for Honduras tomorrow, I already know I will miss my family incredibly. However, this vacation, like all things, will pass and life goes on. We just have to learn to live in each moment and cherish the memories.

Hope your holidays were wonderful and your new year is full of joy and love.

(next entry will be from Honduras)