Celebrations

For a lot of people, this time of the year is full of celebrations.  My family is no exception. We kick off the season with Jessy's birthday, then we have Thanksgiving, my birthday, winter solstice, Christmas (multiplied by 3, 1 for each side of the family) and then the season is capped off with New Year's!  It is probably good that I have so many reasons to leave the house because hibernating is not always the healthiest choice.  The urge to hibernate is hard to resist when your outdoors look like this:

and feels like this:

As per tradition, my mom and Roger hosted Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family.  My mom does not do much holding still when she is hostess to a large group so you gotta catch her on the move!

With some new dietary restrictions in the family, our spread is trending towards the slightly healthier side of Thanksgiving menus.  

Jessy snapped a picture of my Thanksgiving plate and shared it on facebook with the title "healthiest Thanksgiving meal ever."  It was definitely my most healthy and satisfying Thanksgiving plate ever!

Hope you don't mind that I stole your photo, Jessy.

Speaking of Jessy...Our Thanksgiving meal is done potluck style.  My mom and Roger take care of most of the meal, but each guest contributes something to share.  My Aunt Michelle makes great pies.  My Uncle Bill makes sauerkraut to share.  Aunt Marion brings a salad, usually one with fresh pomegranate in it!  I usually bring a vegetarian-friendly entree or homemade bread.  And Jessy?  Jessy usually brings a packet of gravy and then makes it at my mom's house.  But not this year!  This year she, as she put it, is officially an adult!  She made a mac and cheese dish from scratch with whole wheat noodles, local cheese and fancy milk that is sold in a glass jar.  Here is photographic proof of her adulthood (and mac and cheese pride):

And here is a picture of Paul to prove he was there, too. It was less shocking of an event than his expression might make you think.

 Other people where there, too, but I was a bit lazy with my camera so I have no proof.  You'll have to trust that there was a great turnout including my cousin Angie and her new husband Judson.  They flew in from Colorado which was great since I hadn't met him or seen Angie in a long time.

A few cats were there, too.

And then, WHOOSH!  It is Christmas time!  Last weekend we bought this beautiful, sustainably farmed white pine Christmas tree (they plant 3 for each 1 sold) from our local garden center.  

It sat in our house, naked for less than 24 hours before my mom came over and helped me decorate it with our box of family ornaments.

I was a bit selective this year and focused on using the fibery ones like crocheted stars and grandma-made yarn and bead ornaments.  A few other special ones made it on to the tree including this one that has been on every Christmas tree we've had since the year I was born.

And, a tree would not be a tree without candy canes so I was excited to find a box of organic ones that are made with brown rice syrup.  The coloring is a bit odd but they still made it through this year's strict ornament selection process.

Fanny got in on the decorating by tossing around a yarn santa that we offered to her.  She puts on a good show when given the right toy.

The lights I use are really old, so I don't leave the tree on without being home. I love their antiquey look so the extra attentiveness is worth it to me.

Ditto for the star tree topper.

Funny story about the tree: I am not a Christian, but I grew up in a Christian family with Christmas trees and I like having one every other year.  So, I get one.  I like it for secular reasons (bringing light to a dark time of the year) and for nostalgia reasons.  I try to be pretty sensitive and not make assumptions about other people's backgrounds and traditions so I am careful with the language I use around this time of year.  So, when the person at the garden center finished tying our tree to our car and sent us off with a "Merry Christmas!" it took me aback.  I thought it was a little presumptuous of him to assume that I celebrate Christmas.  And then I remembered that I had just purchased a Christmas tree from him!  Ha!  I guess I forgot for a second that it was a Christmas tree and not just a fun, sparkly winter tree. But, fair enough, garden center dude.  I think you were in the clear.

Now to get those presents wrapped and under the tree!