Christmas Tree

Fast forwarding to the next holiday, the tree went up, the lights went on, and little hands made quick work of decorating with ornaments. Granddaughters carefully removed tissue paper and reached higher than last year to hang their favorites. Younger granddaughter took her biennial turn topping the tree with the traditional gold star, and all of us pronounced it as the most beautiful tree ever. Tomorrow the presents go under, and between now and then we will frantically wrap them. Santa, help!

TG Afternoon

After stuffing ourselves with our favorite favorites, we moved away from the table and on to other activities. I have no photo of a quintessential plate, but you can easily imagine a target of beige gravy with a bullseye of fresh cranberry sauce. Family decision in recent years was to emphasize ultra faves the first menu and add the veggie sides (read "healthy") for the later menu. Works for us, cuts kitchen time, saves oven space, and allows the gravy to star and reign/rain over all. SIL carved out the turkey to create a portion of leftovers and a portion for the Sunday soup pot.

Walking to the park at the end of the cul-de-sac provided not only much appreciated exercise but also the pleasure of a mild and sunny afternoon, probably the nicest weather of the weekend. A close look at the pond photo shows some ducks swimming and four of our group standing at the far left.

Dark comes early in the north country, but we had time for more Monopoly and finally sampling the pies. Thanksgiving over and tomorrow Christmas begins!

The Table Awaits

Daughter sets a festive table and enjoys her hostess role. Her two little helpers make sure that everything is in place and stays there.

Game Time

A rousing game of Monopoly keeps minds off the approaching feast. But not for long!

Backyard Turkeys

No fear since our bird is in the oven, neighborhood turkeys confidently made themselves at home over the fence, in the yard, and on the patio. I like the juxtaposition of the cardinal thermometer.

If you're curious about the white thing hanging from the tree, it's a "leaf swing," a bag full of leaves for kids to swing high and have a reward for raking and piling leaves. Another innovation for fall fun!

Little Skater

Nothing like ice skating to wake a girl up on Thanksgiving morning! Also wakes up the mom lacer-upper and Ceecee chronicler.

Wednesday Pre-Turkey Day

Shopping and more shopping! Final grocery list, nearly end of Christmas list, anniversary card, birthday gifts, happy to check so much done. Which reminds me -- I have checks to write as extra gifts for the weekend's multiple celebrations.

For dinner tonight, only Mexican food would do, and eating out was an easy way to rest our own culinary talents for tomorrow.

A trip to the airport ended our day and brought the family's Seattle area contingent here to complete us.

Sent from my iPhone

Dancers

Ready for ballet with the requisite bun hairstyles created by Ceecee! After disappearing beneath hoodies, those buns may look quite different by the start of class.

Snow Guard

Mr. Scarecrow guards the remaining vestiges of last weekend's snowfall and welcomes us with the evidence. We walked out of the airport in 35 degrees, but weather will settle into sunny 50's for the rest of the week.

Falling

Once again I fell for fall, all it's color and crispness like no other season. The local folks wondered what effect the drought might have, but the leafy displays are magnificent, some trees, like the pecans and sycamores, showing brighter than ever.

Today we're traveling to Minnesota where autumn stripped branches bare last month except for the evergreens. Snow fell there Saturday for a whole other way to fall into a season.