Chicagoing

After opening presents and attending church on Christmas Day, we hopped on a plane and landed in Chicago to spend a few days with my parents and siblings. My aunt and uncle had offered their home to us while they were away for Christmas and it was a wonderful site to gather, smack in the middle of the country.

Joy! It's the first time we've all been together for 5+ years.  It was time.

So that's where I've been:

spending hours around the table

reading on the sofas

going to the Chicago Art Institute

and Berghoffs (remember when I went there with Sam a couple of summers ago? they fixed their sign)

singing around the piano

and doing Muppet impersonations (Chris's Animal ftw)

My people. I love them.

I miss them already.

Hallelujah

Hope your weekend is filled with both joyful noise

and peace

Sending love and best wishes to you all!

. . .

p.s. I must admit I posted the Nativity Carol last year but it's still my favorite.
And something about that wintry Alaskan Hallelujah video gets me every time.

Nesting and pruning

Today I realized that I'm having kind of a rebellious, who says holiday:

Who says you have to decorate your tree before December 23rd? 
Who says you have to have Christmas cards all made and sent by now*?
Who says you have to stress over every little detail?
Who says you have to say yes to every invitation or event that comes along?

Certainly not me, not this year anyway.

It feels good to have all my chicks under my wing. Some Decembers I love darting around, bringing home little bits and treats to the nest, thriving on the bustle and the go, go, go. This year I just want to nest right here, thankyouverymuch (with a special thanks to Amazon, my gal Friday). We've jettisoned the parts that were stressful and tried to keep the meaningful bits for this precious stretch of days when we're all together. Someday we'll have a more high energy holiday again but this year, we needed hygge.

Tonight we put a few ornaments on the tree (we wanted to wait for Lauren to be home) and pulled out a gingerbread house kit we still had in the basement left over from last year:

It was great. Epiphany: The holiday season can be whatever you need it to be.

And who says your gingerbread walls have to meet exactly at the corners? 

. . .

*We'll still plan on doing cards eventually; we just had to wait for the college girl to get home to do photos [Note to self: take photos in the summer from now on].

A very French Newsie Waldo Halloween

where's Waldo?

Oh, dear. My moustache needs help. (I mustache you a question but I'll shave it for later)

Halloween was postponed (or in some cases canceled, gasp!) in neighboring towns due to power outages from the weekend storm. Our town had power and Halloween in tact so we had record numbers of trick-or-treaters in our parts (our neighborhood is fondly known as "Mayberry" to locals). I think I gave out at least 600 pieces of candy? I lost track of how many bags we opened and I even had to break into Bishop G's special stash of candy.

Best of all, we had some friends over who have young little trick-or-treaters, making our whole evening. Nothing like Halloween through the eyes of young kids. 

1-2-3...Psych!

1-2-3...Jump!

Ringing it in

This year our first night was...just right (Goldilocks would be so proud).

Progressive dinner + revelry x 7 families = very happy evening for 32 people

1. dinner at our house (featuring aebleskivers by G) 

2. giant round of the game Celebrities

3. travel to H family house, make festive hats

4. ...like this one

5. light sparklers

6. combine festive hat and sparklers (isn't he a good sport?)

7. play more games, then toast the new year with ginger ale

Then, watch movies all night (option 1) or go home to sleep and return for breakfast and games and sledding and, later, chili for lunch (option 2). I'll leave you to guess who chose which option. 

So it was Christmas*

 

 Ah, Christmas. It was grand. And it seems so long ago.

Favorite moments:

Attending candlelight carol service on Christmas Eve in town with the family.

New Christmas pajamas 

Christmas morning at 7 a.m. (the advantages of having older children!)

Chocolate croissants, oranges, and hot chocolate

Watching the kids doing Just Dance 2. (Okay, and doing it myself. A-Punk is particularly awesome)

Dinner with Christmas crackers and soup in sourdough bowls.

Epic fireplace fires built and maintained by G and Sam

Pre-Christmas prep with G, who took a few days off so we shopped and lunched and walked and matinee-ed

Christmas weekend snowstorm & being snowed in for a day. On purpose.

Christmas Bounty

You know how, when you were young, you phoned up your best friend on Christmas morning and catalogued your favorite gifts? Well, that's what I'm going to do here. Please excuse the thing-ism. It's for posterity. Faves:

Lauren: Nook e-reader. Black dressy boots.

Maddy: A guitar. Yellow rain boots.

Sam: Snowshoes and a hiking backpack. Inception dvd. 

Greg: Snowshoes and a hiking backpack. A Minerva Teichert painting. Freaks and Geeks dvd. 

Annie: Winter running clothes galore. Maira Kalman book. Guilty pleasure White Nights dvd.

Family gift: An elliptical machine. Woot!

. . .

More catching up later... happy re-entry to routines and life! 

*props to Holly at Marathon Bird for this post title that I swiped from her. 

Merry, merry

Wishing you peace + joy + harmony + laughter

With love from our family to you

(p.s. We ran out of cards this year. Next time we'll know better)

Love in that stable was born

Nativity Carol

Born in a stable so bare,
Born so long ago;
Born neath light of star
He who loved us so.

Far away, silent He lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.

Cradled by mother so fair,
Tender her lullaby;
Over her son so dear
Angel hosts fill the sky.

Far away, silent He lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.

Wise men from distant far land,
Shepherds from starry hills
Worship this babe so rare,
Hearts with His warmth He fills.

Far away, silent He lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.

Love in that stable was born
Into our hearts to flow;
Innocent dreaming babe,
Make me Thy love to know.

Far away, silent he lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.

~John Rutter

This fills my heart. I hope it fills yours today.

Actually this fills my heart enough to break it open a bit. I woke up feeling tender and nostalgic, thinking of those I love who are spread around the country and the world. Some are feeling alone, I know, or struggling with disappointment or grief. I'm sure the contrast of the unabashed joy of the season only makes those feelings more heavy this time of year.

So I just want to say: I love you. Love in that stable was born. Christ was born for aye.

xo

Notes to self

 

Dear Tummy,

I'm sorry for the rich party food I ate at the 4 festive gatherings this weekend. (Seriously, though. That baklava? Insanely good!) Today is all virtuous clementines and salad and water. Truce?

Love,

Full me

. . .

Dear Thighs,

Don't. Even. Think about it. Please disregard everything I ate this weekend (see above). 

Love,

Pear-shaped me

. . .

Dear Head, Nose, Throat, and Eyes,

Thank you so much for clearing up and going back to normal.  I promise not to take you for granted any more. Also (this is for you, nose) enjoy the lovely pine tree smell and the mulling spices. Who loves you, huh?

Love,

Glad-to-be-well me

. . .

Dear Brain,

I know you see December on the calendar and throw confetti in the air and dance a jig. But I really, really need you to stay focused for just a few more days. A week, max. Also, I absolutely love the ideas you produce but your whirring in the middle of the night is a bit much.  Same with your worry output. Relax, brain. There's plenty of time and love in the world. Talk to your friend the heart now and then; that'll calm you down.

Love,

Paper-writing me

. . .

Dear Tongue,

Um, I don't know how to tell you this but Christmas card day is upon us soon. Man up, tongue! Stop cowering. It's envelope licking season and you're it. Hey, good news, though! The stamps are adhesive! You're welcome.

Love,

Bossy me

. . .

Dear Trunk,

Do you mind if I call you that? Trunk? You know who I'm talking to: arms-back-chest-belly-shoulders. Have you noticed a wonderful change lately? No, not the baklava, silly. Have you noticed how warm you are when outside? How snuggled in downy goodness? Let's hear it for the fabulous new winter coat you are wrapped in. That shivering from last year had to go, especially with all that dog walking. Here's to many winter adventures, including (fingers crossed) skiing with the kids, snowshoeing, and sledding. p.s. Rear end, I've even got you covered here, just like you prefer.

Love,

Cozy me

. . .

Dear Hair,

Yeah. Sorry. You've been neglected. Hang in there! (Ha, ha.)

Love,

Shaggy, lazy me

. . .

photo via here

Outtakery

Just a few outtakes from this year's Christmas photo shoot...

Instead of my usual DIY self-timer method, I decided to splurge on having our photographer friend come and take them--especially since Lauren will be heading to college next year and we might not do it again for a while. 

What was especially wonderful? It was just a really fun afternoon spent laughing and playing--a nice family memory in itself. 

 ^We didn't want to drag the piano outside so we used piano music in a typewriter instead

And this one cracks me up every. single. time:  . . .

Chalkboards via Brooke at Playing Grown Up (but if you live near me, I'm happy to let you use mine) They have helpful little knobs on the back.

Photos by Nicole Barker