Holiday Season 2021

 December was a busy and fun month for us.  Arlington wrapped up her first semester Sophomore year at UMass, we had my parents here for a few days through the New Year, and even had a nice New Year's Eve breakfast with our neighbors.  The holidays are always fun, and always go by way too fast.

This year's Christmas card

This year's ornament

Arlington and Finley took Scooby and Arlington's bunny, Gaston, to see Santa at a pet store

This year's game

Mat and I watched "Squid Game" this year, and I decided to make one of the games for fun for Christmas morning.  It was much harder to make than we expected, but worked out and we had fun with the game.  Finley was the winner

New Year's even breakfast with our neighbors the Martins and my parents

In the evening we went to a New Year's bowling event that was a ton of fun.  Food, games, countdowns - so glad we went.

One of my favorite Christmas presents - Mat got me a clock for the kitchen that I wanted.  Fits so nicely with the rest of our new space

Local Christmas Bizaare

 One of the things I missed about Littleton when we lived abroad was our local bizaare around the holidays.  Local groups and non-profits bring in crafts and wears to sell on the first Saturday in December.  We always find some treasurers.  I am on the Friends of the Library Board, and so I worked their table.  After being gone for a number of years (and this Bizaare not being held last year because of the pandemic) I got to see so many people I haven't seen in years.  So fun

Thanksgiving Take Two

 This Thanksgiving for the firs time ever - we hosted.  It was a thrill.  My parents came in to stay with us and we invited our neighbors Ron and Mary to join us for the day.  We are all vaccinated and boostered, and felt that we could pull this off and still keep everyone safe.  We kept it small, but we spent all day making food for our feast.  It was a lot of fun.

Finley really enjoyed helping make everything

Loved setting the table

It was great having Arlington home for almost a week

Thanksgiving Take One

 We have never had success going to have Thanksgiving with family because we live so far away.  It is such a short holiday and traffic can be an absolute nightmare.  So we have never been able to make it work.

This year, Mat's family came to visit us the weekend before the holiday, so we decided to have Thanksgiving with them a big early.  It was fun to have people to serve with our new kitchen and remodel!

Cainan's Birthday Present

 Back in June, Cainan had asked for tickets to one of his favorite You Tube star's shouws - YIAY.  Arlington said she would take him if we got the tickets.  Tonight was that show.  They had a great time.  Arlington drove in from UMass, took Cainan to dinner, they road the subway, went to the show and came back happy.  

Tao is Cainan's middle (given Chinese) name.  Arlington found this place for them to have dinner

When you live in New England

 You spend most of the fall blowing the leaves out of your yard.  We live on 4 acres of almost all trees, so it is a constant job.  I had been doing well until last nights wind storm

New Town Library

 This weekend was the open house for our town's new library.  I have never been so excited for a public building before.  It is GORGEOUS.  Finley and I volutneered for the open house and then spent some time exploring it after.  It is so beautiful and huge inside.  I cannot wait to spend all of my free time there

This was the guest book.  They put an outside on an old dictionary of the blueprint of the library.  Then people could sign anywhere in the dictionary they desired.  It was a great idea

Mat and I made the donor wall

Even the donor wall was a work of art

Finley hanging with some friends

Those windows are the first thing you see when you walk in the front doors.  No picture could ever do their size justice

24 Years

 Today Mat and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary.  We had a nice dinner out at a beautiful restaurant, took a walk, and just spent time together.  

We took a local walk after dinner and this area really made me think of Basel

Homecoming

 Cainan decided that this year he would like to go to the Homecoming Dance.  It was outdoors and they had to wear masks, but I am glad they had the dance.  The weather was unseasonably warm which was great.  He went with a wonderful group of friends.  Finley elected to go bowling with friends instead

Rocking Chairs Get New Life

 We are in project mode around here.  I have recently restained our side front porch after months of contractor wear and tear and brought it back to life with a nice deep red color that matches our doors.  And then I painted two old Cracker Barrel Rockers that we had.  They had a hard life especially while we were living abroad, but thank you to Chalked Paint and outdoor poly, we brought them back to life for next season.  I love how they turned out.

Bookcase

 Our most recent project is complete.  We had the contractors build us a nook on the outside of the pantry where we wanted to put a large bookcase.  Mat cut all the pieces, I stained them and then he and I assembled them this past week.  It is beautiful.  I already have 400 books on the shelves and room for more.  It is such a statement piece right when you come into the house

The Range FINALLY arrives

 Almost 9 months after we ordered our Range it finally arrived!  It was like Christmas in our house to see them put it in place and then get it hooked up.  Finley and I didn't waste any time baking our first cookies in this bad boy. Even Cainan wanted to help cook dinner.  I love it

New for 2021 on the Wolf Range is this interface.  We were excited for this upgrade from the old model.  It is also Wifi connected so I can control the system from my phone.