Deja Vu

Didn't we start off last year's Christmas Season this way? Her Grandma replaced the one she broke last year, and now here we are again...snow globes and young children don't mix...

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceramony

The Saturday after Thanksgiving marks the date all the die-hard Christmas fans in our small city get together, sing Christmas carols, drink warm cider and cocoa, and munch on popcorn while we await Santa's arrival on the old fashioned firetruck. Once the jolly old guy takes his place on the small stage we all count down from 10 yelling Merry Christmas as our tree is illuminated! It's nothing super special, but it feels nice to gather each year with friends to ring in our new Christmas Season.

Happy Birthday Mabel!

Our little dumpling has turned 1!

Turkey Day; The More The Marrier!

We had a nice sized group over for Thanksgiving this year, and couldn't have asked for a better time. The food was good, conversation lively, and the kids has a great time just being kids. I was thinking all day on how meaningful it was to have been blessed with such loving and wonderful family and friends and how special it was to have both there, sharing at our table.

(pre-meal mess)

(men at work in the kitchen)

(the bird, all 22 pounds!)

(chit-chat)

(the grown-up table)

(the kid table)

(pie, pie, pie, & pie)

Thanksgiving Starts Today

Although the official meal is set for 5pm tomorrow. The bulk of the shopping was kindly completed yesterday by my father-in-law, and food prep started today. We're hosting D's parents who are in town from California and mine, along with 2 other dear families. The table is set in our fine china (when else do you get to use it?) E's made place cards for all 14 of us, veggies washed, bread cubed and toasted for stuffing, cranberries poised to be sauced, turkey scheduled for it's brine bath at 2AM, and the rest seems like it will gradually come together tomorrow. It's times like these I am thankful for our 2nd set of appliances (stove and refrigerator) in our downstairs mother-in-law apartment, whew!


The Menu:
meet & greet:
7-layer bean dip and chips
goat cheese rolled in candied pecans, dried cranberries, and fresh basil w/water crackers
deviled eggs
veggies and dip

the sit-down:
A 22 pound free range turkey
mashed potatoes
homemade stuffing
green bean casserole (without canned ingredients)
sweet potatoes
Trey's jambalaya
spinach salad
fruit plate
rolls
4 different kinds of pie and a few other lovely desserts


What I love about including so many people is that you get to a little taste of their traditions, what an honor for them to share these dishes with us! And thanks so much for pitching in everyone, I am soooo looking forward to tomorrow!

A Change At Christmas Time (Say It Isn't So)

So my life basically has a soundtrack. I pretty much live in music all day long (this is true whether I want it there or not). And as I mentioned in the previous post, we're now injecting our already bloated soundscape with my Christmas tunes.

You know when you actually stop and listen, and digest what the lyrics are saying? I can hit you pretty hard? Well, the far-from-classic Flaming Lips song, A Change At Christmas Time (Say It Isn't So) came on and I was mesmerized, weeping, disturbed, moved. See what you think.

I know everything changes
Yeah, it's strange how time marches on
Maybe there'll be some time in the future
Oh, tell me I'm not wrong

Oh, if I could stop time
It would be a frozen moment just around Christmas
When all of mankind reveals its truest potential
And there is sympathy for the suffering
Yes, there is sympathy for those who are suffering

And the world embraces peace and love and mercy
Instead of power and fear
And as sure as I'm standing here
I swear it really does appear that a change comes over us
Yes, some kind of change comes over us

And it's glimpsed for one shining moment
And this change feels like a change that's real
But then it passes along with the season
And then we just go back to the way we were
Yes, we just go back to the way we were

Say it isn't so
Tell me I'm not just a dreamer
I'm talking with a friend and he knows how it ends
He says it's easier, that's just the way we are
That's human nature and that's just the way we are
Oh, say it isn't so!

Confession

I started listening to my Christmas music this evening. E and I did a celebratory jig around the living room. I know it's early, probably way too early (maybe the full moon), but something wonderful happens in my brain when I listen to it. All the sudden things seem right in the world, or at least in my world.

Sorry 10 on 10ers

No photo's this month. The day just got away from me.

Toadstool Seats

I've subscribed to Martha Stewart's Craft of the Day. I get a new craft idea sent to me via e-mail every morning. Usually I think they're clever, or pretty, or well, Martha-ish and archive them. But, yesterday's was so sweet, I truly think I may give it a try for E's room!

Big Day, Right?

I keep flipping over to check the progress of the election...anyhow, it also does happen to be my very own birthday today (and if the elections go as predicted, it'll be a nice present!) D and E made me a cake (from scratch!) and E made me a tiara (which she mostly wore) and gave me a back rub. I've received many delightful calls, cards, flowers, thoughtful gifts and e-mails, went out to dinner with our family friends last night, and today voted! Doesn't get much better.

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Later, after dinner and a drive we ended up at Molly Moon's. Have you been yet? Heaven. One day when our Walsh's come and visit, this will be on the list. We pondered our flavor-licious decisions (although, how can you not get 'baracky road' on this historical day????) and listened to (and were so moved by) his acceptance speech on the radio in the shop.

Cupa Joe Tomorrow

Daylight Savings!

Fall back...this time change thing is way harder to navigate with kids! But, I am thankful for our extra hour this evening. It will make getting up in the mornings a little easier with some daylight. This year we've been using a digital clock in E's room, and she doesn't emerge until after it reads 8am. Glad I remembered to reset it before she went to bed, I wonder if she'll make it tomorrow morning...