Fall Is Officially Over

This morning I packed away all my Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations (and cooked and pureed two small pumpkins that were on my dining room sideboard, which will become pumpkin bread later this afternoon) and then dug the first of the Christmas decorations out of the basement.  The house now looks like a bomb hit it with all the boxes everywhere, but it's a step toward getting ready for the holidays, and I had to get some Christmas things out anyway to use as props for our Christmas pictures.

My friend Gretchen is a professional photographer, but would not let me pay her for the shoot at our house today.  And God knows she deserved to be paid--we must be five of the least photogenic people on Earth!  Who's not looking at the camera, who's blinking, who can't follow directions, who's making a funny face...it is virtually impossible to get a decent picture of us all together.  And we didn't even try to get the dog involved!  Hopefully one picture of the whole family came out well, but if not, we will revert to our usual practice of sending out a card with three separate pictures on it--one of each kid--and call it a day, since this is definitely one of those holiday things that is just not worth becoming crazy about.  (See?  I'm learning...)

Gretchen is also in my taekwondo classes...she is relatively new in town but we immediately clicked as friends, so it feels like I've known her much longer.  While I was shopping in a kitchen store yesterday, I saw these cookie cutters and immediately bought a set for her as a small thank-you, in addition to one for myself--she cracked up when she saw them, as expected.   I know what I am bringing to the holiday party at the dojo this year!

Having temporarily OD'd on holiday stuff, I took a break from the activity with a cup of tea and the Wireless catalog just now and just have to share some of my favorite t-shirts.  (Bear in mind that I am a raging dork and please don't judge me...)

  

  And last, but not least:

Over and out...