In an attempt to get into the holiday spirit last year, I decided to make zombie gingerbread cookies. Which also led to me developing a few other not-so-typical cookie creations. So this year I was excited to bake again and develop some new holiday friends to accompany last year’s characters. I’ve been trying to bake all week long, but between Ellie’s off sleep schedule and her getting yet another cold, it kept getting put off. And now, finally on Christmas Eve, I’ve finished my holiday baking!
This Thanksgiving was one of those times when I realized how much has changed this past year. Last year Ellie was just starting to walk. This year she was running, jumping, dancing, and eating. Last year she wasn’t eating real food yet, but this year, she was focused and quiet while she goggled up her mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, turkey and stuffing.
And last year, we placed her on the table like a turkey for a photo, but this year instead of being the turkey, she ate the turkey. Wow, a lot has happened over the past year and I sure do have a lot to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!
Our big family Thanksgiving is on Saturday and is hosted at my parents house. My mom cooks everything except a few things. My brother made green bean casserole and I always bring the pumpkin pie. But my mom makes the 21lb turkey, stuffing (in and out of the bird), candied yams, corn, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, cranberry sauce, bread, apple pie, and cheese cake. Whoa, that’s a lot of cooking! And a lot of eating to do too.
I ended after a very long, stressful, irritating, exhausting flight asking the question, “Isthis what vacation is like from now on?”
“This” being not really having a moment alone, a moment to relax, a moment to feel rested, a moment that feels like an actual vacation. You know, like you had pre baby. Well, the short answer is, yes. Yes, this is how vacations will be from now on, which sounds awful. But the long answer isn’t a simple yes or no, and it really isn’t as dreadful sounding.
Halloween is a big deal in my family. It just is. And with us being away on Halloween, I felt the need to find some sort of Halloween activity to get Ellie involved in. Even if it was Japan, there had to be something we could take her to. And while we were out one day at the local mall, I found just the thing. A Halloween Parade!
We had no idea what to expect with it being in Japan, but it would be another excuse to get Ellie in her costume. But what would a Japanese Halloween Parade be like?
