Christmas Dinner at Aunty Gail’s

IMG_0218_editMakai loved Aunty Gail’s Christmas tree

5Hanako, Naoko, Laura, Makai, Mary, Carter, Amanda (Photo by Heather)

1Ben, Kate, Mitch, Eddy, Makai, Derek, Chris, Hanako, Alexia, Austin, Miko, Tyler, Maddie, Carter, Kenji (Photo by Heather)

IMG_0248_editAly, Amanda, Uncle BB, Aunty Gail, Hanako, Mitch, Chris, Maddie, Kyle, Doug, Naoko, Tommy

IMG_0204_editTop: Ben, Alexia, Tyler. Middle: Eddy, Derek, Tommy. Bottom: Kenji, Makai, Hanako.

3Back: Brad, Miko, Glenna, Chris, Hanako, Laura, Kate, Neil, Austin, Mitch, Jeff, Ben, Kyle, Peggy, Dallas, Derek, Maddie, Winnie, John, Heather, Doug. Front: Carter, Amanda, Aly, Evan, Alexia, BB, Tyler, Tommy, Eddy, Gail, Kenji, Naoko, Makai, Rachelle, Mary, Rick. (Photo by Heather)

IMG_0241_editTyler, Derek, Tommy, Kenji, Kate, Ben, Austin, Chris, Carter, Maddie, Eddy, Mitch, Alexia, Hanako, Makai

IMG_0244_editMakai + Hanako. Makai is one day younger. They’re starting to even out in size! Makai used to be so much bigger and now they’re just about the same.

IMG_0256_editOutrageous dessert table!

This was the 11th year in a row that we have gone to Dallas’s Aunty Gail’s house for Christmas dinner. My parents are visiting from Wisconsin and we dragged them along, like we did last year. It is so nice to see all of the family, including some who fly in and we don’t see very often. Of course, everyone made my parents feel right at home and they had a great time.

Makai, having mastered the stairs last year, was all over the place. Upstairs swiping snacks, downstairs playing with the kids and watching a movie. Always running! He was right in there with all of the kids this year.

Every year Aunty Gail makes beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole and her mom’s lettuce/mayo/crab/pea salad. It never varies. Dessert varies because other people always bring different desserts, but Aunty Gail always makes her signature cookies. My parents and I each made a tray to share and a lot of people brought a lot of other treats. The dessert table was out of control this year!

Mitch, Chris, and Chris’s girlfriend, Maddie, joined the adult gift exchange this year and were warned by their parents that if they get any “bottles” that they would be confiscated. Surprisingly, I don’t think anyone got any booze for gifts this year!

Christmas Dinners Past:

2015christmasdinner
2015
2014christmasdinner
2014
2013christmasdinner
2013
2012christmasdinner
2012
2011christmasdinner
2011
2010christmasdinner
2010
2009christmasdinner
2009
2008christmasdinner
2008
2007christmasdinner
2007
2006christmasdinner
2006
2005christmasdinner
2005

Christopher Park History Lesson

Gay Liberation, Christopher Park
“Gay Liberation”, Christopher Park, Christopher Street

Gay Liberation” is a life-size bronze sculpture by George Segal that depicts two same-sex couples, female and male. In 1991 it was installed in Christopher Park, which is often mistaken for Sheridan Square, a bordering park, because it has a statue of Philip Henry Sheridan in it. Sheridan was a Union calvalry commander and Indian fighter who is best known for saying “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.” Christopher Park is located on Christopher Street, which has the reputation of being the gayest street in New York, dating back to WWII when it provided R&R for gay sailors. You may recognize the Gay Liberation statues from the movie Big Daddy. This is where Adam Sandler teaches the kid to spit. On Sunday the weather was still quite chilly, but it was sunny for a change, so I sat in Christopher Park, people watching and reading.