12 posts tagged “holidays”
It's been a week or two since we decorated the tree, but I am just now getting around to uploading the photos.
How are you celebrating the 4th of July?
We have absolutely nothing planned today, and it feels WONDERFUL 
!
After going at break-neck speed for two weeks or more trying to get the
house ready, it is nice to be able to take a kick-back day.
Hubby and I are updating our budget as I visit here. Later I will fire up the grill and throw on some steaks and corn-on-the-cob. I will whip up some brownies or cookies for our holiday dessert. The kids would like to go see fireworks, but I am hoping to convince everyone to just stay home.
Tomorrow it's back to work - weekly house cleaning to keep the house
spic-n-span for potential buyers and going through some boxes that I
don't want to take with us 
!
You will just have to believe me when I say that The Daughter and I both wore dresses. For the first time in about 4 or 5 Easters. I really wanted a photo of that, but by the time the battery was charged, I'd changed into comfy Sunday-nap attire and was curled up in my new favorite chair reading a book.
More on the first day at the new job later - or tomorrow. We'll see.
Show us a photograph that makes you remember.
I remember things always being tight financially when we grew up. But Christmases were always special. Somehow our parents always came through; I realize now that they often had help, but I don't recall a single year not being dazzled by what we found under the tree.
Who is ringing in the New Year with you? Who do you wish could be with you, but isn't there?
We started the party early last night with a few of the folks we'll be celebrating with.
Rob fed the inner drummer within with a rousing Dead or Alive (with Steve and Janie rounding out the band).
(And for a guitarist, he didn't do half bad!)
The night culminated with several rounds of Singstar 80s and Singstar Rock. Tonight will be more of the same, with a few others joining in the festivities.
The entire family couldn't join in this year so the folks I'll be embarrassing myself in front of will thankfully be limited.
(Seriously, when the karaoke of Material Girl and Run DMC's It's Tricky garner your high scores of the night, the less to witness such performances, the better.)
For some reason, once the fanfare of Christmas morning was over, we put the camera away and didn't touch it again. So, you won't get to see the delicious ham dinner we enjoyed nor the yummy finger foods we snacked on later that evening while watching the Pats/Cowboys replay from week 6. But here are a few snapshots of the early hours at our abode...
Once those were thoroughly inspected, we made our way back upstairs to see what could be found under the tree....
I was rendered speechless and close to tears yet again.
It was The Daughter's idea, and given the oft-strained relationship we have enjoyed this year, that makes this gift even more precious.
I am doubly blessed. Not because of what I received, but because of those who gave.
Christmas Eve was our day to celebrate Christmas with our extended family. We took lots of pictures, as one should, and here are some of my favorites.
But they were there too, and I got a beautiful tart burner from Steve with one of my favorite scents, Midsummers Night. And a Sixteen Candles pen that says "Oh, sexy girlfriend!"
Very cool.
My parents gave the kiddos their gifts since we decided to make Christmas Day a stay-at-home affair...
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my all-time favorite book. Ever. If you haven't read it, you should. Today.
I procured a paperback copy when I was in the 7th or 8th grade, and it traveled with me into marriage and to several different states and many different homes over the years. I read it at least once a year, every year, until we moved here two years ago. Somewhere along the way of this last move, I misplaced my tattered and torn copy.
So, I put that on my list. And not only did he get me a copy, he got one from the year it was first released...
...but the fact that he not only bought me this book, but looked for one from that first year of printings is just amazing to me. That is better than any so-called collectible could ever be.
I am blessed.
I set the alarm clock for 8 AM this morning so I could get up and finish the baking I am doing for my mother's open house this afternoon. Wouldn't you know I'd wake up at about 6:30 AM, lie (or is it lay? I can never remember that grammar rule for some reason...) awake for an hour or so, only to finally fall asleep with only 20-30 minutes before said alarm went off?
Despite that annoying start to my day, two cups of coffee, three final gifts wrapped, and a loaf of banana nut bread later, I can say I am having a pretty darn good Christmas Eve thus far.
I love the way the house smells right now - all bake-y goodness-y. I am still baking - chocolate chip-n-walnut cookies now. I love to bake. I mean, it is kind of a hassle - the gathering and measuring and mixing, but I love the end result. I love that I am actually quite good at it. I don't toot my own horn very often, but I have some signature baked goods that are oft enjoyed by family and friends alike. And that makes me insanely happy.
Much as hanging blinking lights on the entertainment system did this year. If you know me, you know that generally I hate blinking lights. Especially when they don't blink in tandem. It has always been a holiday pet peeve. But this year, I took a string of lights, added blinky bulbs, and draped them over the speakers atop the entertainment system, and for some unexplained reason, they bring me giddy joy in their mis-coordination.
But I digress.
I asked my mother what she needed me to bring for the open house and she didn't give me an answer, so I baked. Bread, cookies, pretzel kisses, and Mom-Mom's walnut cake.
The only thing that could make this day more perfect would be showing up at the parental's and finding Mom-Mom there. This is the second Christmas without her. Last year I adeptly avoided the potential melancholy at her absence by spending the holiday in California with Rob's yuppy parents.
(Which added it's own fun twist to the holiday, but that is another tale for another day.)
This will be the first Christmas Eve I've ever gone to my folks' and she won't be there. Not that we've been able to spend every Eve there - we haven't. We've lived in too many different states and towns over the past 20 years to afford that luxury.
But the Christmas Eve's we've been "home", she has been there. Until this year.
And I will giggle when I take that first bite of her walnut cake. The one she made for so many years until I took over whist she complained that the walnuts were too small or the texture a tad too dry - in the meantime quietly asking for a nice slice to take home.
I wonder if she will giggle too...
Happy Christmas Eve.
Growing up, Thanksgiving was always at our home. Mom threw sewn-together sheets on top of the ping pong table and we all pulled up a seat, eating that scrumptious and bounteous meal on McDonald's seasons plates. We didn't have a lot, but on that particular day, we always had a feast.
Over the years, even after Rob and I moved to various states and cities, Thanksgiving was still held at the parental abode, save a few years when Janie hosted it at her first home just down the street. We were never present for those since we lived half of a country away, and save the years we were able to spend the day with Mar and Rick when they lived in Texas, the day always held a slightly melancholy air for me. We did our best to at least spend the day with close friends if possible. But to me, this holiday is meant to be spent with friends and family crowded around an overflowing table.
And thankfully, this year was just that.
Janie and Steve graciously hosted the meal in their home. This allowed Mar and Rick to participate in a community dinner their church was hosting before heading over, as well as giving Gary and Rob a place to try out their stellar side-dish skills (which, by the way, they both rock at). Steve's non-blogging bro and his family joined us for dessert.
And so, here are a few photos from the day, early on. We unfortunately put away the camera and didn't take it out again the whole trip (we stayed until Saturday afternoon). When and if my Rob transfers the video footage of the four brothers singing karaoke on Friday night, I will post a link to that.
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