A Wish for You

"When you're lonely, I wish you Love!
When you're down, I wish you Joy!
When you're troubled, I wish you Peace!
When things seem empty, I wish you Hope! Have a Happy New Year!" - Anonymous

When Nature gives you a snowstorm.....

Mother Nature decided that we should have 10+ inches of snow in Yorktown today. 

That means time to break out the art supplies - whatever is handy will do.



"Snowy woods"



Merry Christmas from Yorktown, VA

We are blessed with a white Christmas in Yorktown.

Artsy images of my Christmas

Painting based on a book cover that I could just not get out of my head.

Cherub, statuary, and silver bells from a window sill.

The "patriotic, German, Santa, red and white" tree

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A busy weekend

Saturday Alexandra's Dance Crew from Bassett Middle School performed at Bassett Place Mall.  They did a great job and had a good time.  Afterward, my two needed to be reminded of who is in charge, so I stuck them in a Hurricane machine. Mothers can do these things, you know.  Saturday evening we went to the Weinachtsmarkt put on by the German Air Force Command.  It was a much smaller version of the amazing Weinachtsmarkts that we loved in Germany. 

Alex and Mr. Rodriguez (J-Rod) adjusting the sound.

'Da Crew!

Alex enjoying the performance.

HURRICANE!!!!

Waiting in line for gluhwein, David strikes up a conversation in German.

Alex having fun.

Weinachtsmarkt:  color, lights, festivity!

A smooch from Mom.

Alexandra turns 13

Extra special cake decorated by Sarah!

Alex had her birthday in early November, but I want to share some pics.  Alexandra chose the Cattlemen's Ranch near Fabens, TX for her birthday dinner.  About a 30 minute drive from El Paso, it was fun to follow the directions to "take the Fabens exit, turn left, and drive straight into the desert."  Kind of like "look for the bend in the road, turn left at the dead tree, and drive till you see some sign of civilization."  The ranch was very cool.  Peacocks, deer, rattlesnake pit, bunnies (BIG bunnies), horses, mules, etc...  The restaurant was out of this world.  Look at the size of the steak Alex got.  At dusk, while we were eating, coyotes came near the edge of the scrub brush and we could see them through the huge glass windows.  It was eerie watching them move in and out of the shadows.  I think the restaurant folks throw scrap meat for the coyotes.  We have coyotes on post, too, but I haven't seen one yet.  Anyhow, back to the birthday.  Alex had a camp out in our backyard with a bunch of her girlfriends.  I started them off with a scavenger hunt.  Nothing like setting a bunch of giggling teens loose on unsuspecting neighbors to retrieve a Fruitloop or an old movie ticket stub.  My neighbors LOVE me!  The girls then organized (I use the term loosely) their tent and we started a bonfire in the fire pit. David was a good sport to set up the TV and VCR in the tent so all the action could continue outside.  It was a fun night and the fun continued the next morning with breakfast around the campfire.  Great time!

Catching up with pics

Life is tough, an El Paso evening.

Jake, "Skeleton Dave", Alex

Sarah and Skeleton Dave

Sarah and cronies, Zach and Nick.

Another gorgeous sunrise, this time over the airport.

Since my last post.....

Werewolf and Hermione

Sarah as werewolf

David and Alex starting canyon walk

Sand sledding at White Sands Park

White Sands Park

David's courtrooms

This view of the Franklin Mountains is from the Old Ft. Bliss Replica Museum, across the street from our neighborhood. 

David's current office on corner of 3rd floor with the courtroom hidden behind the tree.  By the way, this courtroom has it's very own ghost.  David has experienced this little "haunting" one time.

 

David's new office suite and courtroom will be in this building, 2nd floor.  No ghosts here as far as I'm aware.  We'll see!

TGIF

                      Morning view from the bus stop, about 7 AM

Hi.  It's Friday evening here, about 10:45pm, and I'm beat.  I have a bunch of new photos to show, but I tried to edit them, and then hit a wrong key and they are all gone.  I'll go through them again tomorrow. No more energy for that now.  I hope everyone has had a good week, and will have a great weekend.  Thank you Martha, Charmaine, and Becky for becoming "followers".

House in progress

We've been here since early August and still have decorating to do. Here you see some photos of the ground floor of the house, but keep in mind that most photos and artwork are not hung, nor is furniture necessarily where it will stay. 

Halloween fun in our new neighborhood

                      Our very own "Spook-tacular" evening of fun!

It's late October and I've been very poor at keeping in touch.  The girls have finished their first quarter of school.  Sarah is taking tennis lessons and Alexandra is the Technician/stage crew for her Dance Crew at Bassett Middle.  Friends and great neighbors abound here.  The setting borders on being idyllic - the kids can go out and roam the neighborhood - even after dark!  Our street is so quiet the kids literally play, skateboard, chat, in the middle of the street.  Finally the weather has become a bit cooler - 40's to 50's at night and daytimes from 70-80 F.  The low humidity gives us the most awesome blue sky.  Daily I am amazed by the views as I walk.  The mountains look different at any given moment... be it sun or shadow, very early morning, breaking daylight, or looming storm.  The somewhat bland and brown view of El Paso by day suddenly comes to life and sparkles at night becoming mesmerizing.  This place is growing on me.