Herbert the Christmas Tree

Has a name, and that name is Herbert. Yes, we name our Christmas trees and our trash can (Seymour) and our alarm clocks (the late Norman and Deborah) and our pink glitter reindeer (Jermaine). We've named every Christmas tree we've had, but I have a really hard time remembering their names from year to year (heartless, I know). My firs inclination is always to name each one Frederick. Unfortunately we've already had a Frederick and a Franklin and maybe a Hans? After that it gets foggy. Poor Herbert, the latest in a line of noble firs whose names I have forgotten.

Herbert came to us from a tree farm out in Maryland one snowy day a few weeks back. Although we were soaked by the time we got him in the car - it was an appropriately Christmasy outing.

Once home we decorated the rather plump Herbert to an appropriate soundtrack of Amy Grant, Bela Fleck and our new favorite, Sufjan Steven's Songs for Christmas.

 

When we head out to Washington this week we won't be taking Herbert down - I know the words "fire hazard" and "crispy critter" have been tossed around, but dismantling him in all of his glory would be a shame. So we'll fill his tank to the brim, unplug the lights and brace ourselves for several hours of vacuuming when we return.

Feast Your Eyes

  

On this spectacular Colorado winter wedding (my friend Paige's from last year) - It feels appropriate given the record-breaking snow we received in here in the District this weekend. 

16" is a fair amount of snow and by DC standards, is as close to armageddon as we're likely to get. I fondly refer to the event as snowpocalypse, the district crippling storm that I enjoyed watching from my cozy couch with the exception of a trek to the Capitol to revel in the snowy loveliness.

  Before the 16" fell, we squeezed in our holiday party which was a wonderful time with great friends, plenty of eggnog, cider and cookies and laughter all around until well into the night. I've spent the last few weeks baking, magically transforming pounds of butter and sugar into more attractive (or less) pounds of butter and sugar. From gingerbread to shortbread, chocolate espresso snowcaps to white trash, there's no shortage of saccharine around these parts. In fact, even post-party D. and I had a large assortment to graze on, our snowpocalypse provisions.

 In addition to the baking frenzy, D. and I also went on a decorating frenzy partially inspired by a viewing of our holiday favorite, Elf. So cue paper snowflakes and paper chains.

 

Things we should be doing for the wedding...

1. Save the Dates - Our goal of getting these out by December is rapidly slipping, and by rapidly slipping, I mean we haven't even started them.
2. Crazy Bridesmaid Thing - to be described in a later post, at least this one is close to completion.
3. Photographer
4. Officiant
5. Caterer - Well, we know which one we won't be using...
6. Band

  
7. Engagement photos - seem like a good idea, right? Especially if they're super cute like the following. Not so sure about the more stiff homecoming varietal with cheesy poses transplanted from in front of a scenic "laser" photo drop to the great outdoors. On the other hand, losing the poses but keeping the laser drop might be the best plan.

These balloons = pure love. Sarah Yates, SoCal photographer, borrowed from Ruffled

Tupperware!

and a beautiful purple wall - borrowed from green wedding shoes

 unfortunately, I think we'll pass on this Twilight themed session

- despite D.'s Cullenesque hair.

and why, oh why does anyone think this is necessary?

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

It's here - the best part of the year, the one that starts on Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas with the time in between filled with trees and parties and lights and shopping and baking and Christmas music overload. In short, the best part of the year. 

Our turkey day on the Outer Banks was the fantastic, relaxing and tasty. Our house was right on the beach with windows on three sides of the dining room, where we sat and watched dolphins and pelicans. The weather was surprisingly mild, enough for walks on the beach and wading in the *refreshing* waves.

We enjoyed a pre-thanksgiving seafood feast of shrimp and crab followed by a roast sticky chicken thanksgiving with all the trimmings including this amazing green bean casserole that D.'s mum, Val introduced me to last year. Homemade cinnamon rolls, pumpkin pie and Dad's clam dip rounded out the cooking. Let's just say my jeans are fitting a little tighter this week.


Now it's time for the full-fledged holiday ramp up, our weekend plans include a Christmas tree, and I'm already blasting Vince Guaraldi on my commute. (can you blast Vince Guaraldi?) Either way, the spirit is here, even if the snow isn't and that's going to take some getting used to.


In addition to the aforementioned Charlie Brown Christmas, my soundtrack shuffled in some Amy Grant tonight and I was reminded of a favorite childhood holiday memory. Putting up the tree and blasting Amy Grant (you can blast Amy Grant), my sister and I would dance - crazy dance, with red metallic pom poms. We would run through the halls, Christmas dancing shaking our pom poms to "Emmanuel" until we were out of breath. I remember that there were lots of leaps involved and jumping and running. What about Amy Grant evoked such Christmas dancing frenzy, I'm not sure, but I totally wish I had my pom poms tonight.