speaking of Christmas and gifts

There's a lot to be thankful for on Christmas Day.

There was a LOT going on.

Presents, stockings, food, family and plenty of CHAOS.

So much to choose from, and I'm leaving it all unblogged.

Except for one favorite gift:

Having a sister.

I have more than one sister, (SO great!) but I'm appreciative of having at least one who is close enough geographically to see with spurts of regularity.

She's a GIFT.

XO

Christmas Eve

One of my very favorite Christmas traditions is our annual home made gift exchange on Christmas Eve. Each year at Thanksgiving, we draw names and work for the next month thinking about/making a thoughtful gift for the person who's name we've drawn. I love the ideas that are generated, and the love and thought that is put into each gift. Thanks to the magnificence of modern technology and the miracle that is overnight shipping, we were even able to include our remote family members.

This kind of giving is a favorite.

And we always follow up our gift exchange by watching Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in

It's A Wonderful Life together.

Despite it all, it IS a wonderful life.

Watching hoops (from the bench)

It's basketball season again!

And Leeli is really coming into the game.

The only thing more fun than watching her play,

  is watching her play from the bench.

I've joined a couple of really fun women on the coaching staff for her team. 

 Technically, I'm not a super valuable asset to the team, but I can keep things light, cut orange slices, throw out timely fist bumps, shout words of encouragement and fetch water bottles like nobody's business.

 I like to tell myself I'm a contributor, because it's obvious that Leeli is doing HER part.

 She'll tell you her first love is soccer.

 But I'm here to tell you

 that basketball just might be her thing.

in all the holiday hubbub someone turned 14

Leeli's been excited for this birthday.

It's a biggie!

And SHE's a big deal.

She was my best Christmas present ever.

Fourteen years ago.

To celebrate, she requested home made donuts.

It was a good choice.

 Then her fan section showed up to cheer on the birthday girl at her basketball game.

 She's a rebounding under-the-board scoring gift to her team.

 She's also a gift to her family.

 Sweet, talented, smart and funny.

She makes 14 look like a piece of cake.

CHEESEcake.

Happy 14 Leeli!
XOXO

Oh Christmas tree

We happened to time the annual tree cutting expedition 

with Mr. Dub's back episode. The one where he throws out his back, and is incapacitated in such a way that he is unable to join us in our search for a Christmas tree. 

Key to this injured back story is the fact that HE is usually the one who cuts down the tree.

 That job fell to me this year.

I guess since the kids figured they did such an outstanding job SELECTING the tree.

They talked me through it.

 I was not prepared for the enormity of this task.

 I had to stop several times and talk to my biceps.

I'm actually not sure I have any.

I DO have a festive wreath,

 an obstinate snowman

 a reindeer with a sweet tooth

 AND, thankfully, a TREE.

Tree Lighting

Our very favorite tenor sax player and the rest of the high school band joined the town on the common for the annual tree lighting. It's a great way to kick off the holidays.