Post-Holiday

We had a good holiday, and I hope everyone else did, too. I cooked a big dinner and we STILL have ham left. Clint put a facebook status up yesterday that said, "Sophia is mowing down her books, Benjamin is mowing down his video games, and Brittany is mowing down a well-deserved nap," and I think that about covers the state of us post-holiday. I've always liked this week between Christmas and New Year. It feels so relaxed. I always had toys and then new books to read when I was younger, and no school, and now I'm an adult and my kids are on break from school, we're eating leftovers, watching new movies and reading new books, and napping. Amen to napping.

Friday - {This Moment}

Clint's big present this year. SWOON.

Tis the Season

A season for snow, hand knits, and lights from the tree making me happy. I think I'll be finishing up almost all the gift shopping today, and although I'm pretty happy with what we've done in that area this year, it still feels like too much somehow. Do others feels that way? Like the search for gifts to give, and particularly I'm thinking about shopping for our children here, can be painful to both the spirit and the wallet sometimes? I don't know. I want to get them something with joy. I like finding the right gift. I guess I wish we had started things differently when they were younger. Like, I think Santa should bring one present. Going over The Lists and trying to figure out what can be afforded, and equally, and so on just isn't what I want for the season, but somehow we just got into that pattern.

But it's not all bad. I say all that but our family is still on the smaller side of the gift-giving extravaganzas I've seen or heard about. By necessity, sure, but also by choice. I find I like the smaller things we do so much more. Going to get our tree, baking cookies, making cranberry tea on the stovetop, bringing out the familiar ornaments and holiday books, the cards and wrapping paper the kids draw and make... these things are the holiday season more than the gift-giving, and I hope my kids get that and carry that forward into their adult lives. I think they will.

Friday - {This Moment}

You may not know this about me, but I have an entourage. Also, Mukluks, which is good because it's freezing here.

Making Merry

We went and picked out our tree over the weekend. This is actually our first real Christmas tree. I've always wanted one, but we just never tried it until now, and my family always just went with the artificial kind so I had no prior experience. So far, I'm in love with it and can't imagine not having a real tree after this.




making my turkey brine



We had a lovely Thanksgiving here. It was just us, and it was a quiet, warm, and good-smelling day that I enjoyed thoroughly. I roasted my first turkey (my, this is a year of holiday firsts, isn't it?) and was beyond thrilled with how it turned out due to brining. Seriously the best turkey I've ever had, and I don't think that's because I am particularly skillful... it's the magic of brining!






Lots of sitting in front of the wood stove around here. We've had our first snow and all the white-laden tree branches just fill me with delight. I am a true Northerner at heart; I was never particularly happy when we lived down south. I love the snow, the winter, I love pulling on woolen things and the deep quiet of a snowfall at night. So far this is shaping up to be the best holiday season yet, and I couldn't be happier or more grateful for any of it.