All I want for Christmas is real Rose Parade coverage

Dear America, I would like to apologize for the national NBC coverage of the Rose Parade. If you have never seen the parade in person or seen a California broadcast of it, you have no seem the parade even if you watched it today on NBC. I learned last year that the rest of the country didn't get to see the whole parade, but this year the coverage was worse then I think I've ever seen. Al Roker and whats-her-name seemed to be the feature of the parade. I just loved having to watch them close-up talk about upcoming NBC shows and how we'd be seeing amazing floats while over their shoulder you could see a little bit of the grand prize float as it deployed. Jeez NBC how stupid are you???? No details on what's on the floats? A comment like "Wow, Al, can you imagine how many flowers are on that float?" Well, bimbo, if you were from real station you'd not only know what was on the float, you'd be able to tell us. Morons!

Anyway, if you weren't impressed based on what you saw on TV today, give the actual parade or some real TV station a try.

Ok, off soap box. Back to catching up on The Great 09 DC Christmas Adventure---

We did our Christmas early so that the littlest member could have his big Christmas at home this year. So we were Christmasing on the 22nd and the night before dinner was at Ebbitt Grill -- those folks gathered at the foot of the nutcracker are my nephew, niece, and grand nephew checking out how their picture turned out

Then we headed over the the national Christmas tree


And we checked out the exterior White House decorations

And here's yours truly and her crazy sister--


My sister's lovely tree (only 700 ornies this year) is surrounded by all the presents upside down (little one didn't want anyone peaking in advance)

Here's my nephew opening his semi-finished fife and drummer:

And my niece examining the box I finished for her:

ultimately this is what the box ultimately looked like-- not so bad if I say so myself --


My sister and I took little one to the National Cathedral. If you like stained glass and architecture, don't miss it. They've finally put in a parking lot so now going isn't such an impossibility.






They also have great needlepoints all over --





They had a special exhibit of nativities from around the world which enthralled my nephew:




We went from the cathedral to pottery painting where we all worked on a special present for little one's mommy-- (that's my green and red ornie stuck on a paint brush in the cup in the middle of the table..... I'll stick to to stitching lol)


Back later with more -- it's time to read a story now.

Continuing peaceful New Year's wishes for you and yours!