My Bountiful Life…

With the holidays and all the merriment and so on, I have set aside my list of 101 tasks until the new year. But I am ready to get back to it and I find myself mentally making plans to tackle some more of the items on my list. I eye closets hungrily, estimating how many bags of crap I can declutter from them. I have been researching winter vacations in Algonquin Park. I bought new (fabulous!) skates. I’ve renewed my membership at the ROM. And for Christmas, I got The Mists of Avalon.

chomp chomp chomp Is it January yet?

Our Solstice Tree.

The front hall.

Kitchen table.

Jordan’s tree in his bedroom. He loves the beaded garland.

My mom makes the best Yule Log is the WHOLE WORLD!

‘Neath the Solstice Tree.

hmmm… I don’t think I’ve taken any pictures of THE tree… the Christmas tree in the family room where Santa left all the gifts. I must remedy that. Good thing I have a digital camera affixed to my right hand ;)

We make a point of having NO plans on Christmas Eve. This is not always a popular choice, but it’s ours :) The lead up to Christmas can be so hectic and stressful and then the days following are often the same. We reserve the 24th for quiet time at home.

My mom comes from the East Coast to stay with us for Christmas. Jordan loves having his Granny here and doesn’t let her out of his sight. My mom has continued the family tradition of the kids opening one gift from her on Christmas Eve. The gift is always new pyjammas. The gift must be new pyjammas. It’s tradition. To this day, for me, the smell of new cotton clothing instantly carries me back to childhood Christmas Eves.

After a bath, hanging his stocking and putting out milk and cookies (frothed chocolate milk even!) for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, Jordan sat down with Granny to open his Christmas Eve gift. I think he liked it :D

Those are Spider-Man pyjammas – with a hood and everything. Jordan takes his Spider-Man seriously.

Very seriously.

Celebrations of the season are well under way here.
The halls are decked. Cleaning is under control. Gingerbread men have been made, decorated and eaten. Three trees are up and decorated. (waddya mean it’s excessive?!) The porches are decorated with evergreen garland and bows. Gifts are all bought or made and sorted. The big cookie tin is full of shortbread. Granny has made challah and oatmeal-raisin bread. And finally… the ground is covered in snow.

All that’s left is some wrapping and assembling then decorating gingerbread houses. It seems I have been baking the pieces for days. Uuhhh… that would be because I have been baking them for days. :P

I think for christmas dinner, we’ll have lasagna. Being vegetarian, we don’t have turkey and that tofu turkey stuff is uh.. gross. Lasagna fits the bill… it is a perfect cold-weather meal, everyone likes it (except my son, who doesn’t like anything), and it makes the house smell really good while it’s baking. All the important requirements for a festive meal have been met. *thumbs up*

Sometimes I think, “Wow, if I had a fake Rolex watch for every piece of spam I get…”