Priceless Holiday Moments

Ah, the holidays have come and gone, with relatively (pun intended) little friction, which is a rarity for both sides of the family, so it was a blessing indeed. I haven't been in to post much of anything because we have been on the run for the last week; we held two dinner parties, went to several family gatherings here, and finished off with a run up to Richmond for Christmas with the inlaws. Whew! I need a vacation from the vacation! I did get a new camera for Christmas/Birthday from my darling husband, so I spent lots of time breaking it in (thank you honey!)

While we were at my mother's house, the boys got into a little scuffle over a ridiculous inflatable hammer. Evidently, the Bohemian used the large hammer to exact a little sibling adjustment on his older brother, the Professor, who really has been teetering dangerously on the edge of teendom, as far as his attitude goes. Ever the champion of the underdog, I let him work his older brother over, while I took pictures!

The conflict is underway at this point, and is about to enter the porch, much to the amusement of the rest of the family. Notice how the Bohemian is in full swing here, while the Professor gauges whether he can come in and kill his brother without censure. hmmm..

Why is he covering his eyes? To make it look like he is an innocent bystander perhaps? I don't know, but I love this picture! It speaks volumes about these two. (notice that the Bohemian is winding up for the swing..."make my day, baby!")
This show of agression by a younger brother is obviously pushing the Professor over the edge of caution. He feels compelled to enter the fray and put the offender in his place. The Bohemian is still jubliant; cocky even, as he is still holding the hammer at the ready. Watch out Big brother!
Oops! Too late, the Bohemian realizes he should have kept his brother from entering the porch. He tries to force the Professor back to the door, but alas! The Professor is inside now and the Bohemian is in big trouble. (Can you believe they were going on like this while I was shooting it? Hello!!! Your mother is watching AND taking footage to condemn you both with. Obviously they are in the throes of passion at this point - "Camera, Schmamera, I'm going to kick your a**!) Ah! The Professor gets the Bohemian into a headlock and exacts his revenge. (and he's never even watched wrestling - what a natural, eh?) I love the blind rage pictured here - the sheer, unadulterated anger of an eldest child who has been publicly thwacked by his younger brother. Oh the indignity! Oh the injustice! Oh are they going to be in trouble!
At this point I had to go separate them, so as to avoid any trips to the hospital. (I was kind of worried they were going to pop the hammer too, and it wasn't theirs to pop, so...)

The sweet moments of Christmas - Joy and Goodwill to all men, except when there's a blow-up hammer to wreak some vengeance with. Good times!

There were other moments that were more idyllic; ie, they weren't monsters ALL the time! Actually the hammer incident was the only real fight they had, and it was so much fun to photograph, how could I intervene right away?

But look: here is proof they were good some of the time:

The Bohemian scrunches down to give me a better shot of him with his new RC truck. I especially love the "Penny Brite" look in his eyes. Such a mischeivous child, but at least he's not dull, right?

The Professor contemplates a composition of his own making, wearing his signature black sweat hoodie. Inexpressibly cool at all times, it is very difficult for him to be seen with the rest of us (and he's only 10, for crying out loud!)
All right, that is the end of the holiday picture posts. Now that its January, and a new year is upon us, I am moving along.

Of course, I still need to take down the tree and move all the furniture back to its normal places, but with all that still ahead of me, I'm bound to come up with some good postings - anything to extend the season of procrastination, I say!

It could be a dark month ahead; I turn 45 this Friday (sigh). Most of the time I don't feel like I'm even 40, but there is always that time of yearly reckoning, called Birthday, where all rational bets are off. I might just have to wallow a teeny bit, in order to make the adjustment. There might be a need for a box of fine chocolates, a little bubbly, and a Pride and Predjudice marathon, in order to realign my planets and whatnot. There definitely needs to be a tube of burnt umber in my near future - I am twitching mentally, wanting to get back to the painting, and its always good for my mental state, to be painting, but my burnt umber was a dried rock of a tube, and its been one thing and another, up to now, keeping me from getting a tube, much less, even having the time to paint. But no more! I am vowing to be done with Christmas clean-up and ready for the January Hunker-down, with my easel, by next week. So there, you grumpy January blues - see where that leaves you!