Okay everybody, I’m sorry, but I fell down a not blogging hole. December was terrific, but it was busy with all sorts of other things! I’m sitting on the couch this morning catching up on emails and things, and appreciating the quiet house, but what a wonderful week we had!

I looked back and I last blogged on December 1. Since then I had 21 rehearsals and performances, plenty of students, juries, several parties including my own cookie exchange party, a couple of outings with friends, and insane amounts of cooking and baking.

I hosted Christmas for my parents and two sisters, which was 10 people total and then Louie’s family attended as well, so 13 of us. We did Christmas Eve for 11, Christmas Brunch for 10 and then Christmas Dinner for 13. I spent about 3 solid days cooking as well as plenty in the lead up: the refrigerator was completely full, the downstairs freezer was full as well at one point, and we used another small fridge in the basement for drinks which I realized I never saw but I think it was full too. We did so many dishes as well as cooking!

It’s been too much time to do a full recap, and besides, nobody wants to hear that, so I’ll just share some pictures.

The first night my sister Leslie and her family were here we ventured out to the loop for dinner. Ended up at Blueberry Hill and my nephew particularly enjoyed the pretzel bites with cheese.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care! We did stockings for ten.

Christmas Eve buffet table spread: cookies from the cookie exchange: highlights included my own date and nut roll ups, Buche de noel cookies, toffee brown butter crunch, cranberry bliss bars. I also made these cake batter chocolate chip cookies which the kids absolutely loved. And these vegan molasses cookies which are really delicious. My brother-in-law Peter made baked potatoes with melted brick cheese which is a family tradition of his and we stuffed ourselves with the potatoes, cheese, and cookies.

We tested how many could fit on a couch: the answer seemed to be 6. My mom, sister and nephew, me, my dad, and my niece.

Some of us went to a candlelight church service then: me for playing and others for enjoying. We got back and my sister Carrie and her boyfriend Miles had arrived, so we were all in town. Some were staying with me and others at the Moonrise Hotel nearby, so they headed out so that Santa could show up.

The next morning we did Santa gifts, then opened stockings, then had brunch.

The stockings were so full they had to be laid on the ground!

The whole gang (Louie took the picture): Dad, Miles, Carrie, Mom, Leslie, nephew, niece, Peter, and me. We enjoyed opening Christmas Crackers (Louie had never done them before so I thought it would be fun) and ate cheese grits, egg casserole and cinnamon rolls.

Then we opened some more gifts (mostly for the kids) and then it was turkey time. We were making turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a variety of veggies for Christmas Dinner. We’d already made the Cranberry salads, pies, and date pudding the day before (seriously, my feet hurt because of all the standing in the kitchen). It was terrific fun! Louie’s family came for dinner and a white elephant gift exchange afterwards.

Table for 13! We had to add a card table on the end and squeeze in.

Louie carving the turkey: we don’t eat a lot of meat but I made a delicious turkey if I do say so myself.

The next day we went to the Zoo with some family members and had a Swedish Christmas party at Louie’s mom’s house. She made meatballs, Jansson’s temptations, and Princess Cakes!

The 27th was my parents’ wedding anniversary (56 years!) so we went to the Arch and then later Katie’s Pizza for a big dinner out (notice a theme, that is, eating)

Mom had given them matching shirts at a previous Christmas so they decided to wear them in her honor.

They got married in 1968 so that’s 56 years, if I’m doing math and numbers correct (if I messed up, can somebody correct me?)

On Saturday my parents left first as they were driving home and needed two days. Some of us went skating at Steinberg (I didn’t skate due to fear of falling and breaking something) and then later my sister Carrie and Miles left. The rest of us got a babysitter for the kids and went to have a dinner at Esca.

The next day we went to Corner 17, a playground, and finally made the gingerbread house I’d bought to make, haha! Their flight left that night, but was delayed for several hours. I think they made it home very late last night.

Overall, it was a terrific visit. There were so many priceless moments, and the sense that this was a once in a lifetime moment (of course it was, with so much family together, and a 5 year boy who is growing up so fast!) I loved seeing what good friends my niece and nephew have become–she is so protective of him and even tried to lose a group game because she didn’t want him to be upset, and he loves playing with her all the time. I feel like I blinked and my siblings and I got old, somehow, and my parents went from being middle aged (which I suppose I am now) and now they are elderly…who knows how many more Christmases together we will have, but hopefully some more!

I’m really glad I hosted everybody, and now the house feels so quiet. On a deep thought: I loved hanging out with my niece and nephew, and kids are just so wonderful when they hug you, but I don’t overall regret not having kids. So much of my life would be utterly impossible with kids that it would just be a completely different life! And regardless, the kids grow up, and that is something so bittersweet, isn’t it?

So the important New Year questions: am I making resolutions or goals? What will the new year bring? I feel like I should do a wrap up post, so maybe you’ll see me again tomorrow haha, but today I’m done, and I’m going to workout and sweat a bit before hitting a few more items on my to do list.

How was your Christmas (or Hanukkah!) if you celebrate? We’ve also been lighting Hanukkah candles at night and are probably frying up some latkes tonight for dinner, if I get to the store.