Greetings from Pronghorn!

OK, I'm a week late, but we had a wonderful Christmas this year thanks to our friends Annie and Jeff! We spent the 3 days before Christmas at Pronghorn in Bend, Oregon, and I experienced the first white Christmas of my life (and I hope not the last!) Here are a few photos from our trip:

Gustave, Annie and Jeff's cat. We brought Phil along, too, but he hung out on our bed the whole time. I didn't blame him, it was comfy!

Getting over a cold, but I made it out for a drink!

At McMenamin's St. Francis School

We stopped at the Growler Fill Station on the way home. It was located in a gas station.

I spent a few minutes in the beer cooler and finally decided on something to drink.....

that's my hazelnut beer in the growlette! No growler for me even if it is hazelnut (my favorite!) I'm not really a beer drinker, but I try.

Hanging with the Jeffs and friends at the house...

Our room. Seriously, I could get used to a comfy chair, fireplace, king size bed, and flat screen TV in my bedroom....we have none of these in ours at home! I've always said the bed is for sleeping among other things.....If there were a TV and a fireplace I might never leave!

I got my first white Christmas....at 36!

We even brought our stockings which we hung by the chimney with care....

My first standing rib roast (ever!) ready to go into the oven.

First glass.....for the cook (me!)

Annie opening champagne Christmas Eve.

So cute!

The roast turned out beautifully and it was delicious.....thanks, Fine Cooking magazine!

I'm getting this guy an electric knife - he deserves it! He always does a fabulous job carving the meat.

Christmas dinner cooked with a minimum of supplies. The home was equipped with a beautiful Viking kitchen, but it lacked even enough utensils for the amount of people it claimed to sleep! Good thing there were only 6 (not 10) of us!

Best wine ever!

2nd best wine ever!

Love this guy so much!

The Jeffs - opening stockings on Christmas morning.

Everybody got one, even Gustave!

It was a crazy snowy drive home, into Bend and over Mt. Hood, but it was beautiful and the Subaru got us home safe and sound!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....

The homemade McNally "Advent Wreath"

.....all around the house! My favorite time of year is here and this year I am determined to slow down a bit and enjoy the next 22 days. Last weekend I put out the Christmas decorations, hung the monogrammed wreath, created an advent wreath, sent out the holiday cards, and yesterday we got a tree, which, I admit, we purchased.....and not from a lot or a farm....but from a store! I know it's sacrilege especially when you live in the northwest, but for the first time the rain deterred me from going out and chopping down our own tree! When you live here rain never stops you from doing anything....but it has been raining like crazy and I just didn't want to drag a wet tree in the house, vacuum up pine needles, or remember to water it. But, it's not without guilt and the gentle reminder that I'm becoming my mother. She's had a fake tree for years (and raved about it while I've secretly cringed at the thought!) Before you know it I'll  forgo Christmas cards before I even have a child! (Not to worry....I love stationery way too much to give up on that one!) Seriously, though, I've had to remind myself all weekend that I want to enjoy the holiday time this year! Besides, I've always wanted 2 trees and next year that's what I'll have. I'm thinking ahead.... it was on sale......we'll have plenty of opportunities to make memories at a tree farm when we finally have our child....I have a fragrant REAL wreath hanging in the living room....oh, forget it, these things don't really make me feel less guilty about my fake Christmas tree, but I will say being able to put the tree up at JSM's leisure (and in 5 minutes) lets me enjoy more time looking at it and less time worrying about it and that's exactly what I want to be doing this holiday season!

In honor of slowing down and enjoying the holiday season, here are a few more things I hope to accomplish this December:

1. Make holiday cookies and drink hot chocolate

2.Attend a Christmas party (Got invited to one, but didn't make it....worked 7 days in a row!)

3. Get all my packages mailed out the week BEFORE the week before Christmas....cross-country is a long (and expensive) place to go  (Mailed 6 days before Christmas, but we got them out!!)

4. Start a new tradition for our family - the Advent Wreath

5. Spend more time reading by the Christmas tree - maybe finish 2 books? (I finished The Christmas Box and A Christmas Carol, both short, but perfect for curling up next to the tree!)

6. Watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special with my sweet JSM

7. Read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
8. Curl up in my reading chair, next to the Christmas tree, and listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons
9. Write a letter to an old friend
10. Make salted dark chocolate fudge for the neighbors