Holiday Season

Well, the holiday season is almost over and 2009 will be here before we know it. This last month has been quite busy with the normal service projects but also with lots of other holiday related service projects. Both my IPs are going well. The Ways to Water project is really keeping me busy. I am busy from the time I arrive to when I leave. I gave a presentation to the Conservation Committee at the end of November and was approved to make improvements to a water way that I had put in a lot of time on. So, that was cool. Some of the work to the area has been completed already and the rest will be done in Spring (planting). The area will look very nice when it is done. I will be sure to include before and after pictures when the project is completed.

My other IP is also going well. We continue to work on water testing and my optical brightener project. This past month we successfully placed 8 collectors in the water and retrieved 6. Lost two or just couldn't remember where they were. LOL But not bad. The collectors that I designed worked great and for the most part did what they were suppose to do. This was really our first run (we had done a mini trial run earlier in November), so we learned a lot and I will be making some small improvements on the collectors. I have also started to design a poster based on keeping our waters clean and how to reduce your water usage. It is fun.

Everyone is the house is doing well. We all were very excited for Christmas break in order to go home and see family and friends. We will be getting a new member sometime in the beginning of January. So, I'll keep you posted on where she is from and when she will be arriving.

The last month has brought a lot of holiday fun. We did a children's Christmas party at Children's Cove (A great organization that works with children who have been sexual abused). I also helped with two fundraisers. One involved wrapping gifts and the other one was selling Christmas tree. Our house had a Christmas party which involved a white elephant swap. We made a ton of food and had a good time. I went to Nantucket with a couple people from my house (Maria and Ashleigh). We took the ferry over then spent the day strolling along the cute little streets of Nantucket which were all decorated for the holidays. We had a snow day after we got 8 to 10 inches of snow in one night. We spent that day doing major house cleaning and maintenance. We did, however, take some time to enjoy the snow with a walk with the woods.

Me, Ashleigh, and Maria on the ferry to Nantucket

Santa coming to Nantucket in style

Christen and Davis fighting over a gift during the White Elephant Swap

Four Ponds after the snowstorm

Jenny, Maria, Ashleigh, Jaclyn, and Megan at Four Ponds

I am now back in New York. I had a good Christmas at my parents' and enjoyed seeing everyone including my hyper little nephews. Currently, I am in Rochester visiting friends. Hope everyone had a great holiday. Happy New Years!!!

The boys opening gifts