It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I had a fun pre-Christmas blog post all ready to send out into the world well over a week ago, but before I could press 'send' there was a shooting at a mall in Portland...the very mall that my husband was supposed to be in, but wasn't, simply because he decided to stop and get a haircut along the way....followed a few days latter by the soul-searing shootings in Connecticut. A gun-related community tragedy and a gun-related national tragedy in a week's time can really suck the festiveness right out of a room. I didn't see the point of putting up a blog post about the joys of the holiday season when I was sitting squarely in the camp of the sincerely pissed and fed up.

But I'm starting to do some holiday bounce-back. At one of our holiday parties this year I found myself at a table full of Republican NRA-supporting gun lovers (none of which I am), and had the opportunity to engage in a spirited discussion about gun violence in our country while simultaneously and knowingly making my husband squirm. (Go ahead and bring up politics or religion in mixed company with Tim around. See how fast he leaves the room....). I particularly enjoyed watching him come back to our table only to quickly veer away from it when he heard me say...."Do you think the NRA could be considered a terrorist organization....?" THAT little moment brought a spring back to my step. Because I really am that ornery.

Plus, we've all just lived through what may be considered the most disappointing apocalypse on record. Seriously. The. Worst. But, where there's no apocalypse, there's hope. For our families. For our communities. And that we might have the courage to do best by both.

So, from that spirit of hope sprinkled with some holiday cheer, I give you our pre-Christmas festivities, in photos:

Reindeer Games

Santa Weenie! (God, what we put that dog through.)

Tim's Driving a Reindeer

A tender moment before the shenanigans ensued.

Whatever she's doing, she dances....

...which leads to a dance party....

Tim's getting his groove on... 

....and although he's singing a Christmas carol....

.....he's giving it the spirit of Bohemian Rhapsody...

...If only my camera took video.....

Thanksgiving Adventures

According to the calendar, Thanksgiving was less than two weeks ago and yet it feels like I'm writing about something that happened so far in the past, I can hardly remember it. Maybe it's because we're well into the decorating and gift phase of Christmas. Plus, I'm starting to suspect that my job is really a cover for alien abduction because I don't seem to remember anything that's happened since August. Thanksgiving was less than two weeks ago. That's such a mind screw for me right now that I clearly need a vacation.

I do remember being incredibly grateful this Thanksgiving. My brother and his girlfriend visited for several days from Colorado which meant we got to show off our beautiful city and had (another) great reason to go to Voodoo Donuts and the Shanghai Tunnels. Tim spent 12 hours in the kitchen making his annual Thanksgiving Opus. I napped my face off. The kids didn't kill each other, and when the group of us volunteered at The Grotto's Festival of the Lights, only Alex was attacked by goats at the petting zoo.

Family, food, rest, laughter. Ahhhh, the little things.

Here are some Thanksgiving cliff notes in pictures:

There was a whole lot of this....

....with a sprinkling of this.....

....Weegee wears his Thanksgiving best.....

....I like this photo because it looks like I was actually helping in the kitchen....

 ....Thanksgiving table.....

...The Festival of Lights. Beautiful, non?...

....the Goat Whisperer....