Christmas

I don't know about you all, but we had the best Christmas this year.  For us, the days and weeks that lead up to Christmas are usually full of all the holiday run around, celebrations, get togethers etc...but when it gets to actual Christmas day, we snuggle in here at home and just enjoy a quiet (well, maybe not quiet) day at home opening gifts, eating, drinking and just being together.  So, for us, this year really was no different.

This year was a year of hand made things.  Being home so much gave me lots of time to quilt and knit and craft for friends and family.  But of all the handmade gifts this year, this little armoire for Hazel is my most favorite.  This little doll was a gift Erin gave to Abby her first Christmas and while it didn't replace her Owies, when Hazel came along, this little racoon became her favorite.  Her name is Dolly and she has a little heart embroidered on her chest that says Abby on it.  Erin gave Hazel her very own racoon with her name on it, but...Dolly has always been her go-to.

The idea to get a little armoire and get some new clothes for the dolls came to me around Thanksgiving and when I searched the internet and couldn't find what I wanted, I enlisted the rest of the family to help make it a reality.  Ryan built the most beautiful little chest exactly to my vision including the tiny little hangers that are adorable!  Erin picked out the drawer hardware and painted the front emblem.  For now it'll be a dressing room for her dolls, but maybe someday we'll fashion it into a jewelry box or, maybe leave it just as it is for Hazel's someday kids.  

Since meeting Ryan, we had a tradition of doing a big Christmas brunch on Christmas morning.  We always make quiche, baked French Toast, fruit salad and mimosas....and then, we typically do a big Christmas dinner later in the day.  Since we didn't have any Christmas Eve events this year, we flipped things around a little (great idea Erin!) and had Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve.  Meaning we only cooked one big meal each day and we could spread it out a little bit.  

For Christmas Eve I made my families traditional Christmas dinner of pigs in a blanket (not hot dogs) and Dumplings.  It was my first time making them myself and I have to say, they turned out great!  It was the first time Erin and Dan had ever had the meal too so it was fun to share something from my family with them.

Each year my parents flip flop where they spend Christmas Eve, and this year was supposed to be our year.  Something Abby did NOT forget.  We were sad to not have them here, but I'm hoping that means we get them next year!  I'm hoping 2021 looks much more like "normal"...but I suppose only time will tell.

We wore family PJ's, we ate too much, drank great drinks and had fun just enjoying a weekend of holiday festivities!  With Christmas on a Friday, we had four whole days of lounging, hanging out, playing games and just being together.  It was lovely!  

And now, as I type this, we're all back to work, back on healthier diets, drinking less, working out more and looking forward to all the things 2021 has in store for us.  It felt like a really nice ending to a really crappy year.  Setting the stage for things to be different, for brighter, happier times filled with more family and friends.