Merry Christmas!!

We're taking off tonight to start our Christmas off with a get-together at our brother and sister-in-laws' new little cozy home. Then it'll be off to my husband's family where we'll gather as one big family with lots of yummy food, little kidlets running everywhere, and quiet conversations on their soft brown leather couches. I'm bringing The Hobbit to get started on my yearly read through Tolkien's MiddleEarth writings. 

We'll be celebrating Kilmeny's 2nd (I know, I can't believe it either!) birthday out on the farm. 

And then getting back in the van and  driving a few hours South to celebrate the New Year with my family and I'll finally get to meet my new little niece. I'm so excited! 

The Christmas anticipation has finally caught up with me and I remember why I love this time of year so much.

I've got a lot of bustling to do to get us all ready and packed, and finish up a dinner for a client. But I just wanted to pop on here and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!! 

I hope that you can find some quiet in the midst of all the busyness to be still and ponder and glory in the gift that became ours in Bethlehem that night.

A Book Party

I was very honored when Krista of Rambling Tart asked me to write a guest post for her blog. I've loved her blog for a long time and was beyond thrilled when I got to meet her this past year. I decided to write about the Book Party we host each year, the one constant tradition we've had despite spending the last three Christmases in different parts of the country.

From the post:

"The next year found us living in Montreal, Quebec. We got together with a few friends and the second Book Party was held, this time featuring homemade doughnuts. Everyone gathered in the kitchen, eating the hot glazed doughnuts made from a family recipe. We heaped our plates with vegetables, baguette spread with goat cheese and olive tapenade, filled our mugs with hot apple cider and retreated to the living room. Curled up on the soft couch and chairs, we discussed books, music, culture, and food. Originally all from Alberta, the Book Party again met our need for companionship in a home away from home. Everyone left with a new book to read and invigorated by the conversations. "

Read the rest of the post here. 

Tell me about your favorite traditions and Christmas parties, here or there! 

still counting...

I haven't sat down and recorded the gifts for some time now, it hits me when I stop and drink them, the beauty that happens right now all around me. And I want to make note of them but I don't always. So here's too grabbing a few minutes and jotting a few of them down. Because I don't want to forget all that I've been given. 

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the fact that both my girls do often nap at the same time each day 

dirty dishes and dirty counters and dirty floors because real life happens here, every day

piles of laundry 

my two healthy, beautiful little girls 

family to give too

 books to read again and again (and again and again)

hot tea and shortbread

people to bake for

realizing that being happy is better then being perfect

a husband who encourages me to just live now, in this moment

my Mum's voice on the phone and sharing real life with her

snow-covered fields to pull my little girl's sled on 

the oh-so-Canadian sound of pond hockey

the sparkle of Christmas lights throughout the neighborhood and around our door

quiet moments of snuggle time with my baby 

singing to my toddler as she goes to sleep and the way her skin is soft and smooth

small celebrations of new recipes turning out great 

making my Nana's fudge, a time honored recipe

quiet and peace even in the busyness

Little Bits of Christmas

Our decorating style is simple. Intentional. Lots of inspiration taken from the outdoors. And some whimsey touches just for fun. 

We decorated our house almost a month ago. We'd spent a good portion of the day shopping, stocking up on things we needed, hitting a 50% sale on candles at IKEA, and browsing Bombay and Urban Barn. All of our purchases were in the living room when my husband said to me, "Let's decorate. Tonight." 

And I said, "Tonight? Okay!" 

We pulled the bins and boxes out, we put the Christmas music on, and we had fun. This is the first year that I've had all of my stuff in one place and it is so incredibly special to be able to decorate my own little home. 

We piled pinecones into a trifle bowl, we filled a silver tea tray with candles, we heaped a fruit bowl with pinecones and a berry wreath and stuck a big candle in the center. We wrapped a garland around the railing and plugged in the twinkle lights. We hung our stockings on empty nails and draped crochet snowflakes across the doorway of Kilmeny's rooms. We put candles on every available surface. 

We ordered in pizza, making a new tradition for when we decorate the house. We let Kilmeny stay up later then usual to play with the pinecones and hear her say ' awww, cute!' at all the new pretties in the house. 

And it does feel like magic when we turn all the lights off and just sit and be. Letting the candles glow provide all the needed illumination. I'm all about simplicity this year. Not wanting to get caught up in all the stuff, stuff, stuff everywhere. The piles of gifts and excess of expenditures. I'm all into intentionality and purposeful giving. 

What pretties are you enjoying this year? What's your decorating style? (Because I love being inspired by others!)

Penguins and Cookies

I said, "Let's go make cookies."

She said, "Penguins?"

I said, "Cookies."

My plan for the afternoon was simple. Bake up a couple batches of shortbread. Since we spend the holidays with both of our families, I don't do a lot of Christmas baking. We get lots when we go home and I always do some for our annual Book Party. But some shortbread is always done. And it seemed like something simple and easy to do with Kilmeny 'helping'.

But she was still stuck on the penguin. And right there, I had a choice. To actually put into practice what I've theorized  about over the years, that sometimes saying 'no' is more for the mum's convenience rather then something that is actually forbidden.

I said yes. I made her a penguin.
I smooshed some cream cheese into an olive, placed it on a slice of carrot, put some carrot into another olive and stuck the whole thing together with a toothpick.

It was totally worth it. And totally adorable.

She thought it was oh so cute and the look of delight on her face when I let her have it at her little table on a real, grown-up plate was priceless. 

It's those little things that build memories. My girls are too young to build gingerbread houses with me and we don't decorate sugar cookies together yet or cut out glittery snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. And what I think would make a great memory might not mean the same to them.

Kilmeny might not remember me making her a little penguin but I will. And hopefully it will help me remember to say yes and choose to seize the moment and make a memory.

Here is our traditional shortbread recipe. I did make this up yesterday after the penguin was made and eaten. The shortbread pairs very nicely with an eggnog latte, candles, and Michael Buble's Christmas album. If you wanted a recommendation. 

Melting Moments Shortbread

1/2 c cornstarch            1 c. flour
1/2 c icing sugar           3/4 c butter
Mix together, form into balls, flatten if desired.  Put tidbit of maraschino cherry or gumdrop on for colour if desired.  Bake at 350 for 10 minute or until just golden brown. 

Traditions and Family

A big part of what makes Christmas special to me is all the traditions that we have done over the years, some no one can remember how or why we started them, it's just what we do and it makes the holidays very special. 

One of those traditions is going Christmas shopping with my Mom and sisters. We haven't done it for a couple of years and I really wanted to make it work since we would all be home together again. We headed out bright and early on the 27th, planning to hit some Boxing Day sales and go out for brunch. Some of my favorite purchases from the day was at our first stop, the Salvation Army, where their books were half price. I got several books for literally pennies. It made me happy. We shopped and browsed and then finally decided to get something to eat. We tend to get distracted when we're all out together and forget to stop and eat. But stop and eat we did and had a wonderful visit over yummy food. We got home tired from being out and about all day but happy with our purchases (we got in on some stellar sales!) and happy to have the day together.

One of those traditions that no one can remember why or how we started it but we've been doing it forever happens on Christmas Eve. We bustle around all day doing prep for the big dinner the next day, wrapping the last few gifts, tidying the house and preparing our special Christmas Eve dinner. Once all the work is done, we gather around the table for a tasty ham, potato and egg puff pastry concoction. We don't linger too long over dinner before heading to the living room where we each get to open one gift. This year, we all got pajamas. From the littlest to the biggest. Kilmeny wasn't too sure about the opening the present part but once she saw her new pink jammies, she had to try them on. Or at least give it her best shot.   

Being that we were in yet another different house and different time zone, Kilmeny took awhile to get accustomed to sleeping properly and so Christmas morning found the two of us down by the tree very early. After I woke up a bit, I realized what a special moment this was and grabbed the camera. Kilmeny padded over to the presents and just felt them. I curled up on the couch, watched the sun rise and enjoyed just being quiet and reflective. It is now one of my favorite memories from this Christmas. 

Several hours (and a short nap for Kilmeny and I later), we joined the whole family in the living room, pajama clad and cozy while Dad read the Christmas story. We ate our oranges and cradled hot cups of cocoa. And then fun of stockings began. In our family, everyone stuffs everyone's stockings which results in all sorts of fun Christmas morning as we discover little treasures and candy and holler thank-yous across the room. Kilmeny was absolutely thrilled with her little purse that one of my brothers crocheted for her.

I loved watching everyone's faces and reactions as they opened gifts that had been bought thoughtfully with each person in mind. We open one gift at a time, starting with the youngest so we can all ooh and ahh over each gift. Kilmeny's library was tripled between Christmas and her birthday (on the 28th) which thrilled me to no end. I've made no secret of the fact that I love children's books and have talked for a long time about building my children's library. So it was great fun to open all the new books.

Kilmeny has an adorable cousin. His name is Ian. He is four months old and we got to meet him for the first time at Christmas. That was very special. We were home for a week which provided lots of time for visiting, playing games, catching up and just hanging out. It was so refreshing, even getting sick was okay since Mom was there to doctor us up.

On our last full day all together, we decided to take a day trip and go shopping in the States. It was a crazy, fun, long day and something I've wanted to do with Jared for a long time. My family typically goes down to the States (since they live five minutes from the border) every few months and when I was at home, we would go down for a shopping trip once a year to take advantage of the sales and the strong Canadian dollar. I was excited that it worked out to introduce Jared to another one of my family's traditions and make some new memories together. 


So, tell me, what are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? Since it's a couple weeks past Christmas and it's fun to remember and since I'm catching up on my blog. =) 

6 years ago, I was watching our house burn down and felt like my world as I knew it had completely crumbled. Christmas Day, two days later, was an unbelievable gift spent with my precious family and dear friends who opened their home and hearts to us. 

 5 years ago, I was celebrating our new house with my family and relishing in all our traditions. Life was so beautiful.

4 years ago, I spent most of December my fall in a fog feeling like dreams never came true the way you wanted them too and that there never would be the perfect guy for me. There was a moment of epiphany that year when I realized that I didn't *need* that perfect guy to complete me. God loved me as I was. And my parents loved me. So grateful for them.

3 years ago, I was checking my email and blog to see if that boy with the amazing blue eyes had written me again. I liked him. I knew that much and I wanted to continue being friends with him. 

2 years ago, I was listening to Josh Groban sing I'll be Home for Christmas  while working in a New Zealand orchard and knowing I wouldn't be home that year. I had married that boy with the amazing blue eyes and we were on our epic trip. We opened our stockings and then went to the beach with our Kiwi family. They loved on us and we made incredible memories.

1 year ago, I was anticipating the birth of our first child. Feeling very much like Mary who was great with child, Kilmeny was born 3 days after Christmas Day and has been an incredible gift every since. 

This year, I'm going home for Christmas. And I get to be with some of my favorite people in the whole world. And introduce Jared to all the wonderful Funston Christmas traditions. 

photo: Christmas in New Zealand

the most wonderful time of the year

Our street is covered with snow. The little red berries in the backyard are all wearing little caps of snow. The snow catches the light from our neighbors' Christmas lights and throws the glitter into the night. 

Our house is one of the few houses that has no decorations, outside or inside. We've got piles of stuff and boxes instead of evergreen garlands and twinkle lights. I haven't filled tins with buttery shortbread or decadent fudge. And we haven't had a sip of eggnog yet. But that's not our fault. It's not in the grocery stores and the staff had no idea what we were talking about. (this is a not so subtle hint to my family to stock up on eggnog!)

 

It's a different December for us. After living in the East for the past eight months as part of our pursuit of a musical dream, we're moving back to Alberta for the next step in the journey. I read about others' decorating, baking, celebrating Advent and picking out their Christmas tree and I enjoy it all. It's just not what we're doing this year and there is a strange freedom that comes with that. We're playing Christmas music, lighting candles (until they got packed), buying Christmas gifts. It's pretty simple around here.

Sunday evening found us wandering at one of Quebec's Christmas Markets. It's styled after European Christmas Markets and there are only a couple such markets outside of Europe. They are, surprise, surprise, located in Quebec. It was beautiful. The carols filled the air and the Christmas lights were everywhere. There was even a train that ran throughout the stalls. I took my daughter out of her carseat, all bundled in her white snowsuit and twirled with her in the moonlight because it was a beautiful night and we were making a Christmas memory.

Just like Mary and Joseph centuries ago, we're making a trek. Back to our homeland. We're not totally sure of what the future holds, we have dreams and hopes. And we have trust in our Father God Who is always faithful. Always trustworthy. Always our Provider.

And I am thankful! 

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Hot tea with milk and honey 

 

Sleeping baby girl 

 

 A.A. Milne's stories of a boy and his bear

 

my baby girl loving her daddy 

 

God's faithfulness again and again 

 

quiet snow-covered street 

 

Christmas music and the truth contained in it 

 

grace 

 

emails from friends 'yes, let's get together' 

 

love 

 

my man loving me and our little girl 

 

simplicity of life 

 

snow sparkles 

 

my violinist husband who never ceases to inspire and encourage me 

 

photo memories 

my Nana 

dark chocolate with almonds 

security of home 

hope