Week Recap: Christmastime!

I love celebrating the seasons and almost any holiday. I'm the type of person who actually wants to eat a hamburger on "National Hamburger Day". I have to stop myself from getting into every inane holiday. I think that's what drew me to the Episcopal church - lots of Church holidays and saints' days.

 

In Houston it's even more important to focus on the changing seasons and holidays because if you didn't know any better, you might not realize seasons exist (or you'd just think it's always summer). Sigh.

 

Anyway, this past week was a very fun, Christmas-themed week.

 

Let's recall the holiday joy...

 

On Tueday evening my parents and I went to Huntsville after work to see my brother's students perform a Chistmas (excuse me, Holiday) concert. It was really cute! I am proud of my brother for being a music teacher at an elementaty school. I've always thought he would be good working with elementary school aged children and I know how passionate and knowledgable he is about music.

 

On Wedensday, my friend Kristen and I got together to watch Christmas movies and make Christmas cookies. We decorated sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. They were so very sickeningly sweet, but it was fun....and funny.

 

Our naked cookies

Kristen, decorating gingerbread men

Me, decorating a Christmas butterfly

M & M for Melanie and Michael. Cheesy.

Who doesn't want a Christmas butterfly?

Or a Christmas duck?

Or a gingerbread man in a patchy speedo?

Kristen and Bart!

On Thursday I got see an old friend for dinner, which was great.

 

Friday Michael and I went out with some friends for dinner and drinks.

 

Saturday evening we celebrated Christmas with my mom's extended family and on Sunday we celebrated with my dad's extended family. So, Michael got to meet a lot of new people, but he handled it extremely well!

 

I always enjoy baking for my family's Christmas gatherings, but this year, one of aunts requested a "Happy Birthday Jesus" birthday cake with Jesus in the manger as decoration. Well, below is my interpretation. I was not pleased with the way the icing and writing came out, but the little fondant Baby Jesus was quite cute, in my opinion.

 

Hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas Season!