Christmas 2025

It was a beautiful Christmas. 

 

We went to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve. 

After church, we did our Advent readings and the girls opened new pajamas. 

On Christmas morning, I baked homemade cinnamon rolls. (We also had bacon, scrambled eggs, and fresh oranges, and coffee, of course.)

We had our final Advent readings and then opened gifts. 

Watching the girls open their gifts is one of my favorite things. 

For Christmas, I got an espresso machine! 

I've had to read the manual a few times to learn how to use it and then read it again to troubleshoot. There has been much trial and error over the past few days, and honestly, there has even been some exasperated exclamations, especially over the steam features. But everyone is loving this addition to our kitchen. 

One of the girls' gifts were headband headphones. Credit goes to my professor who told me about them. The girls love them! 

We've enjoyed some amazing meals over the past few days at home: 

pan fried steak and Brussel sprouts, 

cheese and chocolate fondu,  

salt and pepper crusted prime rib with sweet roasted potatoes, 

then leftover prime rib with soft fried eggs and crispy, buttery toast. 

Yum! 

And we've slowed down: reading, napping, crocheting, building new Lego sets and playing several rounds of various boardgames including chess, Catan, Seven Wonders, and Poetry for Neanderthals. 

I love these days leading up to Christmas, and Christmas itself, and then the days after Christmas. It's been lovely to slow down and be together, spending time just enjoying life in no hurry.