Tap, tap- is this thing on? Whew, it’s been a minute since I’ve opened up my computer. I’ve been immersed in family land and the Christmas season and then the new year celebrations, too. I feel like I’m just now starting to come up for air. If I can trust anything though, it’s the natural energy ebb and flow of seasons, and true to form, I’m starting to feel that new year energy creep back in. A bit softer and more gently than in the past perhaps, but definitely there. But before I can move forward and embrace it, a bit of reminiscing and recording of our 2025 family Christmas!

It’s such a joy for me to get to host my family and I’m grateful they all seem to enjoy coming each year. This year’s Christmas was on Thursday and we all eagerly awaited their arrival on Monday afternoon. The girls and I spent the morning on some final details- setting up jars of homemade pickles and jalapenos with flowers to welcome them in their rooms, baking my first loaves of sourdough baguettes, and setting up the playroom to act as cousin camp central. After lunch, their cars rolled into the driveway and the festivities began!

.

We checked for eggs with the chickens (who have given us 80+ eggs in December!) and we decorated cookies. I bake batches of sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies a few days prior and freeze them. Then I pull them out a few hours ahead of decorating time and it works out so well! We feasted on Swiss cheese, summer sausage, Christmas crackers, and chili while we sipped a martini and eased into our time together.

Weeks ago we had hoped for a white Christmas but when the forecast shut down any semblance of a possibility for that, we wholeheartedly embraced the unseasonal yet gorgeous 70 degree sunshine. It really did work out so well for playing in the woods, neighborhood hikes, and sitting outside while smoking wings and playing spades.

In the evening we played a good old fashion White Elephant game. The rule was to wrap and bring something you no longer used or wanted and K ended up with the funniest one of all- a frog hat on a Styrofoam head from her cousin!

Christmas eve was just as beautiful and lent itself nicely to more outdoor activities and card playing. My bro worked his magic on a batch of seafood gumbo after his run that had us all eager for supper. We cleaned ourselves up in the afternoon for the children’s church service, which was lovely and also had me realizing that perhaps we no longer really belong in the children’s service. Perhaps next year we’ll attend the candlelight?

That evening the girls (all four of them!) put on the most incredible Christmas production for us on the back porch. It involved singing carols while H played the piano and each reading excerpts from the bible telling the Christmas story. At the end they led us in a prayer of gratitude that left me with tears in my eyes. They are so precious and I’m so proud of them all.

Christmas eve wrapped up with watching Santa on NORAD, K making reindeer food, a quick call from Santa himself, Kris’ incredible gumbo, and finally setting up cookies and milk before an earlier bedtime for all.

.

Christmas morning arrived and the coffee began brewing at 7:15. We told the girls they could come down at 7:53 and at 7:52 and 45 seconds we heard them start chanting a countdown. Then into the living room they ran, only pausing briefly for quick Merry Christmas hugs on their way. Much joy and shrieks of excitement (K) and quieter smiles with sparkling eyes (H) followed as it unfolded into a celebratory morning of gift giving and receiving.

I love that the girls are all into making gifts, as they are so special. For example, my niece made me a beautiful taper candle holder in an ornate bottle, my other niece gifted me a homemade pottery dish that I’m using to hold hair ties in my bathroom, H painted wooden kitchen utensils for me to cook with, and K painted me a box to use for a dust bath for the chickens. All so special!

As the morning gave way to the afternoon, the kids headed out to play and we all enjoyed a nice long walk. Back at home the ladies started working on dinner prep while the guys met up with a bunch of neighborhood friends at the river with all the kids.

We ran into a little excitement here, as when they all returned home I was informed that Finley had been bit by another dog and it was deep. David doctored it up well enough for the night, but it was obvious the next morning that it needed more attention so she ended up at the emergency vet with a shave, staples, and a course of antibiotics. She’s in good spirits now and on her way to healing.

But back to Christmas. With all the chaos of the dog bite, David’s tenderloins were delayed in their making and I got distracted from the mashed potatoes, leaving them slightly undercooked. Fortunately Nana worked her magic to salvage them and Christmas dinner still came together beautifully- just a bit later than planned 😉 Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, rolls, Brussels with pine nuts, roasted carrots (these were SO good), and a sourdough winter vegetable squash stuffing – a delicious feast.

.

A just like that, our family Christmas flew by, just as it always tends to do. Everyone packed up and headed out the next morning as Finley got home with her staples; another wonderful family Christmas to be grateful for in the books. Why does it always go so quickly?!