Holiday Inventory

I have not been a very good family historian. This space is our running family record more than anything these days. When I started this blog, I was working through the grief of losing my mom. Writing was therapeutic. It also became my mission to capture the moments of our lives so that someday when I am gone, my kids would have a answers to any questions that come up, that they would know how much I love them and that they would be able to hear my voice when reading my words. Now that Ted and Lils are young adults, they don't need me to be their memory keeper anymore, I tell the same stories and they let me know they've heard it before and I know they know how adored and cherished they are. I am shushing out what will become of this space. There are still stories to tell, but the minutiae doesn't feel quite right.

 

That being said, here are lots of photos and a few highlights from our December.

 

Enjoying: 

 

The hygge of lots of twinkle lights and calm, simple decor.  Yes, our trees are still up and lit every night or cloudy day.

 

 

 

 

Baking with Lily and Gus. We only made our eight favorite kinds. Sorry if you received any kitty hair with your cookies.

Game and movie nights. Our current favorites are Catch Phrase and Wavelength. Always cribbage for the boys too. I can recommend Yesterday and Captain Fantastic, but most everything else was rather meh.

 Homemade pizza night too.

Cooking for the kids. Lily, our resident chicken only girl, requested a steak after years of no red meat. Mike went out and bought a couple beauts and she remembered that she really really likes steak. She asked for Spanish Sheet Pan Chicken for her last meal I guess in homage to her destination. She is prepping to be a more adventurous eater as she travels Europe.

Loving:

All the beautiful blooms on my Christmas cactus and that she blossomed right on time.

How much cats love Christmas. They are like little kids in and on everything.

 

How much Grandma and Grandpa love Christmas too even when they say no presents.

 

When you give just the right gift...a solar AI bird feeder for the avian loving grandparents, a travel poster for your brother from his latest trip for his growing collection, tickets to see a show of choice in London's Theatreland.

 Christmas Eve mass...the four of us in our pew. I was next to a parishioner whose son was in the procession to the manger. She broke out her good camera and started snapping away proudly. I shared that my kids were a part of that tradition for many years. She looked at me knowingly.

 

When Manny comes to visit. Meryl too! They came late Christmas Eve for a little holiday cheer before heading to California for the rest of the holiday.

 

Grateful for:

 

Family who come for one last good bye.

 

I

 Thinking about:

 

2025 goals. I'm going with intentions over resolutions. What it means to live my best life. Our trip to Spain. It's time to start planning. Visiting my aunt and uncle in Arizona. This year we celebrate thirty years. Lily turns 21 and Ted 25. How to celebrate?

 

 

She Made It...

But neither one of us got much sleep. She was uncomfortable being packed in like a sardine. I was in mom mode watching the airplane icon track over the Atlantic. In the wee hours, I found myself on a travel abroad forum and I started stressing about things way beyond our control now. Things like travel insurance and liquid restrictions for carry ons. Should she have brought this? Not brought that?

Then I got this picture when it was still pitch black here and I was able to finally close my eyes. She was in London, through security and ready to get on her next flight.

When I got this picture of the Pyrenees, I slept. She made it.

A few hours later, I woke when she Facetimed to show us her apartment. It was 10 a.m. my time and 5 p.m. her time. Her little place is nice and right next door to her roomie, which is what we were hoping for. The apartment was a little dirty, but the concierge took care of it and things were off to a good start. Lesson one in self-assertion a win especially when delivered with a little sugar.

I could tell she was beyond exhausted, a little dehydrated, a tad overwhelmed and more than anything...excited. The girls set off for the mercado to pick up some essentials and then went out to explore their new city. They had freaking awesome tapas for dinner at 10 o'clock and then found a club in the historic Barceloneta neighborhood, a neighborhood I told her to avoid because I read that somewhere. Silly me. Lesson one in trusting her instincts a tough, but necessary one as I've never been to Spain. That being said I was relieved to hear they were on their way home a little while ago. It was 4 o'clock a.m. I think they are acclimating quite well and on their way to fully embracing the Spanish culture.

Of course, I have a million questions, but the may have to wait until Thursday as I expect her to sleep most of the day tomorrow. I will sleep well tonight knowing that she is home safe and sound.

And She's Off

 

As I write this, Lily is a couple hours into her journey to Barcelona. She'll arrive in London while we sleep and in Spain as we wake. She was ready. Eager. Excited. I was a much cooler cucumber than I expected. There were a few tears, but this is an amazing opportunity and the fact that she can study abroad is something to celebrate. These four months are a privilege. A gift. 

We arrived at O'Hare in record time. Not a traffic issue or a single slow down as we traveled south. We saw her off at security and we were home before she even boarded. The fact that she had to pay $100 for her overweight suitcase is partially my fault so I cannot take issue, but why this is even a thing is something that irks me. She's going abroad for a semester and traveling around and through Europe. A girl needs her things. I'm quite proud that she was able to hone it down to 55.5 pound suitcase, a carry-on and a very small backpack. I'll have almost as much when I go to visit for ten days if Mike doesn't have anything to say about it.

Ted was in Cali all week so we used his room as the staging area. Lil and I were the gatherers and gather we did. Mike was the packer. How he got everything on the bed into those three vessels will always astound me. Compression bags help, but still I will call it what it is...an act of magic. Maybe a miracle.

Limbo is what we called the time between the holidays and her send-off. We were done celebrating births, endings and beginnings, researching travel tips, shopping for one last must-have and ticking off the days, and yet they were such good days.

The holidays were very zen and that was just what we needed this year. We had smaller, more intimate gatherings, little fanfare and lots of quality time with loved ones. I wanted December to last forever, but the memories made will live on. We rang in the New Year as we usually do...with Pete and Sue. They prepared such a lovely dinner that I'm grateful we popped for the Veuve.

The new year is off to a solid start. I'm feeling optimistic and hopeful for 2025.

It's The Eve Eve

 

Which means that tomorrow is Christmas Eve, a day that made Kathy McGurk very happy. My mom was always generous, never short on celebrating and she loved spoiling us all. She made the most delicious tenderloin (well, eventually that was relegated to my husband), knew the perfect Santa to come make the magic for the kids and she had a mesmerizing carol voice as she crooned her way to Christmas. I'm feeling her vividly this Christmas and that is just one of the reasons for my quiet. I find I no longer have words for my grief. The sadness feels redundant, indulgent, ethereal and omnipresent. Know those adjectives were carefully chosen.

So here we are feeling the nostalgia, the anticipation and also the magical moments that always define the spirit of the season. This here is the heart of it all and I'm not ready for it to start let alone end.

Leaving work early today to finish baking and driving home in a surprising squall upped my Christmas spirit. I had no idea snow was in the forecast. The white stuff...it didn't stick, but it was such a pretty backdrop from my kitchen window as I mixed and rolled. I got a box of love this weekend...delicious love. My aunt sent us all our favorites from her Arizona kitchen. It was a delicious way of staying connected even though we won't be together in person this holiday.

 

I'll be paying it forward. Cookies for neighbors even those that don't celebrate Christmas because we all understand peace and good will and sprinkles. A tin for the lovely Lena who bags our groceries every week. One for the FedEx guy. The mailman too.

Pot pies as well. I was busy in the kitchen yesterday. Alan had surgery last week. Pot pie is a magic healing elixir especially when accompanied by homemade bread and Irish butter. I dropped off a little care package today and I know that he and Karen are feeling my good wishes tonight as they enjoy the meal I made. Another Christmas spirit boost. 

This time each year I lean into letting every single person I can know that they are special to me. I think that's why this month goes too fast...I don't have the days to connect with or thank all the peeps I want to. 

Okay I'm getting a little groovy. My Christmas spirit went into overdrive Friday when we had a family date downtown. We posed in front of the Pfister tree and I had heart pangs missing Cousin Carol who loved this iconic Milwaukee venue. Blu was a lovely spot for a cocktail before dinner at Zarlettis, a place that reminds me of my mom. Brad and Ashley hosted dinner and it was just a warm, cozy night of festivities and family. Ted's declared it a new family holiday tradition. Swanky boozy holiday dinner is definitely a thing. We dropped Ted off at an establishment to meet up with friends and the rest of us came home to cuddle cats and watch The Family Stone. Lily had never seen it. She loved it.

Another highlight of the weekend was a spontaneous Sunday afternoon visit with my mother and brother-in-law. The timing was perfect because...hello, cookie delivery and pot pie making. It was perfect to send them home with dinner and dessert because #foodislove. And it was kismet because we talked about inviting them and then got busy busy busy being busy, which we all know is not the best way to celebrate Christmas. I'm channeling my inner chill.

Tomorrow we will go to mass and I'm expecting that to be the pinnacle of my holiday happiness. We'll have a drink with the Sweeney's before driving home along the lake front to spectate all the lights. As a family, we decided on a simple make and bake pasta dish, garlic bread and a salad. That'll allow more time for fun and games. It's our tradition to do presents Christmas morning, but we may do them Christmas Eve. It seems the year to mix things up.

My parents will come for Christmas Day brunch. I don't have a decided upon menu yet, but we have a ham and there will be cookies so there's that. I told them to come in there pjs. Mike wrapped all the gifts, but I've yet to ribbon and bow them. I just may not. Ted's birthday gift is in the basement somewhere. I was going to order his favorite French silk pie, but he leaves for San Diego the day after and cookies. There's always Valentines Day. 

Merry Christmas! Love and peace to all! Enjoy an extra cookie, say yes to the hot toddy, get in the family picture, sing loud and clear for all to hear and remember the reason for the season.

 

Grateful Lately

I give thanks for...

Fresh air. I left work early the other day to beat the forecasted snow squall and sneak in a few miles on the trails. I had no idea how badly I needed that. When the snow started to fall midway, I felt childish giddiness. We had the longest, loveliest fall, but now that we are on the countdown to Christmas, I'm ready for winter.

Ted and mom time. Mike traveled last week so Ted and I hung out in the evenings. One night he picked up dinner on his way home from the gym. Picked up and paid.

Ted's picking up his guitar again. He's in a John Mayer phase and I sort of love it.

Flannel sheeting all the beds.

Getting shit done. It's been a productive couple weeks at Casa Wags.

Brunch with family friends. The girls gave Lily great tips on her upcoming travel abroad from their own experiences.

Barcelona in one month! Visa arrived today. We're ticking of lists.

She got a sub-leaser. Only one, but as we know...it's better than none.

Just enough room on my lap for both Hazel and Gus.

We finally met Snowy's 4 week old kittens. We would love one, but we have a happy little duo right now, and trio when Manny comes to town.

 

Manny's spot on the hearth.

Progress. These boys side by side...

And almost cheek to cheek.

Where Gus goes when he needs alone time.

Hazel's spot is our bed. She doesn't even like Gus to get on it. She tolerated Manny last weekend when he jumped up to see what was going on. After a couple minutes, I gently removed him and my girl started to purr immediately and was extra lovey. Mike sent me the photo of Gus stealing Hazel's spot the other day when I was at work. I'll have you know, he's not been on the bed since.

 Wool pillows make perfect cozy perches for this little lady.

 This girl by day and then by night. Mike picked her up yesterday and between his car and the kids' Jeep she is moved out of the Saxony, home for a few weeks and then headed to Europe.

 

Their first weekend trip is planned for Interlaken, Switzerland. I like that because I know it's a very safe, clean, beautiful place for travelers which makes it a good maiden voyage.

Christmas cookies. Lils and I broke down and stocked up so we can crank out at least a few of our favorites.

We got our tree on a beautiful night last weekend and now it is up and lit with Gus's help. We'll all trim it tomorrow when Ted gets home Hazel and Gus included.

Rainbow trees.

The spirit of this season. Hope and light and love. The promise of peace. Good thoughts and generous deeds.