White Christmas, The Nutcracker, and More!

I feel like I haven't blogged in forever. I have so much to update on, so please bare with me. This may be a LONG post with lots of pictures.

The Snow

How much more are we going to get? Not that I am complaining because I love winter. I love skiing, snow shoeing, and winter hiking, but good God where is it all coming from? Secretly I am laughing inside because as most of you know, I hate Al Gore. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China you ask? Well, it's this global warming business. I am a bit of an environmentalist and I know it's a serious problem/threat to the eco-system/world. It's not that Global Warming was discovered by our friend Al, but it is his shtick so I like that it appears as though he is a fool.

All this snow sets the stage for Christmas, and there are few things I love more than a white Christmas. The Farmer's Almanac says we are in for a rough winter with lots of winter weather which, I know is my sister's worse nightmare but, is music to my ears. We live in New England people. It snows here! Consider it the price you pay for 4 seasons!

The Nutcracker

On Saturday, Aaron and I went to Boston to see his brother and Nelson. For Christmas, Matt and Nelson bought us tickets to The Nutcracker at the Boston Ballet. I had been to the ballet once before but I was so young, I don't think I understood or enjoyed it much. The four of us went and we had a fabulous time.


When we arrived, Matt had an amazing brunch prepared for us. He made this egg souffle thing with salsa and fresh banana bread! It was so delicious. We then took the subway (yes the subway- to me that is so cool) to the Boston Ballet where we watched the Nutcracker. The theater was gorgeous! I don't think Aaron understood prior to the ballet, that it was just that, a ballet- with- no- words. He none-the-less enjoyed himself. It was truly a wonderful Christmas event that worked in the finer arts, which I adore, and an opportunity to be with Matt and Nelson, who I also adore.



I didn't know the significance of the Nutcracker until I went to the ballet. Apparently, as legend had it, long ago there was a boy who became frightened when a father used to go to work in the mines. The son was scared to be without his father, so the father whittled him a nutcracker that had sharp teeth, a movable jaw, and scary eyes in hopes the boy would think it would protect him. It didn't give the boy much comfort so the father began making them at night when he would return from the mines and made different varieties of them.

Nelson and me

The Molloy Boys

The Amalloy's (Molloy + Amaral = Amalloy)

Could I look any happier?

After leaving the ballet we walked around downtown Boston and went in a few stores. We didn't spend too long walking around, as Matt was planning an even more amazing dinner for us when we got home. Matt prepared an amazing Lasagna (with no ricotta- I am really weird about cheese, I mostly only like Mozzarella, American, and Cheddar) we had fresh bread with this garlic butter (it was so good, I wanted to lather it all over my body), salad and eggnog (with rum.) For dessert... Freakin' Fondue. Yes, I said fondue. Matt is a cook like you see on TV and this fondue was amazing. We dipped figs, ladyfingers, and bananas into this deep sea of dark chocolate. If it were a trough, I would have soaked in it. We had a wonderful time.

Inside the Boston Ballet Theater. It was gorgeous in there!

Friday began the first official day of our vacation. Aaron and I are off, together, until after the New Year. We are leaving just after Christmas for Montreal. We plan to skip over to Quebec while we are there (they are about an hour apart) to catch the ice show. I plan to bring my ice skates, my ski's, and lots and lots of money. As an aside, I just checked the exchange rate and our American money is worth less than the Canadian dollar right now :( Oh well.

To mark the beginning of our Christmas vacation, our first Christmas together, and another very special day, I awoke to find Aaron making me my favorite breakfast and one dozen red roses. Awww.

Lastly, in honor of Christmas, I have taken pictures of some of my favorite Christmas decorations and I will share with you their meaning to me.

I have looked my entire adult life at different versions of this decoration never finding one that was quite right- I am a very conscientious shopper and have to have something "just right" before I buy it. It's Santa kneeling down over baby Jesus, with his hat off, praying. This sight for some reason always makes me want to cry. It combines the true meaning of Christmas, and what kids love about Christmas. Aaron finally found the one I wanted in North Conway. It is perfect and my favorite thing about it is that it's a music box. It plays "Oh Come all Ye Faithful."

This is my Nativity. I saw this Nativity in 2001 and pined for it for 5 years. It's a Willow Tree Nativity, which means it is very expensive. Hundreds of dollars for the entire scene. I could never reason spending that much on one Christmas decoration, so I never bought is. Instead I would just drool over it every Christmas. Last year, my sister and brother bought it for me- for no reason at all. I just went over for dinner and they said they had something for me. Just like that. It was mine. I love it so much and it is one of my most prized possessions.

Lastly, this is 'THE CANDY CANE HOUSE.' Only my sister and my mother can understand the true meaning of THE candy cane house. I bought if for my mother with I was very little. I cleaned out my piggy bank and bought it for her for Christmas from my sister's fundraiser at school. It is special to the three of us, and my mother gave it to me a few years ago. It is irreplaceable.

We will update at a later date. Merry Christmas everyone.

XOXO

Jessi & Aaron

(the five beasts too)