Post Christmas

We are unwinding from the holiday gathering to end all gatherings! We hosted Trevor, Angie, Aubrey, Bekah, Sarah, Andrew, Thomas, Joan, Art, Melissa, and Ted in various combinations from the 26th to the 30st. (and Caroline and Joe one night, and Chris, Erin and Anna for lunch one day too!) It was a riotous good time with incredible amounts of foods prepared and consumed. Here's the evidence:

On a walk with Aubrey! She's a full year older than Julia, but they were the same height! Julia loved having a full time friend and they did a pretty great job of getting along! 

checking out the Columbia

lots of dress up clothes

the bumblebee outfit was a clear favorite and all she wanted to wear for days, but oddly enough, she hasn't worn it since Aubrey left. 

We ended one meal only to get ready to begin another!

a grocery run! 

kind of random, but I saw the cutest little train made out of wine corks. I'm gonna make one!

Julia just basked in the attention of so many people. She'd check in occasionally with Dave and I, but then she'd disappear for hours, playing with various people.

more feasts!

Aubrey and Julia spent lots of time sitting at her little table playing with playdough. She made lots of hearts,  stating  "I made s'prise for Gamma Gini" ect. 

lots of stories, lots of memories, we even sang Vespers '86, a service we know very well from our time at Holden (where this group all met) and got all choked up. 

Julia loved on her Godmother, Bekah. 

Saint Lucia came...

Joan was up to her usual hilarity.  Our guests stayed on two air mattresses, a couch, a cot, and sleeping bags all over the floor. 

Gustafson family photo! 

sharing the umbrella on a walk.

a group photo with many of us. 

Julia making an attempt to trounce Ted at Diplomacy

hugs! 

and playing "church!" The girls are the pastors, the rocking chair of animals is the congregation and I got scolded "no cameras in church"

We were so pleased to have so many friends come and stay. When they all departed, the house felt achingly empty! We all wandered around that day, and were still at a loss come new year's day. Julia was constantly asked where the friends were and I was cranky and short with Julia and felt guilty for starting out the year by being pissy. Today felt more normal, as Julia and I could go do our normal storyhour thing. We took down all the Christmas decorations and hauled out the tree and re-arranged the furniture and changed up the space inside. That was sad, as our tree was so lovely, but also felt cleansing. I'm now looking at all the corners, with deep cleaning on my mind.