Ringing in a New Year with a House Full of Middle School Girls

Al's birthday is nine days before Christmas, which her dad and I have always celebrated seperately from Christmas, so I don't think she's ever felt "shorted" in the gift department. However, parties were long a challenge, because, let's face it, the week before Christmas is often filled with enough holiday festivities that a little girls birthday party is an easy one to skip. I believe it was four years ago that we came up with a brilliant idea - Al (with some help from her momma) hosts a New Year's Eve sleepover. It's perfect - the girls have a great chance to ring in the new year together, the parents don't have to look for a babysitter (or leave their MS girls home alone), and Al actually has people show to her birthday party. The only drawback? I have a house full of middle school girls. I believe I'm some sort of masochist.

Snow Shovels = Good Karma

This is the beginning of my second winter here on Whitney Street, and I have been continuing my habit of digging out not only my driveway, but that of my elderly neighbor, plus helping other neighbors who might be shoveling while I'm out. Just the neighborly thing to do.

Well, today I got home from work, and I was deciding whether I should park in the street rather than further mash down the boogers that the snow-plow leaves at the botom of the driveway when - dun-duh-duh - someone had already moved all that chunky, heavy snow for me!!!

Don't know for sure who it was, so this is be best I can do for a THANK YOU!