The main feature was vegetable pot pie, as per the kids request. We actually prepared the filling ahead of time, cooled it completely, placed it into the raw crust, and instead of cooking it, we froze it. Then, on Thanksgiving, when we were preparing the other dishes on the stove-top, we baked it. It turned out amazing with a nicely browned crust and a bit of filling bubbling through the 3, heart-shaped vents in the middle! That's the first time we pre-made the vegetable pot pie and cooked it from frozen, so we were thrilled it worked out so well.
While we were cooking, there was also some sports going on at the same time of course...
This is us feeling accomplished after lots of cooking AND Gonzaga winning the Thanksgiving day basketball game at the same time!
Naturally, the very second Thanksgiving was over we were full on into Christmas over here! I have to admit we did have a mini rosemary tree with Christmas lights on it out for Thanksgiving. We needed rosemary for the mashed potatoes, so a holiday tree seemed like the way to go... and OK, I've been watching Hallmark Christmas movies for quite a while now, maybe even as early as Halloween. . . I figure every year I age the time goes by a little faster so I can start watching earlier, right?! 2020 marks a milestone birthday for me, 4-0! So I'll probably have to start watching Christmas movies in September. I like to call it the Christmas half of the year. Plus a Hallmark Christmas movie is just what I'd prescribe if you're having a down day, any time of the year hehe ;-).
Naturally, the very second Thanksgiving was over we were full on into Christmas over here! I have to admit we did have a mini rosemary tree with Christmas lights on it out for Thanksgiving. We needed rosemary for the mashed potatoes, so a holiday tree seemed like the way to go... and OK, I've been watching Hallmark Christmas movies for quite a while now, maybe even as early as Halloween. . . I figure every year I age the time goes by a little faster so I can start watching earlier, right?! 2020 marks a milestone birthday for me, 4-0! So I'll probably have to start watching Christmas movies in September. I like to call it the Christmas half of the year. Plus a Hallmark Christmas movie is just what I'd prescribe if you're having a down day, any time of the year hehe ;-).
On black Friday, while hundreds thronged to the malls and superstores, our family ventured out of the city into Green Bluff, Washington to pick out the perfect little Colorado Spruce. They are wonderfully fragrant, silvery blue/green, prickly and altogether beautiful. I love how there's lots of space between the branches for ornaments to hang nicely, and these trees are great at keeping their needles. Plus, any contact with them hurts so it deters little ones from wanting to play with the tree.
Putting the lights on the tree up and down each branch is a ton of painful work, but so worth it in the end! Pretty sure Griswold would agree it has a lot of meaning that way (this Clark sure does)!
The lights and feathers are on and it's already dark here at the late hour of 3:45pm, so we hung the ornaments under the soft tree glow.
This year the children hung a record number of ornaments themselves, but they were kind to me and asked often how I felt about the placement. Isn't that sweet?! Some things I'm really enjoying about them getting older. There really are jewels at every stage.
And this is what the tree looks like in broad daylight when we wake up in the morning.
Living in the city, we don't have a fireplace, and I have to say I really miss it! There are great perks, though, like living 2 seconds from the best coffee shop in the Pacific Northwest--or the best in the world if you ask me, Indaba. No joke, the only thing we dislike about going out of town to travel is leaving our favorite coffee shop behind. We've turned into such a pair of chai tea snobs!
We got a little creative and created a woodsy themed mantel under the good ol' Netflix yule log, and we don't even have to worry about the stockings catching fire, or melting any chocolate Santa might put in them. There's always a bright side!
We hope you have a divine, magical holiday season and that December is full of wonder for you!
We got a little creative and created a woodsy themed mantel under the good ol' Netflix yule log, and we don't even have to worry about the stockings catching fire, or melting any chocolate Santa might put in them. There's always a bright side!
We hope you have a divine, magical holiday season and that December is full of wonder for you!
Happy Holidays!
p.s. While you're here visiting check out a few, fun favorite holiday recipes of ours! Any treasured dishes or cookies you're going to make? Let us know in the comments. We love hearing about all things CHRISTMAS!
9 Yummy Christmas Recipes!
Hoping the last days of the year are merry and bright! Wishing for you some white sparkly snow too (if you want it of course ;-)
With love, gratitude, and warmest wishes from our family to yours,
Wendy Irene
With love, gratitude, and warmest wishes from our family to yours,
Wendy Irene