Friday, January 5, 2018

Looking back at December


Feels a little weird to be talking about December AFTER I posted a recap for the whole year...but it is what it is.  And still less than a week into January! 

December was wonderful and busy but great and lots of time with families and all of that.  We're lucky that we don't have to do much traveling at the holidays, especially no overnights, so some days were long but we were always sleeping in our own beds and stuck pretty close to the routine.  That helps things go a little more smoothly for everyone! 

1) Luke being Darth Vader.  Not so intimidating when it's under 4 feet tall...
2) A lot of sunny afternoons reading in front of the Christmas tree!
3) St. Nick Day!
4) Luke was SO excited about this TINY amount of snow.  He wanted to "shovel" it. 
5) Baking cookies with my buddy!  He was interested in this for about 5 cookies...
6) Making gingerbread houses with cousins!  Again, he was mostly interested in this for the candy and cousins. (A lot of that is my work.)
7) Date night for Star Wars.  Before I started dating Matt I had never seen a full movie and now I buy tickets two months in advance to go opening night. (Our short review: we liked A Force Awakens better.)
8) Babka!  Last year it made my mixer go up in smoke.  This year the kneading kept knocking the mixer bowl out of the stand.  The second time I made it this year the microwave go up in smoke.  I'm thinking my appliances are trying to tell me something...
9) A White Christmas was coming! 
10) My full cookie plate, minus the 6 layer bars which were LONG gone.  (gingerbread, triple chocolate, simple shortbread, cut-outs, raspberry chocolate layer bars, reindeer noses, cookie dough truffles, baklava, and chex mix).
11) We got a White Christmas!!
12) Driving downtown to see Santa again on Christmas evening!
13) My Christmas break week tradition!  Even if it was about 0° outside, always a good day for a frozen coke!
14) I love the snow with bright blue skies!
15) Sunset to close out the year...
16) And bottled pop to go with our New Years Chinese!

As for how we did on our Christmas Season Family Fun List...



1) Night of Lights - CHECK!  The weather cooperated this year!
2) Bake Spritz CHECK! Made something like 11 batches with my Mom, 2 sisters, and 7 kids!

 
3) Watch The Polar Express and The Miracle on 34th Street with Luke CHECK!
4) Cut Down Christmas Tree  Well we tried, we went to the Christmas tree farm, walked through the field, but there wasn't much of a selection.  So we bought a pre-cut one from them.  BUT it has taken a lot more water than our Lowes trees in the past so it was still fresher!  And we tried!
5) Gingerbread Houses with Sisters CHECK (see #6)
6) Fantasy of Lights CHECK did this on the solstice night!  The longest night of the year seemed like a good time to look at lights!
7) Have a Date CHECK  We didn't get the one we planned because church canceled the Parents Day Out BUT we did go see Star Wars a few nights later. (see #7)
8) Have an Advent Wreath CHECK!  Did do great on figuring out prayers/songs to do with it but we did have one and lit it most meals!

9) Frost Cookies while Watching Classic TV Specials CHECK
10) Eat Chinese on New Years CHECK (see #16)




1 year ago: Christmas at Grandma's
2 years ago: Some Christmas thoughts (not rambling, not. at. all.)
3 years ago: Making a Christmas baking plan (I still do this!)
4 years ago: Oreo Truffles (My most viewed post EVER!)
5 years ago: Things I Like (mainly to point out the 5 inch glitter heels I still own!)
7 years ago: Stairs are (almost) done!
8 years ago: Long Thanksgiving weekend!

Books finished:
14 for the month, 200 for the year
Things sewn:
1 pillow cover
Miles ran:
0!  The only month I didn't run at all in 2017!
Currently watching:
We finished Stranger Things season 2 (the last two episodes finally made me like it).  Then we spent most of December watching Christmas tv epsiodes (most of this list).  Then we picked up Lost again after pausing in season 3 to watch The Office!
Most read post this month:
Quick Lit and then {12} Christmas Hacks
Luke's current favorite song: 
He has about 5 Christmas songs he REALLY likes.  I think I'm ready for a break from those.

Highlights from your December?  Christmas is always one of our highlights of the year!

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