To you and yours...

Go easy on the sparkling cider, folks.

We may be spending the night elsewhere if the darned power doesn't come back. Rose just called to tell me that the wind must've knocked things loose at home. That's what blankets (and whiskey) are for, right?

Guess we won't need to refrigerate that cider. A happy and healthy new year to all.

Your friends,
Chachi Milk

Christmas in PA

We had our Christmas celebration with Mom-Mom, Grampa, Aunt Maria, Uncle Joe, Caroline, Auntie Kate and Kyle two weekends ago (I set this to post 12/23 but for some reason that didn't work out). We'll traveled to Vermont for Christmas Day so this was our Pennsylvania Christmas Explosion, 2008.

As usual, Mom-Mom and Grampa went ALL OUT and the boys had an amazing time. Peter was just getting over a little stomach virus so he was on the quieter side until his new vehicle was unveiled. He and his new best buddy Caroline were joyriding throughout most of the night. I think I actually caught Caroline whispering, "Dude - you wanna bounce outta here? Let's see what this thing can do on the driveway."

Who says Christmas fun has to all happen on the twenty-fifth day of December? If Santa can get places earlier, why not take him up on it? What you'll see below: Pete not caring about packaging when it comes to his new dashboard, Vincent making Auntie Kate pose "nonchalantly" for a photo, opening a new engineer costume with Mom-Mom, Pete drinkin' with Grampa, cruising with Caroline, and loving Mom-Mom, Prospector Vincent looking at his map with Auntie Kate and Kyle, and Caroline chatting up Elmo.

It's official, we are not buying these kids anything ever again. After this week, they will be set for life. And their kids' lives. D'aaah the holidays.

A New Holiday Favorite

You've all seen our previous holiday favorite that I revisited a couple of weeks back. Well, add this to your playlist. I can guarantee that it wasn't a setup. Mom-Mom (of course) got the boys a new holiday, dancing, animatronic...thingie and I wanted to get video of the boys with it but nothing presented itself. Until this perfect moment. It's a true microcosm of the boys and how they currently interact with each other and semi-animate objects.

Happy Holidays and enjoy!

Polar Express

Mom-Mom and Grampa and Aunt Maria, Uncle Joe and Caroline brought us along on an old-time West Chester Christmas train ride last weekend.

Yes friends, Santa himself was present. And yes, all three kids were totally cool with him. Confined quarters and all! Vincent's only stipulation was that I shake his hand (not one mention of gloves, btw).

It was a milestone. The whole thing was pretty cool to boot. Bluegrass musicians roaming through the cars playing carols, history lessons about the railroad itself, and a stop off at the Glen Mills train station "museum." I put the sarcastiquotes around that word since it was about 35 sq. feet of glass cases with old timey documents. Sexy!

Bottom line - the kids loved it and are now cool with seeing the physical embodiment of Santa. As long as there are snacks and grandparents present.

Music nerd comment: Does the photo above look kind of like the cover of Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago?

In case you're curious...

83 bags of leaves and counting.

"And counting" being the operative phrase.

With the snow and wind this weekend, we weren't super productive. Oh well - I guess we can put up lights and pick up leaves at the same time.

You guys love when I talk about leaves.

A Chachi Milk Holiday Favorite

To kickstart the holiday season, I thought I'd revisit one of our greatest hits. It's one of my all-time favorite posts and it has aged like wine.

Enjoy it here. We have to dig this little thing out again. I can only imagine what Peter will do when he sees it...