December 26

Finally, our family Christmas day arrived! We declined all plans and focused on just being home and hanging out. We started by opening stockings, of course. JT noticed that he got soap and socks… and joked that he was in the transition year (the morning wouldn’t be complete without a Dude Perfect reference). Then Haley and I got going on cinnamon rolls and buttercream. I also started veggie frittata and bacon.

We opened gifts while breakfast baked. Maverick was super excited about his basket. Haley got a frozen yogurt maker that made her day, and fuzzy slippers too. JT was impressed Haley got him a new hand drone, and I was thrilled to have a new cargo mat for the car. You know you’re an adult when that’s on your wish list. Jim giggled his way through the beginning of the new Seinfeld book, which was a fun soundtrack for our morning.

Jim hadn’t been home in awhile, so he also enjoyed snuggles with the dog and under JT’s new weighted blanket.

Then we feasted on breakfast, and it was lovely. Everything turned out beautifully (including my new placemats and napkins from Home Goods) and the frosting Haley made was perfect. I am thankful that I can make my mom’s cinnamon rolls!

After breakfast, we lounged. We hung out. We watched movies and read books and played with new things and puttered. I don’t even remember how we filled the time until dinner, but it was not busy. And we stayed in our jammies. It felt 100% like Christmas Day!

December 25

We started December 25 off slowly, since it wasn’t our “actual” Christmas at home. I still made our favorite orange scones, berry parfaits, and bacon for breakfast. After a late breakfast, the kids and I sat down to read new books and… eat more scones. Ha.

Around 11, some of our family got together to open gifts. My nephew and his girlfriend were so sweet and shuttled my gift over (wrapped very suspiciously!) so I could open it at home. JT, Haley, and I participated in the family gift opening via FaceTime, which was super fun. It was so kind of Preston to make sure we didn’t feel excluded. I got a new teapot and a book I had on my list, NOT a lamp as it first appeared. Very funny. We also took a dog walk with anyone who would brave the rain to get a little “real” facetime outside!

Later on, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Gena dropped the kids’ gifts off at the porch. Jim got home at six and we headed to Grandpa and Grandma Keene’s house for a yummy prime rib dinner -and more gifts. It felt like Christmas Eve part two! (Jim’s sister had celebrated with their family the weekend prior.) I brought the chocolate cream pie I’d made, and it was my best yet. I will use that recipe again for sure.

We went home and got ready for bed in new jammies (we have a pajama fairy who comes only on Christmas Eve, whenever that may be!) and hung stockings.

December 24

The night before Christmas Eve, we realized we were hungry for Christmas cookies. Grandma Cole to the rescue! She whipped up a batch for us to decorate together.

On Christmas Eve, the kids and I did some dessert preparation. (I also made a cheesecake with little Santa hat strawberries for Grandpa Keene’s birthday the week prior, so I’m including it here!)

  • Chocolate cream pie
  • Apple pie
  • Cheesecake

Then we played. And we waited. (This photo of Maverick with his bunny is not staged!)

In the afternoon, we walked over to Grandpa and Grandma Cole’s house for a Christmas Eve dinner and gift exchange. We don’t normally see anyone on Christmas Eve, normally a time we reserve just for our family. But since we have limited our gatherings to only seeing grandparents for the holidays, we felt we should adjust our plans accordingly. We also adjusted our meal plan… in the past I’ve cooked a fancy dinner at home on Christmas Eve, and then we go to church as a family. With Jim at work and seeing grandparents instead of dinner at home, I suggested we order dinner from a local restaurant. So I picked that up the day before and we heated it up at the Cole house.

We also opened gifts and got to spend some time together before leaving for church.

The kids and I volunteered to help with child care during the first service, and then planned to attend the second service together (with Jim, if he could make it – and he did!). We had a great time hanging with toddlers and I always enjoy a candlelight service. Instead of taking a photo of all four of us in front of the tree, I went for just the kids this year.

We came home, ate apple pie, watched The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (original!) and put Jim to bed. Then the kids and I ate Christmas cookies and watched The Santa Clause, which they’d never seen before, and stayed up late.

Christmas Goodies

The kids and I have a great time making Christmas treats to distribute to our neighbors and this year I felt like maybe people wouldn’t want homemade treats delivered to their door. But the kids decided it was up to us to be kind and deliver them, and up to the recipients to decide if they felt comfortable eating them. Who are we to withhold goodies?!

So we took some time on a rainy weekend and the kids made fudge, Oreo peppermint truffles, peanut clusters, and a new addition – dog treats for our neighbor dogs!

We packaged everything up in tins and baggies and walked around the neighborhood delivering Christmas cheer. It was certainly easier for me this year having two kids do much of the work!

O Christmas Tree

We’ve been celebrating “The Year of Different” by embracing change and doing things differently lately, and finding lots of joy in new experiences and positive solutions. One of the things we decided to do differently was to get a real Christmas tree. Jim and I have been married for 20 Christmas seasons, and we have never purchased a real tree. So this was a first, for sure!

Jim found a beautiful tree farm in Bremerton and we drove out with the truck and the dog on a winter afternoon.

We realized we also didn’t have a tree stand… so we grabbed one from a local hardware store, and decorated the tree the next evening. Haley surprised us by having presents already wrapped and ready for each of us! Sneaky girl! She had worked with Grandma Keene to place some orders, then snuck them home and had them ready for tree decorating night. How fun!

PS – We’ve been reading the book The Dawning of Indestructible Joy by John Piper during Advent, and we really love it!

Jury Duty

Who would have thought that I would have to report in for physical jury duty this December? Not me! But I got a notice, and then my number was selected, and off I went to the county courthouse on a rainy Tuesday to stand in line, watch some videos, and complete a survey asking about my ability to serve on a jury scheduled to serve for three weeks.

I completed my survey and was one of six people dismissed before we even entered the courtroom. I was there for three hours and earned $10.29 for my civic service. Check that off for the next twelve months!

Thanksgiving Weekend Hike

We invited family members to hang out with us digitally or outside over the weekend, and Preston and Chantal said yes! We met them at Gold Trail to Green Mountain on the sunny Sunday at noon, with our dogs and the kids. It was cool and beautiful on the trail.

Someone hung Christmas ornaments on the trees on a shortcut – maybe to mark the way? Such a fun idea.

When we got home, Maverick was a dirty dog and due for a bath. So he got one while our turkey enchiladas were in the oven!

Fresh and clean!

Thanksgiving 2020

In Washington, our governor reinstated restrictions during November and December and asked people to limit contact with people outside their households, especially indoors and for large holiday dinners. We believe thanksgiving is a condition in our hearts more than the size of a gathering, so we stayed home and enjoyed a day of rest and connection as a family.

We started the day with our annual Turkey Trot. Er, walk. We normally meet up with more neighbors, but this year we simply invited everyone to leave their homes at the same time and walk the loop together, waving at each other as we passed. Grandma and Grandpa Cole and Grandma Keene joined us too.

Jim had to work on Thanksgiving, but one blessing with staying home was that we were able to eat at a “normal” dinner time all together when he got home at 6 PM instead of eating without him in the middle of the afternoon, which the kids think is so weird.

Another blessing was that we got to bless a local business by ordering Thanksgiving dinner. I picked up turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls, pumpkin honey butter, and apple creme dessert from The Grey House on Wednesday – two meals, one for us and one for Grandpa and Grandma Keene. The kids and I made an apple pie on Wednesday, and I made a chocolate cream pie. On Thursday morning, Haley made iced pumpkin cookies and JT made homemade mac & cheese. We delivered some pie, cookies, and mac & cheese to Grandma Keene to include in her meal, and she gave us wine and orange salad.

On Thursday, the kids and I lounged around. We walked the dog, played games, and watched a movie. At 5 PM, I put the food in the oven to warm and set a pretty table for four. At 6 PM, Jim walked in and we sat and ate together until we were positively stuffed. The food was delicious! Then we took another walk, ate dessert, and tucked Jim into bed for the night. The kids and I finished the day by finishing our College Jeopardy series.

It was a lovely day at home. We haven’t had a day like this in a long time!

Thanksgiving Eve

We started out our long holiday weekend with a walk for Maverick in the beautiful sunshine. As we walked, I noticed how much of the walk covered a lot of things for which I am thankful: my kids, their schools (JT’s sweatshirt), our hobbies (skiing, Haley’s sweatshirt), walking together in our safe, beautiful neighborhood, and a flexible work schedule so I can hang out with them at lunch time.

We had breakfast for dinner: waffles with berries and cream, vegetable frittata, and bacon. Jim was home early and ate with us – such a treat!

We also started baking, after Jim went to bed. We split the apple pie making into thirds: apples, filling, and crumb topping. Together, we whipped up a pie and then watched Jeopardy while it baked. We were saving it for Thanksgiving day, but I also made a chocolate cream pie soooo the kids pointed out that we were only saving it for ourselves – why not enjoy it warm from the oven? I agreed!