Well, that was another wonderful Christmas, made more so because my mother is visiting. My mother is the patron saint of Christmas celebration. We started the day with lots of David's great coffee and our stockings, and ended it with delicious coq au vin which we prepared the night before Christmas after driving all over the city looking at the lights, and this bright green salad which was desperately needed. We watched A Christmas Story (who didn't?) before bed. I can't believe I've never laid eyes on that film before! It was a day full of way too many cookies, five prolonged hours of Christmas presents, and a lot of love. Stella was an absolute doll and Oliver is three, so the magic is just off the charts with him.
We usually lock it down here at Christmastime, becoming antisocial and inward looking. I love it that way. But this year my good friend Beth and her family are in town, my mother is staying with us, and we are fortunate to have dinner plan after dinner plan, so we're going into the new year feeling surrounded by our people, and that's a good thing for hermits like us. I still maintain that Christmas should stretch for days like we try to let it every year (here's last year). This year we're just having to shower a little more. I'm still in my pajamas twenty-plus hours of the day, so I shan't complain!
We didn't send cards this year, but I made sure to send gifts (mostly donut shaped) to all of our closest East Coast pals and the people here and there who have given me the most support and/or sage advice over the last year. That was so fulfilling, saying "thanks" in a meaningful way.
I hope your Christmas was equally as magical. It rained like crazy here, really hard, but today was clear and it looks like tomorrow might be, too. May your Christmas cheer last for a few more days. Enjoy it when you can!
We woke up really late by our standards. It was daylight!
Ten or so days of all of us camping out in Stella's room, a.k.a. "the snuggle nest".
David got me this crazy sequined top I've been staking out for months.
Some gifts from me to him.
Expensive meringues I've always wanted to try from our friend Beth. Delicious!
A costume change before archery.
Having my mother here means going to sleep with a train wreck on the living room floor and waking up to this:
Homemade hot chocolate for guests, recipe soon.
I don't think I'll ever tire of Play-Doh. This blog can attest to that.
A happy boy with his most favorite toys.
Your pictures are wonderful. We tend to be hermit-like, too--because we like it that way. :-) Glad you had such a lovely holiday.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rita. I am appreciating your calm approach to the holiday you've been talking about on your blog! :)
DeleteLooks like a wonderful Christmas Tiffanie!
ReplyDelete"Snuggle Nests" are always such fun .. I remember they used to be my favorite growing up .. Victor's a definite fan of our "sleepovers" too.. (:
Enjoy them while they last!
Oh yes! I remember a recent post about Victor requesting everyone sleep on the living room floor. LOVE IT! Hope you had a super holiday too, LT! xoxo
DeleteI love the tabletop display, the pine arrangement, the picture garland, the whole thing. I bought some mini clothespins awhile back with something similar in mind and you've reminded me they are on my desk in a bowl, unused still.
ReplyDeleteI also love the shots of the two kiddies donning their knit animal caps. I think that is one of my favorite pictures of them.
Can't wait to read the homemade hot cocoa instructions and also love the pretty multi colored playdoh balls.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you, too, Tania! I don't know how hard it is for you to get sprucey greens in Maui, but the fronds were like a dollar a piece and they smell better than our tree! I want them year 'round!
DeleteI can't wait to get the homemade hot cocoa instructions up! One of those posts where I got half way done, was SO excited about it, but stopped working on it for over a week and now am scared to start up again. Gotta get to it! xoxoxo