And so began 4 straight weeks of holiday celebrating....
Thanksgiving:
Our scout elf arrived from the North Pole. And we had to get out the rule/storybook to remind ourselves exactly what he can and cannot do.
No touching. That basically sums it up.
So far, the kids have obeyed nicely.
We had a tasty menu planned for the November holiday. With many of the pieces smartly prepped the evening before.
Sam and Alison joined us and we all shared in the meal-making.
I tried a new appetizer. And it was given a thumbs up by all. Even the kids liked it!
What you see here are brie and red currant jam in phyllo cups. Topped with smoked almonds. The sweet, salty, and smokey made a wonderful combination.
And we paired it with some classics...
Matt was in charge of the turkey. He followed an Alton Brown recipe that called for brining.
The turkey was quite a piece of art.
And it was moist and flavorful...so I'm told.
I was determined to use my wedding china on this occasion.
Silly me in 2010 pre-kids. What sort of life did I envision for myself in which fine china would be a thing? This poor set sits in a cabinet year-after-year and never sees daylight.
But upon confirming it actually IS dishwasher safe, I was excited to invite it to the dinner table.
Sage really enjoyed setting the dining room table with me. It's something we rarely do, and so it feels special and fancy to him. He's a decorator at heart. (You have to use common phrases like "pizza party" very carefully around him).
So when he saw the dishes, he decided that candles would pair nicely. We have Sage to thank for the ultra mood-lighting.
A delectable dessert. Blueberry lemon bundt cake, with enough glaze to knock your socks off.
We watched Christmas movies and enjoyed libations for the duration of the evening...
The next day, the Christmas decorating began.
Sage could NOT contain his excitement.
We started out slow...
Then dove in head first.
YES - these boxes are all full of Christmas decorations...
We watched some Youtube videos and learned some fun techniques for making snowflakes.
And we made a 2nd round of those fabulous little brie cups.
Over the weekend, we had some great weather. And I took the boys to the park.
Sage has really mastered his downward dog pose!
The work week came and went.
Then it was the weekend again, and time for another round of festive activities.
First, the whole family attended the birthday of Sage's buddy Hunter. A pajama and doughnut party!
This child (Kale) is my spirit animal. I mean... just look at him!
The powdered lips, the footie pajamas, the candy necklace.
We headed directly from the party to Bath Nursery to visit with Santa and pick out our Christmas tree.
And here she is!
We moved the furniture around in the living room to accommodate the new tree...
Then decoration began.
A touch of fun, a dose of chaotic, and just a sprinkle of stress.
Big Bear in the corner over there had one too many eggnogs....
Then yet another work week came and went. And for once, we had no major plans for the weekend.
So we did a little romping around inside.
A little romping around outside...
Then back inside for more simple fun...
You're welcome for being an AWESOME mom.
Nico is spunky and playful as ever...
And one last thing:
Our daycare center always adopts a couple local families, and divvies up the items from their Christmas list onto a Giving Tree. You select an item, or a person, and supply the gift(s). I went out of my comfort zone and selected two 16-year old boys. Each wanted a wallet. And I thought...I can do that! Then I slipped in some surprise cash. I let Sage be the one to "deliver" the gifts to school. And he was excited to participate!
I know it's a small, super small, contribution. I need to do more...
But Christmas aint' over yet!
