christmas has come and gone and now it's back to the grind. most exciting was our flight delay that meant we didn't arrive at home until 12:30 at night and the next morning at 10:30 i was in the middle of storytime (which i didn't plan before i left... i know, i know). i planned more for this morning since i had my aunts and my mother sing spanish songs into a tape for me during our christmas eve celebration. for the record, they (the songs) were a big hit this morning.

and god bless the person who came up with the three little pigs. that story works for pre-k through third grade in english or in spanish. and everyone loves to blow the houses down.

this was the first time we left kitten for any length of time and he was twitchy when we got back. my theory is that the other two, in the true teasing spirit of older siblings, told him that we weren't coming back. he wasn't quite ready at first to forgive us for ditching him, but got over it in time to lick our faces in the morning when we would have preferred to be sleeping.

our cab driver last night told us "the city is empty" for the holidays. i considered that possibility this morning when i managed to get on the first subway that came by instead of having to wait out a couple of them because they are too crowded. and tonight when i came home i got the last seat on the bus while the ten other people behind me were forced to stand (ha). clearly empty is a matter of perspective.

on the plus side, i realized that i don't have to work more than four days in a row for the next few weeks. is it wrong to be somewhat happy about this? sometimes work is tiring (honeymoon stage over perhaps?) but most of the time i love the hugs. and the kids' faces looking up at me when i'm telling a story... those are priceless.