Snow Day!

Last weekend, we actually got some snow! This is a rare occurrence where we live, so naturally we had to document it...

This was Esme's first time ever seeing snow!

It was a really cold, wet snow, so we did not stay out very long. After a short snowball fight, we went back inside!

Morgan built a fire in the fireplace, and we had some hot cocoa. It was a very cozy scene.

By the next morning, all of the snow was gone. Even though our pitiful little Georgia snow was very short-lived, it was fun while it lasted!

Christmas 2021

This Christmas, Morgan truly outdid himself. He gave me a puppy!!! 

Meet Winston, the newest member of our circus... I mean, family!

Winston is a Welsh Pembroke Corgi, and he is quite the handsome and clever chap! One day, I will post a video of us meeting for the very first time!

Besides getting to meet sweet Winston, our Christmas got off to a rocky start this year. My dad found out that he was exposed to COVID at work and had to quarantine, which meant that he was not able to come to our annual Christmas Eve party. Thankfully, the rest of our family was able to make it. We had our annual cheese and charcuterie spread, plus my Grandmere's buche de noel. The traditional holiday cake was a family effort this year; my mom, my nieces, my daughters, and I all had a hand in this festive creation: 

The finished product!

The joy and chaos of cousin Christmas!

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there..."

I love these sweet sisters.

Matching Christmas pajamas for the fourth year in a row!

On Christmas morning, the girls woke up and rushed to open their stockings while the grownups had coffee. Morgan's parents made a yummy Christmas breakfast for us. My dad ended up testing negative for COVID, so he was able to join us on Christmas morning. I was so thankful to be able to celebrate with everyone at last!

It was all too much for Winston, clearly.

I really hope they stay weird!

After all of the presents had been opened (and some naps), we went over to my parents' house for Christmas dinner. 

My dad actually ended up testing positive for COVID the following day, so we spent the week after Christmas in quarantine. No one else in my family tested positive or had symptoms, so we were actually thankful to enjoy a lot of quality time together. My dad's symptoms were thankfully very mild, and he was feeling better the following week. 

In spite of everything, this Christmas was joyous! At Christmas, our family celebrates the Incarnation - that God would take upon Himself our human form, that an infinite and eternal God would enter into Time and Space, into our broken human context, in order to show how much He loves us. Oh, the wonder of it! I see it in the eyes of my girls, and I feel as if I am seeing for the first time. My favorite hymn says it all better than I ever could:

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

The soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope. The weary world rejoices. A new and glorious morn.

Amen.

Anniversary Trip to Asheville

In December, Morgan and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary! We enjoyed a little getaway to one of our favorite places - Asheville, NC! We have been to Asheville many times in the 12 years we have been married, and there are a few reasons we keep going back...

Beer! Asheville has so many great breweries, including some of our favorites - Highland Brewing and Wicked Weed.

I love being married to you!

We stayed in this beautiful, modern cabin. On past trips, we spent a lot of time downtown or touring the Biltmore. This trip was more about hiking and eating great food. The property where our Airbnb was situated had stunning views of the mountains, and it was super close to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I took these pictures of the inside because everything was so pretty!

This place made me want to build a tiny house to live in!

Also on the property was a beautiful herb garden. And a chicken coop!

Our hosts encouraged us to help ourselves to fresh eggs!

For our first night, we ordered takeout from Leo's House of Thirst. We got the Dinner for Two - gouda and cheddar grilled cheese with bacon jam - and the chef chose our sides, dessert, and our wine pairing. It was a fun surprise to open the bag and see what was inside. Along with our scrumptious grilled cheese, we had broccoli soup, the most delicious Caesar salad, and a heavenly apple sorghum cake with vanilla cream glaze. The wine was delicious as well.

The following morning, we made some scrambled eggs (thanks to our neighbors, the chickens) to get some protein before our day of hiking.

Our plan was to hop onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, and enjoy the scenic drive up to Craggy Gardens, where there are some beautiful hiking trails. Unfortunately, part of the road was closed, so we had to park in a different spot and hike up to the Craggy Gardens Trail. I - foolishly - did not pack the right shoes for hiking and got a blister before we even made it to Craggy Gardens. Even though we did get to enjoy some hiking and beautiful views, we did not make it to the summit. I was disappointed, but it was a good reminder to always pack appropriate footwear!

Thankfully, our cabin had a hot tub! It felt so good to soak my aching feet. We enjoyed some more local beer and beautiful mountain views!

After some relaxation, it was time to get dressed up for our fancy anniversary dinner.

"Fancy" means that I just wear black, apparently. 

For our anniversary dinner, we went to Limone's for some Mexican food and margaritas. But make it fancy. For our appetizer, we ordered the Lobster Nachos. These were so delicious, I wished I had ordered the Lobster Nachos for my main dish.

Until they brought out my main dish, that is. I ordered the carrot tinga enchiladas with fried plantains. Yum yum yum.

I can't remember what Morgan ordered, but he thought something was funny.

Happy anniversary, my love! Grateful everyday that I am yours and you are mine!

Esme is 3!

 Last week, sweet Esme celebrated her 3rd birthday...

Esme woke up to balloons...

Blurry and happy!

Then we had birthday pancakes!

When I asked her how old she was, she tried to show me three fingers...

Math is hard.

On Friday evening, we had a small family party for Esme. Before everyone arrived, we did a little photo shoot....

I love Esme's facial expressions!

I asked her again how old she is...

We sort of got it this time!

Cutest dimple!

This tiered cupcake tray is one of the best purchases I ever made. It makes even Betty Crocker cupcakes from a box look good.

This picture of Esme from a Halloween party makes me laugh so much!

Oh, Esme. You bring so much joy and laughter to our home. You are funny, confident, sweet, and strong-willed. You know your own mind, and you are not afraid to make your voice heard. I love your belly laughs and your sweet dimple. I love your snuggles. Esme means "esteemed" and "beloved", and you are very beloved by all of us! Happy Birthday, precious girl! We love you so so much!

Esme at 3...

What are your favorite things to do? Ride my balance bike, read books, color

What is your favorite movie? Elsa, Cinderella

What is your favorite book? Berenstain Bears, Over and Over

What is your favorite food? French fries

What is your favorite song? "Into the Unknown", "I Just Can't Wait to be King"

Who are your best friends? Benji

What do you want to be when you grow up? A cookie

Happy Halloween!

Our Halloween festivities this year kicked off with our school party... 

The girls (and their friend R, who also attends our school) dressed up as fairytale characters!

Esme with our skeleton, Mr. Bones.

We dressed Mr. Bones as a pirate for Halloween!

Getting ready to go trick-or-treating with their cousins...

A mermaid, Evie from Descendants, a woodland fairy, and a couple of little witches!

They were so cute.

Even Georgia wore a costume this year!

Trick-or-treating! We were nervous at first because no one was home on our street. Thankfully, after striking out at a few houses, we found the candy!

We had perfect Halloween weather.

Esme had a little trouble walking in her costume, so she got to ride in the "stroll-yer".

After we finished our loop around the neighborhood, we made our way back to our house for dinner. The kids raided their candy stashes, and the grownups had some wine! All in all, Halloween was a great success! Now let's make a rule to never have Halloween on a school night again... especially a Sunday night!