So This is Christmas . . .

Cousin Rob didn't know how to play Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board --
so we showed him.

Beginning of Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board. Before I'm levitating:) Notice the Santa Jesus on the Sweater.

Kids and Molly on Christmas Eve!!

Molly wanted to participate. She is so beautiful.

Huge, Huge, Huge Christmas Thank-yous to everyone who helped with SweaterBlog. As a result of your generosity and encouragement, I have been able to donate more than $2,000 to Toys for Tots!! This morning, many boys and girls opened presents they wouldn't have received if it wasn't for you. I feel blessed to know so many people willing to contribute to this venture. I can't wait to do it bigger and better next year:) Signing off for now . . .

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night.

FINAL TOTALS:

$1540 (PayPal) + $486 (Cash/Check) = $2026!!


Special Christmas Thanks to Today's Angels:

-Nicholas Michiels
- The Korreck Family


Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve, Eve.

Jenison High School Class of 2002 -- Inaugural Holiday Reunion

Kim Zmeskal, Shannon Miller & Bella Karolyi -- Camp Swampy circa 1992

Sissy is wearing a Santa sweatshirt!! This is one of my favorite pictures, Sissy looks like she is carrying out such a noble task.

Visiting with the Nana and Bumpa!!


Not sure why nobody is visiting me at Ty's senior night. FREE T-SHIRTS people.

Its almost Christmas! My sister and brothers are all home and the Kohl family is nestled, all snug in our beds:) Its been a great few days as I've been able to spend time with many life-long friends, all in Holiday sweaters. Now that its so close to Christmas, people don't look at me so strangely in my holiday outfits. I'm certainly not the only person walking around the grocery store, Meijers, etc in a holiday outfit.

I got together with some HS friends last night and came away with some dollar, dollar bills.

TOTALS:

$1520 (PayPal) + $436 (Cash/Check) = $1956!!!

Huge Thanks to:

*Joe & Kristin Diekevers

*Chad Klotz

Love to all!

For Greggo.

Had a special request from my friend Greg to take a picture at the Lion Bridge! (Ct. Ave bridge from Woodley Park to Dupont)

Look at how cute the lions are all dressed up. Makes me want one.

Sooo I haven't posted photos in a few days -- but I have been wearing sweaters, I promise! Mom has some photos on her camera that we will download once we find the cord. I wouldn't lie about this -- not so close to Christmas when Santa is watching.

I got out of dodge just before blizzard2k and feel badly for all my friends in DC who were supposed to leave town today. Life has been pretty uneventful so far. Spent part of the day Friday and today finishing an exam and the rest of the day helping out at my brother's hockey tournament. There is a picture coming in which I'm pouting because none of the HS children wanted to visit the table I was staffing for senior night. Kids.

Being home is awesome. There are so many homemade goodies. I just ate the entire top off of some coffee cake thing -- I can imagine that won't be appreciated by the rest of the family. Oops. The frosting is so good though. Its also nice to know that you can be 26 and still do things like ask your Mom to find your book for you, because you lost it, and you realllly want it.

Still taking donationsss!!!!!! I want to buy toys!!! I'm going to be out in about in the sweaters from here on out!

Elf Yourself!

Handing the check over to Msgt Butler

With a group at the toy sorting facility!

And then they let us play . . .

Sorting a bunch of toys just brought in from a branch of the DC Fire Department!

Perplexed by the toy sorting -- I wasn't sure I'd be able to sort the toys into the appropriate age groups until I was informed that the package usually tells you that information:)

EEEEE!! Lyndsay and I just got back from the toy sorting facility out at the Anacostia Naval Annex, just north of Bolling AFB. What an experience!! Beginning at 7am each morning, Marines, volunteers from other branches of the armed services and civilian volunteers sort and organize toy donations to be processed and sent to one of the toy distribution centers in the area.

At the distribution centers, many more volunteers work to process the toys into specific family groups and orders. This huge undertaking takes place in numerous donation centers across the country -- these people really are making holiday dreams come true and ensuring that kids don't have to wake up empty-handed on Christmas morning! In the Washington DC area alone (including Northern Va and Montgomery County), Toys for Tots distributes toys to over 82,000 children.

I am so happy that we were able to contribute so much to this undertaking. This morning, I wrote Toys for Tots a check for $1,886. Toys for Tots purchases toys at a steep discount from toy manufacturers, so the money donated will certainly go a long way! Everyone's efforts in this venture are seriously INCREDIBLE and I love you all! Msgt Butler said that he has received sizable contributions from corporate groups and organizations but that a donation of this size absent some corporate coordination is really unprecedented. He admitted that when I first contacted him he was skeptical that the venture would be particularly successful and in his mind hoped I wouldn't be too disappointed if it didn't work. I assured him I know far too many amazing people for that to happen. He also said he was surprised that I wasn't old:)

After chatting with MSgt Butler and presenting him with the check, Lyndsay and I stayed around for a bit to hang out and help sort toys. Everyone involved in the process is a lot of fun and genuinely vested in the project. They had a lot of fun with us newbies and one of the navymen even tried suggesting that Lyndsay and I hop the fence to go see Marine One. Concerned that we were quite gullible, one of the reservists felt compelled to tell us we'd probably get shot at if we tried that. I don't know much about military bases, but I do know that attempting to access the President's transportation is not a great idea:) West Wing taught me that.

Its time for me to finish a final and head to the Mitten. I know my Mom has come up with several holiday photo opportunities for my time in Grand Rapids, so keep up the good work everyone!

TOTALS!!! As mentioned -- I wrote a check for $1,886!! ($1520 PayPal + $366 cash & check)!

Yesterday's TOYYYYYYYYS!:

Paulo Palugod
The Hendrickson Family
Rob & Kasey Brown
Sunita Mohanty
Courtney Henson
Jay Schmakel
Tom & Jessi Ferri
Lindsay Spadoni
Shreelekha & Saroj Mohanty
Pete Salzler

Sweater Lovin' had me a Blast

Just with the holiday treats at Giant. Get your fill of those sweats now, because those sweatpants are being abolished come the new year. The Christmas present sweatshirt will probably not be abolished any time soon :)

Wellllll, back to finals studying for a bit here. Ergo, the nicest pictures you get are the rare instances wherein I leave my apartment to go to the store. To get food. To fatten up, so I can be like Santa. There was a special holiday surprise at Giant for Lyndsay and I -- they had REAL funfetti frosting. Not that silly stuff they sell now where you pour sprinkles into regular icing. Bah to that.

I'm spending the day at school today, learning allllll sorts of things about debt financing contracts. The sweater I'm wearing does have shoulder pads though. . . Tomorrow I head to the TFT Toy Sorting area to give them the funds collected so far!! I am VERY excited! I can't wait to see all the toys the kids are going to get!!! I'll probably be really tempted to play with the toys, but I'll try to refrain, because I know my parents are getting me a very nice toy (a puppy!) for Christmas. I'm also headed to take a picture near the Lion bridge.

HUGE Totals so FAR!!!

$1310 (PayPal) + $356 (Cash & Check) = $1666.

This total is so far beyond what I expected, that I don't have much to say but WOW! and of course, THANKS.

Today's Poinsettias:

-- Scott Levine (it was his Hanukkah present yesterday!)
-- Meghan Boone

. . . because Toys for Tots is out of this World

With Jess and Manda in the Air & Space Museum, because, as Jess so aptly put it, "Toys for Tots is out of this world."

At the Ravens/Lions game, dressed like a puffy Santa!

Mrs. Hollis w/ Sophie! My friend Amanda's mom thought she would pass along a picture of her in one of her Christmas sweaters. Sophie is a new puppy!

Had a busy weekend this weekend! I got to walk around the Mall, go to Air & Space and grab dinner with the Matzwas & the Ferris on Saturday. The reindeer antlers are not on in the above picture in Air & Space (bells distracting in the museum), but I wore them while walking around outside. They garnered a lot of attention down on the mall. Far more people pointed at me than had been in the past few weeks. The outfit itself was wonderful. The red velvet pants Jess sent were, uh, very loud. I also can't remember the last time I wore pants which zipped up the side. Thanks so much to Jess, Tom, Manda and Jason for walking around with me in that ensemble and introducing me to space ice cream!

On Sunday I went to the Lions/Ravens game in Baltimore. It was a beautiful day for a football game. I personally enjoy football games the most when it doesn't stop raining, ever. Whit and I only spent the first quarter outside. We tried, but it was cold. Regardless, the game was a lot of fun and after the game I got to see a good friend involved in the Ravens organization. Everyone at the game seemed to love the Santa outfit. Most people also seemed to think I was wearing the t-shirt (which says "Believe") to state my belief in the Ravens and their playoff hopes. Which, I mean, sure, fine with me . . . but not the genesis of the shirt.

Got lots of donations this weekend!!!!!

TOTALS: $1295 (PayPal) + $331 (Cash & Check) = $1626!!

Special thanks to this weekend's Gingerbread:

* Sarah & Matt Waterstone
* Amanda Mierzwa & Jason Matson
* The Kloth Family
* Kevin Madden
* Brad Rosenwasser
* Charlie & Lynn Gorton

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

On Metro, showing off the jewels the ladies bought me at the Kennedy Center

Outside the Kennedy Center

Inside the Kennedy Center, Brian relegated to his traditional role as photographer

Many, many other people at the Kennedy Center were dressed for the holidays. Who knew the Holiday Pops concert is actually a costume party?

A group of us went to the National Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops Concert last night. Somehow, I don't have any pictures with Kris, Kate, Kate or Jackie, but I wish I did!!!!

We all had a great time. The concert was conducted by Marvin Hamlisch who is wonderfully talented and amazing -- I'm slightly obsessed with him. I bet my praise means the same to him as the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes, Tony and Pulitzer he's reeled in. It must be that we have so much in common, with our Julliard-level talent and everything. But seriously, the concert was more interactive than I expected. Those of you who know me can imagine my delight at learning that there would be a SING-A-LONG! You can also probably imagine the similar lack of delight on the part of those sitting next to me:) Santa came to the concert too, and it snowed!

I wasn't out of place at all in the Kennedy Center. I'm not really sure I can get credit for dressing in holiday garb, given the number of people in holiday sweaters, antlers, and Santa hats that were also at the concert. Whatever, I'm going to take credit anyway. Maybe for going outside in a skirt -- it was so cold that I was certain I was going to perish. This should be interesting, now that I've realized that the Baltimore Ravens play football OUTSIDE and that I picked to attend a game in December . . . may have to wear a full-on Santa Suit on Sun.

Lots and lots and lots of thanks to those who have participated thus far. We are getting RICH!

TOTALS:

$1175 (PayPal--I know it says $1150, but eChecks take awhile to go through and I'm just going to have faith that nobody is trying to steal from the kids) + $246 = $1421

Thanks to today's Snowmen:

* Alison Kogut
* Neal Parsons
* Bear, Jamie & Sophie Hollis
* Aunt Terri, Uncle Joe & the rest of the Hakeem clan!!