Christmas in October

What a truly strange year when the Christmas tree is up and the fall foliage is in full array.  In NY this would be mid-October and here it is mid-December.  And so warm we're wearing our spring clothes.  

B has enjoyed the christmas tree, especially, as you can see in the picture below, Eggbert the talking egg who figured large in our childhood Christmases.  Benjamin will get to meet Eggbert this year in NY.   I remember loving the Christmas display with Eggbert at Devitt's.  A giant talking Christmas egg may be a little scary for B.  Maybe it should be scary for all of us.  

To back track just a bit, I don't think I posted any thanksgiving pictures.  Have I said how much I enjoyed hosting our first Thanksgiving at home?  I loved it.  Friends came over and contributed much, and we ate and hung out at the house ALL DAY.  We had live music in the house all afternoon.  And a rousing game of Settlers later in the night.  We have enjoyed our other Thanksgivings with family, but there is something special about hosting the meal at our house and cooking in preparation for our own feast.  Loved it.  

And the fool-proof pie recipe (secret ingredient: vodka) was excellent.  I will be using it from now on.  

After such a brilliant day, you can imagine the let-down when both JB and Benjamin sick (like days of throwing up sick) in overlapping succession the week after Thanksgiving.  It was bad.  Took Benjamin-to-the-doctor bad. Once Benjamin was on the mend, I realized how emotionally exhausting it is to have a sick child.  Even though I was not sick myself, I did not have capacity to teach Sunday school for the pre-schoolers like I was supposed to that week.  I prepared for it, and had it all planned out, and then Sunday came along and I just couldn't do it.  I am very thankful for the people who were ready to take over for me on a moment's notice.