By the third week of November, I’m typically easing into the holiday season with an evening listen of Charlie Brown Christmas and a pint of egg nog in the fridge…the longer we can stretch out this most wonderful time of year, the better.
This year, though, I just didn’t feel ready. Too much other stuff going on, too many other things in my head. In the third week of November, we’d just gotten around to tossing out our pumpkins! But when we crossed these snowy mountains the Tuesday before Thanksgiving on our way to Idaho, I started to feel my shoulders relax. I started to think about Christmas gifts and holiday decor and go over the words to “O Come Let Us Adore Him” with Juliette in preparation for our church’s children’s program.
And then we rolled up to my mom and dad’s house and books were brought out and I raided my mom’s stash of tea and it was official – I was ready for a late-November slow-down.
Eager to get our veg on, we spent Wednesday morning at the Spokane movie theater catching the matinee of Frozen 2.
Survey says…SOOOO GOOD, MAMA!
Santa sighting! And I do love a good mall tree…
Back at the house, we cranked up the Christmas tunes and decked the halls. Juliette arranged the nativity scene on the mantle and baked cookies with my mom while I strung lights on the tree.
Christmas is coming, kiddo!
Thanksgiving day was wonderfully quiet – I got out for a crisp morning walk, we put the ham in the oven to warm while I made mashed sweet potatoes and my mom made biscuits, and we just…chilled.
We ate, we drank, we lounged, and then we brought out the pumpkin and apple pies. When we sat down in the living room to take turns talking about what we’re thankful for, we found no shortage of things to put on our lists.
Shane and I took Juliette on a holiday cruise around Lake Coeur d’Alene in the evening – word on the street was that this boat had the secret scoop on Santa’s whereabouts!
And sure enough, just as we were finishing our hot cocoa and buttered rum, we came upon this decked-out dock.
It was quite the production – Santa read his “nice-list” over a megaphone for all to hear (Juliette was thrilled to hear her name was on it!), there was a Jingle Bells sing-along, and then the fireworks let loose.
P.S. IT WAS COLD.
My mom and I got out on Friday morning to hit the coffee shop and peruse the shelves at Pier 1 and then again, we just…chilled. Juliette watched Little Women with me in front of the fireplace in the afternoon and wrapped her arms around me when I started crying about Beth and all felt right in my world. I love sharing my favorite things with my favorite kid.
There were a few last snuggles for sweet, blind Bernie on Friday night, a round of hugs on Saturday morning, and then we were west-bound. Those mellow few days with my nearest and dearest had been exactly what I needed.
We made a pit stop at our usual tree fam on the way home and did our usual spin through the Douglas and Noble firs before circling back to our tried-and-true patch of Grands.
It was chilly out there, but sunny and crystal clear. This place never disappoints.
Shane and Juliette are usually quick to hone in on a tree, but I always insist on just one more loop. Why rush through this place?!
We’ve got a winner!
Cider+candy cane vibes…
Back at home, the beloved Christmas bin was brought out and opening it up felt just like…Christmas. Juliette was thrilled by each ornament and knick-knack she pulled out of the box. I forgot about this! Oooohhhh, I love this one! My favorite! My other favorite!
See?! It seems she’s inherited my sentimentality…
Juliette insisted that we lay out each and every ornament before hanging any on the tree, and I loved seeing them all spread out on the table – we’ve amassed quite an eclectic collection over the years.
Perrrrrfect.
Ham it up, Juliette. ‘Tis the season for being adorable and dressing up your stuffed animals and cranking up that fireplace till it’s 80 degrees inside.
Egg nog cheers! It’s official – the holidays are here, and I’m all in.
