Holidays, 2019

Celebrating our final holidays in our current home was a bittersweet whirlwind, and felt particularly special to us as we are gaining confidence as holiday hosts. 

I will always remember the warmth felt in our dining room as everyone huddled in to pray, fill their plates and eat. Running the stairs 100 times to stow coats and bags. Stealing an extra piece of dessert as I tidied up, while Mark put the boys to bed.

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Thanksgiving: We hosted our second Thanksgiving in our home with both sides of our families present. I gotta say, hosting this year was much less stressful as I purchased pies in lieu of scratch preparing a new recipe(s) the day of. 

Most Memorable Moment: running a Turkey Trot with the boys which started of great, but ended with frozen fingers and loads of tears even a finish line doughnut couldn't remedy. 

Christmas Eve: Mark prepared a roast for dinner and my mom spent the night, which was a treat.

Christmas: Celebrated with dinner at my grandma's home, replete with games and prizes. We get quite competitive, so it's always a hoot.

Most Memorable Moment: Finally successfully re-created my mother-in-law's cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

New Years Eve: Stayed in with our friends the Deiters. We feasted on beef stroganoff, broccoli, and garlic bread, and the kids ran around gleefully. After they departed, I got violently ill canceling on our friends that were slated to pop-by and rang in the new year feeling particularly crummy, to say the least.