One more sleep 'til Christmas! Happiest holiday wishes from our family to yours!
Christmas Jammies
One of my very favorite traditions is getting the girls matching pajamas for Christmas morning. This is usually the first "advent gift" of the season on December 1st. That way, they can get the most enjoyment/use out of them for the season. Thankfully, they still seem to enjoy the tradition as well!
How It Started / How It's Going
Better late, then never? Here's my late contribution to the "how it started/how it's going" trend. Definitely best with Mr. Handsome Fatty Fluffpants, Richard Parker. Our fuzzy son joined the family nine Christmas Eve's ago. We love him so!
Nutcrackers
Another Christmas tradition I love is gifting the girls a nutcracker during the month of December (another "advent gift" that gets sprinkled in). Someday, when they move out on their own, they'll each have a box of nutcrackers to decorate their homes for the holidays. I like knowing that the sisters will have nearly-matching-pairs as they start their own traditions through the years.
The Support and Success of Piper's Book Drive
Every 8th grader at our IB middle school plans, executes, and reflects on a service project of their choosing. Piper and her girlfriend teamed up this year to collect gently-used books for Promising Pages, a local nonprofit that distributes books to homes where there are few, if any. As the kids have not been on campus all year to collect donations from classmate's households, the girls were worried that their book collection efforts would not amount to very many titles. Amazingly, through the love and support of friends and neighbors, they collected hundreds of books to give away! (Storing them until donation day has been a worthy challenge: Greg's trunk is full, my cargo area is full, the back hallway and the study are full. It's the best *problem*!)
The Return of "Hunter"
Did you notice our observer in the pic above? We choose to believe that this is the same barred owl that has been visiting us over the past few years. The ivy "jungle" that lines our long driveway seems to be prime hunting grounds during this season and full of the tastiest owl treats: squirrels and chipmunks.
Volleyball Season
Cheers to this girl and her teammates for heading into the holidays with an 11-0 record. We have a couple games left in the abbreviated season and we are so thankful to have had that many! The coaches are fantastic, the girls are improving every week, and the camaraderie has been priceless during this time of heightened social isolation. Go Mustangs!
A Good Crumb
Still baking the sourdough over here and still enjoying when a loaf comes out particularly well. This one went fast. Did you know that the inside of the loaf where the air pockets are is called "the crumb"? Weird right? Shouldn't the crumb have something to do with the crust?? It's just not so. In any event, I'll be baking again on Christmas morning --adding fresh rosemary and lemon-infused olive oil to the dough to enjoy with our (mostly) traditional Christmas Dinner: prime rib, baked potatoes, corn pudding, and green salad. Typically, I'd make a big pan of roasted root veggies (with goat cheese and honey) but this year, opted for a simpler vegetable side: roasted brussels sprouts. Despite the woes of 2020, I hope your table is full of good food and your heart is full of good cheer!
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