Christmas 2010

“Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.”  - J. Donald Walker

Christmas 2010 was filled with family, food, and fun!  We loved every moment of this season.

Prior to December 25, we traveled to South Carolina for a mid-December Christmas with the Fehrman family. Fiona quickly learned how this present thing works and enjoyed opening her presents, Mommy's presents, and Daddy's presents. We know that she will love the the sand and water table that Grandma and Grandpa F got for her -- as soon as it's warm enough for her to actually use it!

Fiona excited about Christmas morning #1

Meeting her new stuffed black bear from Grandma & Grandpa F.

Playing Santa while enjoying her grocery cart.



Christmas weekend, we enjoyed our first Christmas in Durham (hooray!) and hosted the Schryer family.

Fi's Christmas dress was wonderful find from our favorite kids consignment shop: The Red Hen

On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, we went to the Children's Service at Duke Chapel. This lively, festive 3pm service is truly designed around kids and will certainly be a new tradition for our family.   Fiona loved her special Christmas dress (even if she did have to wear her usual Stride Right shoes with it because her frugal parents refuse to buy dress shoes that she'll wear once), dancing in the aisle to the sound of singing voices, and making her way through the children's bell-ringing processional with Gramougie.

Following the service, we enjoyed a tummy-warming Christmas Eve dinner of homemade butternut squash soup (HIGHLY recommend The Joy of Cooking's version!), traditional fondue, delicious salad, Holiday Cranberry Rum Cocktails, and the wonderful results of Aunty Holly's Christmas cookie-baking marathon.  Fiona went to bed with the sounds of Grandma F's recorded voice reading her The Night Before Christmas...

....and then Santa came!

Fiona loved the Cozy Coupe that Grandma and Grandpa S helped Santa bring.  From the moment she saw it on Christmas morning, she knew just what to do.

Christmas Day was filled with delicious food.  For breakfast,we enjoyed Marmalade French Toast Casserole, Vegetable Cheddar Strata, and mixed fruit salad with vanilla yogurt and lime dressing. Dinner was a delightful feast, which we all helped prepare:

Dill Shrimp (a Schryer tradition that I can remember eating every Christmas!)

French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms

Gingered Pear and Brandy Cocktails

Sea Scallops with Shitake Mushroom and Champagne Sauce

Truffled Lobster Risotto

Citrus, Red Onion, and Pomegranate Salad

Beef Tenderloin with Duxelles (for the meat eaters in our family)

White Chocolate Tiramisu Trifle with Spiced Pears

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

By the end of dinner, a White Christmas was upon us - and by Sunday morning, the ground was covered in more than 4 inches of beautiful snow.  We took advantage of this rare opportunity to take Fiona on her first sled ride.

I would not change a thing about celebrating this most meaningful of holidays throughout the last month. We started a few new traditions, we stayed in the moment and on budget, we helped others, we enjoyed family, we rested, we sent letters to friends, we sang carols and decorated our house, we cooked amazing food, and *we*(meaning I) didn't stress (at least not as much as I have in the past!). Amen.