Bringing home the Christmas tree

Saturday was a short respite from the bitter cold and snow that has been most of December so far. We brought home a tree that is the only perfectly symmetrical one I've ever had. It almost doesn't look real, it's so conical and perfect. I'll post more pictures later.

Then Sunday we decorated the tree. Notice how there are no ornaments from Charlie- level on down. I hope that after his puppy year we can decorate the whole tree again. I love the Christmas tree smell. Walking down the stairs or in the front door you get hit with a wave of that familiar, sharp, cold, foresty scent. It still makes me think of a scratch and sniff book I had when I was little. Which in retrospect smelled more like Lysol than a real tree, but I loved that matte green illustration of a pine tree. I scratched and sniffed until I wore it down to the white paper beneath. The next page was a candy cane, which was almost as good.

I believe this Santa hat is on backwards. I'm not sure why R is being so prim. She might be thinking about Santa watching her behavior.

Down below zero tonight, and a lot more snow on the way tonight and tomorrow. The furnace is roaring on every few minutes. I'm dreading driving to school tomorrow. I'm going to pull the down comforter over my head and try not to think about it.

Dumpling Bento

She also had milk and a Clif Kids bar.

Thanksgiving

We had D's brother, my cousins, and their families--even two doggie friends for Charlie. It was a beautiful day. 60 degrees, so the kids could play outside without coats.


Each family brought part of the meal.





The kids' table had paper to draw on, favor bags and a nametag filled with crayons.


Juice tastes so good when you've been running around outside.

Pie is very good also.



Thank you God, for family, for home and enough food to share, and for all our blessings.

Sunday in the Park

We have a lot to do to get ready for Thanksgiving, but we took off for a few hours this afternoon.



Charlie finds it hard to relax in a park.


I love the Colorado winter sky. The blue and the rosy amber, the way it stretches out all around you.

Peach Turnover Bento

I made the turnover with this:

I found it in the clearance section at TJ Maxx on Tuesday for $3.50. It's so much fun. I can't wait to make empanadas, pierogi, gyoza, calzones . . . what doesn't taste good encased in a little dough package? I can make them with whole grains and healthy ingredients, and R will always eat them. But they take so long to make by hand that I rarely do it. I watched some videos on YouTube to perfect my gyoza-pleating technique, but it still takes me forever. This is the next-best thing to having a little grandma sitting in the kitchen cranking out dumplings all day.

Butterfly Bento

Dear Tooth Fairy, I Lost My Tooth But I Swallowed It

Big news at our house yesterday. This is tooth #2.


The tooth fairy came in through the window and left a trail of glitter (fairy dust) and some plastic groceries for R's toy kitchen.