Our Christmas Table 2012

One of the traditional Christmas activities when I was growing up involved the dining room table.  Before all the family and guests would arrive, my mom would instruct us girls to “put the leaves in the table”.    Most of the time our old antique round table sat over in the corner – out of the way of all the hustle and bustle of normal traffic flow between the kitchen and living room.

Except when it was time for a family gathering.  Then it was moved right in the center and stretched out to full capacity – with all eight leaves.  I’m still amazed at how that little table could stretch so long.

As our family grew and in-laws and grandbabies were added to the picture, we added tables to tables until we were stretched all the way from the end of the dining room to the end of the kitchen.

People were packed in and the noise and chaos was great.

Ahh…I love those memories.

Then, I grew up, married my handsome prince and moved far, far away from my family’s farmhouse.  In 22 years, I only remember being back at the farm for Christmas once.

Over the years, I’ve sometimes found Christmas sort of sad.  It can be too quiet; too calm.  I’ve realized how precious family is and what a gift it is when we can finally somehow make the miles shorter and get together.

I’m so happy to say, that this year…I got to “put the leaves in” our table!

Christmas table

First of all, our oldest son arrived from his new home in Alberta.  Our Christmas family picture could now be complete.  (I’ll share it when I get it done.)  Then, my husband’s brother and his family drove many miles to join us for the Christmas holidays.

We’ve just had a delightful 5 days of making wonderful memories together.

My niece made the most delicious red velvet cupcakes for Christmas eve.

red velvet cupcakes

My brother and sister-in-law made some awfully tasty appetizers the same day.

asparagus

These were prosciutto-wrapped asparagus (before they were baked).  They also taught me that most everything is delicious if wrapped in bacon and baked at 400 degrees for 20 minutes!Smile  (Cream cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers were their bacon wrapped delicacy.  It was scrumptious!)

The cousins have now traded toy-boxes full of toys for laptops, cell phones, and video games…but some remote control cars and monopoly made an appearance, too.

We spent far too much time snacking from our candy bags from Grandma and Grandpa,

candy bags

and loved gathering around the toasty warm fire. The weather was just chilly enough to make the fire quite “delightful”!Winking smile

fireside

And, in those moments where thinks were kinda quiet, I gobbled up the beauty in the book my husband gave me for Christmas.

mms book

{Oh, Miss Mustard Seed, you inspire me!}

Now our family has headed to their homes again, and the house is once again eerily quiet.  As some point during this quiet day, I think I’ll take down the Christmas tree.  Judging by the amount of needles I’ve already been vacuuming up off the floor, it’s time…

family pic

So, thanks, Leroy, Natalie, Kurt, Chris, and Sydney for joining us for Christmas.

Your presence was the best present of all!…

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