The Holiday Season

It's been a busy few weeks and months, so while I wish I had gotten into the Christmas spirit a tad bit earlier, the past few weeks finally did put me into the holiday spirit.

It started with getting a Christmas tree! Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit quite like the smell of pine. My sister and good friend Tarlan (who's practically another sister to me) were with me for this outing/adventure. We had a great lazy Saturday picking up the tree and then spending the afternoon decorating it.

A few weeks later, I had an amazing outing ice skating with my sister and two of my favorite little boys. And even though it had been YEARS since I had been on skates, it all came right back to me. It was also so incredible to see these two boys learning to skate. Adorable!

Then there was a weekend of baking. Lots of baking. Let's just say my friends received lots and lots of yummy cookies and goodies for the holidays.

Then what really kicked it into high gear? An amazing night at a good friend's family's house for a pre Christmas dinner. It was so special to be invited into this wonderful family's home for such a special meal. We started with a blind taste taste of some of Napa's finest Cabernets. (My personal fav? The Silver Oak 2004--YUM! Thanks Jim!)

Then we kicked off Christmas Eve with a beautiful hike on Mt. Wanda. It was such a perfect leisurely hike and I loved having a chance to chit chat one on one with Mo, Matt, Adam and B-dog all along the hike. I hope they'll invite me back and we can continue our Christmas tradition.

Post hike? One of the most delicious brunches ever! Complete with marmalade made from fruit from a tree that was more than 100 years old in Roquebrune. The blue table cloth almost transported me right to France.

Christmas Eve, my cousins and sister came over, and we spent hours like little kids, decorating cookies! It was nice to be able to spend some time with my cousins--we caught up on each other's lives, chatted about our grandparents and reminisced together about the 'good old days'.

What became obvious to me this holiday? Christmas isn't about just one day. It's about the entire holiday season. And finding the chance to spend time with all of your loved ones through many days. I'm thankful to have so many amazing family and friends in my life. And thankful that I was able to see so many of them this holiday season.