Chrissy's Blog

We went and saw the Rockefeller Christmas tree before they took it down. It was huge! Surprisingly not their biggest ever though. We were still amongst a crowd all taking family pictures in front of the tree. Again, most of them were not Americans. Sometimes it is strange to live in the second most popular tourist destination in the world. I’m often in a crowd or a subway car with a ton of foreigners who think of everything as novelty when it’s just our day-to-day lives.

THE BLIZZARD!! I have many thoughts on this situation. First of all, it wasn’t that bad. The newspapers and the uppity made it seem like we survived a natural disaster. I do think it was the right thing for the mayor and the governor to issue statements asking people to stay home until the storm passed and the roads could be safely clear. But calling it an emergency weather state? Isn’t that a bit ridiculous. It’s December. It’s the Eastern Seaboard. Is this really the first heavy snowfall these people had ever witnessed? By reading the headlines you’d have thought that it was the Apocalypse.  In fact, one headline called it the “snowpocalypse.” The other thing that bothered me was the whining that went on for days and days after the fact. This is a picture I took driving through New Jersey. By the time we got to Manhattan, most streets were cleared, and we were even able to order take-out. (We tipped the delivery guy very well.) This was the day immediately after the storm. I kept thinking how quickly everything got cleared up. But we are STILL hearing about the “failure” of the city to clean up. What do these people want? It had been one day! People were up in arms that it took three days to completely clear the roads.  I can distinctly remember an equally bad blizzard in Reno about a year ago. The roads weren’t plowed for over a week. I remember bulletins asking everyone to check up on their elderly neighbors who weren’t able to get out of their house to get food. Maybe it’s the whole Western Frontier thing, but people on the West Coast are a lot tougher than these city-folk.

On a happy note! Our car got stuck in the middle of the freeway. Travis got out to push, and before too long there were big trucks stopping by asking if we needed help. As I watched these strangers shovel our car out of the snow, I had a sweeping feeling of the good that is in mankind. People in New York make it a habit of being assholes all the time, but in reality, if someone nearby really needs help, they are always willing to lend a hand.

We headed back into D.C. to do some more touristy things, like see the White House, the Capitol Building, and Dorothy’s slippers! Something about D.C. makes one patriotic. When we were walking through the Smithsonian American History Museum, I couldn’t help but be really proud of my country. I mean we had Lincoln, whatta guy!

We took it easy on Christmas Eve. Uncle Bruce cooked us delicious food while we sat by his fireplace and watched Christmas movies. It was good to be with family. Both of our families were spending the holiday together back in Reno. We got plenty of pictures and texts from them throughout the night. We were happy to be with Uncle Bruce, but we both felt a little homesick. We took a bunch of self-portraits on the iphone to send back to our families in Reno.

We spent the day touring around Washington, D.C. with Uncle Bruce, his girlfriend April, and her daughter Anna. We spent most of the day at the Spy Museum which was fascinating. I, not surprisingly, would make an EXCELLENT spy. We also saw some of the monuments. Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument. It was bitterly cold though, and we were outnumbered by Asian tourists. But D.C. is a beautiful city, and it always inspires a wave of patriotism.

Vacation time!! Travis and I went down to Maryland to spend Christmas with his Uncle Bruce. We were so happy to get a little break from the city and just relax out in the suburbs. On the way down, we took the scenic route and stopped in Philadelphia (hence the Liberty Bell). We were only there for a couple of hours, but we got to have dinner with my aunt and uncle that live there. I also got to meet my 8-year-old cousin for the first time. She was extremely shy, but once I got her talking about her favorite Disney princess, Belle, who is also MY favorite Disney princess, she opened right up. I wish I had more time to visit with them. A long weekend trip to Philadelphia is definitely in my future.

Travis reached the big 2-4. Unfortunately, he woke up on the big day feeling sick. So on the 20th, he didn’t want the cake I had brought home for him. He still wasn’t feeling well on the 21st, but he indulged me enough to blow out his candle and take a couple bites of cake.

My mom told me that she was sending me a care package from home with Christmas necessities. I immediately began  hoping that her world famous Oyster Cracker Mix would be in the package. It was! These are addictive little suckers. They basically have olive oil, dill, and garlic powder soaked into them. Fantastic! I’ve made them before on my own. Somehow, though, food just tastes better when your mother makes it for you.

Our little tree, surrounded by our gifts from family, friends and each other. We are loved, for sure.