Holiday Happenings

For the long Thanksgiving weekend, Lennie and I were fortunate enough to join some friends at a cabin in the mountains for some much needed rest, relaxation, and fun. We completely disconnected from the world -- after logging off of the computer at work on Wednesday afternoon, I stayed away from computers for over five days. Our cell service was spotty, so we were really cut off from the world. I loved it, as it's not often that I'm not a slave to my cell phone or the computer.

We joined our friends and their family on Wednesday evening after a pleasant drive over Snoqualmie Pass. The night was punctuated by the kids making pies in the kitchen while the rest of us lounged and chatted. Thursday brought a bevy of people (over 20 people joined us throughout the day), cooking, and walking by the lake. It was wonderful and overwhelming all at the same time. The family welcomed us in with open arms, and it was fun to learn more about one another.

I attempted to teach the girls how to knit, which they seemed to enjoy. Hopefully they're on their way to successful knit scarves -- we'll see!

Friday brought drizzle and clouds, so we made our way in to Suncadia Lodge to try to take the kids ice skating. Unfortunately, we got to the rink too late, so we explored town for a little bit, and we ran into an old friend at a local coffee shop. I had the opportunity to catch up with her after not seeing her for over a year. What a fun surprise!

On Saturday, Lennie was fortunate enough to go out quading with our friends. He came back a little sweaty, but with a huge smile on his face. I suspect that it was the highlight of his weekend, but haven't confirmed it. After a great pasta dinner, we packed up the cars and went back to Suncadia for a night of ice skating. The trees were adorned with festive lights and Christmas music hummed in the background. It was warm out, even when we weren't standing by the fire, which made for a great evening out.

We packed up and traveled home on today, stopping at the outlet mall on the way home to score a few new items.

For me, the best part of every Thanksgiving weekend is putting up the decorations. So, despite our miserable colds and fatigue, we put up the tree. It's twinkling in the corner as I type this, and I can't help but smile as I look around the house at the different decorations. We've got snowmen by the front door, stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and I'm ready to greet the holiday season.

So there you are, you're now up with the holiday happenings around our home. I hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend too, and that this message finds all of you healthy and happy.