Despite feeling lousy about my holiday shortcomings, it really was a mostly-wonderful Christmas. This was the first time we've ever hosted family members on a holiday, and we had a great time. I did just the right amount of cooking, and everything turned out delicious. Menu: pork roasted with garlic and sage, comprehensively stuffed squash, biscuits from the cold aisle at Trader Joes, and the biggest winners, pumpkin and strawberry rhubarb pies with homemade whipped cream. I'm telling you, that strawberry rhubarb pie was to die for. The strawberries and rhubarb came from the Santa Monica farmers market, and the pumpkin puree was frozen from the Thanksgiving pie leftovers. Yay for locally-grown yummy stuff.Juliette did so well yesterday. We were a little worried that she would be overwhelmed, but she handled the hubbub beautifully. She received so many great gifts from friends and family. From us she got a helmet and a betta fish named Bluebeard. Blue for short.
My blog-friend, Mindi, with whom I would love to be neighbors in real life, made Ben's Christmas by giving me the heads up on a great deal on the Arrested Development series DVD set. We have many hours of guffawing ahead of us.The Christmas services at church were made especially lovely and meaningful by the return of a church member who had been very ill for over a year. My heart sang when she walked through the doors.
Last night we heard the news that a baby was born! Juliette's best friend, Lila, has a brand new little brother. We can't wait to meet him.
This is our tree. Until a week ago, we didn't have a tree topper. But Juliette decorated this hand-drawn star at school, and I can't imagine ever replacing it. It's perfect.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a very happy Boxing Day.
Your Christmas tree looks wonderful, especially with Juliette's star at the top.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you have a tree. For some reason I had it in my head that you said you weren't getting one this year, and I was a little sad. But it is beautiful! I love Juliette's star, and I like that there is a sock monkey up front : )
ReplyDeleteI also want Mindi to be my neighbor, which would work out quite nicely to live on the same block as you. I actually have a whole imaginary neighborhood designed in my head.
And, the helmet picture makes up for not very many pictures!!
Merry Christmas Persheys!!!!
ReplyDeleteShe does look absolutely adorable in her helmet :) I too would like to live on this imaginary street. And oh Juliette's star is just adorable.
ReplyDeleteI am completely on board with this imaginary neighborhood. 100%. There will be a Target, a bookstore and a good library nearby, yes?
ReplyDeleteThis may be a funny question, but where did you find a small enough helmet for Juliette? Zoë is 20 months (but has a big ol' head). Every one that we see is for three year olds.
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