These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

We had a great weekend! On Friday we went over to Deanna's parents' house for a traditional German feast and the annual "Cranberry Cutting". Deanna's mom takes an entire day to bake cranberry bread and the cranberries cannot simply be thrown in the food processor. They must be hand cut and with the amount of cranberries she needs...that would take days. Years ago, she began trading an unbelievably yummy meal for help, and you won't see anyone complaining. Emma had so much fun and she felt as comfortable with that "Oma" as she does with her own Grandmas.


I have been especially tired lately. It's not like I've been particularly busy or overwhelmed, but by 7, I'm ready to hit the hay. Tonight I wandered downstairs after my bath and Trenton had made dinner for me. What did he make you ask? Well, I'm happy to report it was neither ramen nor spaghettio's. It was a warm, stick-to-your-ribs, Autumn meal of stuffing, grilled chicken, peas, and cranberry sauce! Look at how he beautifully arranged it on the plate and he even served my Crystal Light in a wine glass. I must have been a saint in a previous life to deserve him. Maybe all the Food Network shows he grudgingly watches with me are rubbing off on him.


Emma has begun standing on her own. She is still so very unsure of herself, but each day she progresses toward that confident woman living inside of her. I am so proud of my soon-to-be 1 year old.






"My Cup Runneth Over"...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Janet, Trenton, Emma, and Gary

Weekend Away

Trenton called me from work the other day and told me to clear my Friday because he was treating me to a girl's night in Denver with my sisters. We stayed in a hotel on 16th street and it was the perfect weekend. We listened to Christmas (yes, Christmas music) on the way up there, had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, and window shopped in the freezing cold. It was the perfect getaway before the holidays. The best part of the weekend was when Trenton called me and said, "I'm so glad you had this chance to take a break. I can really appreciate how busy and exhausted you are now...Emma is a handful!" That was the nicest compliment. The next day we had lunch at Maggiano's and did a little pre-Christmas shopping. To commemorate our trip, Shannon got us each Vanilla Bean Noel perfume from Bath and Body Works. I love that picture because it exemplifies what I love about Christmas. You've got the sparkly, warm, caramel-vanilla scented perfume and Christmas lights in the background. I think this trip was so fun because of it's simplicity. We weren't on a schedule, didn't have any appointments or obligations we had to keep. We could just relax and enjoy yummy food and each other's company. Thank you Trenton...so much- for understanding the importance of the time women need to spend with each other.
Anyone that knows me understands I adore every holiday for an assortment of reasons. Thanksgiving has always been a favorite because it really is the kick-off for the holiday season. One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving memories is when I was around 5 or 6. We all woke up to a heavy snow storm and my Dad suggested we go to the grocery store and get some goodies to snack on throughout the day (and give my mom a break for a couple hours). My dad had to put the chains on the tires just to get out of the driveway, so Shannon and I played in the snow as we waited. All of us siblings crammed in the car and prepared for the icy trip to the store. The roads were so treacherous that my dad decided to take the less traveled route behind our house at the time. The drive looked like something out of a postcard- with snow-covered barns and farmhouses. Once we got to the store, my dad encouraged us to fill the cart with all kinds of cheeses, crackers, and mixed nuts. To this day- whenever I eat a chocolate covered cherry- I am right back in that freezing car, sandwiched between my sisters, singing Christmas songs and looking forward to eating turkey, roasted acorn squash, and steamed artichokes.


Love,
Janet, Trenton, Emma, and Gary

Swings and Spaghetti

We took advantage of one of the last "warm" days in November before the snow rolled in...

A night at the park followed by a spaghetti dinner. Could life be sweeter? My goal in life is to be sure Emma can find joy in the simple things. So far- swings and spaghetti is all it takes.

Love,
Janet, Trenton, Emma, and Gary