Oh Christmas Tree

This is one very special tradition to us! 

And here are some photos of this year: 

Cookies in the car - Christmas music playing 

Cold air, getting dark, lights, and that Christmas pine smell

Walking around and finding just that right one

Picking out an ornament for their little bedroom trees

Magic, joy,

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2023

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Our Thanksgiving

I love that it's the same food year after year. 

I love that the roasted turkey makes my house smell like a hug. 

I love when my parents car pulls up. 

I love my girls in dresses. 

I love china on the table. 

I love Thanksgiving oh so much! 

Here is a peek into our Thanksgiving this year. 

We start early, yes we do! Got it down to a science by now. Make this on Monday, make this on Tuesday... all the way until the guests arrive on Thursday evening for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Saturday~

1. Set the table

2. Make two pie crusts and freeze them

3. Deep clean both refrigerators and freezers

Sunday~ 

1. Make gingerbread cookie dough

2. Make sure all of the twinkle lights are on the house outside

Monday~

1. Make the potatoes

2. Make the apple pie crumb topping and keep it separate for now

Tuesday~

1. Make the sweet potatoes

2. Bake the gingerbread cookies (but don't decorate them yet) 

Wednesday~

1. Bake pecan pie

2. Decorate gingerbread cookies

3. Set dessert table

4. Bag ice in freezer to make sure there is enough

5. Send Scott and my girls out to eat so I can focus and concentrate

Usually that's a L O T while teaching all week too but this year it was even more. Abigail was feeling sick one night so I was up with her. On Tuesday night I ended up being up from 3:30 am on. I still went to school on Wednesday but it made me a wee bit tired. Thankfully she was able to stay home on Wednesday and got some meds from the dr when Scott brought her in on Wednesday afternoon. Almost all better by Thanksgiving! 

Thursday~

Our traditions start and it feels like magic. 

I get up early and make homemade rolls from scratch. I use some of the dough to make the girls homemade cinnamon buns to eat while watching the Macy's parade. They came out so oooo O oooo good this year! I kinda make it up every year; just wing it and hope for the best. 

I watch a little of the parade and then off I got to make the apple pie. ummmmmm! 

Meanwhile Scott is busy with the turkey and keeping an eye on it all day long. 

We stop to take a few family pictures before dinner. 

Scott pulls the turkey out of the oven and then starts on the most amazing gravy on the planet.

Meanwhile I've made sure all of the side dishes are in the oven so they can be piping hot and I light the candles on the table. 

Anna and Abigail spend time with their grandparents and uncle in the living room. (without screens or phones.... good ol' fashioned talking!)

Then plates are filled 

I set up the desserts

We enjoy our desserts

And then the girls play the viola for us

The dishwasher gets turned on. There are hugs goodbye. I wash the floors and run the vacuum. The girls take showers and we all get into our cozy pjs and fall into the happiest sleep. 

Music That Makes Me Cry ~ updated!

If you've been on this blog a while you know that I've been to my share of orchestra concerts. Maybe hundreds over the years. Anna started playing when she was five and since then {she's 21 now} I've been shepherding my girls through the world of viola and classical music. 

Over the years it has brought me tremendous joy. I've loved every concert. Some of course because of life circumstances, more than others. 

Anna's first in college. Oh how proud I was of her that night. That was one I'll never ever forget. 

There are the Christmas ones that bring me such peace in the middle of a hectic season. 

And now this one. There are no words to share this. It brought Scott and I to tears as I held on to him. The music lifting us up, reminding us that even though Abigail has had to deal with so many { so so many } struggles, she does THIS. That was HER playing up there. She PLAYED that piece.

It's knocked out socks off. 

Here are a few before pictures. 

And a little video Scott recorded of us when I was giving her a hug after: 

I know that eventually there will be a recording - but just waiting for that to be released. So for now just a few phone videos which in no way can capture the magic of this music. Guess What!? There was a recording  --- here it is!